Saturday 23 August 2014

August Stitch From Stash and A Finish

Here we are with just over a week left in August.  The year seems to be flying which is quite scary!

So just 4 more months to go on Stitch From Stash although I would like to carry it on next year and just buy fabric and threads when I need them. Even though I've felt a bit of a failure when I've bought charts I haven't bought anywhere near what I have other years and only once did I dib into my carry over budget. So this month we had a £15 bonus because of St Charles market which we were allowed to spend before the actual budget. I did spend at the beginning of the month on Hands on Designs At The Beach. I'd asked Karla at Patchwork Rabbit if she could get me it about 6 weeks beforehand so I spent £6.80 on that ( when I get around to it I'm stitching it is for a gift ) then one of my stitching friends on Facebook was selling off some of her stash so I bought Blue Ribbon Designs Sampling in the Square for £5. I also had to buy a skein of white DMC at a cost of 80 p. So I spent £12.40 of my £15 bonus meaning I have my full £15 budget to carry over. So that's a total of £57.90 to carry over :). I have been tempted to  buy more as there are sales going on here and there BUT I now have something spurring me on to be good. I have been bursting since my DH suggested it and I can't keep it in any longer! My DH suggested we go to the knitting and stitching show in Harrogate and stay over a few days so he's booked a guest house and all I need now are show tickets and a list lol! I would not have gone had he not suggested us going as I am terrible and think of the cost etc. He's told me I had better buy something! I know it's a while away yet but I have never been before to that one so I hope I can find something to buy! So I will either use my carry over or make that my free month! It will depend on what I spend.

Right better get onto what I've been stitching before you get sick of my rabbiting on! I've had a finish since my last post although that shouldn't be a surprise as I was close to it last post.


Carriage House Samplings 1823 Emma Elizabeth Blackwood Sampler ( from JCS mag June 2005 )

40 count cream Gander linen

DMC

I have loved stitching this and it looks pretty finished. Not sure how I'll finish it yet. I need some inspiration! Tonight I'll be starting the Alphabet Sampler chart to go with it.

I've had a few new starts since my last post which is good as getting through my stash a little lol! I started this one last week and it is stitching up beautifully. It is Just Nan Marching Orders which I'm stitching on a 28 count Silkweaver Solo using DMC and the Soie D' Alger Lady in Red silk that came with the chart.

I started CCN Snowy Friends from the Frosty Forest series. I just hope I've got this right as I should really  have started with the border but I had run out of white and didn't have any in my stash! How typical is that! I have a wee story to tell about this piece as I had a lady ask me if I did commissions and how much would I sell this for when it was finished! Needless to say I had no idea and it's not for sale anyway! 

Barb and I made a little progress on Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas. I think we might have all these finished in September then we're planning on starting the Tra La La sheep chart.

I think Needleworker might just get finished this week. I got a good bit stitched on this on Wednesday as I went to see my friend Gill for the day at her caravan so we spent the day chatting and stitching and that is what I stitched on. It was lovely to get away for the day and just chill and the beauty of it was it just a 10 minute bus ride away but I could have been hundreds of miles away! Anyway I just have the red bits to stitch then the top and bottom border but because of the mistake I made I think the borders will just be a straight row of stitches.

Garden Bliss is coming along really well and I have to say that I am loving stitching it and I think the fabric I have chosen is perfect for it.

Finally a little bit of progress on June's Honeysuckle.

The other week when I had finished Wintry Mix I asked dear June if she would like the chart as she had said that she really liked it. So I popped it in the post to her. Look what she sent me! Isn't that snowman chart so cute? June said she had stitched this and thought I would like to stitch it and she is most definitely right! She also sent me a sweet sheep, some thread and some lovely ribbon as well as a beautiful postcard of her garden and a thank you card. Thank you so much June. I have the perfect fabric for the snowman so he's on my to do list :)

I have seriously been thinking about changing my rotation and stitching on less each week but then I think about the variety I have and I don't get bored quite so easily. However I then think I'd get things finished quicker lol but then I'd have more to make up and end up frustrated because of that! Finishing is not my strong point and I'm always on the look out for different ways. At least when I go to Harrogate I'll be able to see finishing fabrics, trims etc and get some bits to finish stuff in my pile off! I'm planning on staying away from buying anymore "big" designs and sticking with smaller ones but any I have in my stash will get stitched. Well maybe not all the HAEDs I have! I'd need to live until I'm about 300 to get those done and have a mansion to hang them all in! Lol! I'm going to have to pick out the ones I really, really want to stitch which will be difficult!

I'm getting excited for the new series of Doctor Who to start tonight. Can't wait to see what Peter Capaldi is like as the new doctor .

That's all from me for this post. I'll be at Gill's caravan for a day again next week with my knitting this time then on Wednesday I'm excited to be seeing my surrogate sis Lisa as she's coming for the day :).

Until next time take care everyone.

With much love

Sally xx

27 comments:

Vickie said...

A very pretty finish. :) I really like the Little Stitcher 12 Days of Christmas.
Sounds like fun coming up this week.

Melody said...

Congrats on your finish! It's lovely. I have done that one also, but changed the name to my great-great grandmother's name.

People that ask you to stitch things for them have no idea how much time is involved!

Gillie said...

I did the other part of that JCS piece, you are right, it is a gorgeous one! Hmm, where did I put the pattern, I need to stitch it for me, the other was for an exchange! Lots of pretties to admire, Sally!

butterfly said...


Lovely stitching Sally you are so much like me stitching on different ones , I love all different styles and if I stayed with the same one it would never get stitched .
My friend another Sally stayed with just one and did she finish it no and as she stopped stitching yes.
I am meeting up with her next week and see if she has picked it up since.
Wishing you a lovely weekend hugs .

Heather said...

Sally, you have had another great month! I really want to continue with the challenge next year too! Maybe we could encourage each other if it's not continued. :-)

Your stitching is lovely and you always inspire me! I am in a stitching slump right now, I think I might dig through my stash and find something new to start. :-)

Have a great time with your friends this week. :-)

Julie said...

How exciting to be off to Harrogate to see the sights off the show, have fun!
Lots of lovely little x's you've been adding to the new starts in this post.
Enjoy your time with your friends this coming week.

Anne said...

Great job with the Stitching from Stash Sally! I think it's a good habit to get into and not get too carried away with everything that's out there...like I do! Beautiful CH finish. Never saw it before...then I noticed it was from a magazine. Lovely stitching all around and it's nice to bop about from one piece to the next. Have fun at Harrogate!!

Michelle said...

Sally I adore looking at all your WIP's - you choose some wonderful designs. Darn this is the first year I am not going to Harrogate - I decided to go to Yarndale instead this year for a change. I hope you will visit Harrogate again the future so we can grab a coffee together xx

Tina said...

Love your new start and finishes,variety is the key to life I think they say.

Wish I could do stitch from stash,I wouldn't even last one month.

Take care xx

Jackie's Stitches said...

I have a Feeling your trip will end up being your free month! Sounds exciting.

Great job on your SFS!

Mouse said...

ooooooooo well done on the budget .. and harrogate you mean you are coming to the November one ??? If sooo YAHOOOOOOOOO coz I am going and staying from Thurs till Sun as we have rented a house :) sooo we can meet up ???? enjoy the stitching day too ... wish I could join you but work won't let me ...lol
ps love the stitching :) love mouse xxxxxx

Annette-California said...

Beautiful finish. Love seeing all your progress and you had a great month:) love Annette

Christine said...

Great stitching Sally, and well done on staying within budget.
We did a wedding yesterday so The Doctor is recorded for tonight's viewing. Trying to avoid spoilers on the internet this morning.
How exciting to be going to Harrogate!

Justine said...

What a lovely post, full of great pictures and news. You will be inspired at Harrogate, there are lots of great stalls selling finishing goodies. Why not see if there is a workshop on finishing techniques? I always try to fit in a workshop as they are great fun.

Tricia T said...

Sally, I am so proud of you! And what a sweet thing for DH to be doing something he knows you will enjoy. Such a fun thing to look forward to!!!! Your Forest and Garden are coming along so well. I like them all, but those two are my favorites!!! Have a wonderful week!

Tricia

Kay said...

You are so funny, believe me, you won't have any trouble finding something to buy in Harrogate. It is especially lovely being able to see good hand dyed fabrics and so many charts. The Nimble Thimble is usually there and they have a lovely range of charts. x

Linda said...

I so enjoy your updates Sally. Awesome stitching and you get so much done on all of them. Great job.

Linda

cucki said...

sound like so much fun coming :)
beautiful stitching and projects..
enjoy my dear x

Brigitte said...

Sally, I feel the same about the SFS challenge. I haven't bought nearly as many new charts as I was doing during the past years. And I got aware of all the beautiful charts that have been in my stash for all these years and have never been stitched so far. I also want to continue this stitching from stash next year too.

So great for you that you will be able to go to the Harrogate show this year. I'm sure you will find a lot of stitchy things.

A lot of eye candy in this post again. You have so many different projects on the go that you certainly never feel bored. I love that, too.

Clare-Aimetu said...

Lovely stitching Sally - I too am enjoying Stitch From Stash although this far into the year I am starting to need replacement items. It's amazing how much stash I have used and like you how much I haven't spent.

Carol said...

You've done such a great job of stitching from your stash this year, Sally. It must be such a good feeling to get some of those older charts out and get them stitched up!

Lovely progress on all and I love the Emma Elizabeth finish--such pretty colors.

Have a great day, Sally!

Mii Stitch said...

Sweet finish and lovely updates :)

Pam in IL said...

So much stitching and it's all beautiful! Congrats on sticking with the stitching from stash budget! I was reading through past posts and see that you were the next recipient of the traveling LHN Summer Garden design. Can't wait to see that one!

Karoline said...

Lovely finish and great progress on your other wips.

Enjoy yourself at the Harrogate show, I have to say I don't find it particularly good for stitching stuff. Most stalls are still selling the same stuff they where when I first went years ago :/ That being said I can always shop at the Nimble Thimble and Sparklies if you want fabric. It's also worth looking at the workshop listings as they are quite reasonablely priced if you want to try a new technique

Andrea said...

Have a great time at Harrogate ... though I suspect you will! Lots of ideas to come bak with ... and mountains of shopping! Lovely stitching progress and finishes.

Mary - Lecoeurceltique said...

What a lovely selection of stitching. I must try 40ct sometime soon. Lucky you going to the Harrogate show. I've always read good things about it.

Dovilė said...

lovely:)Frosty Forest my favorite)