Sunday 28 April 2024

WIPocalypse April

I have scheduled this check in for Melissa's WIPocalypse  as we are on our cruise currently on a day at sea and later today we have booked Musicals Afternoon Tea.

I have brough my tablecloth as all I need is perle 8 and 12, needle, scissors and my tablecloth, easy to pack! I'll update my progress once we're home.

Before we left I did manage to stitch all the individual sections on my embroidery wheel. I need to backstitch between each sections and then iron it before deciding on its finish. I haven't ironed it yet as there are some loose stitches by their design. It's very creased because I stitch free hand and have turned the fabric round and round as I work ... looks messy doesn't it!


This month's question is about new designers, I'm not sure about this as I tend to stick to my favourites: Durene Jones, Lizzie Kate and Faby Reilly who is my most recent designer find although I've been stitching her designs for a few years. 

Once home I'll catch up on everyone's posts and see which new designers everyone has chosen.

Friday 26 April 2024

April smalls

Rachel at Ten Hour Stitcher is the host of Smalls SAL 2024, I love this SAL at the end of each month to see what little things everyone has stitched. 


My Santa is my first small, another one for my church tree. The mesh is quite big in size do really needs 3 or 4 strands of cotton so I've decided to use up some of the perle 5 in my stash. The light pink is perle 8 so I doubled it up.

I'm including my embroidery project in this month's smalls as each section is a different stitch so 52 smalls in total. I need to backstitch between each section and then carefully iron it before hopefully finishing it. I haven't ironed it as I'm worried about moving some stitches as they are loose in style. I have no idea how I will finish it or what I may use it for.

Friday 19 April 2024

ISHW April 2024

International Hermit and Stitch Weekend is based on Facebook, hosted by Jo, Joyce, Ee Koon and Bonnie IHSW on Facebook

I'm enjoying being part of IHSW and seeing everyone's progress from stitchers around the world.

My tablecloth was originally a Round Robin in 2010 and was on the theme of the four seasons. It's been in my UFO bag for years. 

This is where I was at the end of March IHSW.

I have packed my tablecloth for our cruise and I'm hoping to stitch across the sea, hopefully I will have stitched all the border by the time we are home. I'm going to say our cruise is an extended IHSW as I will be focus stitching most days especially sea days.


Tuesday 16 April 2024

Gifted Gorgeousness April 2024

Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted each month by the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching. GG, on the 15th of each month, is when we share our latest gifts. These can be gifts given or received, or any item made using fabric, threads, buttons, ribbon, chart, backing fabric that has been gifted. If you visit Jo's blog you'll find the links to everyone's Gifted Gorgeousness posts, thanks Jo.

I'm starting this month's GG with items I've already posted about, namely my Rose and Ghoulash ornaments made from mini kits I received many years ago. The kits were for hangings but I prefer ornaments even though it was tricky to finish them. My third reshow is also an ornament, an upcycling from a Christmas card.




I haven't stitched much of my Biscornu but I am enjoying it, the blue is lovely to do. I am hoping to focus on this in May once we are back from our upcoming holiday.


I have already shown in Gifted Gorgeousness the lovely Santas that DJ sent me but I have now fully finished them so here they are in all their glory. They are so lovely, thank you DJ.


I had great fun with this year's Easter Exchange with Needlecraft Haven. This year we had to stitch an Easter card and send it with some Easter coloured thread. I received a lovely stitched card from Mary, an Eiffel egg. Mary sent some delicious After Eight mini eggs and threads named Eggshell, Daffodil and Iris. I will be upcycling Mary's card.



My Exchange parcel went to Gill and as I like cards to have an after use I made an ornament card. I included some Jelly Babies Chicks with the threads, the photo is Gill's as I forgot to take one before I sent the parcel.




Just after Easter the postman bought a surprise Easter card from Gill, it's so cute and will also be upcycled.

Thanks Jo for hosting another month of Gifted Gorgeousness and thank you to everyone who calls by, I really do appreciate it and your comments.

Thursday 11 April 2024

April's Fully Finished Objects

Rachel, Ten Hour Stitcher, is the super host of Fully Finished Objects. It's a great opportunity for us to show and tell about the crafty items we have completely finished. It does make me feel like I've achieved something when I see my finishes. You may have seen some of my projects on previous posts but I haven't shared as finished items.

The Rose and the Ghoulash ornaments were mini kits I received many years ago and have been sitting in my stash. They were hanging kits but I made them into ornaments, there wasn't much spare fabric which is why the finishing is so tight. I'm very pleased with them and now have another ornament to hang at Valentine's or summer and another Halloween ornament to display. 



This keyring was a kit I have recently received for my birthday. It was fun to do and now houses my keys for the Scout Headquarters.


It is so lovely to receive a stitched card but I'm always sad to put them in a drawer and not seen again so I often upcycle cards into ornaments. I have had this hardanger from a card I received a long time. I cannot remember who stitched it for me as I had taken it out of the card and just stored the fabric. Thank you to whoever sent it, it is a beautiful piece of hardanger and I have managed to turn the edge under the kloster stitches and make it into an ornament. This is now part of my spring collection.


These two ornaments were made from cards received recently for Christmas and Valentine's. I used two different styles of finishing as the Valentine's card had frayed edges so I couldn't turn it. I found this ribbon in my stash which matched the colours in the heart. Two more cards that now have a longer life as ornaments and will be seen again. 


I received two beautiful Santas for my church tree from DJ. She stitched them on perforated paper and sent to me to cut out and finish. Being flat they fit perfectly in a card which makes posting easier, especially when from overseas to here in the UK.

I have enjoyed carefully cutting them out although it's quite a nervy moment sometimes as I feel the responsibility to the stitchers kindness. I'm using gold for all the hangers and the tree will have gold tinsel and gold mini baubles. All the Santas are mounted on felt, either red or green, I used red for both of DJ's Santas, they are so lovely, thank you DJ.



I have also stitched another two Santas, I'm happy with them both but I don't think I will stitch a big one again. I quite like some of the ones I have already done and may repeat them. My little Santa is little, hee hee, I adapted a chart to fit a spare bit of plastic canvas I had left. 


My final Fully Finished Object is the card I made for Gill for the Needlecraft Haven Easter Exchange. As you can see from my first finishes I like stitched cards to be seen again, that said I made Gill and ornament and attached it to a card. 



I haven't been stitching or blogging so much the last few weeks. I am so grateful for my stitching days book as it has kept me going but I have written no stitching a few times. My Mum has been unwell for the last couple of years, getting progressively worse being in and out of hospital since early December. She is now at home, in a hospital bed receiving palative care from our local hospice nurses. She is chatty and we all have jobs when visiting but she is so physically tired. Although we do not need to help we are visiting most days, I'm not sure how the days are going by so quickly but I'm amazed it's April.

I am also very busy at the moment with my role in scouting. I was previously Group Secretary but am now Group Chairman which is less paperwork but more stuff to do especially as we are currently applying for grants and funding to refurbish our headquarters. Our overall Association are also making changes to how Groups are managed as a registered charity which is adding to my time. 

And to top it all I have been suffering with a bad back, must be nearly a month now. My chiropractor initially helped as my neck was also sore but it didn't ease my back. I tried painkillers from the chemist but they were not strong enough so I went to the doctor. I wish I hadn't as he gave me some medication that then affected my stomach and liver giving me more pain. He has also referred me to physiotherapy stating I am overweight (cheeky) with poor posture .... well yes I am not standing straight as I have a bad back ... he didn't examine me at all or even ask me to bend, stand or sit. Anyway to end my moaning I went back to my chiropractor on Tuesday (she moved away from our area so it's an hour and a half each way journey) and she has eased my back a little and I feel a bit more like myself. A good job as we go on a cruise end of April for two weeks which both Hubby and I are very much looking forward to and very much need. 

Apologies to end on a grump, I'm just so busy and everything, even stitching, is fee.ung like a chore. Hopefully things will return to normal soon. 



Monday 1 April 2024

WIPocalypse March

Yesterday was check in day for Melissa's WIPocalypse  but as it was Easter Sunday I'm checking in today. 

I did work on my tablecloth and managed to turn another corner. I will not be doing any more until later this month. We are going on a 14 day cruise and I'll be taking my tablecloth as all I need is perle 8 and 12, needle, scissors and my tablecloth, easy to pack! 

Last month the challenge was to stitch ever day but I didn't quite manage it. 2024 has not been that good so far; my Mum is unwell and now having palative care at home, I've had a terrible back ache and the meds from my doc upset my stomach - to top it all we have had three months of rain so I haven't been in the garden even for a coffee. 

On a brighter note it is 4 years today since I had my lumpectomy and my surgeon removed all the cancer cells ... even with a rough start to this year I am so grateful that I'm still here.

So moving back to stitching my daily stitching was to finish my embroidery sampler. The site has been archived but each stitch tutorial is still on YouTube. I'm nearly there, just have the outer ring to do.

This month's question is about threads and colours. I have a full set of DMC plus spares that I keep in my DMC drawers.

I do prefer to stitch with DMC, I have tried Anchor but just didn't get on with it. My favourite colours are rose hues, DMC 223 and 224.

Next month it's all about new designers ... a good excuse for a bit of browsing and maybe shopping.