Seasons Greetings - Ho! Ho! Ho!

Belated Christmas wishes and best wishes for 2008 to all my friends out there on the web.

This year has been full of changes and has brought me to a rather comtempaltive mood as we face another year. Age is really just a year tally, but it brings with it strange thoughts and the need for projects that stretch and challenge. Quite what these will be is in the lap of the Gods, but I feel the need to be bolder, and more focused, to plan and think ahead, not one of my strong points...

as the New Year comes a creepin' my thoughts turn to my Mum, who would have celebrated her birthday on New Year's Eve, forever the optomist, like her I will look for the "silver lining" while cloud watching.

Quaker Tree

I seem to be on a roll at the moment with my stitching - and am making the most of it.

This is a freebie from The Workbasket called Quaker Tree.

Stitched on 32 count Permin Linen (sorry don't know the colour) using Needle Necessities 139. Not quite sure how I am going to finish it - suggestions welcome!

The North wind doth blow....

The Drawn Thread

Four Fat Friends

Stitched on 32 count Antique Green Linen

using WDW threads

The North Wind doth blow

and we shall have snow

and what will the Robin do then poor thing?

He'll sit in the barn

and keep himself warm

with his head tucked under his wing

poor thing.

Traditional Nursery Rhyme

The first of my Christmas stitching , and a wonderfully jolly quartet they are - don't you think?

Like Mother used to make...

Talking with my DD the other day when preparing a meal, we were laughing about the fact that she can't make Egg and Tomato sandwiches that taste like mine - at least that is what she claims. But it got me thinking - because despite following her recipies to the letter, there are one or two dishes Mum used to cook, that I cannot replicate!

She used to make the most delicious Trifle, and I make it every "holiday", and yet there is always that question, its good, but not quite like Mum's. Likewise her Potato and Onion Pie.

Has anyone else come across this - or is it me!

3 Finishes this week

Tote made from a fabric bit I had in my box

Drawn Thread Little Spot sampler - using stated DMC threads

LHN Cherries using Crescent Colours

Please forgive the first photograph, and don't try and strain your neck looking at it, but it is a small tote I have made for my God-daughter for christmas. I was quite impressed with the finish, that I have another in construction,.

Finally the Drawn Thread little Spot sampler is finished - this has been a WIP for a while, and needless to say didn't take long to complete, once I'd sat down to it. The LHN Cherries, was a lovely quick stitch, both this and the Little spot were birthday gifts from Nicola.

Having this weekend at home to start some Christmas stitching - so who knows what I might achieve.

Thanks to everyone who has left comments recently - I do appreciate you taking the time.

Tea and cake

This is what I am working on at the moment.

Left was my birthday cake, delicious, I just wish you could have all shared a piece.

And I had to include a picture of the flowers sent to me by my son (he got his sister to order them from the florist!)

Thanks for all the comments, I do appreciate them very much.

50 not out!

Just thought I ought to post and acknowledge the passing of the years.

Today I celebrate my 50th birthday - and so far it is going with a swing, flowers, gifts and visits from friends wishing me well. I even had the sweetest compliment from a 9 year old telling me I didn't look that old!

This evening we will cut cake and open a bottle of bubbly.

Does this mean I have to be sensible now?

Finished !

Sally Spencer Sampler by Birds of a Feather, stitched on 32 count Belfast "Autumn Fields" using Sampler threads as stated, with one substitute WDW Liberty for Buckeye scarlet.

Here she is in all her glory, she was completed last Sunday, but have only just managed to download a picture - our computer has been unco-operative this week. A lovely stitch, now to frame her and find a space on my wall.

PS

Also meant to mention that my photo "Surfs up" from a previous post, won a second place at our local agricultural show on Saturday. Not that I'm bragging you understand, but when your DH is a photographer, these things count!

Progress on Sally

At last a progress picture of Sally. As you can see I am very nearly there, and expect a finish sometime this week.

Stash

This is what the postman brought me this week. I intend to start a project from "With needle and Thread" when I have finished Sally.

Dorset Interlude

Boats at West Bay

Surf up!

One of the many thatched cottages in Burton Bradstock

We had a wonderful holiday - warm and sunny weather, great company, and time to take it all in. Bliss.

Holly and Ivy

Progrss again today - this is a delight stitch, the silks making it a more tactile experience than usual. This means I will HAVE to add to my limited collection don't you think?

Picture this...

This week I have been busy...

Making a start on CCN Holly and Ivy Sampler, stitched on 32 count Belfast Linen, in Antique Ivory, using Vikki Clayton Silks - which are a delight to stitch with.






further progress on Sally...











And finished this biscornu and scissor fob from a design by Alchemy Stitchcraft.

All in all a good stitching week.

The penny drops

I have been wandering around blogland for several months now, and have come across several references to Vicki Clayton silks - I now know what every one is raving about. I was sent a small CCN chart "Holly and Ivy" and the silk colours to stitch it with, I started it at 6.00am this morning (I'd had a bad night, and thought I ought to get up and do something, the ironing really wasn't an option so...) they are lovely to stitch with, sadly I had to leave them and go to work. Progress pictures will follow on Sunday, as that is the next available time I have free.

The kids think I've been a bit slow on the uptake lately - they weren't wrong!

I can't believe it...

my baby is 13 today.........
and taller than me!

Happy Birthday Matty.

Year half done!

It may be half way through the year, but I did complete this calendar earlier in the year, just forgot to post a picture! I can't remember what fabric I used, but the thread was a new DMC varigated no. 4030.

In the work basket

This is a WIP called "Sally Spencer Sampler", a Birds of a Feather design, I have restarted. The colours are very much my colours, especially the scarlet.

I am posting progress here, as it has been languishing in my "basket" for a few months, and needs some encouragement to aid its completion.

I may have been "sleeping" lately, but as you can see I haven't been idle!

This is my progress on "Little Spot Sampler" a Drawn Thread design. I am working on the Queen stitch and Hungarian motif. I did have a major counting crisis, that I hope I have solved. This is a delightful project, and a quick stitch for me.

Unexpected culinary stash

What a surprise - this morning the parcel carrier arrived with a parcel. (well he would wouldn't he!) I wasn't expecting anything, had only just put an order in to Sewandso, so it couldn't be that - something for the WI then? well no to that too...it was a Le Creuset casserole dish, I have won in a competition! It made my day.

Rain Rain go away

I feel like Dr. Foster, just stepping out of the house requires: Macintosh, umbrella and wellington boots...

I realise that we need rain, for our gardens, rivers, etc. but I do think that maybe we have had enough. 4 days is really quite sufficient, thank you - time to turn the clouds off, and let us see well at least a foot or two of blue sky - please!

Having said that, there have been some wonderful "greys".

Bookshelf completed

This is Bookshelf by LHN.

I put the last few stitches in it this afternoon.

The photo doesn't quite do the finished item justice, the colours are much brighter.

It has been a treat to stitch, and using small lengths of the metallic thread certainly helped with smooth stitching.

A new toy

Style 1646


I am now the proud owner of a Toyota SL3314 overlocker. A welcome addition to my sewing family. As with all new "toys" I thought I ought to test its' capabilities...so this is what I made this weekend. The PJ bottoms are certainly on the generous side, (and no I don't need them to be THAT roomy) but they will be just the thing for warm nights! The material I have had since the dawn of time, I think it once belonged to a great Aunt!

A safe arrival!

Heritage Stitchcraft - Silhouettes - Hikers

As you can see my hikers have finally arrived at their destination! I completed the cross stitching last night and the back stitch this morning. A bit of a wash and brush up before the photo call - hey presto.

Back to my roots

McCalls 2818

I remember the first timeI ever made anything was way way back when I was 5 or 6, I cut out and stitched a dress for my doll. I do believe that the whole thing fell apart.

Over the years, and especially during my teenage phase I made just about everything I wore - I left home and studied Dressmaking at City and Guilds level, continuing all the while to make the majority of my wardrobe.

When I had my daughter and our family circumstances altered dramatically I found myself with less and less time to "sew". Sadly over the last 12 years, I have only made a handful of garments for myself, my DD and DS.

The sewing machine was out to repair yet another bust pocket, and the muse struck, so with a piece of silk I have had in my stash for at least 20 years (I know I bought it when studying for my C & G) I have rediscovered my dressmaking mojo!

I did find that the pattern required some alteration - gone are the days when there was little alteration required - and it has taken me very nearly a week to get to this stage, when previously I would have had it licked in a day, but the satisfaction that I now feel is reward in itself. Here's to future projects.

Boxing clever

I made this little boxette yesterday. It is a degign by Susan Greening Davis, and I received it as part of my stash programme from Tradtional stitches. Now all I have to do is figure out what ort stands for!

Are we there yet...?

My hikers may be puzzling their destination - but as you can see I am nearly there!

Another couple of miles should see me at the end of this journey.

Christmas Ornament SAL

This is my ornament for March. A Mill Hill kit called Angel. Was very quick to stitch, but I did need a good light for bead colour selection!

DS suggested that it looks like an angelic Kenny from South Park.

That boy has no soul. (But he could be right)

Bad week...

I have had a truely awful week -from which I am just recovering. Firstly I am being laid off work, this came completely out of the blue. So now I am job hunting, which I could do without, as I was settled and very happy where I was.
Secondly, the repairs done to the roof just after Christmas failed the Pennine wind test, and we were left with another hole!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thankfully the builders have been, and have made repairs again. I hope this time that the tiles stay put, because I can see me loosing the plot completely, should high winds return and we loose any more.

In the circumstances, I felt justified in being extremly weak willed and eating chocolate -I'd given up for lent!

What HAVE I been doing...

Hadn't realised that it had been weeks since my last post, its this knitting bug, its well and truely caught me now. However I can claim a finish...my cardigan is complete, stitched up ( the worst part for me) and it is really warm and comfortable to wear. Pictures will follow when I can find someone to take one.

On the stitching front, haven't made much progress on anything - cos I've been knitting - but did manage a few hours on Hikers.

Christmas Ornament SAL

My first ornament this year.

Peace on Earth JBW Designs JCS Christmas issue 2006

Progress report

My progress this last 10 days has been hampered by my mislaying my specs... they were finally run to ground in my raincoat pocket - which was the first place I looked (not).

We have weathered a snow fall this week, not enough for a snowball fight - but sufficient for a picturesque covering.

Hikers is starting to come together, working on this once a week is working for me, maybe I should revue my rotation from 10 hours to weekdays. The change may be beneficial.

Bookshelf progress was slow as I ran out of DMC thread - this is now resolved and I look forward to making progress again this week. I did run the iron over my work prior to taking a photo, I think the result gives a better impression of this work in hand.

UFO night

And this was progress after 90 minutes. This will be the 5th in this series that I have stitched, having completed, Canal Crossing, The Lock, Steam Team and Early Shift.


This was Hikers at the start of UFO night on Tuesday .

The missing link...

Making good progress now on Bookshelf, however am frustrated because I cannot download any photos, my device cable has vanished. I have searched my desk, I have search the computer desk, I have look behind, underneath, beside and on top of all surfaces in the living room, nothing. I am now worried that I have thrown it out. BOTHER.

I don't believe it ...with apologies to Victor Meldrew

I am busy stitching away, as you do, when I discover that I have made a counting error at the beginning of my "bookshelf "row, one of the letters has a stitch missing and it has put me out by one stitch in the row ... so........all yesterdays stitching has been unpicked and I am no furhter forward. This is what you get when YOU DON'T COUNT PROPERLY.

Bookshelf progress

This is the progress so far on LHN Bookshelf. A very clever birthday choice from Nicola, combining my two loves of reading and stitching... I am having trouble with stitching the gold thread on the book spines, maybe I should try a shorter thread length, any tips would be welcome.


Reading Ya Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells
Watching Torchwood - again!!!!!!!!!!

2007 and all that!

I have made a stitching resolution - yes just the one, to try and stitch at least once a day. I am wondering if this goal may be a little ambitious, but I'll try.

I am busy making a "to do " list from the stach of WIPs I have in my house...and also a list of promise for me projects.

Happy New Year