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Friday, 24 April 2020

April Smalls

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Mary's Thread

This year my Smalls will be my JBW 12 Days of Christmas ornaments which I started on Boxing Day 2019 for the 12 Days of Stitchmas.  I completed the Fourth Day in April:

stitched 1 over 2 on 40 count white linen

and I added beads to the first three designs:



I showed this design last time, minus the beads.  This is the cover kit from Cross Stitcher magazine issue :
stitched on 32 count white evenweave

I decided to join in with Rachel Ten Hours and Tiff Stitches and their Spring into Summer New Starts Binge.  I wasn't planning any new starts but I do want to take part in Stitch Maynia in May with my Just Nan smalls.  I have completed 8 of them since last May so need 8 new ones to fill the gaps.  I have started one each Friday this month.  The first one is Beach Roses:

stitched on 28 count pale blue linen

The next one is the Lady in Red Heart from Just Cross Stitch:

stitched on 32 count lilac linen

The third one is Love and Roses:

stitched on 28 count black Jobelan


And the fourth one for today is Rose Lady:

stitched on 32 count pale green linen

Another unplanned start and finish was this month's choice for the Just Cross Stitch Ornament SAL on Facebook.  I admin this group because the previous Admin dropped out but I don't usually stitch the ornaments.  However, this month we had Blue Ribbon Designs' Trimming the Tree.  One of my long term goals is to stitch all of this series.  I have done two so far and now a third!

stitched on 32 count Twilight Blue linen

using the charted DMC


Here is Roaming Reindeer and Woodsy Winter:

 



Finally, the lovely Clare from Aimetu's Stitching is asking for some help with her smalls.  Each year Clare decorates a tree for her church's Tree Festival with stitched ornaments.  I have donated ornaments in the past and this year she is asking us to join in again.  The theme is A Bouquet of Flowers.  All she needs is the stitched piece, she will fully-finish it for you.  Just leave a comment on Clare's blog to get involved.   (I include this each month as a reminder for myself!)





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Thursday, 23 April 2020

April TUSAL

Tusal

It's TUSAL time!

Here is my TUSAL jar with two of my current projects:



Usually I would show you each project in detail but I am saving the Small for tomorrow and Discworld for Sunday.  And yes, the Small is showing the reverse side!

Today is also the Reveal Day for the Easter Treasure Hunt Mystery Phrase.  Thanks to everyone who took part in the Blog Hop, whether by posting a picture or by hopping around and solving the mystery.  It was much easier this year as I did not have to pay a penalty and find a phrase in French!   The phrase you needed to find was:

Be Well and Stitch April

Which will be familiar to anyone who uses Facebook, Instagram or watches FlossTube.  This movement was started following a discussion between a small group of designers.  Cathy from Hands On Design said - "A conversation among a group of designers has come together as a tiny but mighty movement to create a project of free designs for stitchers. Imagine a basket or bowl filled to the brim with wellness needlework! Follow the hashtag #bewellandstitch to stay in the loop with this project. Once you have your free charts in hand, please consider, if you are able, placing an online order with your needlework shop for threads or fabrics, embellishments or trims. Many shops are offering specials as they continue to serve stitchers."

 I know that the needlework shops that are working online are incredibly busy and are doing a fantastic job keeping everyone supplied with those essentials for our hobby.  One of those shop had compiled an album on Facebook for many of the charts.  I used that list to try find the original links so non-Facebook users can download them.  Most of these go to the designer's blog, some to Instagram and a few to Facebook.  I have labelled those ones.

You can see the list on my page entitled Themed Freebies or here:

Wild Violet - Be Well - voluntary contribution

Autumn Lane Stitchery - Bee Well - problem with website, they are aware.
You can see this cute one on Mini's Diary

I think the Drawn Thread design will be the one I stitch first:



I also like the Erica Michael's Strawberry, the Autumn Lane Stitchery and the Quarantined House by My Fanny Designs.  So many to choose from!


Finally, thanks for everyone who said lovely things about the Blog Hop.  The next one will be the Summer Hop.  As ever, I am planning something a little bit different for that one.  Stay tuned for more information!







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Monday, 20 April 2020

April IHSW


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.

Once again I started the weekend off with my Alice in Wonderland SAL from Cross Stitcher magazine:


The Tweedles before and after backstitching


This fabric colour is more accurate

The whole piece so far:

stitched on 32 count yellow linen

I should have done another day on the border but I was stitching outside today and beading doesn't go well with outdoor stitching so I moved on to my Discworld Mappe.  And this amazing landmark:

stitched on custom-dyed 32 count Murano from Sparklies

The large landmass is complete!  I will spend the rest of the rotation filling in the backstitch and adding some of the islands around the continent.  But this is a great achievement.


Finally, the next IHSW will be 15th - 17th 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. 





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Wednesday, 15 April 2020

April Gifted Gorgeousness Link-up Post



Welcome to the April Gifted Gorgeousness link-up.  The link-up date continues to be the 15th and I will keep the link-up open until the end of each month so you have plenty of time if you are late posting.

The format remains exactly the same, there is a list of rules on the main sign-up page if you want to check what is required but basically anything connected to the word "gift" is allowed, whether it was a gift TO you or is a gift FROM you.

My main project for Gifted Gorgeousness has been my Discworld Mappe by Lyndisfarne Designs, which will be a gift for my son.  This is the portion I have been working on in April:

stitched on 32 count Murano custom-dyed by Sparklies

Yes, the coastlines have met up!  This is akin to the borders meeting on a sampler.  I have just that area of golden yellow to fill in and the main landmass is complete.  Apart from backstitch!

I finished this lovely butterfly card from Cross Stitcher magazine which will be sent to a friend:


Someone did ask about the large butterfly attached to the card.  Yes, that was included in the pack along with the card and an envelope.

I also got some nice progress on Nora Corbett's Gathering Eggs this month.  The chart was a gift from Carol:

stitched on 35 count Vintage Country Mocha


The final gifted project for this month is the 12 Days of Christmas by JBW.  Two of my friends bought two charts each for my Christmas present.  I started one design per day for the 12 Days of Stitchmas and have completed the Fourth Day: 

stitched on 40 count white linen, 1 over 2

I also added the beads to the first 3 days.  I used Mill Hill petite 42013






Now it is your turn to show us your Gifted Gorgeousness for the month.  Please use your name or your blog name in the field and NOT the words "April Update" so I can easily see who has linked up this month.  And link to the actual post, not just your blog.  It is easier if you copy and paste the link, rather than typing freehand.

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🐇 Good Friday - Friday 10th April 🐇
Finally, thanks to everyone who took part in the Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop this year.  It was so much fun to see what everyone had to share with us.  Comments are hidden until 23rd April, which is TUSAL Day so I will reveal the Mystery Phrase then.  Just to give everyone a chance to play along.






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Friday, 10 April 2020

Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2020 and FFO Gallery

Spring Fantasy by Just Nan


Welcome to the Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop for 2020.  I am sure you all know how it works now - hop around the list of blogs and collect the letter each one has for you.  They spell out a message (in English this year) which you can leave in a comment here for me.  I have moderated comments so no-one will see them until  23rd April.  Just to give everyone a chance to play along.

This year we are starting with:

and then on to

and finally back to me for this letter:


I don't do a lot of Spring or Easter stitching but this finish has flowers so that will do!  This was my Leap Year start for 2020 and then I continued at bath-time.  The Small Boy is currently enjoying a long bath-time so I got lots done each evening!

This is Fox Few by Plum Street Samplers:

stitched on 32 count khaki evenweave

I used the DMC conversion for this with the exception of the yellow for the bees.  They recommended a brown 435 for Amber but I used 783.  I backstitched the pale blue flowers as they blended into the fabric colour.  The chart says to use a dark blue for the centres but the cover picture shows them as white.  There is a symbol for white which isn't used anywhere so I guess that is a mistake.

I also used a blend for the hillside rather than a variegated thread.  They recommend 3012 which was too close to 3011 which I used for the flower stems.  3013 was too close to the fabric colour but blending it with 3012 was perfect and makes a nice mottled effect for the grass.

Fully Finished Gallery

I didn't think I had anything for the FFO Gallery this month until I remembered my Butterfly Card.  This was the cover gift from Cross Stitcher issue 356.  I stitched it and then lost the beads.  I substituted some from my stash and then found the original ones this morning.  Which reminded me I could post it for Rachel's SAL.  Check out her blog for more organised people.


stitched on 32 count white linen

cardboard butterfly and greeting card supplied


Finally, don't forget to leave a comment as you visit each blog - Happy Hopping!!

Dewdrop Bunny by Just Nan

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Wednesday, 8 April 2020

Happy 9th Blogaversary to Me!

9 years of blogging and even more of stitching!


That photo was taken the year we received workbaskets for Christmas.  That red and black dress was my favourite.  The sleeves and skirt were tartan and the bodice was plain red.  My sister's dress was bright blue.  Mine was definitely handmade and I think her's was too.  In the background you can see the Modern Sampler I was talking about in The People's Choice at the weekend.  If you zoom in  you can just about see the cityscape at the bottom.

When I was 9 I had a lovely teacher.  He had all sorts of good idea to engage with a mixed age, mixed ability class including his party-piece of breaking a ruler using a sheet of newspaper.  To demonstrate air pressure.  He was allowed to break one ruler per year as per the school budget!

It's been a year of consolidation on the blog.  Very few new followers, slightly fewer comments but page views increase each year.  Bloglovin seems to acquire me Silent Followers.  If you follow via Bloglovin, please do leave a comment.  You seem nice people from the profiles Bloglovin shows me!

Here are the stats:

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9 years
972 posts
660 followers
19,784 comments
1,189,254 pageviews
WOW

The focus on my stitching over the past year has continued to be Reduce The WIPs.  I am gradually working my way through my older projects.  Last year saw me complete my third oldest WIP; My Lovely Sewing Tools.  Now if only I could get it framed, that would be nice!

Started 14th October, 2011
Finished 6th September, 2019

I have my oldest WIP on the list this year, the Noel Letters by Ernie Bishop.  I wonder if they will be finished by my 10th Blogaversary?

I looked back at my 8th Blogaversary and all the projects there have been completed except one.  Here is Nora Corbett's Gathering Eggs then:


and now


Again, it would be nice to see her finished by next year.

The other pieces in my current rotation are:

Winter in the Square by Just Nan


Fox Few by Plum Street Sampler

Bitter Brew by Hands on Design

Discworld Mappe by Lyndisfarne Designs

I also had a new start at the weekend to join in with Rachel Ten Hours and Tiff Stitches and their Spring into Summer New Starts Binge.  I wasn't planning any new starts but I do want to take part in Stitch Maynia in May with my Just Nan smalls.  I have completed 8 of them since last May so need 8 new ones to fill the gaps.  The first one is Beach Roses:

stitched on 28 count pale blue linen

Thinking about it, I should really start 2 each Friday in April!  So I have all 8 in place on 1st May.


I will be hosting my usual Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop this Friday as it is Good Friday.  I have emailed all the participants with their letter and further instructions.  If you have not had an email, please let me know so I can sort something out.


Finally, a very Happy Birthday to my Blogaversary Twins - Susan Yellow Flower Meadow and Calamity Jr!  Hope you both had a happy, stitchy day.







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Saturday, 4 April 2020

The People Chose Modern Samplers


This SAL is all about what you want to see on the blog.  Each month I ask for suggestions for themes and then put them up to the members of the IHSW Group on FB to vote for their choice.  This is what they have chosen:

April - Modern Samplers
May - Fire
June - to be advised

I have had a couple of emails from people asking what The People mean by Modern Samplers - well, as ever that interpretation is up to you!  But this post may help.

When we say a "sampler" we all tend to know what that looks like without actually needing a definition.  It will contain some of the following elements:

a border
an alphabet
numbers
spot motifs
a variety of stitches
a verse or motto
a name and date

We will probably think of the traditional antique samplers made by girls and young women in the 17th to 19th centuries and reproduced now by one of the many companies such as Hands Across The Sea or the Scarlet Lettter.

So what is a "modern" sampler?  One designed in the 21st Century?  One with "modern" motifs or a modern aesthetic or style?  Maybe a snarky saying or song lyric in the place of a Bible verse?

I Googled the phrase "Modern Sampler" and this is what came up:


Apparently Google thinks of electronics when you have a Sound Engineer for a husband and you share WiFi!

The next two pages were more helpful:


We have bright, modern colours, geometrics, modern books, space rockets and quirkiness.  It would be interesting to see what Google shows you when you type just those two words "modern sampler".


So what have I stitched that comes under the category?

A fun Birth Sampler with a modern alphabet in non-traditional colours:

Elissa Hudson from Cross Stitcher issue 249

This is a challenge piece where I took a traditional motif provided and added a modern equivalent to it to show both facets of myself as a stitcher:

The left side comes from Cross Stitcher magazine
The right side and wording is a Plum Street Sampler freebie

This is another example of a traditional design stitched in a modern way.  The original Pansy came from Marie-Therese Saint Aubin blog.  I took just the flower head and turned it into a Warhol-inspired quartet, colouring the fabric with that very modern item - the felt-tipped pen.


 This is one very modern sampler in my stash, it's out of this world in fact; The Little Alien Schoolgirl by Ink Circles:



My earliest memory of a modern sampler is one which my Mum stitched in 1972.  It hung on our middle room wall for my entire childhood and featured a cityscape and modes of transport including a plane.  But that would now be nearly 50 years old, so is it still modern?


Now it's over to you.  All you have to do is make a post on the theme of Modern Samplers, mention The People's Choice SAL (you can copy the picture I used at the top of this post and in my side bar) and my blog. Please link up using the URL of the actual blog post, not the home page of your blog. I look forward to seeing what you all post.


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Finally, I need your suggestions for the next poll. Any thing, no matter how obscure, weird or random will go into the poll. Keep the theme suggestions to a single word or two - so you could have Cats, or Blue, or Holidays, or Warmth etc. Really anything which could be illustrated in cross stitch.


Looking forward to reading them all!




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