April TUSAL

It's TUSAL time again!  For those of you new to blogging, the TUSAL is a project run by Daffycat, click on the button on the right hand bar for more details.

Here is my ORTS jar posing with the current stitching project:

This week I have been stitching different things almost every day.  On Monday I finished another project from my 15 in '15 - Joan Elliott's Cherub from the 2013 Diary.  Tuesday was Satsuma Street day.  On Wednesday I went on a train journey so took Trick and Treat because it's all one colour, on Thursday I picked up Just Nan Winter Typography and Friday saw another finish for a DUCJC project - Sweetheart Tree's Tudor Rose.  Today is Saturday and a work day so no stitching so far!

Way back in December 2012 World Of Cross Stitching magazine had their most popular cover gift ever, a diary featuring 12 Joan Elliott designs.  I intended to stitch one a month that year.  Then I revised that to exclude three of the more cutesy designs then I revised it again and actually managed three finishes and one start!  February was started in February 2013 and was in last year's 14 in '14 (unsucessfully) and now in 15 in '15.  As ever, the crazy thing is that it only needed three days stitching to complete it.  Two were pretty full-on days though, we're talking four or five hours a day.

Stitched on 28 count evenweave dyed with fruit tea

(which smells lovely when you are stitching!)

Mounted in my scrapbook.

I need some more gold heart stickers, I only had silver.

I used the recommended colours except for the heart because they were too pink.  I also left off the border of backstitched hearts.  That saved a couple of hours!

Tuesday is a SAL with Linda and Kate on Satsuma Street's Pretty Little London:

(It's the scanner that makes the linen look weird)

This week I stitched more of St Paul's Cathedral.

The Sweetheart Tree Tudor Rose was very nearly completed last week but I wanted to save the beading for a day when the boys were at school.  Beading and the Small Boy are not really compatible!  Here are several photos of the finished piece:

Stitched on 32 count Light Mocha linen.

I substituted plain DMCfor the border and used DMC throughout.

The beads and charm were supplied with the chart.

I had stitched the centre last (as instructed) and noticed that it was quite raised where the eyelets had pulled the fabric so decided to make a stuffed ornie.

With the intended backing fabric:

 

All finished:

And hanging in place:

The chart was a gift from Vickie and will now be travelling on to Gillie as a prize for leaving my 7000th comment a while back.  I gave her first choice before I chose the Giveaway charts and she picked this one.

Finally, the Giveaway of the other seven charts is continuing.  To be in with a chance, just leave a comment on my Blogaversary post.  Anyone who links up for the Gifted Gorgeousness SAL gets an extra chance.  You don't have to do anything to claim that, if you have commented and linked up then my spreadsheet will automatically put your name in twice.

Days 20 to 23 of the DUCJC 2015

The DUCJC is being held this year in memory of SoCal Debbie and I am attempting to stitch on 31 different projects throughout January.  A mixture of WIPs and new starts.

This week was a busy week at work so I chose three of my WIPs to stitch on those three days.

Day 20 - Jannlynn - Gathering Honey:

Stitched on 28 count linen.

I stitched more of the green in the bottom two blocks and some more backstitch.

I think I can start adding some flowers next time!

Day 21 - Joan Elliott - Faces SAL:

Stitched on 28count Snapdragon evenweave by Crafty Kitten

This will be a fairy eventually!

Day 22 - Just Nan - Winter Typography:

Stitched on 32 count lilac linen.

I stitched the mittens, the bunny, the scarf and some of the pink in the border.

Day 23 - Stitcher Anon - Marley was Dead:

Stitched over 1 on 28count Platinum linen.

A new start at last!

Only a week to go on this challenge.  I have found it easier than I thought.  Some of the pieces have been very hard to put down but being able to start a long-awaited design has made it easier.  I am hoping to finish all the obligation stitching and most of the smalls throughout the year.  It would be nice to finish Gathering Honey too because that is for a friend.  I think the JE Faces will continue into next year though.

The Gifted Gorgeousness SAL's first monthly sign up was a great success and I have visited everyone who linked up now.  I had so many page views for that post and also my 7000th comment!  The lovely Gillie left that comment and I have offered her first choice of my finished charts later this year.  My intention is to finish a few of the smalls and have a giveaway, possibly on my Blogaversary in April.  So Gillie will get first dibs and then whoever enters!

Finally, I will be hosting the annual Valentine's Day Blog Hop this year.  See this post for more details.  Just send me a photo of your lovely stitching to be sent to another blogger on Valentine's Day,  I've added the Heart to my sidebar, please feel free to copy it onto your blog to link back here.