Learning Sampler - Northern Expressions Needlework - 26 September 2014

I am so pleased with the progress I have made with the Learning Sampler this week.  I have managed to complete parts 4, 5 and 6.  They were all part done but still feels great to get some parts finished.  Here's a picture of where I had got up to when I picked this up again.

The next photo is where I'm up to now and then there are a few close up pictures.

Part 4 - cross stitches and diamond eyelets

Part 5 - Smyrna Crosses and Double Leviathons

Part 6 - Letters F,G,H,I,J and K - cross stitches only

I received some new stash this week.  The first package that arrived was from European Cross Stitch and contained the beads for the Chatelaine Seaside Mystery.

I can't wait to get to the point where I can start stitching them on.  I'm very undecided at the moment as to whether to stitch them on as I go or to wait until the end.  I've chatted about this with a couple of experienced Chatelaine stitchers and they both wait until the end so I think I will do the same but I can't wait to see what a difference they will make.

I am also saving up for a bead storage container after seeing Mrs Milkybar Kid talk about it on one of her floss tube videos.

I've purchased a couple of charts from KLT Charting.  

Advice from the Ocean

Celtic Butterfly

I also received a delivery from Sew and So with some more floss away bags and some DMC threads.  I ordered the threads I am going to need for the Alessandra Adelaide Christmas Mystery SAL so I'm all ready to go in the New Year now.  I have to say I cannot fault the customer service from Sew an So.  I placed my order on Wednesday and received it on Friday.

Rotating back to Together Forever by Love Thy Thread now I going to stitch on it every other week until it's finished as I want to get it done as quickly as I can.

Keep stitching and smiling.

Together Forever - Love Thy Thread - 19th September 2014

So here's the big reveal on my new start it's a chart from Bev at Love Thy Thread called Together Forever.  I'm stitching this for a friend who recently got married.  She has asked that it be kept as neutral as possible so no matter what the room is decorated like it will fit in.  So I've changed the red in the balloons to silver and I'm using Petite Treasure Braid PB58.  I also decided to use black silk for the outline rather than DMC so I am using thread dyed by Eileen at Thread Pickerz Silkz.  I am stitching on a plain white fabric which I think is either 20 or 22 count aida.  I am using one strand of the silver Petite Treasure Braid and two strands of the Thread Pickerz Silkz.

Now with regards to my little giveaway there were only two people who guessed which chart it was so I've decided to send them both something.  Now don't get too excited it will only be a little gift.  So Mrs Milkybar Kid and Pull the Other Thread - Congratulations.

I'm going to rotate onto the Learning Sampler next week and try and make some good progress with that.

Keep stitching and smiling

Stash Updated - 14th September 2014 - GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

EDITED: I've edited this post to add the photos Michelle took of the fabric in daylight which give a much better idea of the colours than my pictures did.

I received a gorgeous parcel from Michelle at Jodyri Designs yesterday so thought I would share my new stash with you all.  I had ordered three pieces of hand dyed fabric all for specific projects and some hand dyed threads.

First the threads - from left to right they are 2 x Bahama's Seas, 2 x Shades of Sunlight, 2 x Lavender Clouds,1 x Dragon's Eye, 2 x Out of Orbit - Saelveh Orb, 2 x Minion Madness, 2 x Scattychick, 2 x Copacabana and 2 x Gothic Chick.  The first three pairs are for a specific project and the rest just because I love the colours.

This fabric is called Surf's Up and is on 18 count silvered aida.  Michelle has designed this fabric to be used with a chart from KLT Charting called Advice from the Ocean.  Kim has designed the chart either with or without a background but by buying this fabric from Michelle it should save me a lot of time stitching.

My photo

Michelle's Photo

The next piece of fabric is called Frosted Pine and again it is 18 count silvered aida.  This is the fabric I have chosen to stitch the Alessandra Adelaide Mystery Christmas SAL on.  I have to apologise to Michelle as this photo does the fabric no justice whatsoever it is a stunning green colour.

My photo

Michelle's Photo

My last piece of fabric is called Nevermore and (can you see a pattern here) again is on 18 count silvered aida.  This is possibly the sparkliest piece of fabric I have ever seen and is just stunning.  I have ordered it to stitch a design of my own on.  I'm not giving anything away just yet but of course I will put pictures on here when I start.  This is also the project that the three threads in the first picture are for.  Again the photo does not do the fabric justice.

My Photo

Michelle's Photo

Now lastly for this post as my previous post was a little too abstract to guess which chart it is I have started stitching I will show you another progress picture and give you a clue.  The clue is that the chart is listed on my Future Projects page and here is the current progress.  Another piece of information is that I have changed one of the colours.

Keep stitching, smiling and guessing!

New Start - 12th September 2014 - GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

As I had a finish last week I've had a new start this week.  It's not a completely fickle new start as it is a gift for someone.  I'm not telling what it is yet as I want to see if anyone can guess.  If anyone does get it right I will send them a gift - if more than one person gets it right I will do a draw for the gift.  It will be a selection of threads and maybe some fabric from my stash.

So here we go - guess away I will reveal what the project is and the winner next Friday 19th September.

Happy guessing!

Keep stitching and smiling

Stained Glass SAL - Love Thy Thread - 7th September 2014

I've finished page 4 of the Stained Glass SAL today from Love Thy Thread.  I've not posted on the blog about it before but for the first time I am actually keeping up with a SAL and loving it.  It is stitched on 20 count pearl grey aida with thread from Crafty Kitten March 2014 Ltd Ed - 2 over 1 tent stitch.  The pictures below show the first four pages.

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Each page is released on the 1st of the month so I can't wait until 1st October to get the next page stitched.  Page 4 completes the width of the design so I will be on the row down next month.

Keep stitching and smiling

Northern Expressions Needlework Model - finished 4th September 2014

Northern Expressions Needlework - Shades of Orange

I am so proud to say I have finished the model I've been stitching for Nicole at Northern Expressions Needlework.  It's part of a series of charts in "Shades" of colours.  I stitched Shades of Orange.

It's stitched over 2 on 40 count linen.  This was a first for me stitching on linen and stitching on 40 count.  I did learn that stitching in daylight was best when stitching on such a small count.  I have loved every stitch of this project and am now sending it on it's way back to Nicole.

STASH ENHANCEMENT

I mentioned in my previous blog post that I had received some gorgeous new threads from the Silk Mill.  Mrs Milkybar Kid asked in the comments if they were for a particular project.

The ones in the photo below I am going to use to stitch Peacock from Alessandra Adelaide.  I have used the Silk Mill conversion to convert the DMC colours charted.

The other pack I bought is a themed set from the Silk Mill called Wordsworth Country.  I have no idea yet what I am going to stitch with this but I just love the muted tones of this set and had to have it.

So two updates in one day!  Not sure I can keep that pace up.

Keep stitching and smiling

Hello

Hi everyone

I cannot believe my last blog post was in April.  Time flies so quickly.  I am going to try and get back on track posting each week on the blog to keep you all (and myself) updated on my stitching and my stashing.  Here's a sneak peek at some threads that arrived this morning from The Silk Mill - the colours are just delicious.

Look out for a finish post coming very soon.

Keep stitching and smiling