Here's to a stitchy New Year

As I bid a fond farewell to 2011 I wish you all the best for 2012. I will never forget 2011 as it gave me my wonderful little boy who I can't believe will be 1 year old in a few months!!! Where does the time go.

Santa brought me plenty of stitchy gifts- mostly which are for my crazy 15 - I can't wait to get started!!!!!
In addition to that he got me a kindle which has shamed me into get cracking on with my reading, rather than stitching, which is a massive stash to rival my stitching stash. Mostly fantasy books but I think there is around 80 - oh my!!!

I think on your recommendations I'm gonna order a Q snap frame and see how that goes, so thanks for the advice.

On Christmas day Vinnie decided to stand all by himself not holding onto anything. Which got whoops of excitement from me and my MIL. He hasn't done it since but what a Christmas present. He had a blast on Christmas day and even had a full 3 course dinner followed by a long nap of course. Need a big reorganise of the house as it's full of toys!

So I've been saving my excitement for stitching ready to start my crazy 15 tomorrow so watch this space! I have no idea what kind of mess this is going to get me into but it sure does seem fun. I'm normally a one at a timer so for me this really really is a crazy challenge. I just hope by the end of the 15 days I have myself a plan of action cos I'm sure I'll have new project blindness by then and not know where to start!

Keep stitching...

Frames? Hoops? or Clips?

I'm looking for some stitchy advice this week.

I've mostly been up to festivities rather than much stitching but I've had a great time. I'm super excited for Christmas day now with it being my son's first Christmas!!!

I can't wait to get started on my crazy January projects.

My best friend gave me some sew and so vouchers and I've been looking into frames etc. I used to use a floor stand with a huge elbsee easy clip frame but my stand has succumbed to wear and tear and now lists badly as the middle post is threaded in the wood. Anyway I think that is for the best, as a floor stand would just be a hazard with my now increasingly mobile and inquisitive tot.

But I'm really struggling with a 26 inch easy clip balanced on my lap. I've been considering delving into the loft looking for my old hoops, but I ditched them because of the nasty marks that appear and are a pain to get out on large projects. So I was wondering what you all use? Got any recommendations for me.

I keep looking at these type of clip frames.


But I'm not sure if these are any good for large projects would the clips crush stitches for moving it around?

A very merry Christmas to you all and I hope santa leaves lots of stitchy gifts under your tree.

Keep Stitching...

Festive Frenzy

Progress is going slow but steady on the Starry Night, I'm just working on the first page of four. I've had a busy week of stitching distractions.

I'm just starting back work after my maternity leave just doing a couple of half days this week to get back in the swing of things and then back proper next week. So that's gonna be a shock to the system I'm sure!

The other thing that is consuming my time is my DS has decided that crawling wasn't very exciting and is now pulling himself up to stand as well. I'm super proud of course but this comes with alsorts of new challenges especially bumps as he seems to think that he can just get up and walk off!! So nothing is safe now and I'm working on using those eyes in the back of my head lol!

I'm also getting distracted drooling over stitching stuff I want Santa to bring for me. It's a hard balance between getting charts and the stuff to complete them. So I've been looking at all my wish lists and had my threads out to start working out what I need to complete what. I have already ordered HAED Middle Earth which I was totally tempted to get thanks Ewa (http://darkandfluffy.blogspot.com/2011/11/college-middle-earth-tusal-oh-my.html) It'll go quite nicely with the anniversary editions of LOTR and The Hobbit that should also be in the big man's sack to go under my tree this year.

I'm totally in love with these little things too. I keep finding myself looking at the web page for ages!

http://www.3dcrossstitch.co.uk/store.cfm?Do=Detail&ProductCode=NUT061&Buy=True

I saw them in a magazine, there's a full range of different designs and they are just the cutest. It's just a question of what order the list goes in and how the numbers crunch to what I'm ordering lol.

So excited for Christmas it's unreal!! Can't wait to take my DS to see Santa!!

Keep Stitching...

Another day, another finish..

I'm on fire at the mo lol. After finishing the Mr Men height chart I've now finished the Christmas bauble.

I'm really pleased with it. I think its much more special and personal than the bought printed baubles you get for a baby's first Christmas.

This is the final side that needed doing and then I've added all the trimming on. This was the second stitching of this as I had already started it before I managed to get coffee everywhere!!

So here's the full set of close ups.

The front piece of silk had got a splash of coffee across it but I used a bit of coffee to stain it an even colour so it just looks a richer gold than it did before.

The hardest bit of making the baubles is getting the hole through the middle of the polystyrene ball. It takes some effort to get it through and even more to get the hole in the centre. I use an 8 inch mattress needle from an upholstery set of needles I got. It does the job great but always seems a bit scary sure I'll end up with it through my finger!!!

 Here's a peek in my Christmas bauble box from my stash. This contains christmassy fabrics, floral pins, sequin pins, upholstery needles, polystyrene balls, trimmings, ribbon, tassels and bells.

So my house is slowly filling up with Christmas decorations but it would be no point putting them away so close to getting them back out now would it? At least that's my excuse anyways!!!

Keep stitching..

So far....

I haven't really had much chance to sit down with the needle and thread for a little while not easy finding the time with a 7 month old baby. Not that I'm complaining of course just its an addiction and I find my fingers twitching when I haven't had some cross stitch time lol.

Here's where I'm up to with the Mr Men Height Chart:

Still got about another four Mr Men to add and a ton of backstitch but it seems to be coming along pretty fast so hopefully you'll get a completed picture soon!!

I'm still on with the bauble for my son as well. It's very nearly complete

The first side I have stitched name and date onto some silk. I did this by writing it on with a pencil and stitching over the top. I used some scrap fabric I had in my stash for the background pieces I think its scraps off one of my dad's waistcoats. I think I get funny looks when I collect up wastage from other people's projects but I know one day I know I'll find a use for it. I have quite a few tubs under the bed of all the bits and bobs I have collected up over the years. I get this from my grandma, she used to have a cupboard full of stuff and always put all sorts in her bag in case we could use them for 'crafty' later even the empty milk pots you get with your coffee in cafes. She wasn't wrong though they made many hats for Barbie!

These are the completed sides of cross stitch I think they are looking rather good. I got the motifs from an old book '101 Christmas minis book 2' by Holly DeFount. I inherited this from my mother, who no longer cross stitches. I've had it on my shelf for many years now and who knew they are the perfect size for these baubles. It was just meant to be! I have the last side still to do and then there is just the trim to put on to cover the joins.

Well I'm off now to get on with one of these while my son is still napping :)