Finally Fully Finishing Fun for June

     

Hosted by Rachel the Ten Hour Stitcher

This SAL is designed to motivate us all to do something with that box of Finished pieces instead of just storing them under the bed.  We will all be linking up on Rachel's blog on or after the 10th of each month (10 Hour Stitcher - 10th of the month).

It's been a framing festival this last month.

First of all, a professional frame job.  I wanted Snowfire Christmas by Just Nan to coordinate with another sampler I had in my collection so I took the original to my framer and asked her to match it.  

Here's the other sampler for reference:

Elizabeth Designs - Joyeous Noel

To make up for the expense, the next two are charity shop frames!

Just Nan - Morning Meadow

A 2020 finish

One of the members of the JN FB group always stitches the name of the sampler at the bottom and I thought this was a brilliant idea and will do it from now on.

This is a recent finish and FFO'd within the same month too!

Just Nan - Nan's Garden

In the JN FB group we have started choosing a sampler to SAL every two-three months.  Nan's Garden was the choice for Spring and we allowed ourselves two months to stitch it, a band or two each week,

Here are some close ups of the bands:

I managed to get a copy of the chart which included the embellishment pack and the cute frog charm

The chart also came with a Just Nan charm which I fitted inbetween the hedgehogs.

The fabric is actually a nice reed green 28 count linen which is very hard to photograph.  There is so much natural light at the moment everything is bleached out.

Our current sampler is Follow the Needle and I have stitched Band 1 so far:

stitched on 28 count Lilac Brittney evenweave

Finally, I'm going to be taking sign-ups for my Summer Blog Hop on the same theme as last year - Stitching Friends are Friends Who Count.  Have a look at this post for last year and let me know if you'd like to take part this year.

Stitching Friends Summer Blog Hop 

May IHSW and F.N.S.I

IHSW or International Hermit and Stitch Weekend always starts on the third Friday of the month.  It's a chance to lock yourself away and focus on your stitching for the weekend.  You can take part on your blog or via the Facebook page - IHSW on Facebook.

The third Friday is also the Friday Night Sew In or F.N.S.I. which Kaye introduced me to.  You can find out more about it here - Sugarlane Designs

It looks like Friday is going to be my regular day for work so I take my current Just Nan Band Sampler in to stitch at lunchtime.  This is Nan's Garden:

stitched on 28 count green linen

(green still not showing up!)

The rest of the weekend was dedicated to Carriage House Sampling's Hallowe'en at Hawk Run Hollow:

stitched over 1 on 25 count Cassia Rose evenweave from Chromatic Alchemy

This week I used the Tiny Decisions app to chose my final focus piece for the month.  It decided on my NOEL Letters from Ernie Bishop.  This is my oldest WIP and the only one from pre-2000 so it would be good to get this finished.  Basically I have the hardanger and fully finishing to do now.

In the evenings I continued with my Just Nan-a-thon for Stitch Maynia.  Here are Days 15 - 23:

Finally the next IHSW will be 18th - 20th June so make sure you note the date in your diary or come and join us in the Facebook Group - IHSW on Facebook. If you don't do Facebook then you can check in here by leaving a comment on my post.

April IHSW and F.N.S.I

 

IHSW or International Hermit and Stitch Weekend always starts on the third Friday of the month.  It's a chance to lock yourself away and focus on your stitching for the weekend.  You can take part on your blog or via the Facebook page - IHSW on Facebook.

The third Friday is also the Friday Night Sew In or F.N.S.I. which Kaye introduced me to.  You can find out more about it here - Sugarlane Designs

Friday was my first day back at work since Christmas Eve so that curtailed the stitching time dramatically!  I did put a few stitches in on my current Just Nan Band Sampler.  This is Nan's Garden:

stitched on 28 count green linen

(I must try get a better photo of the fabric!)

At bath-time I managed to complete my second Autumn Lane Stitchery design.  This is Mrs "Large Hat" Claus!  

stitched on 28 count tea-dyed evenweave

The rest of the weekend was a little bit more productive.  I focused on my Chatelaine Gardens of London and completed a phone box.  One down, three to go!  In true Martina style, there are four different shades of red, and three different colours to make the windows.

stitched on 32 count Cotton Clouds from Crafty Kitten

The next IHSW will be 21st - 23rd May so make sure you note the date in your diary or come and join us in the Facebook Group - IHSW on Facebook. If you don't do Facebook then you can check in here by leaving a comment on my post.

Finally, it's time to reveal the Mystery Phrase from my Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop.  I wanted a phrase which would include the word in the project I was stitching which was this one:

stitched with one strand on 35 count cream linen

This is Ostara by The Primitive Hare, one of a series of 8 Celtic Celebrations, all found here - Primitive Hare Freebies

Now, "celebration" was too long a word so I used "solstice" instead.  I sent out all the emails with the letter and laying in bed that evening suddenly thought "it's not a Spring solstice, it's a Spring Equinox".  Whoops, too late to change now. 

Everyone did indeed find the phrase

"Spring Solstice of Ostara"

You can learn more about Ostara here.

I plan to stitch all eight of these and frame them together which is why I chose 35 count linen, so they will fit in a frame I already have.  Frugal framing!

This Week's Stitching

Slightly unimaginative title there!  But it is what it is.

At the beginning of the week I continued with the Frosted Pumpkin Hallowe'en Town Mystery SAL.  I have been stitching the house.  I decided to tweed the main colour which was charted as DMC 503, so I used one strand of 503 and one strand of 501.  The effect is really nice.  Some people have used a variegated thread for the house but I didn't want a stripy effect for mine.

The fabric is Moondust by Crafty Kitten

The more I stitch the more I wonder why I didn't order the 32 count?  Maybe if I type that sentence enough it will remind me next time I put an order in!

The other project has been the Band Sampler Round Robin.  We are approaching the end of this RR.  The next piece I get will be Kathy's and as I mail to Kathy it means that it is the last round! But this is Linda's.  Linda has a free choice sampler so I used a chart from my Just Nan stash.  The great thing about these RRs is that I can get my JN fix at the same time as joining in the RR fun.

My bands

Bead shot

The whole long thing so far!

My bands came from Nan's Garden.  I stitched almost exactly as charted, the colours fitted perfectly.  I did change the satin stitched fence to ecru because the white didn't show up too well.

It's been rather nice to OAAT for a change.  This week I return to my Challenge pieces; the Spooky Countdown, the Hallowe'en SAL and the Little Stitcher 12 Days all have to be completed over the next week.

I mentioned a couple of posts back that I had received the JCS magazine CD for the years 1991 to 2000.  I am working through the decade and am pleased to say the designs are improving.  Sadly the same cannot be said for the hairstyles or dress sense LOL.  In 1995 there is a lovely monthly series of mini band samplers with a flower and a gemstone for each month, only about 4 x 2 inches each.  I love them!

The December 1995 issue also has a very useful guide to a new aid to stitchers - Cyberspace.  For those of you unaware of this futuristic phrase here is what JCS tell us:

"The Internet is a loosely-organized group of roughly four million people all over the world who communicate through their computers"

Four million?  There are now four million internet users in Singapore ALONE!  A tiny little island just south of Malaysia could have held the entire internet just 20 years ago.  Makes you think...

JCS also have this useful tip which I think should be pinged up on your screen everytime you log on:

"Be careful of others' feelings.  Choose words thoughtfully. Rephrase anything that might be misunderstood.  Since body language and facial clues are absent from the conversation, use emoticons or acronyms to point out humor or sarcasm.  Reread your posts and e-mails before you send them.  With most software, once you've pushed "enter," your words are sent; you cannot cancel or edit them."

Finally, the Summer Postcard Blog Hop is ongoing throughout August.  We have seen some lovely Garden themed stitching and some beautiful garden photos too.  Why not check out any you may have missed so far?

First postcard from Marcy goes to Gracie at Needles, Pins and Dragonflies

Second postcard from Krista goes to Jocondine at Jocondine

Third postcard from Michelle goes to Sharon at Shebafudge

Fourth postcard from Mouse goes to Vickie at A Stitcher's Story

Fifth postcard from Christine goes to Marcy at Stitching Plus

Sixth postcard from Astrid goes to Krista at Just Stitching Along

Seventh postcard from Vickie goes to Michelle at Michelle's StitchCraft Place

Eighth postcard from Jocondine goes to Deborah at A Patchwork of Crafts

Ninth postcard from Gracie goes to Maggee at Stitching Devotee