Tiny Stockings

These are the finished stockings! I actually got them done a little while ago, but haven't had a chance to take a photo until now. I got them hanging on the tree, which was set up last night, but not yet decorated. As I mentioned when I first talked about these, each family member (who lives in this house) were able to choose their stocking. No one has had a good look at the finished product yet, but I want to keep the suspense.

The one below is mine!

So, to all of you out there reading my blogs,

Merry Christmas and God Bless.

Friendship Card

This is a card I made recently for my best friend, Jenny.

I used plain white A5 card stock which I folded in half lengthwise.
The hedgehog and mouse stamp is a Penny Black design called Merry Band.
I also used a couple of stamps from the 'Think Happy Thoughts' set by Stampin' Up!

As I was making it, I debated whether or not to colour in the mice and hedgehogs, but realised that if I coloured one, I would have to colour all of them, so I decided to leave them as they were. I think it looks rather effective.

Popcorn

In honour of my blogoversary next week I have purchased 4 gorgeous Popcorn kits.

Actually that's just an excuse. I love these and decided it was time to get them.

Popcorn is a little brown bear, in case you haven't already guessed, and his little duck friend is named Souffle.

There is actually a whole set of friends - Popcorn, Butterscotch, Peaches, Blueberry, Coconut, Honey (all bears) , Souffle (duck) Biscuit (dog), and Candyfloss (doll).

What I didn't know is that the little flower after his name is actually a small paper flower. I just thought it was cross stitch. That will add something extra to each kit, and I think they won't be complete without them.

It really is a dangerous thing for me to be subscribed to cross stitch magazines and emails (this lot was via email from VicStitch).

Where Have I Been? you ask.

Yes, I have been stitching.

No, I don't have photos.

No, I haven't been blogging (at least not here - try my other blog).

I have finally framed and fully finished Beach Tranquility.

I'm very happy with it and currently have it sitting on the bookshelf (er, one of them) in my room. I need to get a 'plate stand' for it to go on because it can't be hung on the wall. The way it is framed doesn't allow for a picture hook.


I've also been working on the Tiny Stockings for this year's Christmas Tree Decorations (see my last post). So far I have 3 stitched. For the 4th one I am almost up to the backstitch. After that I have 5 to go.
I've decided to stitch them all and then make them up into the stockings. I'll get a bit of a production line going, I think.

As far as other projects go I have once again changed my mind as to how I'm going to make the patchwork doona cover that I have been planning for the past 11 or so years. I am actually going back to an idea I had near the beginning of a crazy quilt. It will work with what I have already done so far, which is have a backing peice with a cross stitch sampler in the middle.

Then there is the doona cover that I'm going to make to match my new curtains. I got some curtains in the 'As Is' section of Ikea - 2 sets in fact. One I'll be using a curtains, the other I will make into a doona cover.

Hmm ... what else is there. Well, some cross stitches that I will give as gifts need to be started, and I still haven't put the butterfly applique on the sheets I purchased (see an older post). My templates are still in a box that has not been unpacked since we moved.
With all my books now on the shelves, I realised that I don't have room to put my craft supplies on there like I'd planned, so I have to decide what to do, especially with all my scrapbooking papers and cardstock.

So that's where I'm at right now.

Christmas Planning

We have a Christmas tradition in our family that each person receives a new Christmas Tree decoration each year.

Some years they are purchased, other years hand made.

For the past few years I have been the one orgainising it. The decorations have included beaded items, painted plastic eggs, and mini guide dog soft toys.

This year I am again working on hand crafted items - tiny stockings with cross stitch motives. Each one will be different, but all are from the Bucilla 'Tiny Stockings' kit. I will be stitching and making 8 of the possible 30 stockings. And I've decided to start now so that I'm not rushing to get them done before Christmas.

Paper Fashions Prize

For those of you who read my stitching blog and are wondering why I would be doing something other than stitching on here, I guess you need to re-read my intro. I'm not just into cross stitch. I also do card making and dabble in scrapbooking.

And right now, I'm just wanting to win this pack! The ideas have started to flow, and I don't even own it ;)

So if you would like to enter the contest, click on the image or here.

Sweetheart's Gate

It's finished!

I put in the final backstitch stitches last night.

There is one tiny thing that I'm disappointed about, but it's the pattern, not my stitching that is at fault.

This one took me 6 months to complete. I started it on 15th November 2008 and finished on 14th May 2009. Much faster than the last one.

I haven't got a photo yet, but I'll do that as soon as I can and update this post.

Of course this adds to the growing pile of finished work to be framed. If I could just find a good picture framer in my area ...

I've also decided what my next one will be - Butterfly Profusion.

I was reluctant to do another Dimensions kit, however I have had this one waiting for a long time, a gift from my parents a few birthdays or Christmases ago (I'm not sure which, it's been that long).

This kit has printed aida cloth, however the stitching is all counted.

It also has a new tecnique for me - blending filament. I'm still figuring out how it will work. I think it's supposed to add a glittery sheen to some areas of the stitching. I'll fill you in as I go.

Backstitch 2

Yesterday I was talking about doing the backstitch on 'Sweetheart's Gate' and how it defines areas of the stitching. The photo above is one I took last night to demonstrate how it has been working. Have a look at the 2 tree branches in the middle of the shot. The one on the left has a distinct definition as to the edge, while the one on the right just blends in with the other stitching. You can also see some of the detail in the birdhouse.

The photo below is of where I'm up to. Once I have the backstitch done on the other tree branch, I'll be scrolling the frame down to work on the lower areas, where the majority of the backstitch is to be done. Each of the flagstones in the path and the pickets on the fence is outlined, as well as details on the hats, some of the flowers and the flower pots (not shown in this photo).

Backstitch

Ok, so I haven't posted on here for a while, and I don't have any current photos.
But, I do have some news.

Just a few nights ago I finished the main stitching on 'Sweetheart's Gate' and started the backstitch.
It looks good without the backstitch, but the backstitch defines certain areas and draws things together, like leaves on the trees.

This time I'm working right to left, top to bottom. I've almost got the top section finished. Last night I was working on the birdhouse.

What I've Been Working On

This is my completed square for the comfort quilt. I have now given it to the ladies who are constructing the quilt. I was told that what I had done, including the colours, would fit perfectly with the fabric chosen. I also found out that each woman who did a square chose a different Bible verse. I can't wait to see what the quilt will look like when it is finished.

And this is my progress on Sweetheart's Gate. My last photo showed the top half of the stitching, which I had completed except for the backstitch. I have now stitched all the way down on the right side (except backstitch) and last night I did the last few stitches over to the left side. Now I'll be working my way up to the top again, before completing the backstitching after all the main cross stitches are complete. Even without the backstitch you can already see the shapes coming out of the pots, basket, fence and paving of the path.

I can't believe I only started this project in Novemeber 2008. This one shouldn't take me 12 months to finish!

Comfort Quilt Square

So I guess you're wondering what this is and why I haven't got an update on 'Sweetheart's Gate'.

Well, one of the ladies in my Bible study group lost her son in the Black Saturday bushfires, so we are making her a comfort quilt as a way of support and letting her know we care.

Each of us were given a square of calico and were able to decorate it how we chose, making sure that we left at least an inch all around for stitching up. We have to include our name and a Bible verse as well as any other decorating that we do.

We did a similar thing last year when our Bible study leader was leaving - hers was made into a bag, and the squares were much smaller.

I found this pattern in a cross stitch book that I have and decided that it would be perfect.

I did change one of the colours - the yellow of the heart. I thought the original was too brown.

The stitching is actually in the top left corner of the square and I will be writing the Bible verse using a fabric pen because it would be too hard to stitch.

If you're wondering how I got the stitches so neat, I used waste cloth. I didn't get to try the new soluble one (see an earlier post), just the normal one that Mum had available. There were a lot of half crosses in the design so I had to be very careful not to pierce the waste cloth. If I had it would have been very hard to pull it out without damaging my stitching.

And it continues ...

... to happen every time a new Fox Collection Catalogue arrives in the mail.

That's right, I put in another order for cross stitch kits. Last time I told my self no more for a year. At the time I was thinking a twelve month period starting from that date. Well, it hasn't happened. The new year started and a new catalogue arrived, and as they say, "The rest is history."

I've put most of the pictures in my 'Projects to Start' list - except for one that I can't get a picture for.

So there you have it. I'm beginning to think I'm addicted to buying new cross stitch kits.

I was talking to a friend about this very thing - 4 days before my latest order - and she has the theory that we are planning for our retirement!! Lets just say that I have at least 40 years before that day arrives, so if I was to keep buying kits at the rate I am and my current time spent stitching remains the same, I think I should be able to do at least 3 per year in retirement, as well as one a year during my working life. Of course the assumption is that I will still be able to see to do it, I won't have arthritis in my hands and I will still love doing cross stitch by then.

Hmm ... I think I need to invest in a new storage box for my 'Projects to Start' collection.

Holiday Projects and Progress

Ok, so I know you have all been wondering what I have been doing over the past 3 weeks.

Well, there were Christmas, birthday and New Year celebrations, hanging around at home, watching TV and DVDs, sewing, stitching and decluttering (see the link to my other blog).

I decorated our family calendar. I guess you could call it an off the page scrapbooking project. This year I branched out a bit and some pages have some 3D bits on them. I discovered that you can colour the Kaiser Craft Fozz Felt with textas and it looks great.

I won some of the white daisy chain several months ago and wasn't sure how to use it, but this worked really well for February.

My mending bag was getting rather full, so I did some of the mending while thinking about a couple of other projects that I wanted to get done. I bought a new set of sheets in the after Christmas sale (normally about $250, I got it for about $75). It is plain blue and there are a lot of other blue sets in our house, so I wanted to jazz it up a bit. I decided that I'd applique a butterfly onto each sheet and pillowcase. Out came my Fiskars Butterflies-1 shape template and I traced the one I wanted onto a piece of paper. After tracing the smaller one, I realised that I didn't really like the shape all that much, so I tried the larger one. That one didn't quite work for me either. So later that day when I was in Spotlight I found the second butterfly template and purchased it.

I haven't traced this one yet, so the sheets are still waiting to be adorned. I also need to decide what fabric to use.

And then there were the new PJ shorts that I was sewing. I bought the fabric months early on a clearance sale, but hadn't had the time to make them. One morning I got out the fabric, cutting board and all my bits and peices and cut them out (after making a couple of adjustments to the pattern). I had forgotten to buy the right colour thread, so I couldn't finish them that day. Once I had purchase that, it only took a couple of hours for me to finish them (although my sewing machine broke part way through and I had to change machines). So here is the finished product.

I haven't worn them yet, probably next week.

Finally, as promised here is an update on my progress of 'Sweetheart's Gate'. It is coming along quite nicely.

I have stitched up to the top on the right side and am now working on the more central parts at the top (all on the same page of the pattern which is divided into 4 with some parts crossing over because of how I photocopied them). There is part of the stitching that you can't see on this photo because it is rolled down on the scroll frame. You can just see bits of it at the bottom. I have done a little more since this was taken last night.

So that's about the extent of my crafting over my holiday.