June 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:

And here is the project itself:

This is a Mill Hill beaded sampler called Frosted Heather Rose.  I won it in a giveaway organised by Rosey of Ishkabibble.  This is a nice quick stitch, provided you can set up your area in such a way that you won't be disturbed for a few hours!  It is easier to bead as you go too.  Now all I need is a nice little frame.   I am sure I will have one in my frame stash somewhere.

This was my second recent finish.  The other is Boo Mansion by Blue Ribbon Designs:

Stitched on 32 count Twilight Blue linen

and scrapbooked along with Owls by Midnight:

Finally, my Summer Postcard Blog hop again!  The theme this year is Pets.  All you need to do is email me a photo of something you have stitched on this theme plus a little message about what pets mean to you.  Once I have a few I will start emailing them to the participants who will display them on their blogs.  The Blog Hop lasts all Summer so don't worry if you don't have anything suitable stitched yet.  Just leave a comment saying you would like to be involved and I will remind you later.

  

Gifted Gorgeousness June Link Up Post

  

For newbies, this is my first year long SAL.  Click on the picture above for the full details.

We will be posting and linking up on the 15th of each month, because it is 2015.  Should be easy to remember.

Since last post I have stitched another weekend on Elizabeth Shephard (a gift from Nicola):

Shown with my ORTS from last month

I completed the Kingfisher which will be a gift for the teaching staff at the Small Boy's mainstream school:

stitched on 28 count blue evenweave

And I also completed Believe which will be a gift for his other school:

stitched on 28 count Robin's Egg evenweave by Silkweaver

And some small progress on the Mill Hill sampler which was a giveaway prize from Rosey:

stitched on 28 count evenweave.

I am beading as I go because it is so heavily beaded it is just easier!

I also have continued to work on Book of Spells by The Goode Huswife which is stitched on gifted fabric:

stitched on 40 count Jewel Butterbeer linen.

And now over to you - Here is the place for you to link up so we can see what Gifted Gorgeousness you have been stitching so far this year.  Please use your name or your blog name in the field NOT the words "June Update" so I can easily see who has linked up this month.  

And link to the actual post, not just your blog.  People are still getting this wrong!

Thank you.  I can amend links if you make a boo-boo though.

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Last month we had a GGG (Gifted Gorgeousness Giveaway) for a Shepherd's Bush chart donated by Stitching Noni.  This was won by Kay from Stitching in the Country and should be winging it's way to her right now. 

This month we have a GGGG (Gifted Gorgeousness Giveaway by Gwen!).  The lovely Gwen from Guava Gems said to me that she had some charts she'd like to donate for giveaways.  I was very happy to facilitate and sent her my address.  Well, an entire box arrived!!  I have selected six very varied charts (because it is the sixth month of the year).  There are enough charts to have giveaways all year now!

GGGG 1 - New Baby by Butternut Road

GGGG 2 - Tea Cozys and Sampler by Linda Palmer

GGGG 3 - In the Forest of the Unicorn by Black Swan Designs

GGGG 4 - Rambling Rose Sampler by Nancy Sturgeon

this is miniature needlepoint stitched on the 40 count gauze provided

GGGG 5 - My Treasures Sewing Case by With My Needle

GGGG 6 - Strawberry Bouquet by The Gentle Art

All you have to do is link up for June's Gifted Gorgeousness SAL and chose one or two charts from the above list, leaving a comment below stating your choices by the end of the month.

Finally, don't forget the Summer Postcard Blog Hop.  Details at the bottom of the last half a dozen posts because this one is quite long enough already!

I Believe I Can Fly/Finish

Yes, we have another finish for you all!  Joan Elliott's Believe, one of a series of four affirmations with the others being Hope, Dream and Imagine.

I stitched this one on 28 count opalescent Robin's Egg evenweave by Silkweaver.  I have enough fabric to stitch all four.  I only have about six packets of Magnifica beads but by happy chance I had the one colour the chart needed!

This is going to be an end-of-term gift for the Small Boy's class teacher and TAs.  Because there are a mixture of girls and boys in the class I changed one fairy into a boy fairy.

Tuesday was Satsuma Street SAL Day so I continued on Pretty Mini London:

stitched on 28 count black evenweave

Sorry Linda, I stitched loads!!  The light pink infill on the Eye, the lilac skyscrapers, the grey arches and the mauve of St. Paul's Cathredral.

Linda and I were discussing how many companies are now doing these City themed designs, they are definitely "On Trend" as the magazines put it!  Then I saw the launch of a new website for the town where I live, and look at their logo:

Wouldn't that make a perfect Satsuma style cross stitch?  Even the colours tone.

I was in the mood for beading so on Wednesday I started the little Mill Hill sampler Rosey sent me:

Frosted Heather Rose

stitched on 28 count evenweave

Unfortunately I forgot that the Small Boy was off school on Thursday and he does not mix well with beads!  So for Thursday I thought I'd make a start on June's ornie for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL.  Despite choosing the themes myself I always forget what they are so I popped over to the blog and saw those dread words "free choice".   Nooooooo, how can I possibly chose from all my Hallowe'en charts and magazines?

I decided to choose one magazine and stitch my favourite design.  I picked the oldest issue of JCS I have as a hard copy (couldn't get on the PC because of the aforementioned Small Boy) and chose a Blue Ribbon Design, Boo Mansion:

Stitched on 32 count Twilight Blue linen

Finally, my Summer Postcard Blog hop again!  The theme this year is Pets.  All you need to do is email me a photo of something you have stitched on this theme plus a little message about what pets mean to you.  Once I have a few I will start emailing them to the participants who will display them on their blogs.  The Blog Hop lasts all Summer so don't worry if you don't have anything suitable stitched yet.  I'm going to be finding some freebies online to inspire you.  Today's choice is fish, goldfish and tropical fish:

My-cross-stitch-patterns - Goldfish

Cross-stitch-pattern.net - Fish

Secured Needle Stitching

This NaBoPoMo thingie is driving me mad!  So many of the blogs I follow are taking part this year that my reader is filling up even faster than usual.  The trouble is, it's all so interesting I can't miss one of the posts!  Why don't you all blog about your laundry or something dull so I can bypass the posts?

Anyway, Daffycat has made some great posts this week, one about tea-dyeing and another about the loop method of stitching.  I commented on both posts.  The first to mention using fruit teas to dye fabric, a great alternative to the usual standard teas and lovely natural colours too.

The second comment was about MY method of starting stitching.  I tried explaining it in words once before and people either said "??????" or "Oh, like sewing".  So here are some pictures:

Step 1 - thread your needle onto the middle of a piece of floss twice the length you usually stitch with:

Put the two tail ends together:

Secure the tails under the first stitch you make as you usually would stitching with two strands of floss:

You can see in this picture the needle is secured to the fabric and can't come unthreaded .

This is perfect if you stitch while travelling or have animals/children who like to jump up and grab your stitching.  Even if they throw the stitching across the room the needle stays attached and can't be lost.

You can also stitch right to the very end of the floss without it coming unthreaded every 2 stitches (or is that just me?!)  Obviously this only works with plain floss and when stitching with 2 strands.  I use the normal method with variegated threads and when using an odd number of strands.

Another advantage is when you don't use the whole length up.  With this method you snip the thread off and still have a usable length left.  eg if you snip at 4 inches left then you still have 4 usable inches next time you want that colour.  With the loop start method then you have 2 x 4 inch pieces or 2 lots of 2 inch usable stitching floss.  Make sense?  I hope so!

It's also good when you're stitching on fine linen, as there are only 2 strands going through each hole it doesn't "stretch" the holes so much.  With 2 separate strands there are actually 4 strands going through each hole each time.  And that annoying habit floss has when the 2 strands end up different lengths?  Doesn't happen, because needle just adjusts itself to the centre of the floss every stitch!

My only wish is that I'd invented this method and patented it!

Can anyone guess what is the piece of stitching I'm demonstrating on?  Unfortunately you can't see the front today because my scanner is bleaching the picture out.  So I have to find the camera and do it properly.

Finally, remember this Hallowe'en PIF I got from Erica?  It is now being PIFed onto Rachel, in plenty of time for next Hallowe'en!

Lucky, Lucky, Lucky, I have been so lucky!

First I win Cucki's Travelling Pattern, then I get to host the Travelling Granny!

Cucki's Stitching Cove can be found here.  She loves following the various Travelling Patterns around the world and decided to start one of her own.  This is a Lizzie*Kate design, a first for me, which says "Love is Best when you give it away".  How appropriate for a Travelling Pattern!

It's a very sweet, very Cucki pattern and will look great with some variegated reds and maybe some of the hearts charms I picked up.

The next VIP is Madame Muriel Flat Flossie, the Travelling Granny.  This very special elder person started her journey with Anna the Stitch Bitch, travelled to spend time with Stewie and his pet spinster then went all the way to New Zealand to see Margaret.  And now she's coming to the Old Country to visit me!  I'm a little nervous as Margaret has shown her all the sites of New Zealand and MM seems to be expecting to visit with Royalty on her UK trip, we'll have to see what we can do...

Read all about Madame Muriel Flat Flossie, the Travelling Granny here:

• Arrived in Pennsylvania to visit with the Stitch Bitch
• Had adventures in Indiana with Stewie and the Spinster Stitcher. (Her farewell to Indiana here.)
• Arrived in New Zealand to visit Margaret. A birthday dinner. A bus trip to the city. A trip to the farm. Out to see sheep and wool. A trip to Mickey D's. A visit to Devenport and another to the exhibition. Hanging out with needleworkers. Ready to go.

I have just explained to hubby about Travelling Granny, he was initially under the impression that Anna's actual Grandma was coming a-visiting!  Mind you, it would be great to meet Maggie in person.  I explained it's like the Bear at Primary School, a different child has the bear each weekend and has to keep a diary of it's actitivities.  If you're lucky the previous person took it to MacDonalds and watched TV, if you're unlucky then the previous child took it pony-riding and to the museum and the theatre then fed the homeless on Sunday so you feel rather inadequate!

I finished this little stitch last week, another PIF from Erica this time.  Erica's Places.  It's been quite hard getting a decent picture of it as it's stitched on black aida with LOADS of beads.  Probably 50% of the design is beads but that's Mill Hill for you!

Erica sent me the chart, the leftover beads and the threads.  There was plenty of thread and almost enough beads.  I had some of the purple and magenta but not the green so I subbed a slightly different green for the "O".  There was just enough orange and plenty of ice.  I didn't have a tiny star but I did have a witch!  This is one of the charms I got from Ang's Attic (remember when I ordered 1 of each charm but actually ordered 1 packet of each!).

I'd like to PIF again, there's some thread left but not enough to stitch again so I'll add the extra in from my stash.  I could also add a piece of black aida unless you are violently opposed to aida or prefer to stitch it on perforated paper.  I will also pop in a witch charm (I had 10 after all!).  You will need to get more beads however.

If you'd like this little chart and extras then leave a comment telling me your favourite myth about English people, for example that we all personally know the Queen, the whole country has tea at 3 o'clock, Northerners keep coal in their bath tubs etc.  You know the sort of thing.  Madame Muriel will help me debunk some of the myths when she arrives!  If you don't know any myths think of English films and TV programmes that make you wonder "Do all English people do that?"

If you don't want the chart then say so but leave a myth comment anyway, the more the merrier!

And finally, for those bobbin users who said they put the unused strands on the table, by the side etc until they need them - this is why I could never do that:

This is not a Quaker sampler, this is my carpet.  It was in the house when we moved in and is in perfect condition.  It is also very large (covers the entire Lounge and all the Hall and Stairs.  We could never afford to replace it with the same quality.  As you can imagine it is very difficult to find dropped items on it.  Unless you are the small boy and have dropped food in which case you can spot a raisin at 50 paces!  Lego is NOT allowed on this carpet as the pattern eats Lego.  Luckily the large boy has a plain carpet in his room.  What you can of it under the Lego carpet.