Update - 08.08.12

I completed another 10 hours on my secret project and so it was time to look at the poll and begin my new start.  The results of the poll were as follows:

Woodland Guardian - HAED - 37.5%
Emerald Dragon - HAED - 25%
Welcome Banner - Emily Peacock - 18.8%
Mini Irish Sampler - HAED - 12.5%
Celtic Banner - Butternut Road - 6.3%
Don't be ridiculous you've got enough WIPs - 0%

Firstly I want to thank everyone who voted and secondly I was very happy that no one voted for the don't have another start option - just shows what enablers us stitchers are!

I went to my fabric stash box to look for the hand dyed fabric I had planned to stitch Woodland Guardian on and realised I had packed it (I'm in the process of moving house at the moment and unfortunately that box has already been moved to the new house).  I knew the fabric for Emerald Dragon (another hand dyed) was in the same box so I couldn't start those to.

So I've had to go with option three the Welcome Banner by Emily Peacock.  However when I sat down and looked at the threads I haven't packed I realised I was missing some for this design.  However I've decided to swap out some of the colours required for other colours I do have.  As it is quite a simple bright design I'm hoping this won't make too big a difference.

I'm also thinking about changing part of the design so I can stitch our family name on the banner to personalise it.  I can already picture it hanging in the porch of our new house!

I am also really disappointed because I had ordered the chart for Celtic Banner by Butternut Road but had a phone call yesterday to say the company I ordered from no longer stock this chart and are not going to be getting anymore copies.  So I am sending out a plea to all my stitchy friends - if anyone knows where I could get a copy of this chart or has a copy themselves that they would be willing to sell please let me know as I have fallen in love with this design and would very much like to stitch it.

I should also mention that I have been extremely lucky over the past couple of weeks to have received two RAKs of charts from Heaven and Earth Designs.  Firstly I received Handle with Care by Katerina Koukiatis and then I also received Lily by Ching Chou Kuik.  I have sent several RAKs myself and I really can't decide which gives the better feeling giving or receiving RAKs.  I know it restores my faith in human kindness when complete strangers can be so generous.

Handle with Care - Katerina Koukiatis

Lily - Ching Chou Kuik

Sorry there's no pictures of my stitching progress this time but I should be back soon with a picture of my new start.

Keep stitching and smiling.

Gerbera Daisies as of 04.08.12

So I decided to stitch some more on the gerbera daisies rather than starting a new project this week.

Here's gerbera daisies before I worked on it.

And after.  I've now completed 23,848 of 28,224 which means it is 84.5% complete.

As a few people have expressed an interest in seeing my secret project I will share with you that I am posting pictures on another blog.  If you would like details of the blog please e-mail me at obsessivecrossstitcher@gmail.com and I'll send you a link to the other blog.  I can't publish pictures of it on here as I don't know if the recipient reads my blog or not.  

I will be rotating back to the secret project next and then I think I will treat myself to a new start and I'd like you to help me decide.  So below are the images for the possible new starts please let me know which one you think I should start next or choose option 6 and I'll have to stick with what I've already got as WIPs!!

Celtic Banner - Butternut Road

Woodland Guardian - HAED

Welcome Banner - Emily Peacock

Mini Irish Sampler - HAED

QS Emerald Dragon - HAED

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Update 25th July 2012

I've spent my last 10 stitching hours on my secret ink circles project so no photos this time.

I can share with you the chart I chose in the HAED reward programme for completing Hickory Dickory Dock.  I chose one of the new Randall Spangler Story Keeps - Cooking for your Dragon.

Just couldn't resist the combination of dragons, chocolate and biscuits.

I also bought myself a new chart in Bob's birthday sale - as well as sending a few RAKs.

The one I bought for myself was QS Orchid Pink Spotted by Nene Thomas.

I don't know what I'm going to stitch on next.  I'm torn between my Gerbera Daisy or a new start.  I guess you'll see what I decided in my next post!

Keep stitching and smiling

My first HAED Happy Dance - Hickory Dickory Dock QS

I am so excited to have just put the final stitch into Hickory Dickory Dock.  I started this in November 2010 and finished today 15th July 2012.  It's also another one I can cross of my WIPocalypse list!

I've loved stitching this design and I think the colours are gorgeous.  It is stitched on 20 count aida 3 over 1 tent stitch.  It's a birth sampler for my niece so I am going to add her name and birth details to the bottom before I get it framed.

I'm so glad to finally finish a HAED I have so many WIPs that sometimes I don't think I'll ever finish anything!  The good news is I also managed to complete it in time to submit it to the HAED reward program.  I've not decided which chart I will get yet but am enjoying looking through all the lovely designs while making my choice.

Here are the WIP pictures and of course the final completed picture.

Hickory Dickory Dock as of 17.06.12

I managed to get another 10 hours stitched on Hickory Dickory Dock and did another 1,800 stitches which means it is now 88.83% complete.  I really don't want to put this down but I'm going to rotate and do 10 hours on my Chatelaine.

So here's the latest picture.

Hickory Dickory Dock as of 07.06.12

It has been a long time since I stitched on this piece but it is now my main focus piece and I am hoping to have it finished before the end of August so I can submit it to the HAED reward programme.

In this 10 hour rotation I have stitched just over 1,600 stitches bringing the total stitches done to 21,960 out of 26,775 which means it is now 82.02% complete.

I'm going to be away for the next week so I am taking Rules for Life with me to stitch on as it is one of my simpler WIPs.

Sleeping Beauty's Castle as of 07.04.12

I took the plunge last night and started my first Chatelaine.  I want to take a lot of pictures of my progress for my own benefit but don't want to bore you all with each stage.  So I've decided to set up a page on this blog for all my update photos and then I will just post here the photo showing the most progress.  If you want to see all the updates please look at this page.

So I am stitching on 28 count Jazlyn in the March 2012 Ltd Ed from Crafty Kitten Fabrics.  I am using all the recommended threads and beads.

I also wanted to share with you the chart Grace chose for her giveaway prize.  One thing that always amazes me about all the designs on Heaven and Earth is that even though I have spent hours and hours browsing through the patterns on their website I still find ones that I am sure I've never seen before.  I let Grace choose any chart she wanted but as this will be her first HAED I did suggest she chose a Quick Stitch, Story Keep or Mini to start with so she wasn't too overwhelmed.  The chart she chose was QS Iris by Josephine Wall.

I think it's a gorgeous design and I'm looking forward to watching her progress when she gets round to starting it.

A strange thing happened when I went to get the chart for her as another chart mysteriously lept into my cart and insisted on being bought.  So I got Mini Bookworm Fairy by Hannah Lynn.

It's a chart I've wanted for a long time and even more so when it was made into a Mini.  Goodness knows when she'll be started but for now I'm happy to have her living in my computer.

Giveaway Winner

I've decided the prize for my giveaway would be a HAED chart of the winners choice.  If the winner doesn't want a HAED chart then I'll try and think of something else.

There were 12 entries for the giveaway and the random number generator said entry number 2 was the winner which is Grace.

I've e-mailed Grace to tell her she's the winner and ask which chart she would like as a prize.

Hope everyone has a lovely Easter weekend!

Nic

Update 01.04.11

Since my last update I completed my 10 hours on my Ink Circles secret project.  I've now done 21,248 of 114,000 stitches which is 18.6% complete.

I've also completed another of my Christmas Ornaments so I've now completed 4 of the 24.  My goal was to stitch two of these a month so I would have them completed by Christmas but I'm a bit behind.  I've two nearly completed but not quite.  Here's the photo of the one I did finish.

I was supposed to be rotating back to stitching on Baby Patchwork as that is my focus piece at the moment but I've been naughty and started a new project and it's a BAP.  It's Celtic Grace by Brigid Ashwood and I got it from HAED as part of their reward program - for every $200 you spend on the site you get a free chart.  Here's the picture of what it will look like when I finish it (probably in about 20 years time!)

I'm trying parking for the first time with this project as well so it should be interesting.  Only did just over 200 stitches on this last night so no picture for the time being.

Today was also the day of the release of part 1 of the Chatelaine Anniversary Mandala - Sleeping Beauty's Castle.  I am so excited to start it but also a little overwhelmed with the speciality stitches etc.  Would you believe it that my printer has run out of ink so I can't print it off - typical.  Oh well I'll just have to stitch on one of my many existing WIPs tonight instead of starting another new design.

Don't forget as well that if you want to be entered in my giveaway - for an as yet undecided prize you need to leave a comment on this post.

Miscellaneous as of 04.02.12

I'm making good progress with my secret project and have probably done about a two thirds of the first square so far.  The fabric I am stitching it on is quite difficult to work with so it's taking me much longer than a normal project would but it's nice to stitch on something different for a change.

One of the goals I have set myself for the year is to complete the 24 Christmas ornaments on plastic canvas from the November 2011 issue of Cross Stitcher Magazine.  I am hoping to turn them into some form of advent calendar so I need to stitch at least 2 a month to reach my goal.  Up to now I have completed 3.  I am substituting the french knots with beads and some of the backstitching with metallic threads with the hope this will add a little sparkle to the ornaments.  So having completed 3 of 24 ornaments I have completed 12.5% of this project.

I've also started stitching the plastic canvas nativity which I hope to have finished for Christmas.  There are 12 pieces in total so at 1 piece a month it seems like quite an achievable goal.  Also they are quite basic designs and have large blocks of colour so I am hoping when the light gets better I may be able to stitch on them in the car going to and from work.  I've started with the biggest part of the set which is the background and here's my progress so far.  If you want to see the finished design you can find it here.

I was thrilled to see on Jill Rensel's blog that she has framed a Living with Charm piece.  It just looks stunning.  It is my goal one day to have one of my pieces framed by Jill.  Here's the link if you want to look.

I'm extremely excited to have signed up to stitch my first Chatelaine - I've chosen to stitch the Anniversay Fairy Tale Castle.  The first part is released at the beginning of April so I have until then to save up my pennies and then decide whether I am going to stitch it in the recommended silks or use the DMC conversion.  I'm thinking I will have to go with the DMC conversion but we'll see.

I've also splurged again in the HAED sale and bought the four Randall Spangler story keeps recently released.  I will also get the fifth one when it comes out as I want to stitch them all on one piece of fabric.  I'm thinking a hand dyed piece so that the fabric acts like matting in between the pictures but I'm not sure yet what colour fabric I will stitch on.

Forbidden Doorway SK as of 14.01.12

I've not made a great deal of progress on the SK SAL only completing 567 stitches which makes it 2.67% complete.  I am moving on as I have to do some work on one of my secret projects.  Here's my progress picture so far.

I've also completed the next section of Living with Charm - I now have only 2 sections left to do.

As I am working on one of my secret projects next there won't be an update for a while.  

WIPocalypse - 09.01.12

So here's my first WIPocalypse update.

Cinnamon Cat Birth Sampler - started 21.12.11 - 2,957 of 11,068 stitches - 26.72% complete

Gerbera Daisy Cushion - 23,726 of 28,224 stitches - 84.06% complete

Hickory Dickory Dock QS - 20,344 of 26,775 stitches - 75.98% complete as of 02.01.12

Living with Charm - Part 9 complete as of 03.01.12

Secret Project 1 - I won't be able to publish any pictures of this project but will update my stats - 11.49% complete

Secret Project 2 - I will be able to post pictures of this later this year -  not yet started

Six Fat Men - 3 out of 6 complete

Forbidden Doorway SK SAL - not yet started

Hickory Dickory Dock as of 02.01.12

I've now completed a further 1,078 stitches on Hickory Dickory Dock which makes it 20,344 of 26,775 complete which is 75.98% complete.  I can see the outline of the second mouse coming out from the bottom left of the clock face I've decided that I want to get this completed by June so I can submit it for the HAED reward program.  At my current pace I should be able to achieve this as long as life doesn't get in the way.

I've also completed part 8 of Living with Charm and am pretty close to finishing part 9.

Next I am going to work on Six Fat Men again.

Hickory Dickory Dock as of 20.12.11

I've finally picked up Hickory Dickory Dock again, it must be at least 6 months since I last worked on this.  It is one of my WIPocalypse goals for 2012 and I am determined that it will be finished next year.  My niece will be 3 in August and as it is her birth sampler I think it's about time it was finished.  I did 1,583 stitches on it this time which brings it to 71.96% complete.  I have now reached the bottom left hand corner so this is the full height of the piece.

Thanks for reading.  I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and  Prosperous New Year.

Six Fat Men, Gerbera Daisies & Living with Charm as of 19.12.11

Sorry I haven't updated for a while but I've not been at all well, still not 100% to be honest.

I finished the third part of Six Fat Men a few days ago and here's the picture.

I've also managed to get some stitching in on Living with Charm.

I also picked up a UFO which is so near to completion I don't know why I stopped stitching on it.  It's my gerbera daisy cushion and is now 84% complete.

I'm starting to put my list together for the 2012 WIPocalypse and am looking forward to making some progress towards some finishes.  I think I've decided not to take part in the Crazy January Challenge but I am going to try and stitch some much smaller projects over the next 12 months so that I can have some finishes.