Theme-a-licious Looking Backward and Forward IV

You do know that Theme-a-licious is a "It's Geek to Me" activity, don't you? 
Click the above pic to find out more.

April's Theme was Amazon April or your biggest projects.  I decided that BAP stands for Big Alphabet Project and worked on both Dark Alphabet and my Turquoise Baby Alphabet.  I also worked on My Lovely Sewing Tools (which actually has an alphabet in it, scattered around the piece) and had a completely unexpected start in Papillon's Around the World in 80 Stitches.

ATW80S is certainly an enormous piece of fabric for me and it's a full two years project so that will definitely count as a BAP.

Pictures:

Papillon Around the World

My Lovely Sewing Tools (includes an alphabet!)

Turquoise Baby Alphabet

Please come and follow The Stitching Gift blog.  There are a group of us who love the Gift of Stitching magazine and are going to be showcasing our WIPS and finishes from the magazine.  The final issue came out this weekend and it's a great finale.  Kirsten will still be involved in designing and sending out her newsletter.  She will also continue to offer the old issues to buy as bundles or individually.  There is currently a sale on, where everything is half-price!  You can get a whole year's bundle for only US$12.  Amazing.

May Memories -

Remember when you took that class? Or decided to commemorate that event? And then abandoned your poor WIP? Take a stroll down memory lane by working on it again.

Green Goddess is becoming a distant memory!  So maybe I should give her some love.  I also have an old Autumn sampler in my stash chest I could dig out.  Or I could decide to make some new memories - stitching things which relate to my blogging friends, charts they have sent me or recommended the designer.

I have signed up for a couple of small partwork SALs.  No, ATW80S is not counted as one of them.  First was a Hungarian Mini Mystery SAL from Manka's Blog which I found via Blu's SAL Directory Blog.  Manka blogs in Hungarian, English, and other languages too.  I do love multi-lingual bloggers, as Google Translate should be renamed Giggle Translate due to the weird translations it comes up with.

(edit to add - when you go to Manka's blog, the cursor turns into a little rose!  Even cuter than falling things!)

The 2nd small SAL I found via Dulcinella's blog.  It's from a French blog Voyage sur Toile.  You need to sign up for the newsletter and you will get Parts 1-3 with Part 4 due soon (Dimanche is Sunday, right?).  There is a Translate button at the top but for some reason my brain thinks it can read French although it can't.  Saying the words with a fake French accent is not the same as understanding what they say!

Finally, I have switched to Photobucket for my photo storage, my Picasa album was nearly full due to the fact I don't make my photos smaller before loading them on!  I could not be bothered to resize every photo in my blog so I've switched.  Sheila said she has trouble seeing the photos last post, so here is a link to the album.  If anyone else has difficulty seeing them on the blog, please let me know and I'll think again.

edit July2017 - switching to Photobucket was a huge mistake!  They decided to start charging for storage at no notice whatsoever and are holding our photos to ransom.  I can't even download my own photos from my folder there, so I'm having to photograph my screen to get them!

Travelling Patterns Travelling Onwards

I finished stitching Cucki's Travelling pattern earlier this week but the scanner bleached it out so I had to wait for the camera to be in the same room as the pattern!  Here is my finish:

What do you think of the fabric?  Madame Muriel asked for sunglasses!  The original is stitched in Sampler threads so I pulled the DMC threads as charted and thought they were rather austere.  This is a Cucki pattern and needed a kooky look.  So I got my piece of 16 count white aida and coloured it in with my fabric pens!  I've done this a couple of times before and have always been pleased with the result.  It's a nice cheap and easy way of getting coloured fabric especially when you only want a small piece.  The colours in the photo still aren't 100% true but I'll try again when it's framed.

I changed the colour of the bottom heart to the heather (778) used in the middle heart on the chart as it would have clashed with the stripes in the fabric.  Then I used 115 variegated to stitch the middle heart.  I do like the colours in 115 but it doesn't change enough for many designs.  I like a variegated to change several times in a length and this only changes once every length.  I am using it alot for some cards so watch for pictures later in December.

As this is a Travelling Pattern it's time for it to travel onwards.  To be included in the Stitcherhood you must follow these rules:

1. You must have a blog.
2. Comment on this post only, saying you would like to be part of the Stitcherhood.

3. You must have an active blog to participate,, if you have a blog but never post on it..you wont be chosen to be the next stitcher.

4.The stitcher who will receive the Traveling pattern must stitch it (within an acceptable time frame),finish it and display the finished piece for all to see.

5.Then the stitcher must offer up the traveling pattern for another stitcher to use and it will be off on its travels again.

I'm adding an extra bit to 2. - leave a comment suggesting a name for the fabric I created, as well as saying you want to be in the Stitcherhood!

If you can't commit to the Stitcherhood right now then still leave a comment with a suggested name, just for fun but tell me you don't want to be in the draw.

The second Travelling Pattern is the one I stitched earlier this year; Shakespear's Peddlar Count Your Blessings.  It is now with Kath in her Stitching Heaven and as yet there are no comments asking to be in the draw.  So get over there quick and sign up.

Here is my progress on The Gift of Stitching online magazine's My Lovely Sewing Tools:

Madame Muriel is enjoying this one - she's says it's just her cup of tea and likes the 40 count.  Of course, 40 count looks huge to her so she would like it.

The Gift of Stitching is having a big change right now, they are going over to bi-monthly next year but bigger issues so still the same price (US$24).  I think this is still pretty good value based on the issues I've received so far.  They are offering current subscribers a choice between 50% off their next subscription or a number of back issues.  So that's the dilemma - the sensible thing is to go for the 50% off but that means parting with some money now (which I shouldn't) but having some back issues is very tempting too and wouldn't cost anything.  I'm going to browse their database and see what catches my eye!

Finally I see I'm nearly upto 150 followers WOW!  I think a little treat is needed for that landmark.  Maybe not a giveaway but something nice for us all.  I also have a half-formed plan for a fun activity for everyone in December.  I need to find out how to "postdate" blog posts first....

This week's stitching

Just a quick picture update of what I've been stitching:

That's the Gift of Stitching design My Lovely Sewing Tools which I'm SAL with Kathy, Cucki and Claire (see side bar for blog links, under the GOS picture).  This is a delight to stitch so I ought to credit the designer, she's called Marie Suarez.  She has a lovely blog but it's in French and there doesn't seem to be a translate button so I have to copy and paste into Google Translate all the time!  She has a very distinctive style, very delicate and pretty.

This is completely different, it's a San Man Original Spooky SAL freebie.  They have released a part every Sunday and we're just waiting on the final part this weekend. 

The board is very friendly and I seem to have picked up a few new followers from there and from the Brooke's Books Board too.  Hello new followers!  As usual I try to return the following but some people's following profile doesn't show their blog.  So if you're a new follower, please comment so I can find you and stalk you back!  I also have 3 anonymous followers who don't show up at all except in the number total.  I know they're there because I keep a list of my follower's blogs so I can find everyone if Google has another hissy fit like in May!

I've also finished my share of the RR but the photos are in the camera which isn't by the computer so I'll save them for another day.  We're taking names for the next Band Sampler RR (to start next Spring) and also for a Joan Elliott RR which will start in the New Year.  Hopefully.  http://twbbroundrobins.yuku.com/directory  That's where to find all the info on RRs.

IHSW and My Lovely Sewing Tools SAL

This is what I worked on for IHSW, it's the design from The Gift of Stitching magazine which Kathy and I are stitched along with Claire and Cucki (plus anyone else who cares to join us).  See Kathy's Blog for more details.  We have the full blessing of Gift of Stitching magazine to encourage as many people to SAL with us as possible!  We're also posting pics to their FB page.

Isn't it just darling, as Dame Edna would say :-).  Mine is stitched on 40 count Newcastle which is lovely but does crease.  That tiny over 1 M was the worst bit to stitch so far but the satin stitch thread spools were great.  Sometimes I'm using 2 strands of DMC and sometimes 1, it's producing interesting results and I like the versatility while still only using 5 different colours.

I have also discovered something new to me - size 28 needles.  Old hands may laugh at me, but I've always used whatever needles came with kits and have quite a supply.  I got a pack of gold 24s free with something or other ages back and love them.  However I kept seeing reference to size 28s so got a pack - aren't they amazing!!   I love them.  And you can use the thread down to the last mm as they're so short.

I've also been stitching Green Goddess and the Periphaeria SAL which is in the final stages.  Pictures to follow.

I'm really enjoying all the answers to the Coventry mini-comp from my last post.  Yes, there is a convent there and some people believe that's where the name came from and others believe it was named after an Anglo-Saxon called Cofa and his tree which marked the boundary of his land.  A winner will be drawn this weekend so there's still time to enter.

Finally I received a belated Birthday present from the City Stitcher AKA Hannah - the JCS Hallowe'en and Christmas ornament issues!   Both of them!!  I'm so excited, now I just need to learn how to finish neatly.  I can do three sides very nicely but it's the fourth one after you've stuffed the thing I have trouble with.  I whip-stitched the first one I did but the corners look odd compared to the other 2 corners.  Maybe I should have whip-stitched all four sides?  Or just get some cord and cover them up.

Finally, does anyone spell Hallowe'en with an apostrophe any more?  I always do because it's short for All Hallows Even but no-one else seems to do so.  Maybe I'm just really old fashioned...

Famous Cities mini competition and a new SAL

This month's World of Cross Stitching magazine came with a little Christmas booklet of designs by Maria Diaz and some Madeira metallics to stitch them.  There is a lovely range of 10 city skylines each with Santa's sleigh and some reindeer above them.  9 of the cities are London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Rome, Liverpool, Glasgow and Paris.  Can you guess what the 10th one is?  No prize for this bit, it's just for fun; the answer and the competition are at the bottom of this post.

Here is my progress on Joan Elliott's Green Goddess.  You can really see the curve of the design starting to show.  There are two gaps where the dragonflies will go, they are partly stitched in metallics so I'll leave them until later.

The new SAL is from the fantastic Gift of Stitching online magazine.  I found this magazine a while back via various blogs.  They were offering 3 issues for $3 which was too good to resist so I signed up.  The magazine pops into your email box at the beginning of each month full of tempting designs.  They are very keen on part works (encourages people to keep buying each issue!) which is great because it makes the larger designs easier to stitch.

I saw a post on Kathy's Blog A Stitcher's Heirlooms about her indecision regarding which project to start next.  I said I wanted to start My Lovely Sewing Tools myself and we went from there.  If you'd like to join us pop over to Kathy's Blog and let her know.  We're also posting our progress on FB if you're a member.  Just search for Gift of Stitching and their page comes up.

I decided to use the DMC conversion as I don't have any Valdani threads.  They are £2.29 each from SewandSo which isn't the most expensive thread but I am supposed to be on a stash diet until Christmas!  I used my Willow Fabrics' voucher to treat myself to some 40count Newcastle linen.  The service was great, I had a glitch on the computer so phoned up the old-fashioned way, had a nice chat with the lady about the project and my fabric duly arrived, nicely packaged and labelled.  It was £13something for a FQ plus P&P so not the cheapest but not bad, and the service was good.

Here is my progress after one evening.  I've started in the middle as I always do.  This is actually Part 3c of the chart.  The charts start at the top left of the piece but I like to start in the middle.  I've used an anonymous variegated thread for the darkest red.  The label is long gone but it came from my now closed LNS.  One strand is about the same as 2 strands of DMC so where the chart calls for one strand I will use the DMC 315 they recommend.

The finished design will be a sampler with various sewing tools (as the name suggests!), the alphabet sprinkled across the sampler and some buttons and charms added.  I'm enjoying stitching on the 40 count, it doesn't feel small at all.  In fact I had to measure it to check it really was 40 as it seemed bigger.  There is some over 1 stitching which looks amazing and is quite tiny.  I'm quite accustomed to 28 over 1 but that's the smallest I've tried.

Back to the competition.  The 10th city is .......Coventry.  Yes, Coventry.  Not New York or Dubai or San Francisco or Rio de Janeiro or even Cardiff (2 from Scotland but nothing from Wales or Ireland?  I detect some favouritism, Maria!).

So the mini competition question is:

1. For my overseas followers: Have you even heard of Coventry?  If yes, then tell me a fact about the city.  If No, then say No and make something up!

2. For my UK followers: Have you even been to Coventry, or been sent there?  If yes, then tell me why, why on earth?!!  If No, then tell me something you do know about the city.

3. For anyone who lives in Coventry: please don't be offended, I'm only teasing, please tell me something wonderful about your city.  If you can't think of anything then tell me why you haven't moved!

The small prize will be a stitched City Skyline of your choice from the booklet (you don't have to have Coventry).  The winner will be plucked at random from all the commenters who mention Coventry before Saturday 22nd October.

WOCS, GOS and RAK

WOCS is World of Cross Stitch the popular magazine and here is the cover kit from Issue 181, a lovely Margaret Sherry Christmas design.  Stitched exactly as it said in the mag with the supplied material - hard aida and non-specific threads.  Margaret's designs are very popular so I will be putting the chart and leftover thread into my 1st giveaway.

GOS is Gift of Stitching, another very popular magazine, but a virtual one this time.  I've had my 3 issues for $3 and have now subscribed for a year.  I made sure I did this in plenty of time and saved 5%, then 2 days to go until the end of the month I got a "Save 25%" offer from them.  aaaaaghhhh, so much for being organised.  Oh well.  The new issue is great, two whole samplers and a partworks one too which I will be stitching.  There's another Treasure Hunt later this month and more stitching competitions on the way.  If you do decide to sign-up then mention "joanne p" in the Tell-a-friend bit and I get a free month's sub.

RAK relates to the Travelling Pattern (which has safely reached the Mousehouse).  You may recall I asked you who your stitching blessing was which made very interesting reading.  I wrote down all the names of individual people (not groups or "everyone on the internet"!) and we put them in Chaffy's nest for the large boy to select one from.  Who is Chaffy?  I hear you ask.  Chaffy is a small fluffy creature who hides in various places around the Chaffy-verse.  A cuter version of Wally.  The large boy and his Uncle (my little bro) are obsessed with Chaffy.  If you look on Deviant Art you will find some of bro's plushies.  He made 10 different ones.  Strange things, boys.  In case you are worried, Deviant Art is alternative culture not something to do with BDSM!  If you don't know what BDSM is, don't Google it, you'll get a shock.

Here is Chaffy sitting on the scraps of paper:

 Here is the large boy removing one piece of paper:

 This is the name of the person whose Stitching Blessing will be receiving a little something from me (in the not too distant future, definitely before Christmas!):

Notice the one space in the large boy's room we found to do this.  The rest is covered in toys.  This space is by the door.

Finally two more framed pieces, the first is The Travelling Pattern itself, I added the names of the stitchers so far to the sides.  That was fun.  I carefully charted the names making sure the four on each side would be the same length when stitched (pair longest with shortest).  Then started stitching.  Then remembered the weird count which made the letters very wide, so I had to freehand them which is why they're not the same length but still look okay.

nb Charity shop frame - £1

The final picture is the September Challenge freebie from The Needlecraft Haven.  Each month they choose a freebie and we stitch it but have to save it for the Big Reveal in the last weekend.

From this blog

Vote for me!

I have been told it is okay to say that.  The Gift of Stitching online magazine is having a tape measure competition this weekend.  Last issue they printed some little patterns ideal for covers and asked people to post their finishes here.  You won't see them until Sunday 29th August then you can vote for your favourite.  Which will be mine of course!  Truthfully I don't expect to win, I stitched on aida and stuck it to a square tape measure, no fancy finish or anything.  But it does have nice colours and it's all "stitched-from-stash" so very eco-friendly.

This is my second attempt at finishing:

It's a notebook cover made from one of the fabric samples I was given earlier this year.  But I think the fabric was too thick to be used in this way and the corners are rubbish!  The picture is too exposed on top and will get battered during use.  So this was my next attempt:

Our local papercraft store was having a 20% off for Bank Holiday weekend and I bought a stack of cardstock, all postcard sized and ideal for mounts.  The colours go nicely together and I could cut a shape out of the middle to frame it or just stick it on top.  I also bought some more frames from a charity shop (honestly, I'm obsessed with them) including 2 square ones and a gold hinged triple set which will look great with Christmas designs in.

The rose is a freebie from Free Patterns.  Great name, does exactly what it says on the tin!  You have to register to download the patterns but you can opt out of getting emails afterwards.

The final picture is Part 2 of iStitch's Mystery SAL.

This is stitching up really quickly.  There are links on the blog to all the completed Part 1s.  I like my white and blue but I also like all the other colour schemes too.  I know at least one person has decided to redo her's in variegated having seen how good they look.  I did think about stitching it twice, next time over 1 on 28 count.  That led me to think about stitching a design alot of times in different ways.  Which led me to think about the Crazy 15 Challenge, 15 starts in January, which I opted not to do in favour of "11 in '11".  Which made me think I could choose a small project and stitch it 15 different ways, starting one on each day in January.   This requires more thought.....

So, in conclusion - Vote for Me, and let me know which one of those finished for the rose you prefer - the notebook (if I sort those corners out) or the simple picture mount.

Final Teacher gift

This is the final teacher end of term gift.  The large boy has had this teacher on Fridays for the last two years.  Last year she got a sampler with a Celtic dog (she loves dogs and is quite "celticy" in her dress) and the school name and dates like the other two I stitched this year.  I decided not to do another in the same format but did have a little plastic coaster from SewandSo in my basket.  The design is a Joan Elliot from her card book and fits perfectly.  I used the same mint green pearlescent aida I stitched First Snow on and swapped the beads for petite beads so they fit under the coaster better.   The large boy will be making a back with her name and the dates on.  He will.  I have told him he will!

I'm developing a slight obsession with SALs in part works.  Since I made a resolution not to start any large projects which weren't on my 11 in '11 list I've had to find different excuses.  A SAL in parts is clearly not a large project, it is a number of smalls all added together.  There is no rule about smalls in my resolutions therefore I can start as many SALs in parts as I want!

So, as well as the Castles in the Air, which requires ALOT of thought and decision-making I have started on this one - Periphaeria  It is a lovely Scandinavian themed sampler by a Finnish designer.  They are upto part 6 already and just over half way through.  Luckily I prefer to start stitching in the middle of a project so it suits me fine.  I have decided to go for a purple theme.  I got a lovely piece of Purpleberry Spludge from Sparklies website.  To keep costs and size down I decided to stitch it over 1 (I love the delicate look of over 1 and it's not really alot of bother unless there are large, dense areas of stitching (eg C is for Coven!))

The colours I've chosen are 333 purple and 973 yellow.  The purple was easy but I couldn't decide on an accent colour at all, pink, turquoise, lime green or silver all went through my mind.  In the end I asked the large boy and he decided on the yellow.  So yellow it is.  Aren't children useful?

My first ever RR piece arrived, it's a gorgeous Teresa Wentzler Band Sampler, it's been round the world once and is off on a new adventure.  I can't wait to get stitching on it, it's a little daunting as I've never stitched for other stitchers before (except my Mum!) so I want to make it extra lovely and carefully stitched.  I think I have decided which band I want to stitch, Sophia has kindly included loads of samples of TW bands to choose from.

As usual there are lots of giveaways going on this week.  Unfortunately I haven't made a note of any of them to specifically mention them here.  Look down my bloglist and see who mentions Giveaways in their titles!!  Also GoS has a huge kit sale going on.

There aren't enough photos is this post, so here are the previous 3 teachers' samplers:

That one is all in metallics apart from the black outline.

She collects Rhinos, what can I say?

I also stitched a Vulture for the teacher who organised the "Culture Vulture" theatre activities but forgot to photograph it.  Hands up anyone else who has ever stitched a rhino, a vulture or an aardvark?

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.

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!