Happy New Year!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy New Year and I hope that your Christmas was full of wonderful blessings for you all.

I have a couple of updates to share and I will add those over the next few posts. In the meantime I have managed to complete 3/4 of page 7 on Eldar and here is a before and after shot.

I get so caught up in working on my projects that I forget to update you all on my progress. Since I got my new smartphone though I have been so much more proactive about taking the update photos, but I haven't been present to do my show and tell for you all.

But there is no time like the present to make a start.

 Until next time, happy stitching

Roses Friend ....

I completed the first quarter of page 7 and now I am going to go back and finish page 1. I am stitching background and there is a lot of it, but it is rather enjoyable when you are able to mix it up with other projects that have a lot more color changes in them. Not really that much in the way of progress to show but next time she comes out I might get a whole further.

Until next time, happy stitching

An ice wind blew through ....

I decided to work on my SK Stitch-a-Long "Ice Wind". I was surprised that I managed to complete the top half of page 1. I put this project away back in August and it never really yelled loud enough for me to grab it and stitch.

But I thought it needed a bit of TLC. It really is beautiful to look at. Interesting, I was not really "that happy" with it when I first started it. I actually regretted putting it away at the end of November. But, I had too, it was somebody else's turn. Next up is Roses Friend again.

Until next time, happy stitching

Making progress

I really have missed not having a set schedule for stitching. I really didn’t think rotations could be that necessary but it is comforting to have structure back. I haven’t posted anything in a while for the 2011 QS Stitch-A-Long. I really love this piece, so I have a progress picture for October and here is another for my November rotation.

I was really excited about completing the first page, but once I got started again on page 2, I couldn’t believe how much I really had missed working on this. The last time it had been in my rotation was way back in July. Goodness!!! I really did need a kick in the pants to get on with it.

I think I was a bit put off at first because the decanter had so much confetti in it, and then I had to restart on 18ct because 28ct was doing my head in for this project.

Just to make my life even more exciting, I added another project to my ever growing pile of WiP's. I will post a photo of my progress on this next time. Oh and I thought I would make a couple of changes to my blog title. As it is Spring here in New Zealand I thought that is was time for a freshen up.

Until next time, happy stitching

Rotations could be a good thing…

My stitching has suffered a lot recently, because I haven’t had the time or the willpower to get on with it. This has mostly come about because of personal stuff, but because of that I have not had the strength to step away from it and do something for myself. But it is now time to get on with it.

We are in a new month and it’s time to get back into the swing of it. I dug out “Roses Friend” by Molly Harrison for Heaven and Earth designs. This is a good place to start because I am working on the background, so lots of blocks of color. I didn’t manage to finish the 1600 stitches that I would have liked, but I was pretty close.

I like to divide the full pattern page into 4. That way I only concentrate on a small area at a time. So far I have completed half of page 1 and almost 1/4 of page 7. I am planning on working left to right in half page sections. It seems that with this particular piece I have decided that I would prefer to cross country stitch, but things might change once I get to the central design.

This Saturday I plan on changing to my next project which is the 2011 QS Stitch-A-Long “QS Curl up with a good book”. I really love this piece, my children got me that full size pattern for Christmas last year and I know that I will probably not get around to stitching it, but this way I can make a smaller version.

Until next time, happy stitching

Out the window it goes ....

I've decided that my goal challenge now needs to be revised considerably. I know that I will not be able to meet my goals in any shape or form. So, I am now just working on what takes my fancy and as I enlarge my pages into quarters, my goal is to just complete a quarter page at a time on any given project. So far it is working for me. But, I keep forgetting to take photos. Must remember to get around to this when I finish here.

Until next time, happy stitching

Every stitch is worth it ....

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with my stitching goals for 2011. So, I think I need to prioritize, but before I do that, here are a couple more updates.

I have always loved Dragon Luck since I saw it as a Storykeep, but I wasn't head over heels in love with Heaven and Earth designs when that freebie was available, so, when I found the Quick Stitch that the Storykeep had been cropped from I couldn't get it started soon enough for my new grandson, (he is growing so fast where did the last 5 months go???). I have just managed to get half of page 2 done and this little guy is looking so cute, now I only have to finish page 2 & 3 on this to complete one of my 2011 goals.

I also have an update of another dragon Eldar and I am close to finishing half of page 7 which will mean that the first five columns of this are finished, yipee I can't wait. I really like working on this, but because I love all my other projects the same nothing is getting the TLC it "truly" deserves.

So this week, I want to get 600 stitches completed on QS Curl Up, so I need to go to get a more on.

Until next time, happy stitching

Curling up to keep warm ....

It's winter here in New Zealand and all I have wanted to do is curl up in front of the fire. But, alas that was not to be. I did get a fair bit of stitching in though. I have made progress on page 1 of QS Curl up with a good book, just looking at this little guy warms the soul. Maybe I will get page 1 completed in my August rotation.

I have added a few more stitches to my little fairy "Roses Friend", but as it is all background I decided that I would wait until the page was finished before adding another update photo and Masquerade SK finally has her face completed, I will take a picture of the whole project when I take it off the QSnaps. This project has become my nemesis, it is just sitting there constantly taunting me, but I figure that any stitches that I can get completed on this are a bonus. I hope to get back with another update over the next week so here's hoping.

Until next time, happy stitching

Time for a catch up ....

This is what I managed to accomplish all the way back in May!!! I couldn't believe how much I had done until I sat down to write this post.

1. Eldar - 400 stitches done
2. Storykeep Masquerade - 400 stitches done
3. QS Curl Up with a Good Book - 400 stitches done
4. Polar Bear Fun - 400 stitches done
5. Roses Friend - 400 stitches done
6. QS Dragon Luck - 400 stitches 250 stitches

June was a complete washout, and now we have reached July. This month I plan to work 600 stitches on all my current projects and I also have a new start because I couldn't help myself. I joined the 2011 SK SaL on the HAED BB, (what was I thinking!!!).

Here she is in all her glory. This is Ice Wind by Linda Tso. So, I have gridded up my fabric and I just need to get a couple of extra threads. I have decided to work this one on 22ct Hardanger, mainly because that is what I had in my stash, and I haven't actually cross stitched a piece on Hardanger before. I am looking forward to how this will work up.

I won't be able to make an actual start on this though until later in the month, but first up in my rotation this month is QS Curl up with a good book, so I should have some progress to show you next update.

Until next time, happy stitching

Missing in action ....

The last 6 weeks have been absolutely hectic (4 deaths in the family and happily a birth and a 21st birthday), sounds like a really bad movie title. As a result of this I haven't been able to update my blog or get much of any stitching done. But, fingers crossed life can only get better. I have managed to put a few stitches in and will take photos and update you all in my next post.

Until next time, happy stitching