A Return to Blogging?

It has been a long time since I posted anything on this blog and the main reason for this post is to see if anyone will still read it.

I am 50 next year and I have big plans for 50 new starts.  I was thinking of blogging about it - this year will be the planning and kitting and then next year working on the projects.

So if you see this can you let me know?  Just a short comment - an emoji if you can't think of anything to write and I'll see what the response is.  I may just blog it for my own personal memories but it would be nice to think others were seeing it as well.

Thanks for reading (hopefully) and I'll see you soon.

Nic

Stitch Maynia Round-up

I have really enjoyed taking part in Stitch Maynia and it has made me eager to start more new projects.  I am however glad the Maynia is over for me and I can get back to stitching for more than one day on each project.

During Maynia I have been thinking a lot about WIPs, UFOs and new starts and how I can manage a rotation that can include them all.

To start with I will always have a focus piece which currently is the Halloween Mystery SAL Model that I am stitching for Jodyri Designs.  As it's a mystery I obviously won't be able to post about this design until each part is released.  After I have finished a section on my focus piece I will switch to a WIP then go back to the focus then to a new start (if I have any kitted and ready to start).  I plan to work through my WIPs and new starts in alphabetical order using my trusty XStitch App.

I will also use this app to keep track of the charts I have which I have not yet kitted up and will work on getting them kitted.  I am ashamed to say that at last count including all the electronic charts I have and charts from magazines I have well over 1000 charts to stitch.  I am going to try very hard not to buy any new charts unless it is to finish "sets" of charts that I already have started.  There are a few more that I have on my must have list and I am sure more will get added but I need to look back at what I already have before buying more.

Obviously my stash now well exceeds my life expectancy!  If only I could win the lottery and give up work and just stitch full time.  Well I can dream can't I!

So the Maynia is over but the new starts are not.

I wanted to take an opportunity to thank all the people who comment on my blog posts.  It makes me smile every time I open my inbox and find a new comment so thank you for making me smile.

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