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

No Facebook = More Stitching!

Yes I have been on as self-imposed Face book ban this week which means more stitching of an evening which equals progress! For 3 evenings this week I have stitched solely on Blue Ribbon Designs Stitched With Love and, even though I say so myself, it is looking gorgeous. If I can continue making progress like this each week I might just get it finished in time for our anniversary on 26th of next month. I am thinking of not getting it framed though and maybe finishing it the same way I finished La D Da Love is Patient.

Wednesday afternoon after a good session on the Wii Fit Plus ( weight is creeping up again which means I am very despondent) I fancied a small new start. I'd sorted threads and fabric for Drawn Thread Sanctuary which I'll be stitching along with Chris, threads for Silver Creek Samplers Dandy Dreams ( I have the urge to start this ASAP) and whilst sorting I came across a piece of 40 count fabric and decided to start this! Any ideas what it is??? Honestly at the rate I'm going I shall have to stay up all night as I just seem to want to stitch everything at the moment, which is not really good!

Finally I picked up Shores this morning from my trusty framer John and I love it! He did say that he'd struggled to get it straight so it's not quite there but I am very happy with it. For some strange reason I was surprised that it's so big, I don't know what I was thinking, but I found somewhere to hang it as soon as I got it home. OK I did actually take one of my angels down but I'll be hanging her somewhere else!

Yesterday postie brought me an envelope and it was from Barb:) She asked me if I would like the chart of SB The Journey and very kindly sent me it:) Thank you so much Barb. You must let me know what you would like for it though. This is another one I am itching to stitch. Also in the photo is Dandy Dreams which I won from Christine:)

Off to catch up on blogs now. Have a wonderful weekend my dear friends.

Hugs

Sally

xxxx

The House That Sally Built......

Is looking rather splendid even if I do say so myself! Last night was LHN SAL night with Lisa and Lesleyanne and I finally got all the windows in and the door so the house will be nice and snug for Belle to go into! I love this piece so much and I enjoy stitching on it each Wednesday.

Monday was SB SAL night with Barb and Colleen and an enjoyable evening stitching in spirit with another two lovely ladies. My piece, Emmanuel's Song, is growing rather nicely and is so much fun to stitch.

I have been stitching on Blue Ribbon Designs Stitched with Love but forgot to take a photo of it so I'll show that next time providing I remember of course! Also had another little finish but I can't show that until it's been received.

I have decided that I'm not going to do the Jardin Prive SAL after all. I'm just pleased I thought about it long and hard. It is a beautiful piece but there are so many other things that I would rather stitch.

I mentioned a wee while ago that I had been one of four lucky ladies picked on Becky's blog to receive a stash goody bag from her and just look at what arrived for me on Tuesday! Becky is such a kind hearted, generous lady:) I love everything here! I do already have the BBD chart and the MND one and Becky said I could pass then on so I've passed the MND onto Lisa and if anyone of my regular commenters would like  BBD AotH A Wish for You please mention it in your comment. Thank you so much for your kindness Becky {{{{hugs}}}}

I am patiently impatiently waiting for my BBD A Stitcher's Journey to arrive as I can't hardly wait to get little hands on it and look through it! I think it was shipped over a week ago so, hopefully, it'll be here soon.

I was so sad to hear of the tragic death of Lisa of The Primitive Needle. My thoughts and prayers are with her family. It really does make you realise just how fragile life is. There is a Spooky SAL that has been set up on Facebook to stitch something in tribute to her and although I have never stitched one of her designs or own any I thought it would be nice to join in and I went through my freebies and found two of Lisa's and am going to stitch one of those so I am either doing Wicked or By the Light of the Moon.

We had some good news from Jess on Tuesday but with the good news comes the bad :( The good news is that she has been accepted for the English and Creative Writing course from September at the same university she is at now. She has just rung with the bad news which is that because she's already had a student loan for tuition fees for the almost two years she has already done student finance will only give her a further two years loan and the course she's going to is three years. Plus it's  not the final year she will have to pay herself. Oh no she has to find £3,375 for the year 2011/2012! More to damned well worry about! She does have some savings, although I'm not sure she has enough, but that will mean that everything she has saved will have gone. I don't think she's really thought it through. Also she won't get a grant for living until she's done the first year which means won't have as much to live on. There is no way we can help her so God only knows how she'll manage and I fear that she's going to end up having to drop out. I am just so sick of the worry with everything. And yesterday DH's auntie was admitted to hospital. Thankfully it is not as serious as we first thought it might be and is a stomach bug. If all goes well she should be allowed home today.

Well I had better go. I feel as though all I do is moan lol Just don't know how much more I can take:(

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally
xxx

Prize FROM Christine and Other Stuff!

I have lots to show you today! Lol! First of all postie came with an envelope for me from Christine. I won her blogoversary draw a while ago and just look at this beauty that was inside :) She said in her note "better late than never" and let me tell you this was well worth waiting for :) Thank you so much Christine, I absolutely love it! Email on the way:)

I decided I wanted to stitch up a little RAK for Barb earlier in the week. Barb is a wonderful friend who always has kind words, lifts my spirits and has sent me needleroll charts and also kindly sent me SB Emmanuel's Song. Now I know she is a keen reader so I decided to stitch the Victoria Sampler Friends Count bookmark for her and now I know she has received it and loves it I can show it here.

Victoria Sampler Friends Count Little Learning Bookmark

28 count evenweave

DMC threads

Started 24th May 2010

Finished 26th May 2010

RAK for Barb

As I said in another post I made a start on Drawn Thread Spot of Spring and intend on trying my hand at a mattress pinkeep with Lisa. Well the stitching is now finished, I have the back stitched with my initials and year so now I just have to work out how big I need the sides then when Lisa is ready we'll have a go at putting them together! I really enjoyed stitching this and can't wait to do the others.

Drawn Thread A Spot of Spring

28 count evenweave

DMC

Started 18th May 2010

Finished 26th May 2010

My final finish for this post is The Sampler Girls At Home With Jane Austen the SAL I have been doing with Barb, Lesleyanne, Hazel and Tracy. This has been such a joy to stitch and I look forward to stitching more of Tanya's designs. I think I'll be saving up to have this one framed. Thank you so much ladies for SALing with me:)

The Sampler Girl At Home With Jane Austen

36 count flax linen

DMC and Crescent Colours

Started 9th April 2010

Finished 27th May 2010

You will not believe this but yesterday afternoon I was feeling pretty fed-up with myself. Thursday afternoon I started to feel unwell and was really peeved as I was supposed to be visiting Chris yesterday but had to cancel because of that. Then yesterday I had one of those stupid headaches that are something and nothing but made me feel yuck! If that makes sense. I just wanted a quiet afternoon and had a sudden urge to pick Chatelaine Spring Morning up. By the time it came to preparing something for tea I really did not want to put it down! So here's my progress and I think it'll be coming out more often now.

I am hoping to get block 5 finished on CHS SoHRH tonight. This is last weeks progress so I have done more since this piccie. I am really enjoying this block but not looking forward to the biggie that I'll be moving onto next!

My final WIP is, of course, Just a Thought Sampler Garden Casket and here is the finished casket top. I love these bunnies! I'll be making a start on the casket bottom tomorrow, fingers crossed!

Just a reminder that there is still time to enter the giveaway in my previous post. I will drawing a winner on Monday :)

Finally my stitching plans for next month will, hopefully, see HAED Guardian being stitched on regularly again as Lisa and I are having our own UFO night again this time on Wednesdays. I really feel the need to get back to this again as I need a guardian angel of my own:) lol!

I hope everyone in the UK has a wonderful bank holiday weekend. It's typical bank holiday weather as it's raining and a bit chilly! And to all my friends in the US have a safe Memorial Day:)

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally xx

My Lovely Scissors :)

I had a very lovely pick me up through the post day today as I received the gorgeous scissors I won in Susan's giveaway. My picture really does not do them justice as they are so pretty and lovely to use. Thank you so much Susan. I plan to stitch this in pinks to match the scissors to keep them safe. I bought it the other week after seeing it stitched up on Su's blog.

No finishes in this post but I am moving along quite nicely with my WIPs. I laughed at the comments on my last post about the mermaid being buried in the garden on Shores!! I told Abi and when she looked she said " Mum have you run over her with the car?!!!" lol. Anyway now she is safe and sound in the sea, no more looking like she's buried!!! This block is almost finished and, hopefully, will be when I pick it up next time!

Barb, Hazel, Lesleyanne, Tracy and I started our Sampler Girl At Home with Jane Austen SAL last week and here's my start. I am loving this and this design will be the start of my Jane Austen wall :) I chose to stitch mine on 36 count flax linen and I'm using mostly DMC with a couple of Crescent Colours.

My Sampler Garden Casket is going well. This is the casket end and one side with the next end just started ( birds legs!!) I really hope I can do this piece justice when it comes to the making up!

Finally look at the cute little dragon at the bottom of this piece! Lol! This is Dragon Dreams Lost Dragon Sampler. I have actually finished this piece since I took the photo but will get it made up before I show it again.

And I'm afraid I had another small new start but no piccie of that either. I started a Shepherd's Bush needleroll!!

I was supposed to be going through to meet Chris on Friday this week but I've had to cancel due to not feeling well and as it was Chris had to cancel too so we'll rearrange for another time. We were both looking forward to it too.

Hopefully I will be back with my finished up dragon piece soon and maybe even a needleroll! Who knows!! Lol!

Take care everyone!

Hugs

Sally
xx

More Finishes!

Wahoo!!! I have two more finishes to show you today so I am well pleased! Plus two things that have been received so that takes my finishes so far this year to 57!!! Wow!

First of all here is my stocking all finished up and hung up ready for Father Christmas!

Bent Creek Christmas Carols

28 count raw linen

DMC

Started 7th November 2008

Finished 15th December 2008

Next finish is my BBD Loose Feathers which would have been finished on Sunday evening had it not been for the fact that I had a visit from the frog and had to rip out all the stitching I'd managed to do that evening on the left border! So I sat down on Monday afternoon and finished it!

Blackbird Designs Blessings and Kind Wishes

30 count R&R Olde Town Blend

DMC

Started 7th September 2008

Finished 15th December 2008

I decided to stitch a few ornaments for friends this year and I can show the one I sent to Julie as she received it yesterday. The funny thing is I chose this particular design from the 2002 issue of the JCS ornament magazine because I read on her blog that she'd taken a liking to PS Santas. The thing I didn't know was that Julie was stitching same one for herself! LOL! So she now has two!

Prairie Schooler Christmas Tree

Stitched on unknown fabric over one

DMC

For Julie

Next is the blogoversary gift I sent to Juls. I stitched the same for both Juls and Christine but Juls has green velvet ribbon around it. I heard from Juls yesterday that she had received it at last and likes it so I am happy!

Mary Garry Sewing Cabin Christmas Heart Pincushion

30 count R&R fabric

Carrie's Creations

The girls have picked a name for the lovely one and only snow white bunny that Julie knitted me for my birthday:) She is called Snowdrop so the winner of a little prize from me is Rachael! Rachael please email me your address and I will get something in the post to you in the New Year! Julie I hope you like her name:)

Last week I won one of Michelle's wonderful giveaways and on Monday I receieved my prize which was a Mill Hill kit called Warm Wishes Snowlady. I entered for this one because I just love snowmen so was delighted when I won. Michelle also included some Greek chewing gum and a lovely card. The thread you see in the photo was in a Christmas card I received from Ranae. Isn't it a lovely colour? Thank you so much Michelle and Ranae.

I think that's all from me for today. It's taken me ages to do this post and get the photos positioned correctly as, in light of the major security flaw in Microsofts Internet Explorer, I'm using a different browser and it seems to work differently to IE but it seems so much better!

Someone asked me about Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel and I can't find the comment and can't remember who it was! I am so useless! Anyway the design is called Merry Noel and Drema at Needlecraft Corner has it on her site.

Thank you for continuing to visit and to all those who leave comments:) They mean a lot to me:)

Hugs