Flowers of the Holy Night - Glendon Place

After my last post on Hydrangea Autumn Fog I reached a point where I needed threads that hadn't arrived yet so I decided to switch project.

I picked up Flowers of the Holy Night by Glendon Place.  I started this one on the 12th December 2017.  I am stitching it on a 28 count cream evenweave (I think!).  I am using the charted Dinky Dyes silks but I have subbed out the Mill Hill beads for Delicas as they are much cheaper to buy.

Here's my progress over the last week.

Unfortunately between these two pictures I discovered the whole of the left section was one row too high and I had to frog it all!

I've had a new start today which I will of course share with you next time.

Keep stitching and smiling

Stitch Maynia 2016 - Day 12 - I Am A Stitcher - Cherry Wood Design Studio

If you haven't heard of Maynia before please see my post from 1st May - don't want to repeat myself everyday and bore everyone..

My day 12 project is I Am A Stitcher from Cherry Wood Design Studio.

Here is the picture of the finished design:

I am stitching this on 18 count silvered aida in Frosted Pine from Jodyri Designs.  I am stitching it 2 over 1 full crosses and the thread I have used for the background is a Dinky Dyes silk called Lily Pily - and the word is stitched in a silk from Jodyri Designs called Hibiscus.  I am substituting all the threads in this chart for ones I have in my stash.

Here's the picture of the progress I made today:

Keep stitching and smiling

February & March - Sand, Sea & Cross Stitch - 17.04.16

It was my original intention to stitch one of this blocks each month but I got a bit carried away and got three done this month.

As I said in my previous post the design is charted for DMC but I decided to switch out some of the colours for other threads I have in my stash.  The solid border is stitched in Pushkina from Fiberlicious, the inner dotted border is stitched in Lemon & Lime from Dinky Dyes, the month is stitched in Spring Crocus from Crafty Kitten, the red is Terracotta from Dinky Dyes and the yellow Nullabor from Dinky Dyes.   I added an additional colour in the sail of the boat for February and this was another thread from Crafty Kitten - August 2013 Limited Edition.  Everything else I have stitched in the recommended DMC.

Hoping in May I can get the next three months done but will see what happens.

Keep stitching and smiling

Plum Pudding - Glendon Place - 31.12.15 - FINISHED

Plum Pudding by Glendon Place - stitched on 28 count Jazlyn in Candytuft from Crafty Kitten fabrics.  Stitched with recommended Dinky Dyes threads and Mill Hill Beads.

Started 01.03.15 - finished 31.12.15

Plum Pudding - Glendon Place - 30.12.15

I am very happy to say I achieved my goal of finishing the stitching on Plum Pudding in 2015 - I just need to get the beading done.  This will be the biggest project I've ever beaded so I am a little apprehensive but will just take it one bead at a time.

I've also come up with a rotation for 2016.  I intend to have one piece that is my focus piece which to start with will be the model I am stitching for KLT Charting - it's a new SAL featuring owls which starts on 13th January.  I will then stitch 10 hours on the focus piece and 10 hours on one of my WIPS I will repeat this until I have stitched on all my WIPs and then I get to have a new start then just repeat.  Hopefully it means important pieces will get more time spent on them but each piece will get some attention.  Let's see how long the plans last anyway!

Hope you all enjoyed Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year.

Keep stitching and smiling

Plum Pudding - Glendon Place - 13.12.15

I've been focussing on this piece for the last few weeks as I would really like to finish the stitching this year.  Here's where I am at today.

After my last post I have had a think about how I am going to work through my WIPs and new starts.

My plan is to work 10 hours on a project before rotating.  I will then work on a focus piece, a SAL, a new start and a WIP.  I will have more time on the focus piece than the other pieces and will work on my SAL pieces for as long as it takes to complete that month's part.

I've made big plans in the past before and never really stuck to them so all this is subject to change!

Keep stitching and smiling

Plum Pudding - Glendon Place - 5th June 2015

I've been stitching on Plum Pudding for the last week.  I've been on holiday and had hoped to get more done but I am pleased that I am now over half way.  Here's my before and after pictures.

I also had a couple of items of stash waiting for me when I got home.

The first is a chart I have coveted for a very long time.  I have tried various avenues to try and get it in the past but never been lucky enough.  However I posted on a Facebook group recently and a very kind lady told me about a site which seemed to stock it.  I still wasn't sure I would get it as I have ordered it in the past and then been informed it's no longer available but once I opened the envelope and had it in my hands I finally believed it.  It's called I am a Stitcher by Cherrywood Design Studio.

EDITED TO ADD - here's where I go the chart from - http://www.ceciliassamplers.com/charts/cherrywood.asp

I also ordered a kit from Nancy's Needles for Floral Star.  It's a needlepoint kit and is something I have wanted to try for a long time.  I was not disappointed when I opened the package and saw the gorgeous floss colours.  

I now have the difficult decision of wanting to do two new starts but also wanting to get a finish and I have a commitment to stitch two models in the next couple of months.  I've also told my mum I would stitch a Lavender and Lace pattern for her that she has had for years and has now decided she will probably never stitch.

I have so many ideas going round my head as well for charts I have that I want to stitch.  I have the Country Cottage Needlework charts for Santa's Village and I have decided I want to start stitching them this year.  My hope is that I will finish them as ornaments but then hang them like bunting during the festive season.

I am glad to say that I am finally starting to feel better for which I am very grateful but this means I will be back at work soon and my days of endlessly stitching will be over.  I am however grateful for my health and can't wait to get back to normal doing other things.  I am going to endeavour to get back to blogging at least once a week but may start posting more often when ideas pop into my head about what and how I want to stitch something.  Hopefully by recording it here it will take it off my mind and enable me to get some stitching done and also sleep better at night.

Well that was a longer post than I was expecting to do.  

Keep stitching and smiling,

Plum Pudding - Glendon Place - 7th May 2015

The last week I've been stitching on Plum Pudding as part of my Stitch a Long with Mrs Milkybar Kid.  Here's my before and after pictures.

Keep stitching and smiling

Plum Pudding - Glendon Place - 07.04.15

The 7th April marked the end of the second week of my SAL with Amanda aka Mrs Milkybarkid on Plum Pudding by Glendon Place.

It's strange to watch my own piece and Amanda's grow as we have both taken completely different approaches as to how we stitch it.  We both started in the middle and she has worked outwards in a circular pattern.  I started in the middle and stitched one section in each colour as I was eager to see what each silk looked like.  I then worked out to the top left hand corner and I am now completing the pattern from the top down but completing each section as I go.  I hope that makes some sort of sense!

Here are my before and after pictures.

I'm looking forward to 1st May to get another week stitching on this.

Keep stitching and smiling

Plum Pudding - Glendon Place - 7th March 2015

On 1st March I was extremely excited to start my stitch along with Amanda aka Mrs Milky Bar Kid.  We are both stitching on Plum Pudding by Glendon Place.  As we both love the colour purple it had been a chart we had both coveted for a long time.  We agreed to both stitch on it for 7 days starting on the 1st of the month.  Here's my progress pictures.

I am stitching on 28 count Jazlyn in Candytuft from Crafty Kitten fabrics with the recommended Dinky Dyes silks.

I am really enjoying stitching on this and it is taking a great amount of restraint to put it down and not stitch on it again until 1st April.

Please check out Amanda's new blog here.

Keep stitching and smiling

Learning Sampler - Northern Expressions Needlework - Parts 1 & 2 - Completed 15.09.13

I recently found out about the Learning Sampler by Northern Expressions Needlework.  It is being released in parts over about 18 months (I think).  I loved the design when I saw it and liked the idea of learning lots of new speciality stitches, it can only help with my Chatelaine when I get back to it.

This is the picture that I first saw.

I decided I wanted to stitch it in purples and I've chosen six Dinky Dyes colours to stitch it in.  I am stitching on 32 count Pearl Grey Murano.  I had originally thought I would stitch the border in white as shown but I am now doing it in DMC 4215.  The first part of the pattern was released on 1st September and was the border and the first five letters A-E.

Here is mine with part one of the satin stitch border completed.

And a close up of the corner.

When I first looked at the chart I thought the border looked very complicated but the diagram breaking down the border into three easy steps helped a lot.  I did miscount one stitch though which meant frogging a good portion of it but from start to finish the whole border took me three days of stitching possibly an hour or two a day.  I really like how it's looking so far.

And here is part two letters A-E.

And the whole

Keep stitching and smiling