February Update and March Plans

Hello all!

What a month February was! I had some very sad new on 3 separate occasions so therefore my stitching suffered. 

I did however keep to my stitching schedule. 

Week 1-2 Mini Think Pink

In fear of grid lines showing with lines, I decided to go over 2 blocks and feather into the other blocks around it. 

It’s such a delight to stitch on, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the design. 

Week 3 Love Spring 

I loved going back to this, but not the metallic thread! 

In the end just a small bit on the trunk and finishing a couple of butterflies. I’ve seen this finished recently and I so want to do that this year!

Week 4 Safari Friends 

I only spent a day on this this month so only did a bit more of the borders and onto the lion next. 

Wednesdays Band of Variation Sampler 

I didn’t get to my stitching club every week, so I had limited progress on this in February. 

I think I’ll finish this part in March and push to make progress on part 11 of 12 too. 

Work Pattern Greek Steps

Given that I have less that half an hour to stitch on this each day I’m in the office (3 days a week), I’m really pleased with my progress on this. 

I’m looking forward to seeing this complete too. 

Stitchy Mail!

It’s not often I treat myself with stitchy stuff with my little one to spend my money on, so I was so surprised after my bad month to win this gorgeous kit! 

Not sure when I’ll start it, but it’ll be so refreshing to stitch something bright and a quick stitch. 

I did treat myself too to these needle minders. I got the one to match my Beverley’s Owl design, but fell in love with this gorgeous hare. Maybe one day I’ll get the design to match. 

March Plans

I’ve loved my rotation so far this year, however, I’ve decided to tweak it slightly because I really want to finish my Band of Variation sampler soon. I’ve decided to switch Greek Steps out of my work stitching with BOV. 

Week 1 & 2 - Mini Think Pink

Week 3 - Playtime Kitten

Week 4 - Safari Friends 

29th-31st - Band of Variations

Wednesdays & Work piece - Band of Variations

I’m hoping by getting in those extra hours, I’ll see so much more progress this month!

Happy Stitching! 

January ‘19 update & February Plans

Well what a great start to the year! I’ve absolutely loved my rotation and revisiting designs new, and old.  I think sticking to a calendar has made me enjoy the design I’m stitching on and look forward to going back to a different WIP. 

So first up was my New Year new start - Mini Think Pink stitched 2 over 1 Tent Stitch on 25 count Magic Guide. 

As you can see, I stitched just over 300 stitches sticking to the first column.  Since finishing the 2 weeks, I freaked out about seeing horizontal lines in my stitching so shall start feathering in February to minimise any straight lines and going down 2 columns to keep with the grid lines. So pleased with it so far though. 

Week 3 I worked on Playtime Kitten, which was slower going since I was so busy that week! I finished the green on those leaves and almost completed the flower.

Next time you see her, I’ll have finished the flower and started on the back stitch. 

Week 4 was my Safari Friends (real name Savannah Birth Sampler).  I actually got a lot done since I stole a Wednesday evening at my stitching group since it was on the frame and I wanted to finish the Monkey!

Well I did it! Just got a small amount of the frame to do and then I’ve got the lion below it or the elephant below the giraffe! I do feel the backstitch on this will kill me though, so I may start a bit next time. 

So my Wednesday project, Bands of Variation actually only got stitched on once this month because I was either tired or poorly those Wednesdays I missed, but here is what it looks like now:

Since my stitching mo-jo is well and truly back, I've been daydreaming about it a lot! So much so, I decided that I could have a workplace break time project now that they have a wellness room which is nice and quiet to stitch in.

So I chose Greek Steps, here's my tiny progress for the last week of January:

However, some of that red needed to come out as I'd miss counted....Hello Frog! 😖

Honestly though I'm so happy to stitch more and on these projects I've not stitched on for a while.  So much so, I've decided to join in with Farm Girl's #Stitch9Challenge.

This is where you pick 9 designs you want to finish, or finish part of during 2019. Here's the 9 designs I picked:

As a reminder, from top left: Bands of Variation, Greek Steps, Playtime Kitten, Love Spring, Millenium Sampler, Beverley's Owl, A Day in the Life of Hello Kitty, Safari Friends, Frogs Kissing.

I think they're all potential finishes apart from the Millenium Sampler, but want to try and get at least 3 or 4 squares done this year.

What I intend to do is that once one of those in my rotation are complete, I'll add one of the designs from these 9 and see how I go! So excited!

So the rotation for February '19 is:

1-14 - Mini Think Pink

15-21 - Love Spring

22-28 - Safari Friends

Wednesdays - Bands of Variation

Work Breaks - Greek Steps

So much to do, but so excited to get stuck in!

Happy Stitching!

2019 Cross Stitch Goals

Well, as you know, I've got quite a few WIPs (15) and I think that may have had something to do with my lack of stitching mo-jo in 2017 and that I was just a bit daunted by the choice I had.

So although I want to stitch on a few different designs this year, I am going to pick just 6 initially - some finishes, some other WIPs and dare I say it, a couple of new starts!

My goals for current WIPs are:

1. Bands of Variation SAL(BOV) - Finish

      START:

      2. Safari Friends - Finish

      

      START:

      3. Playtime Kitten - progress, finish page 1 and maybe finish completely?!

    

      START:

      4. Love Spring - finish all cross stitches and start back stitches

      START:

Now on to my new starts!

      5. Mini Think Pink - Finish page 1

You may remember that I started the full size version of Think Pink and restarted it a few years ago, but never really counted it as a WIP since I had hardly done anything.  My Stitchy friend knew how much I loved the design and saw the mini version so she bought it for my birthday!

This will be my new year, new start, stitching 2 over 1, tent stitch on 25 count magic guide.

        6. Christmas at Home (Lakeside SAL 2017)

Although this was a SAL, I didn't buy it when the SAL was happening, but fell in love with it whilst others were posting their updates.  This picture isn't the best quality, I'll try and get a better one and post later.

I will only start this once two of the above are complete.

Rotation

Yes I'm starting a rotation again.  Since I don't get as much time to stitch nowadays I've 'borrowed' an idea I saw on flosstube. I'm allocating specific weeks/days of a month to a particular design.

Wednesdays will be BOV since that's my stitching club day.  The first 2 weeks of the month apart from Wednesdays will be Mini Think Pink. The last week of the month will be Safari Friends and the 2nd to last week of the month will alternate between Love Spring and Playtime Kitten.  For longer months, the spare 2/3 days will allow the finish of a column or page of Think Pink, or have a little stitching on the design I won't be stitching that month.

Confusing I know!

January

4th - 17th Think Pink

18th - 24th Playtime Kitten

25th - 31st Safari Friends

So excited about my stitching this year and will update here every month and may even start a Flosstube channel on YouTube!

Happy Stitching x

2015 Cross Stitching Review

Hello all - Hope you've had a very Merry Christmas and looking forward to a happy, prosperous and stitchy New Year!

I've had a brilliant year cross stitching wise, a couple of finishes and one too many starts as well!

My year in numbers:

• 8 current WIPs
• 2 finishes
• 6 starts
• 456.5 hours stitched
• 12 WIPs at the end of the Year!

That last figure is more than 100 hours more than 2014 so I've been very busy! I'm hoping to do around 500 this year linked in with my 10 hour rotation - 50 rotations- but my goals and targets will be in my New Year blog!

So here goes, all the pretty pictures and last year's goal (if applicable) and a before and after picture.

I'll start with my finishes and my proudest Achievement.

Samantha - GOAL - finish by the end of March - COMPLETE 

I was so proud of finishing this since it was one of my longest WIPs and did for the 10 year anniversary of my Nanna's memory.  It was also featured in the World of Cross Stitching magazine.

Samantha by Lanarte

STARTED: May 2006

FINISHED: 24/03/15

28 Count Peach Linen, 2 over 2
Approximately 170 hours (146.5 timed hours plus estimate)

Before:

After 61.5 hours:

Strawberry Ice - No goal as this was started and finished in 2015

I decided to have a new start for the Great British Bake Off as I'm a huge fan and managed to finish it for the finale!

Strawberry Ice by Michael Powell

STARTED:

FINISHED:

14 count cream aida, 2 over 2 & back stitch
19 hours work

Frogs Kissing - GOAL - Start and Finish - INCOMPLETE

Unfortunately this was a design that I initially struggled with and it's not got finished this year, however it will get finished, hopefully next year.

Here's what it looks like so far after 147 hours work:

Moving onto my new starts for this year:

Playtime Kitten

This one was from the World of Cross Stitching magazine and I've really enjoyed using the hand dyed fabric, it's got a hint of sparkle in it too!

15 hours work:

Sammy Squirrel

This was a design I fell in love with from Gecko Rouge which was the first of two SALs this year.

No start picture, but this is what she looks like now:

As you can see I completed page 2 on the last rotation! So happy I made this much progress.

Beverley's Owl

Another Gecko Rouge Design, the SAL comes to an end in February, but I'm happy to make some decent progress on her.

23.5 hours work:

Love Spring

My final new start was actually my Christmas Day new start since my hubby bought me Love Spring which is in the same series of Love Tree both by Bothy Threads.  I'm really enjoying this and have made loads of progress in such a short space of time!

10 hours work:

The tree branches are actually in metallic, but it doesn't show up too well here. What do you think?

Now moving onto my existing WIPs.

Snowy Friends - GOAL Finish Page 2 - INCOMPLETE

This target just wasn't going to happen with all my SALs going on, but I am happy to have made some progress.  Apologies for the quality of the before picture, it really shows the difference on my phones!

Before: 

After: 11.5 hours

Beacon Ridge - GOAL Finish Page 2 - INCOMPLETE

I'm so close to finishing page 2, it's definitely going to be finished next year. So excited about page 3 too - there's a bit of the lighthouse on there! 

Before:

After: 26 hours

Ladybug Love - GOAL Finish Page 1 - INCOMPLETE

Once again a failed task due to the unplanned new starts. However, I'm pleased with the progress.

Before:

After: 10 hours

I love how the detail is coming out and you can see where the lips are going to be and the wings are looking beautiful!

Lakeside Village - GOAL Get Halfway - INCOMPLETE

I've actually finished over a quarter of this beautiful design so shouldn't feel so disheartened on this large design - looking forward to this appearing in my rotation again in the New Year!

Before:

After: 12 hours

Frederick the Literate - GOAL 20 Hours Stitching - INCOMPLETE

Almost did this with 12 1/2 hours stitching complete, but the progress is pretty good!

Before:

After: 11.5 hours

Greek Steps - GOAL Finish Page 1 - INCOMPLETE

I've been stitching this one over the past week and a bit and nearly finished page 1 as you can see! The building is almost appearing now!

Before:

After: 24 hours

Loads of progress, really pleased, maybe a finish next year???

Happy New Year and Happy Stitching all! xxx

September Update!

Hello all,

Well I've done it again, a whole month between posts, but I have lots of pictures to show you!

Last time I told you about me picking up my UFO Millenium Sampler and that I was working on another square, here it is finished:

And here's what it looks like in total, as you can see i did the outline of the next box and started the wings of the Spitfire!

Although I've decided to walk away from my target of finishing Frogs Kissing this year, I still want to progress it.  It's been really difficult to stitch it with all the pale colours, but I do like how it's looking.  And look! They're kissing! So I'm over half way now and hope to go on to finish them next year. 

As I told you before, I have a British Bake Off WIP, Strawberry Ice Bookmark, it's such a joy to stitch and should be onto the backstitching for the final next Wednesday! How exciting. 

 

Oh and confession time! I really loved stitching my first Gecko Rouge SAL piece Sammy Squirrel, so what could I say to the second SAL? I chose from the designs Beverley's Owl and although the start date isn't until the 1st October, I just had to start it early! I started with the black on page one (of four) as I wanted to see the outline first! What do you think?

I've re-instated the 10 hour rotation as I find it so exciting not know what I'll be stitching and I'm so rubbish at making a decision on which to stitch next that I spend more time deciding than stitching!  I'm currently stitching the background on Beacon Ridge, so I'll have an update pic on that one soon.

Happy Stitching! xx

Froggie Update!

Hello all, happy bank holiday!

As you might expect, I'm using my day off stitching!

Early in the year I wasn't making great progress on Frogs Kissing (part of the HAED SAL), so I put it away for a while and had a break.  However, during the last week or two, I've made some really good progress on my frogs and now left frog has a foot!

I haven't got a name for them yet, so sticking with left frog and right frog for now.  Think I may re-pick up Sammy Squirrel this week so I'm not too far behind when page 3 comes out next week.  

Happy Stitching! xx

Samantha is Framed!

Hello all,

I've had a busy April and at the beginning of the month I sent Samantha off to be framed.  Here she is double mounted:

And here she is on the wall of my craft room - as you can see my feature wall is a bit pink but it's not quite as bright as that I promise!

Since completing her, I started 2 new designs - Playtime Kitten and Sammy Squirrel.  I've not made much progress on the kitten, but here's where I'm up to on the Gecko Rouge SAL stitch 2 over 1 tent stitch on 25 count magic guide:

The second page is out now and I intend stitching the tail over the 2 pages.  Don't you just love how that eye pops out!

I've also done a tine bit of Lakeside Village but not enough progress for a photo.  It was nice just to stitch something with some colour in it because all my designs this year have been white, grey and brown so far!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

Happy Stitching!

New Start and WIP Update

Hello all

Well the New Year has brought more stitching. I'm really excited that one of my WIPs is nearly finished - Samantha which I started nearly 9 years ago. I bought it with my Nanna's inheritance about a year after she passed away so this peice means a lot to me. 

Well enough of my rambling, here she is:

I'm really pleased with how her legs are coming along and I might even get a finish this month!

Next I've done a tiny bit of Beacon Ridge, when I needed a break from my other projects. Still lots of sky, but getting closer to the exciting bits!

And finally my new start of QS Frogs Kissing   I've found it really hard going but see to be in aRhythm now and making decent progress with nearly all of the first 2 columns done. 

Hope to be posting a picture of that finish soon!

Happy Stitching