Thursday 25 September 2014

A New SAL With Barb Plus September Stitch From Stash

I don't know about you all but I do love a new start especially when that new start is a SAL with a friend.  Even though Barb is a long, long way from me we settle down a few times a week to virtually stitch together. As you know we finished our Friday night SAL of The 12 Days of Christmas so last Friday our new SAL started. This is Tra La La Tricotine. I'm stitching mine on 32 count white evenweave using Atalie Threads and DMC. Love it so far. I'm afraid the girl is legless at the moment. I had stitched her face minus rosey cheeks and eyes and she looked rather like an alien which freaked me out a little! Lol. So the legs had to wait in favour of the rest of her face and her hair! I already have plans how to finish this when I've stitched it but think I will need some help and guidance lol!


I had another new start on Sunday. This time July's Delphinium. I would love to try and get well on with these now but I know they won't be finished by the end of the year. I like to try and have everything finished so I can start anew but it won't happen as I still have too many to do on these and Frosty Forest.

Typing of Frosty Forest last night in the parlour with the ladies over at Needlecraft Haven I finished Snowy Friends and made a small start on Bluebird Cottage.  Who knew what looked like a little bit of snow that I had left to do on Snowy Friends could take so long to do!

I'm making good progress on LHN Summer Garden which is the travelling pattern. I'm hoping that I might have it finished next week so keep an eye out if you are interested in being the next stitcher :).


Garden Bliss is going well. I'm now on to the garden bit at the bottom. I love how this looks and can't wait to have it hung in my home.

A little bit of progress was made on my robin. Not a massive amount but as anyone who stitches HAEDs will know they don't grow very fast!

I did some making up on Sunday. I used finishing forms to finish My Big Toe Designs Always in my Heart which I stitched late last year from the JCS 2011 Christmas ornament issue. I am delighted with how it turned out. The ribbon, bow and heart were on a greetings card I had saved.

Stitch From Stash report time now.  Unfortunately I had a spend this month. Not only did I spend my full £15 budget but I also spent £8.15 of my balance from last month. *sigh*. Now I'm feeling pretty peeved with myself!  So that leaves me with a balance of £49.75. So what did I buy?  These!

I have been looking for the Tim Hotlz pocket watch fobs since I first saw people using them to mount stitching in. Every time I found somewhere in the UK who stocks them they were out of stock and never got them back in. To buy them in the States meant about $9.50 shipping making them expensive. Anyway I was looking on Patchwork Rabbit and saw that Karla had them on her sneak peak page. Knowing that they are likely to be popular once people know she has them I ordered 2 along with the Blue Bunting chart and the fabric. The good thing is I paid with pennies I had saved from sales from charts I'd finished with but I still have to declare it for Stitch from Stash. I don't know how I'm going to go on for the next month as I may need some fabric as Barb and I are going to start stitching Halloween stuff when we've finished Tricotine. I may have to look at Ebay and see if I can find some bargains! Hopefully I can keep this up for the rest of the year though but leave November as my free month for when I go to Harrogate Knitting and Stitching show and I'll also have to buy the chart  Chris and I are going to be stitching for our December  SAL. It's certainly getting harder as the year goes on and I'm using fabric up!

Typing of Chris I had a lovely day at her house on Friday.  Lots of chatting and a bit of stitching and a look round a couple of crafting shops. I was very jealous as she had started stitching the Hands on Design piece from the last Just Cross Stitch mag. I want to do that sometime! I wish there were more evenings in a week lol!

Oooh I almost forgot! Jess was saying she really wanted a poncho for winter so I said I'd knit her one if we could find a pattern she liked. She eventually found one so I asked my friend Gill if she could order it for me along with the yarn. It arrived last week, I started it at the weekend and here is where I'm at after my crafting morning this morning with Gill.

It's knitted in 2 strips then sewn together. The yarn is Sirdar Softspun Chunky and it is beautiful. It has a lovely sheen to it.

Before I forget there wasn't much interest for the Just Nan chart I was giving away but the winner is Christine. Christine I'll get it in the post ASAP.


Thank you to all those who congratulated Abi on finding a job. She did 6 hours last week and this week has done 12 as one of the girls is on holiday.  She's waiting to hear her shifts for next week. She is loving it. I have seen a change in her since she started. She smiles much more and seems so much happier. Not having a job had got her down. Hopefully Jess will find something soon as well. There seemed to be a few advertised all at once and now nothing! 

That's all from me for now.  Thank you for visiting and for all your lovely comments. I must get around to visiting you all very soon.

Take care everyone.

With much love.

Sally xxxx


21 comments:

Emma/Itzy said...

Lovely stitching progress! I love Patchwork rabbit, although I have not bought any stash for a long time as I haven't been stitching.

I know what you mean about the job hunt, now I have left mine and I am searching in Scotland for our move there does seem to be plenty but nothing that really appeals to me. I hope it changes soon, I would really love to get something I *want* to do rather than something I *need* to do.

angelasweby said...

A new SAL is always exciting. This one looks like fun.
You've got lots of really lovely projects on the go. It must be really hard to leave one and pick up another. I'm very much a one project at a time stitcher :-)
It's nice to have some knitting on the go too.
Stitching from stash sounds like fun. I think the little fobs are well worth juggling the pennies for. Xx

Carol said...

Such lovely stitching and finishing, Sally. Your round ornament is perfect!! I've not tried those finishing forms, but they really make a difference...

Love the color of the new shawl for Jesse--I hope her job hunt brings success soon :)

Dani - tkdchick said...

So many wonderful stitches! It would be awesome to so start the year with all of my projects done... not going to happen for me either!

Linda said...

You have made some amazing progress on all your projects Sally. I love the poncho your working on.

Linda

Vickie said...

Always In My Heart turned out fantastic! Jess' poncho looks really lovely.

Jeanne said...

I feel like we're "in tune" Sally! I just finished block 7 of Frosty Forest and I just got Blue Bunting from WTN&T this week in the mail. :-) I picked up 3 of those pocketwatches from craft stores in recent months and looking forward to stitching my bluebird. Sorry they are so hard to get in the UK. Love all your recent finishes too, I am behind on catching up with everyone's posts. Happy stitching on your new SAL!

Katrina said...

As always, a lovely post of all your stitching :)

Christine said...

Me again? I don't know about you keeping on your stash wagon, but it is certainly helping mine taking up all your pre-loved carts ;D
I love that poncho, it is going to be gorgeous.
I bet Abi gets loads more hours once the Christmas rush starts

cucki said...

wow i love your new sal so much.its the most sweetest one.
your all other projects are so lovely..great stitching always..and i love the little frame fob so much..i wish i buy them too..hopefully one day..they are my fav..
hugs and love x

Mii Stitch said...

Sweet new Tralala SAL. Love the way the TP is coming along. The colours of the flowers is just fabulous ;) Your round ornament is superb!!! xox

Margaret said...

Beautiful projects! Love the shawl for Jess too! Glad the job is going well for Abi.

butterfly said...

Always love all your stitching every thing looks just beautiful .
Where do you find your time , I still can't get enough stitching time , I am planning but things seem to happen .
Maybe the winter will be better for me .
Have a wonderful weekend hugs.

Sheryl said...

A lot of pretty projects and lots of stitching to try and get done before next year. I especially like the round design.

Angela said...

Lovely new SAL start. I love all of your projects and the ornament finish is gorgeous :) I've had my eye on those pocket watches too but haven't caved in yet. I love the Poncho, the pattern and the color of the yarn too!

Annette-California said...

You have so many beautiful wips. Pretty fabric for Summer Garden, the pink blooms pop especially. Lovely yarn for the beautiful poncho your making. love Annette

Andrea said...

What beautiful WIPs. You seem to get so much stitched. Love the yarn for the poncho.

Pam in IL said...

Wow, you're so busy and all your stitches look fantastic! Great progress on them all too.

Mary Ann said...

I am once again trying to catch up on blog reading... : )

Lovely stitching progress, and your Always in My Heart finish is stitched and finished beautifully!!

And, I love the color of yarn you are using for Jess's poncho!

Maxine said...

Beautiful wip's Sally... I love the colour of the wool you're knitting with, can't wait to see the poncho finished. I've never bought anything from the Patchwork Rabbit I'll have to go and check it out ;)

Brigitte said...

Great stitching projects as always, Sally. And yes, I also love starting new things. A lot, lol. Just recently I pulled myself out of my stitching slump by starting something new. It was only a small project but it helped me to get back on track.

Your Tralala SAL is going great, I really love her designs and have several in my stash. SALs are such a great thing and so motivating.

I hope that your daughter will soon find a job. Good luck to her.