August?!

Seriously how did it get to be August?! The weeks are just flying by and it's been a while since I blogged. I have to admit that I find it a bit of a chore but I want to try and keep on so that I have a record of my stitching. That was my plan when I said I'd post finishes only and it would seem I can't even do that lol!

Anyway I have been stitching and have had some finishes and I even have some FFOs too. Not many but I have some anyway!

The first finish I have to show is also an FFO! No I can't believe it either! 

With Thy Needle and Thread Snow Birds

32 count pearl grey linen

DMC, GAST, WDW & CC

Started 28th May 2019

Finished 23rd June 2019.

I joined in the Summer SAL on the Sheep Loving Stitchers group on Facebook. We had 4 designs to choose from and I chose this one.

Plum Street Samplers Woolemina

35 count light mocha linen

DMC & Classic Colorworks

Started 8th June 2019

Finished 7th July 2019.

Absolutely loved stitching this one!

Christmas in July stitching started on Instagram and I managed a finish!

Country Cottage Needleworks Merry Christmas

32 count mushroom dot murano

Classic Colorworks & DMC

Started 2nd July 2019

Finished 30th July 2019

Started and finished this next one in a day! 

Shepherd's Bush Joy to Ewe

18 count natural fabric

DMC

Started and finished 30th June 2019.

I really don't like stitching over 2 on 18 count!

Another Christmas stitch started and finished in a day is my July ornament.

Brightneedle To Thee Hope

28 count fabric

DMC

Started and finished 7th July 2019

Final finish is this beauty. Loved every single stitch!

Little House Needleworks Honeybee Sampling

Unknown fabric

DMC & Classic Colorworks

Started 14th July 2019

Finished 27th July 2019.

Of course I can't post without showing a WIP of A Saviour's Praise.

I ended the first half of Stitch from Stash with a very good + figure of over £300 so I was very pleased with ,myself. I'd sold lots of stash as I'd finished with it and also sold threads that I knew I wouldn't use as well having lots of finishes. So part B has started and we are allowed to use any balance leftover and not declare any purchases ( it gets used as a gift). So I have been buying some stuff which isn't good I know. I have still declared some of it though and no I haven't spent £300 or anywhere near that! Lol! I've been wanting some OOP Blackbird Designs books and managed to buy a couple ( Tokens of Friendship and With Needle & Thread) at a very reasonable price ( not extortionate Ebay or even some of the selling pages on Facebook prices!). My dearest friend Barb then gifted me another one ( Peppermint and Holly)  from her stash which made me want to cry but in a good way! I have also bought a couple of sheep charts from the USA that I couldn't get over here ( well I did end up with two of one as a shop over here had one so Barb bought that off me so look out for a SAL of Lulu's Flock next year). The other one was Sheepish Designs Betsy which I have wanted for a long time. Had to get that from The Silver Needle as they were the only ones with stock left. I read somewhere that a distributor had found some stock of it which was why it was available again. I am also trying to collect the Blackbird Designs Magical Mystery Tour charts and so far have ordered Blackbird and Strawberry Fields Forever. BBD have reprinted Eleanor Rigby and The Long and Winding Road which I am waiting to come into stock over here as well as Yellow Submarine which is OOS at the places I buy from. I'm hoping the BBD ladies will decide to reprint Octopus's Garden too. I think I need to hide myself away! At least I'm stitching my stash and getting that down more than I'm adding to it!

Well that's all from me now. I know my blog is pretty boring and I apologise for that and also for the fact that I don't visit your blogs. Maybe one day I'll come back to it properly.

Until next time.

With much love,

Sally xxx

Stitching and Trying My Hand at Socks!

Seriously how did it get to be November already! Not only November but the 17th November!! Not long now to December!

So I have plenty to show since my last blog post but some bits that I can't show as they are ornaments for my private ornament exchanges with Chris and Barb and a couple of Christmas gifts that I'm stitching on too. Need to get those finished ASAP!

I've been doing a little finishing too. These bits were all sewn up and just needed the trim on so I gave myself a good talking to and got that done. 

I have had a finish :) Not sure I'll actually have anymore this month as I seem to be doing quite a bit of reverse stitching of late which is not good! As you will know Barb and I SAL together a couple of times a week and we have both finished our sheep SAL.

Country Cottage Needleworks Jump for Joy

32 count Permin Lambswool linen

DMC

Started 25th August 2017

Finished 6th November 2017.

It is just so cute!

So because we'd finished that we had to have a new start! well it would be rude not to wouldn't it?! We started Little House Needleworks Born in a Manger. I am stitching mine on 40 count vintage country mocha linen using DMC and Classic Colorworks. I love how it looks on 40 count and, of course, I love vintage country mocha linen. It is my favourite.

The new SAL on the LHN/CCN Facebook group has started so I've had another new start. It is LHN Christmas Angel. This is one I've had reverse stitching on! I didn't like the colour of the wings once I'd got a bit stitched on that so I took it out and used a lighter colour. Then I discovered I was out a little on one of her arms and it looked like it was broken lol! So that came out and I restitched it. Fingers crossed for no more mistakes!

I'm also using LHN Lantern Lane for the SAL as we can use Christmas/Winter ones that we have already started. I have also been reverse stitching on this one as I hadn't left enough space between one of the letters. I got them all restitched and a few more! 

I am still stitching away on Mani Di Donna Winter Days Sewing Basket and am so desperate to get it finished now. I am at the stage where I really don't want to stitch on it anymore. I don't know why as I love the design.

Final stitchy photo is..............................yep Mini Jolly Old Fellow. Ta-Dah I have finished page 8!!!! Just one more teeny page to go now :)

I was very lucky when my name was picked out on the LHN/CCN Facebook Autumn SAL group to win one of Vonna's gorgeous project bags. Let me tell you it is beautiful! It arrived the other day and I now have a project in it. This photo really does not do it justice. Thank you so much Vonna :)

I have picked up my knitting needles again. I haven't knitted anything since the aran jumper last year. I'd bought some tinsel chunky wool and a pattern to knit a snowman just before Christmas last year and had put it away in a cupboard. I decided it was time to get on with it and I now have a very cute snowman!

I think my plan is to use up my wool stash to give me room in the cupboard although I don't have much. So next on my needles is socks. I have had the kit for a few years and have been too scared to try. However it is one of the things that I really want to try so last week I cast on. I ended up having 3 attempts and on the 3rd attempt I was away thanks to a friend on Facebook who gave me a tip. I am now ready to do the heal and that is scaring me lol! Fingers crossed I can do it. I have heard many people say that socks knitting is addictive and I have already been looking at more sock wool! I am being good until I know whether I can complete a sock or not!

A couple of weeks my DH and I went up to Pickering to see my good friend Chris who has moved up there. It was so good to see her and her DH again and we had a lovely day. Then last Saturday my surrogate sis and dear friend Lisa was in Hornsea for the weekend so we had a stitchy afternoon. I don't think we've seen each other for 2 years at least so it was really good to get together and catch up. It makes me feel sad that my lovely stitchy friends live so far away but it makes it even more special when I get to see them. There are many I would love to meet that live too far away. 

That's all my news for now. I will catch up with you all hopefully over the weekend. Thank you for sticking with me even though my posts are few and far between.

With much love,

Sally xxxx

More Finishing and Some Stitching!

Yet again it has been a while since I last posted! I was intent on doing a post the week before last but it didn't happen. So I am here now and guess what?! I've had my sewing machine out again! I have been watching some of Vonna's finishing tutorials on You Tube and after seeing her using a quilting ruler I decided I had to get one as it would make things so much easier. Well I hoped! Anyway I wish I'd had one years ago! I finished another 3 pieces and although they are not perfect ( practice makes perfect right?) I am very happy with them! I am struggling to get my stuffing right into the corners but I will get it! So here's my finishes. 

This one was stitched last year and is Little House Needleworks Soft and Sweet.

This one was the December SAL I did with Chris starting last December and I finished the stitching in January. Of course it is Country Cottage Needleworks Merry Christmas My Deer.

Finally this one.

The Primitive Hare Prim Christmas

32 count Vintage Country Mocha linen.

DMC & Rainbow Gallery

Started 9th July 2017

Finished 25th July 2017.

I am aiming to try and get everything in my finishing pile done eventually and try and keep on top of any new finishes I have. Hmmmm!!!

A fair bit of stitching has been done but none finished as yet. I was hoping to get my sheep SAL piece with Barb finished but I ran out of a thread. I must admit that I am not too happy with the hand dyes on this one. None of them are the same as the photo and it's not even a slight difference but a considerable one. I know that is the problem with hand dyes as no two skeins are the same. I actually swapped out the GAST for the snow as it was just not snow coloured and used DMC instead. This should be finished this evening.

Barb and I have started a new SAL on Mondays. She was saying she had lots of Lizzie Kate charts in her stash and asked if I fancied stitching on some with her. She knew I was toying with the idea of signing up for the new Christmas mystery and thought I could join her on that. However I have decided not to sign up but I do have some Lizzie Kate charts in my stash so I made a very small start on Snowman '10. Yes it is a very small start lol!

1831 Christmas is going well. The hand dyes on this are very close to the photo on the chart so I am very happy with this one. It is so pretty too and that sheep is very cute! 

The Stitchrovia charity SAL Quotes to Live By is going very slow but I'm not stitching on it every week. I think I shall stitch a little of the border as I add the quotes rather than stitch the border all at once. I think I'll get bored quickly! 

I am getting close to finishing Through the Storms. I just have the clouds at the top to fill in and the grass at the bottom so it should be finished next time I pick it up. Please excuse the lovely envelope covering the personalisation!

As usual no post would be complete without Mini Jolly Old Fellow! Look!!! I have finished page 7!! Just 2 more partial pages to go!!! I am debating what to do once this is finished. I have a storykeep ( remember the dragon??) to finish so I might get that out until it's finished. After that I don't know whether to have a rest from HAEDs ( well BAPs) or get one of my BAP WIPs out. I have Guardian B&W almost halfway or Tilton Crafts Always started.

As some of you may know I am on Instagram and came across a SAL starting on 3rd September of LHN Lantern Lane. I got the chart, fabric and some of the threads for Christmas last year so I decided that, if I can get a few pieces finished before then, I would join in. I'm quite excited by this and have been thinking about starting it for a while.

Have you seen the gorgeous new chart coming soon from Little House Needleworks? It's one of a new set of seasonal charts and I am really looking forward to them. I have already put my name down for the Autumn one when it reaches our shores and hope to take part in a SAL on the Little House / Country Cottage Facebook page depending on when it arrives. I have been very good on Stitch from Stash as I could have ordered loads but have stopped myself and made myself really think harder about if I really want things! I was very close to signing up for the Lizzie Kate Christmas mystery, as I mentioned earlier, and the With Thy Needle Thread schoolhouse series and I kept asking myself will I really like them that much or will it  be something I regret. So something good has come from Stitch from Stash this year! I have been doing better each year I've taken part but this year seems even better. I hope it lasts!!!!

That's all my stitching news for this post. Fingers crossed my sewing machine will come out again soon or my cutting knife to cut card lol! I'll be making time to come visit all your blogs as soon as I can. 

Until next time.

With much love,

Sally xxx

I've Had My Sewing Machine Out!

Hello everybody. Since my last post I have been quite busy stitching and also I've been finishing up some pieces to display. Yes how I love finishing lol! So it's another picture heavy post but my finishing pile has got down a little bit!

I have had a couple of finishes which, of course, means new starts but I'll begin with the finishes!

First finish that is also fully finished off is this one. It took a while a stitch as I was only stitching on it for a couple of hours a week at the craft group I go to.

Little House Needleworks My Lady at Christmas

32 count Chromatic Alchemy Cassia Rose murano

Classic Colorworks & DMC

Started 28th March 2017

Finished 3rd July 2017.

My second finish is this one.

Lizzie*Kate I Cannot Count My Day Complete

32 count Lambswool linen

DMC

Started 22nd June 2017

Finished 13th July 2017.

On to my making up now. These were stitched mostly this year, with one last year and and one in 2015! 

I'm really pleased with how these all turned out but I really wish I could get the bottom edge straight when I sew the hole up.

As I said I've had a few new starts. I had finished the piece I was stitching on for the sheep SAL Barb and I are doing so I chose to start Plum Street Samplers Merry Ewe which is one of the Jack's Sweet Shoppe series. Does anyone know where I can get the tart pans in the UK please? I've looked in cookery shops etc etc and looked online but can't find any that are the right size. It needs to be 4.75".

I also have another sheepy start as I couldn't resist starting this one from my stash. It is another Plum Street Samplers and it is 1831 Christmas.

Hmm I have done my usual and forgotten to take one of my new starts! I started The Primitive Hare Prim Christmas from last year's JCS ornament issue to take to craft group with me. I'll try and remember to take a photo next time.

My final new start is Stitchrovia's charity SAL Quotes to Live By. Oh this is going to take some stitching but it will be so worth it. 

I'm still stitching away on Silver Creek Samplers Through the Storms and it looking really good even though I say so myself!! 

Final piece is driving me mad! I really wish I could get this finished but I'm at the stage where I really don't want to stitch on it anymore. However I will get it finished as it's such a beautiful piece.

That's all my stitching news for now. I'll see you all next month with more making up hopefully! My sewing machine will be coming out again :)

Take care everyone.

Until next time.

With much love Sally xxx

Finishes and New Starts.

Here we are almost at the end of March. The weeks are certainly flying by and I don't like it!! I am so not ready for the hot days of summer as, if previous years are anything to go by, it'll be way too hot for me! Winter and Spring I can cope with quite happily but when it gets too hot I hate it. I guess I will just have to accept what comes :)

So what have been up to since my last post. Plenty of stitching of course and some reading. Not as much reading as there should have been as I have discovered a new game ( Hidden City Mystery of Shadows) and instead of reading before I go to bed I'm playing that instead. Sigh! Last night I made a point of being good and picking up my book instead! My current read is Guards, Guards from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and oh boy it is good! 

Better get chatting about my stitching! I have had two finishes this month so I am quite happy. It's good for my Stitch from Stash ( I'm taking part in a group on Facebook) although I have spent so little I don't really need any credit from finishing! I am going to have a little splurge though when some Nashville releases hit our shores. I so hate having to wait but postage from the States is so ridiculous but then because the pound has been struggling the exchange rate isn't so good so charts etc are getting more expensive here. It's a good job I have plenty to keep me going really! It's not likely to stop me from buying if I really, really want something though!

Anyway the first of my finishes is this sweet little lamb!

Just Nan Lorelei Lamb

32 count white evenweave

DMC

Started 17th February 2017

Finished 17th March 2017.

She was so fiddly to put together I'm actually surprised that she looks like she should!

Second finish is this cutie.

Stitchers Anon Designs Season of Joy

32 count raw linen

DMC

Started 21st February 2017

Finished 23rd March 2017.

I won this chart in one of Gaynor's giveaways so would like to let someone else stitch it and pass it on and we'll make it a travelling pattern. Please say in your comments if you'd like to stitch it. 

As I had finished my piece for my sheep SAL with Barb I had to have a new start didn't I?! I have a few charts with sheep on them ( no surprise really!) and, after much delberation, I decided to start Midsummer Night Designs Bloom which was a gift for my 50th birthday from Lisa in Scotland. I am stitching it on 32 count Vintage Country Mocha linen and am using good old DMC. It is charted for Anchor so I went online and converted it to DMC.

Monday's Barb and I have been stitching on Winter but she has finished hers and is now starting another one of the seasons. I am still stitching away on mine but, hopefully, I should have it finished soon.I don't know what I'll be stitching once it is finished but we'll still be SAling even if we're stitching different things.

I have been quite bad and had two more new starts. As you know I got HAED Guardian out again for the challenge on the HAED Facebook group. Well as excited as I was to be stitching on it again I have ended up not enjoying stitching on any of my HAEDs. Three is just too many to have on the go at one time so I made the decision to put Guardian away again until one of my others is finished. If I end up hating stitching them I may well never stitch another again and I really don't want that. After all we are supposed to enjoy our hobbies aren't we? So I had a new start in Guardian's place. I have been itching to get started on this since last December. Well, actually, probably since I bought it God knows how many years ago. This one is Atelier Perdu The Magic ( no longer available). I am stitching it over one on 32 count Vintage Country Mocha. Yep I did say over one! That is what it says on the chart. It is fine unless you have a visit from the frog! Getting those little stitches out is not easy and at one point I did think shall I just throw this piece and cut another but I didn't want to waste it! So out it came and I managed to get the bit restitched. 

My other new start was at craft group yesterday. I had been stitching Season of Joy there so, as that is finished, I started LHN My Lady at Christmas. I had ordered Chromatic Alchemy Cassa-Rose ( my last splurge before the start of the New Year ) especially to stitch this one. I didn't get a massive amount stitched but it's not bad for 2 hours including chatting and a tea break!

I have also been doing some finishing. I had 3 things sewn up ready to put trims etc on and they've been sitting there for a few weeks. One of them is Mouse's ( very late) birthday gift. I was telling my girls yesterday how awful I felt ( to be fair I didn't start stitching it until after her birthday because I struggled with what to stitch ) and Abi said when is her birthday. I said January! Jess had this look on her face that said "What?!!" and Abi burst out laughing. So I was shamed into doing something about it! So Mouse your very late birthday gift will be in the post tomorrow! I will show it next time I blog. Here are the other two finished!

Sotto La Neve is coming along nicely and should, hopefully, be finished soon. I think I will be sick of stitching white at the end of it though. I am almost done with the white in the trees then I have to do the ground in white and then all the snow falling! I know it'll be worth it.

Of course no post would be complete without Mini Jolly Old Fellow and my dragon! I don't know if you can see where I've stitched on Mini Old Fellow as it's all light thread but I should be stitching some blue next week! The dragon is going well too. I'm feeling better about these now that Guardian has gone away again. 

That is all my stitchy news for now. Thank you for visiting me and for all your lovely comments. 

Until next time.

With much love.

Sally xxx