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Saturday 3 August 2013

Every Bee that Ever Wuz...

is partly sting and partly buzz - Anon

I couldn't resist starting the Gathering Honey design my friend asked me to stitch for her.  Here is the result of just two day's stitching:


The fabric is quite strange, it's a linen but is very stiff almost like a canvas.  It's 28 count and very open too so you can see the thread ends through the weave.  I'll wait until I've finished then trim them short.  I have decided I still hate lazy daisies (see Papillon Around the World in 80 Stitches).  My problem is getting a nice neat loop, it seems to pull straight when I put the needle in the fabric for the final time.

I'm continuing with my cousin's wedding sampler, the Couers en Boites design, I added the names today so probably shouldn't show it until it's completed now.

I received my copy of the Just Cross Stitch Hallowe'en special from Crafty Kitten this week.  It's a great issue but isn't included in the subscription price.  Here are my favourite designs:

This spider's web by Lucy Lyons Willis would look great stitched in black silk thread on a blue-grey fabric.

This whole selection is great, the skeletons are made from beads, but the Brooke's Books' Belinda the Bat Witch is just amazing!  She's designed to be stitched on perforated paper with her little hat being a separate piece so you can attach it at a jaunty angle.

But this is my absolute top choice!  I'm not sure if my finishing skills are upto making the figure though but I'm going to give it a go.

There are lots of other lovely designs including a great Ink Circles mandala.  Those of you more familiar with American designers may be able to tell me, are there more less-well known designers contributing this year?  There are alot of names I don't recognise and I've been collecting JCS for a couple of years now.

Finally, the latest postcard in the Summer Blog Hop went out to Vickie (and Mabel and Henry).  Here's the full list so far:

My card goes to Debbie at Debbie's Cross Stitch
Debbie's card goes to Christine at The Alchymyst's Study
Christine's card goes to Lynn at Kearnel's Korner
Lynn's card goes to Clare at Aimetu's Stitching
Clare's card goes to Vickie at A Stitcher's Story

Pop over and say Hi to Vickie and gang.

18 comments:

Vickie said...

I think the Gathering Honey design is going to be very, very special for your friend.

Yes, yes, please, won't you stop by and say hi to us?! Thanks. =)

Miss Lilly said...

The drac-in-a-box design is awesome!

Lovely stitching on the gathering honey design too :)

Shebafudge said...

Oh we have such great taste Jo! I have just pulled the fabric to stitch the Drac in the box (well it's not like I have anything else in the works now is it?)

I am going to use pewter jobelan which was the nearest I can get but I think should be ok. I'm going to write my assignment next week and then get cracking on him.

Julie said...

Can't wait to see your Drac in the box.....you'll manage it just fine, you are so creative.
Lovely start on the bee project.

Anonymous said...

ooohh! I can't wait to stitch my own Drac too!
there are some really cool things this year, I'm looking forward to receive my own copy!

lovely stitching, sorry for the troubles you're having with the lazy daises - I love all that's lazy ;)
hugs and happy xxx,
chiara

Aurelia Eglantine said...

LOL @ Drac-in-the-Box! That is crazy, in the best possible way :) I can't wait to see you stitch him! Re: JCS - I try to collect the Christmas issues (that sounds very grand since I only have five, but I always keep an eye out for older ones!) and don't actually have a single Hallowe'en one (for shame, I know), BUT I have noticed in the last two years' JSC Christmas editions a lot of newer designers and less of the "big names" I'd come to expect.

Aurelia Eglantine said...

P.S. "Gathering Honey" looked familiar, and I finally remembered that Stitcher S. had finished it and features it in her blog's lovely banner collage! You can see it full on her Flickr here.

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

Waiting for my issue to arrive. Hope I have time to stitch something before fall and Halloween

Clare-Aimetu said...

Gathering Honey looks great - lovely Halloween items too.

Thanks for the links for the Blog Hop - I'm really enjoying taking part

Bernadett said...

Lovely stitching.:) I hope you can finish it well with the linen...
You are really preparing for Halloween.:)

SoCal Debbie said...

The Bee Hive is so cute! I can't wait to see you stitch the Drac-in-a-Box!

Karoline said...

Great start on Gathering Honey, it's looking lovely.

Those ornies are cute

Mii Stitch said...

Can't wait to see Drac in the box :) Lovely stitching too!

Parsley said...

I just got my magazine this weekend and I am SOOOO excited!

Zeb said...

Ah pay day can't come soon enough. Really want to get that Halloween issue, and the full on magazine. Hrrmmm are there any Halloween designs by Just Nan this year?

♥ Nia said...

Wow! Great projects on JCS magazine :D now I'm curious to see more hehehehehe need to order my issue asap ;)

The Crafty Princess said...

Hi Jo
I bought that issue as well. They are all pretty cool projects. I love love love the Dracabox I can't wait to see how you go with it. I read the instructions and just went "huh??" so I wish you luck. I have all the faith in you Ms.Talent to manage a perfect finish!
Alicia xo

Brigitte said...

Drac-in-the-Box - how cute is this. I think I'll have to buy this Halloween issue as well.