Showing posts with label cross stitch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cross stitch. Show all posts

Monday, June 15, 2009

Stash delivery!

My dear friend in the USA gave me gift cards for my birthday.

One was for Vikki Clayton Silks so I ordered the silks I didn't have for Mary Wigham, plus lots of others (added some of my own money towards it!)




I bought up big with the other gift card and will post once all those goodies arrive.

In the meantime, another gift arrived from her. I first saw this chart on Bronny's blog and later she had a competition to give it away. Of course I didn't win it, but lo and behold, it has arrived with all the Cresecent Colours and DMC, plus the fabric! (Bronny, I can't get into your blog anymore:( along with a few other blogs. I'm wandering if it's a widget that's upsetting Internet Explorer...) Anyway, here's what my dear american friend sent too.




Isn't she just the best! Off to fondle those silks now!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Pinkeeps and their use...

I've started stitching 'Agnes Delage-Calvet - Lace pinkeep' which is available from http://www.creativepoppypatterns.com as a gift for a friend's birthday.

But, I'm a practical kind of girl and I struggle to see the use of a pinkeep for a cross stitcher. I'ts not like you can actually use one, cos you'll mess up all that beautiful finishing on the edges.

Does this type of pinkeep only have decorative use? http://www.creativepoppypatterns.com/lacelike-pinkeep-cross-stitch-pattern-xml-203_204-1233.html

I'm thinking about turning it into as needle keep as I can see the use of that. What do you think?

And Yoyo, I'm still having trouble inserting links. I've tried using the 'insert link' when I add a post making sure http: etc is included, but when I preview or view my blog, the link is missing entirely. Help!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Uh-oh, what's going on?

Hmmm, just logged on after a lengthy absence, only to find that all the blogs I have saved to watch have disappeared. Then when I relogged in, they were back again.

I'm so confused...and relieved!


I've finally got my sewing machine out and washed all my finishes- 9 in total. I finished 2 more very recently and found one I'd forgotten about (anyone else put finishes away and forget about them?) Some are going to be framed, but most are being wall hangings. The camera is away in Canberra with Steve, so I'll take some pics when he comes back.

No news to report on the reading of the book on puberty, and thankfully no questions. There has been a rather proud moment of displaying newly grown hair, much to the amusement of moi!

We are reading Twilight together (Nicholas's request), but I'm not sure how long Nicholas will stay interested in the love story, however I'm sure the vampire part will keep him enthralled.

By the way, I joined the Totally Useless SAL. Seeing as I usually stitch right down to the last inch or so, it has been quite a challenge to let go of my frugal habit, but I'm quite pleased with my effort and am looking forward to showing off my results.

Happy stitching, I'm off to read blogs!

Friday, February 27, 2009

Stitching, gardening and Life.

I've just made a cup of coffee,so that I can sit down and relax as I type my blog. If you're easily embarassed, don't read past my tomatoes.

I've finished stitching 2 ornaments for the Victorian Bushfire Survivors. I hope that when they receive an ornament that they realise that the rest of Australia and the world feels their pain and that they are not alone.

My first one is a Lizzie*Kate called 'Family'.



It's stitched on some white linen, 28ct?, with DMC, changed to my liking!

The next one is a simple design I charted myself!!




Stitched on the same white linen, using DMC to match some fabric in my stash, that I bought cos it was pretty. I knew that I would need it one day!

I really need to get my sewing machine out now. There's no more putting it off. I've got at least 4 finishes that need finishing. And a skirt I want to make. Plus a chair pad that needs making. One would think that by the way I procrastinate, the act of getting out my machine is some complex task. However, all I need to do is get the 'stuff' off my sewing cabinet and lift up the top. It seems so simple, yet I dread doing it. I know why, I worry that I will stitch my ornaments 'some' way that ruins all that work. It's a scary task. I can do it, but I worry. Now, I think of the bushfire survivors and think my reluctance is petty. I can do it and I will do it after I finish my blog- stay tuned for my next blog to see the results.

On a lighter note, my tomatoes are growing! I have 9 tomatoes and 1 cucumber- the most I've ever had. Of course watering helps, which I have forgotten to do with previous attempts, oopsy. But, right now, 2 bushes have no tomatoes, and one bush has 6 and two bushes have 3. I'm so chuffed with this year's success (doesn't take much to inspire me, only 9 tomatoes and 1 cucumber) that I'm thinking of putting some plants in my front yard! They'll get a tad more sun, and I won't have to net them off so that Jack doesn't eat them. I know he really likes strawberries, because, even though I didn't actually catch him 'red-handed', the red around his white mouth and paws gave him away! So I didn't take any chances with my precious tomatoes- they've got bird netting over them to stop him from getting any ideas.

Nicholas is about to turn 11. I've had lots of talks with him about his body parts and how babies are made. He always asks me lots of 'those' questions and never Steve, possibly cos Steve is mostly at work in the evenings. However, he's (Nicholas) being asking me about puberty. And the books we have just don't have enough information about puberty. Of course, I know about girls' bodies, but boys' bodies are foreign to me in turns of what happens and when it happens. So, I found a companion book to 'Where did I come from?', titled 'What's happening to me?' (or something like that). One flip through the pages, seeing diagrams of bodies changing, I knew this was the right book. I had a read of it when I got home and now, thankfully, Steve has offered to read it with Nicholas. I have to say, I am very relieved about that, cos I know what's in the book! And hopefully, Nicholas will ask Steve all the questions he has, and from the content of the book I know he'll have plenty, but odds on, he'll wait til I'm trapped in the car driving somewhere and spring them on me. Just like the time when he was 7 and I was driving home and he told me he knew what a 'pagina' was. I nearly ran off the road from surprise, and had to stifle the laugh building up. So much for the school grapevine- his source got the name slightly wrong! So, once he learns about, er, the 'emissions' his body will make at night time and other 'interesting stuff', well, I can hardly wait for the comments and questions...

Stay tuned!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

We're having a heatwave, a blinkin' heatwave

It is sooo hot. It's going to be 44c which is roughly 111f. And that's in the shade. It's soo hot, even the website for our local temperature is down, or maybe just crashed due to the amount of people trying to find out it's hot. I know how hot it is, it's blinkin' hot.

Jack found a dying bird yesterday and wanted to bring it inside. Gave him that high pitched scream, whilst having visions of him running past me through the open door, letting go of the bird inside and me trying to catch it. So I had to outrun him around the other side of the house to close the door- no mean feat either, considering how fast he runs and I don't. Although I did do Wii Fit in the morning, so maybe that helped!

I thought I'd post my current wip, which isn't on my 'to do list'. It's Debbie Draper's 'Love is in the air', stitched on the suggested 32ct 'Chablis' linen by Picture This Plus, using the suggested Carrie's Creation Threads 'Masquerade'. Fabric is a bit too un-evenweave and I'm having trouble finding the holes. Maybe it's my eyes. I haven't stitched on 32ct for a while. Anyway, it's my wedding anniversary next Wednesday, 14 years of blessed bliss, well most of the time. So, due to the heat, it's a good day to stitch.



So, before I self-combust, I bid you farewell.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Woohoo, some finishes!

I've actually managed to finish stitching two gifts well ahead of time. I'm feeling pretty chuffed about this, but the real test will be actually turning them into something to give, that's not rushed and finished so-so.

Here's my first one, The Cat's Whiskers 'Heartstrings'. I was going to frame it, but I'm thinking of turning it into a cushion (pillow) now, with some pretty floral fabric, yet to be purchased.



This next one is Blackbird Design's 'Savoir Faire', a freebie with purchase from 'The Stitching Post'



I 'visually' converted the required GAST & WDW threads to Vikki Clayton's silks,which are lovely to stitch with. I'm going to make this into a floss tag.


This one is Glory Bee's 'Childproof', the first piece I've managed to stitch for myself since 2001!




And my first beading finish for the year, a pendant for moi! Freebie pattern and supplies from Fusionbeads.com using Swarovski crystals and sterling silver findings.



The supplies arrived before Christmas and I've been procrastinating about making it. It seemed too hard to make, and it was lol, I nearly gave up part way through, cos I couldn't quite get it right. Didn't turn out too bad after all!

Happy Stitching!