Happy Dance! Happy Dance!

Here is Baby Swing in all it's glory!  This photo is taken without the flash.  The colours are better and more true to life although the fabric is more green than this.

This one was taken with the flash to show off the metallic and beads a little more.  You can also see the mossy log more clearly.  That was lovely to stitch, 2 different blends and 2 plain colours.

There are little beads along the bottom of the wings, I subbed the recommended for some I had in my stash as I only needed 18.  The little jingly bells are too cute for words, they were a bargain, 99p for 10 from a new craft store in town.  Don't get too excited - it's mainly papercraft and scrapbooking although they do have the DMC display rack from my now defunct LNS, it was like seeing an old friend!

I also added little yellow beads in the centre of the flowers.  They were not listed but the picture definitely had something yellow there and again I had a dozen yellow beads in a little bag.  Throw nothing out!

Hello to my new followers, the IHSW seems to bring people together.  Hubby laughed when I said we all hermit together, doesn't that defeat the object of the word "hermit"?  Charlie is so excited to have found my blog, I love her's too.  We found the forums and blogging about the same time, seeing her blog, how much people liked it and how much fun it seemed helped inspire me to start my own.  That and the fact that I desperately want to enter the TUSAL next year!  Charlie and I have TTUSALs - totally totally useless SALs.  I will post a pic of my ORTS jar at the end of this month as it's half way through the year.

The Gift of Stitching online magazine is running a competition this week, see their blog for details.  They are also doing a special offer of 3 issues for $3 at the moment.  Mention my name and I get a free month added to my sub.  I heartily recommend this magazine, I found 5 new websites from one issue alone.   There are lots of charts in each issue and it arrives in your inbox in seconds!  Great for people with postal strikes.

IHSW

Here's the latest progress on Baby Swing:

The pale green backstitch is all in metallic DMC Jewel effect 703.   The flowers on the hat are straight stitches over a cross stitch in 1 base.

Here's the second project I've been working on - edited for internet security!!  I always stitch a small sampler at the end of term for the large boy's teacher/s.  I try to make it tie with their special interests and this year the teacher made it really easy - she's a big Bagpuss fan!  For my international followers who may be unaware of the saggy old cloth cat here's a useful link - http://www.smallfilms.co.uk/bagpuss/

The Bagpuss chart came from an old edition of Cross Stitcher magazine (Aug 2002) and the nice little border was from a more recent issue.  Alot of people have been criticising the magazine just lately for being more about sewing and craft rather than straight cross stitch.  Personally I would rather see more needlework if they want to diversify rather than sewing and felt craft.  I have found there are less projects I want to stitch and the free gifts are not really me but it is useful as a "design library".  This is not a very good scanned picture so doesn't do the patches justice.

Giveaway and more Baby Swing

First things first - Bev has moved her Wee Stitchy Blog to Wordpress.  I can't say I blame her, it's been over a month now and Blogger still isn't right plus there is Radio Silence from the officials.  Anyway she's having a giveaway to welcome people to her new home here.

Here's the latest on Baby Swing:

There's one more leaf to go in at the end of that liana on the right and the flowers need some long-stitch on top of the cross stitches.  Then I have some metallic backstitch to do in apple green (or the closest I have in my stash). And finally the swing ropes.  These are tricky!  You take 4 strands of 2 different colours, come up at one point then a long straight stitch down another, then you fix them using a "surget point" in a 3rd colour.  At the rope ends you cut all 6 strands off on the front of the fabric to make a frayed rope end. The instructions are half in English and half in French so you have to read very carefully and look at the picture ALOT.
The symbols are quite confusing too, there are a set of symbols for DMC in 2 strands and a different set for DMC in 1 strand.  However the wings are stitched in 2 strands but half stitches and sometimes the symbol is found in the 2 strand section and sometimes in the 1 strand.  The half stitches are clever, the left hand wing they go \\\\ and the right hand wing they go //// which is a lovely effect.
I also substituted the flesh tones, they suggest 3825 and 3856 which frankly are orange.  I subbed 758 and 950 which usually go with 3064 and 951 on most other skins I've stitched.
The designer was very helpful when I emailed her to ask what colour the metallic No 25 is, so when I've finished stitching I'll email her a pic with my comments.  And hope she's not offended!!   It really is the most beautiful stitched piece and I know my friend will love it.  My only problem is - she has two other children!  I'm teaching her to stitch so she can make them something too.

Thanks for the comments on my previous post, it's so nice to know other people are extroverts who need to be alone sometimes!  I learned about this on a course I took, the tutor was explaining people are not simply introvert or extrovert.  Some introverts get depressed if they are alone too much and actually need people around them to thrive.  Not all extroverts are the "life and soul of the party" type, you won't find me dancing on the tables or doing karaoke.  But I had to speak in the school assembly yesterday to 250 children (and a dozen teachers) and I was nervous beforehand.  We'd organised a competition to find which was the greenest class in their method of travel to school (eg walk or bike or scooter).  The reaction when I announced the competition winners was worth it though!  The winning class were so excited even before I told them what they'd won.  They got a certificate each, a sticker, a pencil and an extra playtime - you'd think I'd sent them to Disneyland from the excitement!

It's International Hermit and Stitch weekend this weekend so of course I'm out on a meal tonight!  It's Father's Day tomorrow so not sure how much I'll get done - have to make sure the boys spoil their Daddy.

The Gift of Stitching and Baby Swing progress

You were all right, The Gift of Stitching Magazine is brilliant!  I signed up yesterday and within 30 seconds it appeared in my inbox to download.  Three issues for $3 or £1.94 - amazing.  This issue has a free Ink Circles design which I love, it's on the front cover of the mag if you want a sneak look.  There are several other free designs inside, mostly smalls or instalment parts of larger designs.  Which causes me a problem because now I want to buy all the back issues!

The articles are interesting too, there's even one on ORTs but sadly no mention of the TUSAL!
If anyone is thinking of signing up I'd heartily recommend it, and please add Joanne P as your Tell-a-friend so I get an extra month free!

Other good news - thanks to a FB friend I have found a copy of the missing Cross Stitch Collection magazine.  I was sure I had bought all 6 of the JE Flower Fairy issues but just couldn't find the first one (Daffodil 193) anywhere.  This friend pointed me in the direction of an EBay Buy It Now offer, the same seller also had a copy of Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2010 so to save 50p on postage I had to get both!    Just Cross Stitch is impossible to find round here.  I used to be able to get American mags in the city but out here in rural-land it just doesn't happen.

Here is the latest Baby Swing - she's looking good with some backstitch.  The green lianas were tricky but look great.  They are a sort of twisted back-stitch, two squares forward, one square back in blended brown and green.  The stitch names are in French so I need to find a translation!  They don't really follow the squares so it was more like free-style embroidery than anything else.  My criticism of this chart is that the square grid is very faint so it's quite hard to count especially for some of the farflung leaves.  However as it's an organic picture rather than a geometric I don't think it matters if some of my leaves are slightly differently placed.

The Gift of Stitching Magazine

I've been debating subscribing for this online magazine and this month there is a special offer of 3 issues for US$3 which has made my mind up!  The free sample looked good and for that price there is nothing to lose really.  I was halfway through filling in the form when I saw the "Tell a Friend" space.  Now, I know I first saw it on someone's blog but who's I do not remember!  So the first person to tell me they have the link on their blog (and I will check :-)) will get their name put in that space and get a free month added to their subscription.

Stitching wise it's been Nimue all week, I love this design it's so cute and really quick!  Daytime my project is the saggy old cloth cat Bagpuss for the large boy's class teacher.  His Maths teacher is getting numbers on her sampler.  I gave the large boy a piece of paper and asked to draw the numbers 0 - 9 and the symbols + - X / in a random fashion then I charted them.  He will choose the colours too.  I see a bright future ahead as a Mother-and-son designing duo!

Yay! Photos are back as at 7th June

Unfortunately I still can't post photos on here, so I'll post links to my Picasa album.

I finished the Passione Ricamo freebie angel for my little Great-Niece this week.  She was born on Monday, I added her name and delivered it to her on Thursday.  She is a very cute with lots of black curly hair.  A nice weight of 7lb 6oz, she seems so tiny after my last 10pounder!  My niece is recovering well, she lives at home with Mum, Dad and 2 of her 3 sisters so I think baby will be a communal project.  There are lots of Great Aunties and Great Uncles too as well as two Great Grandmas so there will be no shortage of cuddles for this little IMP (I love her initials, too cute!)

Here's the photo

Other news this week - F is for Furies.  Not my favourite square, especially after E was so much fun!  But very interesting info on the Furies and the Forbidden Stitch.  I have a great "Fury" story to share when I have stitched this one.

Nimue's Baby Swing is going great guns, I love this project.  Someone else is stitching it on the Mirabilia Board as part of her 11 in '11 so it's nice to share.  We both agreed some of the recommended skin tones were too orange and I've made a couple of substitutions.  The mossy branch at the top is so much fun, it's 2 different blends of greens and browns plus 2 straight colours and is just great to stitch.

Here's the progress at 3rd June

There are only 6 weeks until the end of term so I must start on the teachers' gifts.  Each year I stitch a small sampler for the large boy's teacher/s.  It features the name of the teacher, the school and the year they taught him which is why I don't post them online anywhere.  Reception teacher got an ABC, Year 1 got a blackwork castle in metallics, Year 2 got a rhino (her favourite animal!) and Year 3 loves Bagpuss.  The part-time teacher he had in Year 2 got a celtic dog and as he has her again this year (on Fridays only) I will make her a coaster with a JE Celtic Design.  It's either that or ask for last year's back and unpick the dates!!

Blogger fix for comments

Thanks to the wonderful Daffycat, there is a way you can allow your loyal followers to comment again:

"Change your comment form to the pop-up window type.

 

Go to:

Dashboard

Settings

Comments

Comment Form Placement

Choose POP-UP WINDOW
Save"

There are still lots of people I follow that I can't comment on, I'm not ignoring you, I just can't comment!

I've been stitching away on the Baby Swing and the Fairy this weekend.  I'll post pictures when Blogger allows me to.  I want to finish the chubby little legs on the baby tonight then start on the leaves.  The Fairy just needs her border and some metallics for the wand.  As soon as baby pops out I can add her name and details.

Reading wise we've just started the Anne McCaffrey Dragonriders of Pern series.  We being the large boy and me.  The first one we're reading is Dragonsong about Menolly and how she found her firelizards and became a harper.  I know the first one should be Dragonflight and Lessa's story but I read Dragonsong first as a child so wanted to follow the pattern.  It was published when I was 11 so I was at least 3 years older than the large boy when I read it to myself.  It's lovely to read it aloud and remember meeting all the characters for the first time so many years ago!

Hope you're all enjoying the Bank Holiday long weekend, I understand it's a long one in America too so perfect for stitching!

EEK, some WIPS

I've started 2 new birth pictures this week, one for my friend's new daughter and one for my great-niece due any minute.

The first is a Nimue design, The Baby Swing.   It's soooooooooo cute I had to have it.  The baby is fairly non-gender specific so it would have been okay for either gender.   The fabric is a 32 count Murano from Crafty Kitten, dyed specially for me.  I wanted a greeny-yellow that had the effect of sunlight though trees.  The chart photo was a plain dark green.
My scanner has decided only to scan the middle of the fabric with the stitching on so it looks very long and thin!

OK.  Now Blogger won't load photos.  How annoying is that?  Also I can only leave comments on blogs where the "follow" button is on the side, not when it's it the top margin thingy!

The second design you can't see is a Passione Ricamo freebie, Fairy Celebration.  I decided to go with the majority and stitch her in white.  It looks lovely and does indeed "pop".  If I was doing it for myself I'd have gone with the tone-on-tone scheme but as it's for my niece and her DD white it is.  I hope it's a DD, she's had a few scans as baby was breech but has luckily turned the correct way up.

I finished E is for EEK! this week as well.  What a nice little block that was, full of Hallowe'en motifs and a nice simple Ermine Stitch for the grass.  Even if I did do the straight line on top instead of underneath the diagonals!

I will post now and try add the photos as a later time.  In the meantime, here are the links to my Yuku album so you can at least look at them there!

Nimue - Baby Swing
PR - Fairy Celebration
E is for EEK!

Yay!  The photo adder is working again!  Sun 29th May