IHSW - July

I hope everyone is doing well and hey to my new followers, lovely to see you!  It's really hot in the UK, whilst it's nicer than freezing, it hasn't been great for stitching.  I have done some this weekend but not a great deal.

I decided to work on QS Clara - Hannah Lynn (HAED)

Friday

Sunday

As you can see, I've done some of the background, it's not too much but it is progress so I'm happy!

Hope you all have a great weekend, I'll look forward to seeing your progress pictures!

WIPocalypse - June

I've been a little naughty and completed a few things that weren't planned, I just felt like doing some small things to break that feeling of not getting anywhere on large projects.  I do have to say that it worked and I've been able to go back to my Pyramid slightly refreshed!

This was completed for a charity that makes quilts for sick children:

It was a design I found online from Passion Creative blog and I changed the colours slightly to fit with the threads I already had.

Next was a design by Ink Circles that I've had for a while and kept meaning to do called Aventail.

It's stitched on 32ct Belfast Linen called Evening Magic from Crafty Kitten using a Dinky Dyes thread called Merlot.  I really love the way it turned out and I have lots more planned!

Next up is a small kit that I've had hanging around for ages that my niece wanted me to stitch for her.  I finally decided that I'd better get it done as it was a fairly small design I knew it wouldn't take long!

It's Fairy Girl - Bang on the Door DMC kit stitched on the white 18ct aida that it came with.  Once I find a nice frame I can finally give it to her :)

I also did a little work on the HAED BB SAL piece, QS Mystic Garden - Marchetti

May

June

Not a massive amount of progress but anything is a step closer!


Last up is Pyramid 4 - also by Marchetti:

 

May

June

I kept thinking I hadn't done that much, but you can definitely see some progress so I'm really happy.

I'm really happy with what I've completed this month and having a "time out" and doing a few smalls definitely helped spur me on with my larger projects!  Hope you guys all had a great month and I look forward to seeing all your progress pictures!

IHSW - June

I hope you all had a great weekend!  I had a fairly busy one but managed to get a good amount of time for stitching too thankfully!

I worked on Pyramid 4 for the whole weekend and managed to get some of the nasty confetti bits of the scarab done.  It was nice to be able to stitch something other than brown!

Friday

Monday

It's quite funny, whilst you are stitching you think you really haven't made any progress, it's only when you put the photo's together that you really see it starting to grow.  Still a very long way to go, but I'm happy!

WIPocalypse May (just!)

I know it's a tiny bit late but here's my WIPocalypse update for May!

Let's start with QS Clara!  I've done pretty well, I've now completed the black outline and have started on the colouring in.

April

May

May

I had to start with her face, those eyes are lovely!

Next is QS Mystic Garden.  I've not made much headway from last time, but there was some progress.

April

May

It's slow but steady, but I'm enjoying it and will be picking it up again tomorrow as the next page is due out!

My last update is on Pyramid 4.  Again, not masses of progress, but definite steps in the right direction!

April

May

I was thinking of stitching the brown border of the pyramid first then doing the detail in the middle, however, stitching brown is very dull!  Next time it comes around, I may well be abandoning that idea!

It's been all HAED stitching so far this month, although I have spent the last few days stitching a Hello Kitty quilt square for charity!

I'm looking forward to catching up on everyone's blog in the next couple of days and I'll try to comment on as many as possible!

Yiota's Xstitch review

I know it's IHSW this weekend I'll be posting an update about that tomorrow, however I thought I'd share with you a bit of information about a new company that I've come across - Yiota's Xstitch (www.yiotas-xstitch.com).  This isn't a company that I'd heard of until recently so thought I'd share my thoughts with you as I know there is always some trepidation about trying a new company.

The website is lovely and colourful, easy to navigate to find something specific or just to browse through, with a varied selection of kits and charts in modern and traditional styles.

As I'm a fan of fantasy, I chose this design based on the artwork of Erin Ewer: 

The kit arrived within a few days in a small package that easily fit through the door but was well protected. 

Provided in the kit was 16ct white Aida (you could choose from 14ct/16ct/28ct fabric), needle, chart, instructions and all the thread needed to complete the project.

The thread used in these kits is Madeira, whilst not as widely used as DMC, it is a very high quality thread (not like the awful stuff you get in the free cover kits from magazines) and has more of a shine than Anchor and a similar to feel to DMC.  It comes already wound onto bobbins for ease of use, clearly marked.

The chart itself is in black and white and comes on A3 sheets, using large, very clear and easy to read symbols.

As some of you regularly stitch HAED designs, I would say that a number of these charts and kits just won't have the level of detail you would be used to seeing so may not appeal to you.  As it doesn't have any backstitch and uses just whole stitches, there's no reason someone who knows the basics couldn't jump straight in, however, the size of this kit might be a little intimidating for a beginner.  I do think it would make a great project for those who have completed a few small designs and are looking for something a little more challenging. 

Personally, I thought it was one of the best kits I've come across for a very reasonable price!  I hope that this has been useful for you and it's definitely worth having a look!

Honeymoon trip

It's been a month since my last post but I do have a good reason...we finally went on our honeymoon!  Although we got married last September, we had to wait until April for our trip to the Red Sea, visiting Jordan and Egypt.  As this blog is primarily about stitching, I don't want to bore you with too much detail and a ton of photo's but I will share a few!

Visiting Petra was one of the highlights of the trip and the first glimpse of the Treasury is something I will never forget!

The trip to Cairo was amazing and the Cairo Museum of Antiquities was amazing, I could have spent weeks in there as there was just so much to see.  Sadly you aren't allowed to take photographs in there as the lighting is very carefully controlled but seeing Tutankhamun's death mask took my breath away.

Photo taken from The Times website

Seeing how well preserved some of the mummified bodies were gave a very strange feeling that's not easily described, I guess kind of in awe and a deep sense of respect towards them.

The Pyramids and the Sphinx were stunning, although the experience wasn't as pleasant as it should have been due to the very aggressive nature (and number) of sellers and locals wanting money from you. I have to admit I wasn't prepared for it, also the fact that directly opposite the Sphinx there was a Pizza Hut also meant that these monuments didn't have quite the "awe factor" that Petra did!  However, they are the last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and I feel very fortunate that I have been able to see them in person!

I'm only going to post 1 picture of stitching, which was taken while I was away and is of Pyramid 4 (HAED) - Marchetti at the Pyramids!

I know I missed the WIPocalypse for April but I'll pick up again at the next one as there hasn't been a massive amount of stitching progress this month.

If any of you would like to see more photo's then feel free to contact me :)

WIPocalypse March (in April)!

Yes I know, it's April and I'm late with my March WIPocalypse post...but better late than never right?

I've actually got 2 finishes since last month and a new start that wasn't what I'd planned.  Those who regularly stop by might have already seen these (at least I think I shared both) so I'll start with those.

First up, QS Lady Bug - Ching Chou Kuik (HAED) on 20ct Fairy Wings Aida from Crafty Kitten

Also, Dog Lessons For People - Lizzie*Kate on 32ct Floba.

Sorry for the slightly crumpled appearance but I've not had chance to press them yet.  I'm really pleased with the way they both turned out though.

Next is QS Clara - Hannah Lynn (HAED)

February

March

 

Still doing the outline but she's taking shape and coming along well.


The HAED SAL page 2 was sent out at the beginning of March, even though I've not finished the first page I've still continued stitching across onto the new page.

February

March

 

It's slow progress but it's coming along and I'm happy with where I am with it currently.  On a side note, the "proper" camera rather than the one on my phone picks up the colours much better, it looks far more vibrant and gives you a much better idea of what it looks like.

So, my new start was originally going to be The 3 Fates by Jasmine Becket-Griffith, however, my wonderful husband and I are going on our slightly delayed honeymoon next week visiting Egypt (with a quick visit to Jordan) and he asked why I hadn't started an Egypt themed HAED yet?  After much looking through the website and my charts we picked out Pyramid 4 by Ciro Marchetti.  He's asked me to take it with me, not necessarily to stitch it whilst we are away, but he wants to be able to take a photograph of it when we visit the pyramids!

Hubby has been very excited by the fact that he can tell it's a pyramid already!

So, there we are....It'll be a quiet April from me as we will be away for most of it but I look forward to catching up with you all when we get back!

QS Ladybug

Just wanted to share with you a recent finish.  It's a HAED chart, QS Lady Bug - CC Kuik stitched on 20ct Hand Dyed Aida (Fairy Wings from Crafty Kitten).  It's one of those projects that I take when I have to go anywhere as it's just 1 colour.  I decided to spend this week finishing it off as I was so close to having it completed.

I've not posted any WIP pictures of this as it's one of those projects I rarely had off my Q-Snap so sorry for that!

WIPocalypse - February

Hasn't this month flown by?  I can't believe we're nearly in March already!  I hope it's been a good stitchy month for you all and there's been a lot of progress made.  I always think I haven't done that much then as I compile the post and put the photo's in, I'm often surprised that I've done more than I thought.  Anyway, let's get on with the pictures :)

First up, Mystic Garden, My HAED 2013 SAL piece:

February

 

January

 

This is a confetti heavy page and is very slow going but I'm actually feeling pretty good about it.  Slow and steady gets there in the end!  The second page is due out this weekend so I'll be picking this back up and making some headway this week.

Next is A Rose For My Love - Zindy Nielsen.  This is a project that I haven't stitched on since last August and whilst it was my WIPocalypse list, it really was low down on the priority list, but for some reason I decided to pull it out and put a few stitches in.

August 2012!

February 2013

As you can see....there's not much to see!  It's just the background but it has to be done.  I did enjoy stitching this so there's a very high chance you'll see it on a regular basis.

I joined a SAL on FaceBook and decided to go with QS Clara.  Again she got abandoned last year so it was actually great to pick her back up again and make some progress.

September 2012

February 2013

As you can see, there has been some progress made but not really as much as I hoped.  Any progress is good progress though and it's that step nearer to the colours!  It's really hard resisting stitching the colours but I really wanted to do the outline first!

Last up is Dog Lessons for People - Lizzie*Kate:

Sorry about the bad photo, I took it last night with my phone, not the best combination, but it gives you an idea of progress made.  I hadn't started it last month but I've been stitching this on and off throughout February.  Pretty happy about how it's turning out and I changed the little dog to match our dog, Charlie.

Thank you very much for stopping by, I love reading your comments and it means a lot that people take the time out to look at my work.  I'll be spending the next few days catching up on people's posts.  Look forward to seeing all your hard work!

FNSI Results

Well my first Sew-In didn't go quite to plan.  Why is it you have the best intentions and then something unexpected crops up!  I did manage to put a few stitches in so that was something!

I look forward to seeing how everyone else did!