Progress at last Joan Elliot UFO

 

Things have calmed after last weeks stash gremlin. I managed to find the DMC colour match for the missing green after some rummaging. So I was able to continue on with the Spirit of the Season.

Here it was as when I rescued it out of UFO orbit:

 

And now:

 

Not bad restart. I do like the colours and I do always find Joan Elliot's designs are a pleasure to stitch. I have no idea why it was UFO. But then again I'm sure no one ever really intends on making UFOs, they just happen right.

 

I also finished on another one of the reindeer cards so that only leaves one left to finish and that's another one finished from my pile of free cover kits.

 

I have found a new lease of life for these minis for during the day as they are a nice small size to keep in check while small fingers are about. Although it is a bit hard when the dinosaur takes a fancy to your threads and sits on your chart.

 Keep stitching...

Beware the Stash Gremlin

I've been having a right one this last week and a bit. I seem to have a stash gremlin....and it's been messing with my rhythm. Proper giving me hell and a bit of the stitching blues.

The start was as good as I have been doing I finished framing the Thimble Fairy.

I do love the detailing on it. I can't stop looking at her. One of my favourite finishes for a long time. I just need to decide where to hang her.

 

 

I finished another Mill Hill kit Snow Crystals Aqua.

 

Love the sparkle and think it's going to be a great addition to my hopefully growing pile of Christmas Ornies for next Christmas. So far so good.

 

I finished my rotation on the gingerbread houses.

.

 

I now have all the walls made up and laced onto the plastic pieces. I'm on with the roof and then it will be a construction job. So hopefully next rotation on this I might have a completed house.

 

THEN the stash gremlin struck.

 

I was itching to get more done so had got Tapestry Cat out for its next rotation. Going to fill in my blog when I had a minute. I then discovered....

I'm missing threads!!!!!!

 

Over the years I have raided this box for the colours I have needed for other projects. So yep I know it's my own fault really. Fair enough I need to go through and check off what I have and what I need to order but I know I need at least a handful. OK so I'll leave this for now and come back to it when I have cash and time to sort an order for threads.

 

 I have been enjoying a few of the facebook groups to do with stitching talking to everyone on there and seeing all the work. I recently found one for Joan Elliot's designs and I found that she has designed some dream catcher ones that I have stitched and I suddenly remembered I have had this in my stash as a UFO for years. It's one of Joan's I never realised and so in lieu of Tapestry Cat going back into UFO lurking, I thought perfect I'll be good not open anything new and finish this off.

 

 

And then It struck again. After a very slow start on it due to dreaded teething of both boys, meaning a stitch at a time. This resulted in a few frogging attacks as I'd come back and started in the wrong place.

 

I found the gremlin has stole the dark green!!!!!

 

AAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

 

Last night I was tearing my hair out. This box I wouldn't have raided for colours as it's from a kit. The bobbins I have made and labelled with the colour and symbol. WHY? I have no idea why it wouldn't be there. I ave stitched the colour on it already so it was there to start and I haven't got an empty card. I was sick as a chip last night.

 

I have after a long search found the DMC colour match for it but even that wasn't in the thread boxes.

 

~breathe~

 

So I'm hoing that when I sit down tonight I'm not going to have any  more visits from this gremlin and it's gone back to hiding small people's socks. I can handle that lol

 

I did in the meantime, finish one of the three reindeer cards from a crossstitcher kit.

 

Keep stitching....

Stashing and finishing

Two things that are music to a stitcher's ear: stashing and finishes!!

 

I finished the Mill Hill Noel treasured diamond kit.

 

 

I have to say it was a total pleasure to stitch. More beading than cross stitch but that was to be expected from Mill Hill. The picture doesn't do the beads justice they have a lovely sheen that will look great with the Christmas lights. I really enjoyed all the beading the instructions in the kit are fantastic, very concise and clear which I think added to the pleasure of stitching it up. I loved that the excess corners of fabric are turned in on the back to complete the diamond which means it is very economical on fabric and was a fun way to fix it together.

 

I would certainly recommend these kits to anyone.

 

I also received the rest of my order from Sew and So. The love tree I am really looking forward to stitching!!!

 

In other stashing, Tesco's were selling bits and bobs on clearance and look what bargains I found.

 

It's not everyday I stumble across cross stitch kits let alone for £2 each and frames for 75p I couldn't resist for projects or just pictures and pins for 5p,

 

Last but not least The Thimble Fairy.

 

Before:

 

 

And now finished:

 

 

She is just beautiful, Love it Love it Love it.

 

It was a lovely stitch and the beading really finishes it off nicely. I just love the hand dyed colours of the crescent colours threads, they have wonderful variegation to them from being hand dyed so was a nice change to my usual DMC mainstay.

 

And my final high, She fits in the 75p frames like they were made for her, mount and all.

I was just trying her for size here and need to get the mount board etc out. In trying her though I found that the frames also have a void between the glass and the picture so I don't have to take the glass out the beads fit in the frame. So they were an even better bargain than I thought in the first place!!!!

 

Keep stitching....

A Happy stitchy New Year and Starry Night progress

Been a good start to the year so far, plenty of stitchy progress.

I got most of my Christmas order through...drool!

I haven't made any stitching resolutions other than to stitch, stitch, stitch. And more importantly finish more stuff. Which looking back over this years finishes I have done pretty well. 2012 I have 7 finished, small wonder due to the arrival of my youngest that year. But 2013, I have totted up 19 finishes. A lot have been smaller finishes and of the three big finishes, two were started the year before, but I am still pleased with that. Check out the 2013 finishes tab at the top.

 

Here is my final finish of 2013. I finished this mini on New Years Eve.

I love the iridescent aida but the picture doesn't do it justice.

 

In light of my resolution to finish more, I found I had done all the cross stitch for these cards an age ago.

So I finished them off, making this my first finish of 2014.

I also tidied my threads up I have been meaning to do this for a while. 

 

I had started this bunny for my cousins expected bundle of joy due at the beginning of Feb.

 

 

As you can see it is completed as she decided she was going to make an early appearance and I had a rush on to get it finished.

 

And finally I have done my 10 hours on Starry Night.

 

Here it is before:

And now:

Oh yeah A page finish!!!!

 

It has been hard to find the odd spaces dotted around and dealing with all the confetti so just after I started the next page I decided I would give a bit of stitch and park a go. 

 

So far It's been great, a much calmer way of stitching this confetti heavy piece. So I'm going to continue with it and see how I get on for this next page.

So I'm feeling on track to getting plenty more progress going this year!!!

Hope you all have a productive year.

Keep stitching...