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Wednesday 25 April 2012

IHSW update and a forthcoming Giveaway

Last weekend was the third in the month and International Hermit and Stitch Weekend.  For more details in how to join in, just click on Hermie the Crab on the right hand side of this blog.

I decided to spend all of IHSW on My Lovely Sewing Tools from Gift of Stitching magazine and made some good progress as you can see:



I also finished the CCN design Cherry Hill Cottage which I will scrapbook.  I need to visit the craft shop and maybe buy some cherry themed trimmings.  I used the variegated DMC 107 for both the red and the pink but forced the colours by cutting the skein into red and pink sections.



The background is the scrapbook paper which I will be using.  Obviously the fabric will be trimmed to size and backed with plain white paper so the pattern doesn't show through.  But you get the idea.

I also made good progress on the Needlecraft Haven monthly challenge piece which I can't show here yet.  The progress was due to it being my handbag project this week.  The Small Boy has started Preschool this term, two days a week just for two hours a time.  I have decided to stay for the first two weeks but in a separate room while he settles in and his Key Worker gets to know him.  So far, so good.  Which means I have nearly 2 hours of uninterrupted stitching twice a week!  Although I did help with the washing-up today LOL.

(for overseas followers - in England children attend Preschool anytime from 2.5 to rising 4, then Nursery from the year in which they are 4, then proper school in the Reception class from the year in which they are 5.  Unless you work fulltime then they can attend a creche style setting confusingly also called a Nursery but it's from babyhood.  Preschool is mainly just playing with a little bit of structure at the beginning and end of each session.)

My followers are slowly increasing in number, the Easter Treasure Hunt was great for helping me and all the participants make new friends.  I was thinking of a 250 Giveaway when I received an email for Yiota, remember Yiota who sent me a lovely Cross Stitch Kit to review?  She was offering to sponsor my next giveaway!  Three winners will receive an email chart of one of Yiota's lovely designs.   So while you're waiting for my followers to reach the magic number, why not pop over to Yiota's Cross Stitch Kits site and have a look at all the gorgeous designs there and try to decide which you would like to win.  Don't tell me yet!

Anyway, "talking" with Yiota inspired me to make a start on the Coffee Fairy.  As my kit was supplied with aida I decided to use some evenweave I had.  I bought this piece from Sparklies with Nora Corbett's Trick or Treat Fairy in mind.  It's called Monarch - should be Mad Monarch!  I have never seen such an outrageously mad fabric before.  But it is perfect for Coffee Fairy.  I'm planning on just stitching the fairy, her cup and biccies not the background.  But here is the beauty of my plan - if the fabric is too overpowering then I can stitch as much of the background as I need, maybe just an oval around her.  Here is one evening's progress, it's the rim and handle of the cup:



This is a completely accurate colour match for the fabric, it really is that mad!

So now we have a rotation of sorts -

Coffee Fairy 1 day a week,
Baby ABC - 3 days a week alternate with
My Lovely Sewing Tools weekends and
2 different Round Robins weekdays as and when.
And Green Goddess must be fitted in too, and Papillon ATW, and I got the fabric for Snapdragon today...

That's just the evening stitching.  There are all the smalls for daytime too.

Finally, I got my copy of Just Cross Stitch (the American mag) through yesterday.  Gorgeous projects, there are several I want to stitch, so much better than the English mags!  I'm definitely going to cancel at least one of them later this year (when a certain series of charts finishes!) and spend the money on fabric instead.

28 comments:

dulcinella said...

You have a great rotation scheme! wonderful progress on my lovely sewing tools. Is it stitched on 32 ct or even smaller? The fabric for the coffee fairy is gorgeous, but isn't it difficult to stitch on? I guess you need more concentration with that 'mad' fabric.
Now, I'm off to find you a few more followers, can hardly wait to see that giveaway:-) and I almost know what I would choose...

Shirlee said...

I had to laugh at your comment about JCS being so much better than the British mags. I always thought the British mags were far more entertaining than American ones : ) In my second life of cross stitching I had subscriptions to all of them (the British ones) but had them delivered to a friend in England because American subscribers could not get the freebies than came along with them. This friend of mine would hold on to my subscriptions for a while & then send me a big box filled with them a couple times a year. Such fun! Her life was in a bit of an upheaval & I was moving all over the place & we lost touch somewhere along the way. I hope she is still there loving cross stitch : )

Mrs Milkybar Kid said...

Hi Jo - I'm a new follower so thought I had better come out of "lurkdom"! Love all your pieces - My Lovely Sewing Tools is on my very long to-do list! Can't wait to see more of Coffee Fairy - that fabric is awesome!

Mouse said...

ohhhh wow .. love that fabric with the coffee fairy started on it :)
and wow that is so generous of Yiota :)
need to more on the kit I got :)
and way to go on the uninterrupted stitching time :) love mouse xxxxx

gracie said...

What interesting fabric! And what a wonderful giveaway....

geeky Heather said...

Oh, how cool to do a sponsored giveaway! My Lovely Sewing Tools must be really close to being done now, right??

That is some crazy fabric for Coffee Fairy! I bet it'll look great. Have you ever seen the musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"? There's a great number in there called "Coffee Break"...it's alternately coffee-starved-slow and caffeine-induced-frenetic!

Kaisievic said...

Hi Jo, Great progress on My Sewing Tools and I cannot wait to see your progress on Coffee Fairy on that really interesting fabric. Looking forward to the giveaway. I have just noticed your list of finishes for 2012 - 20 already - impressive!

I love your Cherry HIll Cottage and I hope that you post a pic when it is scrapbooked. I keep thinking about that as an idea for finishing but I have not really got into scrapbooking and so I wonder whether I really need to be starting a new hobby?

Enjoy your extra stitching time with small boy at Preschool.

Anne said...

Love the Sewing Tools progress! I have been thinking of backordering some of the GOFT mags because I ordered that 3 for 3 deal and the last issue had the start of this SAL and I kinda want the whole pattern!! Love Cherry Hill!! Great idea Ms. Jo full of ideas :D

Loving the fabby too for Coffee Fairy! Can't wait to see more :D

Linda said...

Great progress on Sewing Tools. That fabric is quite wild. Looks like it would be hard to stitch on. Love the finish your doing for Cherry Hill.

Linda

Veronica said...

Oooh... That fabric certainly is a little crazy but in a very pretty way ^.^ You've made wonderful progress on stitching tools :) Love the paper you're using as a backdrop for Cherry Hill. It's perfect!

Hugs,
Veronica.

Christine said...

The coffee fairy fabric is amazing, but I think I'd go cross eyed trying to stitch on it, good luck!
The CCN came out beautifully, and that paper really sets it off well

Giovanna said...

Some lovely WIPs there! You'll soon be on the home stretch with the Tools sampler, with the last part being issued next week :-)

Fiona said...

All your projects look great. The fabric for Coffee Fairy is wonderful it really draws the eye to it. I usually get the JCS Christmas ornament magazine as I love looking at all the different projects. I stopped getting any English ones a few years ago as I felt the designs were getting a bit samey and I never managed to stitch any.

Sally said...

Lovely progress on your pieces Jo. Love that fabric you've chosen for Coffee Fairy.

Can't wait to get my JCS mag. I look forward to getting it everytime. I think it'll be sometime next month when it arrives at the newsagent. I'm usually about a month behind it coming out in the USA.

Melissa said...

Congrats on the finish! It is so cute, and I am looking forward to seeing how you finish it!

I love the fabric :)

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

Lovely progress on My Lovely Sewing Tools and the fabric for Coffee Fairy is just gorgeous.
I like the way you are planning on finishing Cherry Hill too.

Julie said...

Wow, what stunning fabric, that's going to be challenging.
Challenge stitched here, just need inspiration to make it up before Sunday.
Sewing Tools is looking fabulous.

Joysze said...

Oh... nicely done on the stitching tools, Jo!! Can't wait to see the Cherry scrapbook page. :D

Great start on Coffee.

Ruth said...

Love your stitching, of course, but ADORE your rotation list :) How is it any of us finish anything with the 40 projects we have going all the time??????

Ruth said...

Oh, Jo. I've got your black thread here on my desk. Well it was here on my desk... It's probably just buried under the fresh stacks of paper.... :)

Sarah said...

Great progress Jo, looks like you got a lot done! Cherry Hill looks so cute too. Looking forward to the giveaway, good luck for reaching 200 followers!

Shiela said...

I only wish I could see your pictures. All I get is a check box with a red X in it. Are you doing something differently? I've always seen your pictures in the past.

Susan said...

Love that fabric! I don't think I have anything to stitch on it, but I am a sucker for colors! Oh yes, the first uninterrupted stitching time - I remember it soooo well. Just Cross Stitch runs hot and cold for me. Actually just as I get ready to cancel my subscription because I haven't seen anything in ages they suddenly put out two or three issues that I love.

Ewa said...

You got a LOT done during IHSW! So much more than me! Also, I love the mad fabric - would be perfect for TOT fairy, too - but something about it says coffee. I have a friend in Ethiopia right now who won't shut up on facebook about how amazing the coffee is. SIGH. Congrats on all your followers! I'm proud to be one :)

cucki said...

hello deary, thank you so much for such a sweet welcome and lovely comment on my blog..you made my day..i am so happy that you all with me my dear friends..
wowwwwwwwwww your sewing tool is looking so beautiful..mine is still somewhere in the dark corner....one day i will take it out too...
keep well..
sending you big hugs and love my dear friend..xxx

Jan Gartlan said...

You were so clever with your variegated thread for the cottage. It is such a quaint design. The fabric is madly fantastic for The Coffee Fairy. I will be watching closely.

Shebafudge said...

I love that fabric. It doesn't need to be stitched on, just frame it as modern art! I can't wait to see the progress on it.

How lovely of yiota to sponsor a giveaway. Please enter me for it!

Cherry Hill and My Sewing Tools look great too. I keep thinking about printing off the first part and starting it, after all I really need another new start...NOT!

Caitlin @ Naughts Cross Stitches said...

gorgeous stitching :D