2014 musings...

2014 has been a big stitching year for me.  OMG moments have been the constant this year as I learn yet something else about stitching. Who knew there were so many tips, tricks and techniques out there to form those perfect little cross stitches?

What are my Top Five Cross Stitch Highlights for 2014?

5. Cross stitch Facebook groups have only become part of my life in the last 6 months. Not only am I enabled to improve my stash but my stitching knowledge and new friends has made this a daily part of my life.

4.  Railroading when I stitch to make them neater (thanks MrsMilkbyBarKid from #FlossTube). It involves splitting the thread with my needle when I make the cross so the threads lay flat and side-to-side.

3.  Front Loop Method for starting a thread (thanks Carolyn Mazzeo from #FlossTube) has transformed my starts. I now longer have to turn my stitching over when I start a thread.

2.  Giving Heaven and Earth Designs (HAED) a second chance has really paid off. I had a major fail with a HAED 2 years ago. I have started a new HAED recently and with tips from again MrsMilkyBarKid (you know who you are) it is a success.

Drum roll...for my top moment please...

1. My cross stitch friends- you!!! I have a soft spot for my Blog and for reading your blogs too and will never stop enjoying the beautiful, friendly community of blogging. A big thank you to you.  Losing SoCal-Deb a few months ago only highlighted the strength of our beautiful community.

I have also really enjoyed the cross stitch YouTube community (affectionately known as #FlossTube) has been the bigbuzz of 2014. I reckon it is a community that is growing in a huge manner on a daily basis YouTube. There is a library's worth of information on there. Watching contributors takes you into their homes and gives a personal viewpoint on stitching progress. The interaction is different to blogging and it cannot replace it. There is a place for all types of social media. I will never stop blogging permanently (sure there have been a few dry patches over the years) as I value the blogging community so much.

So what do I have planned on the stitching front in '15?

2015 New Starts:
1. Mirabilia SAL  The Enchanted Mermaid January 1st start
2. Chatelaine pattern - Mini Castle
3. Chatelaine design - 2011 Autumn Freebie Fly Agaric
4. Purple Stitching - Classic Book Spines
5. Bothy Threads - Kings and Queens
6. HAED - Treasure Hunt Bookshelf Fox to Dragon 

2015 Works in Progress - I plan to finish during 2015
1. Prairie Schooler -Alphabet
I am currently stitching K is for Kitty.  11 down, 16 to go!

2. HAED - Mini Alice and Snow White
I have almost stitched a full page in a month so lets hope I can keep up this progress.
3. Heritage Sampler Company - I Love London
4.  Annet Eriksson's Passion for Stitching Chateau 

2015 Works in Progress - not necessarily finish in 2015
1. Bucilla - A Touch of Gold

 

2. Carriage House Samplings - Shores of Hawk Run Hollow
3. Designers Forum Needlepoint Rug
4. Country House Needleworks- Santa's House
5. Dimensions- Promises Kept

Other 2015 plans:

 I am also doing Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge in 2015 (DUCJC2015) which will feature many of the above.

So what do you think of my list? Am I dreaming? 
Happy Stitchy New Year to you all...

                                                       Jan x

HAED Start...

Hello lovely readers,

If you celebrate Christmas, I hope it was fabulous. My Christmas was busy (my knees feel the pain today from standing in the kitchen for hours) but it was enjoyable.   Now to the fun part of the year - Summer school holidays.  Mind you, I am still working but at least not doing all of the usual stuff related to being a mum (which mostly involves taxiing children to and fro).

I started my a Heaven and Earth Design (HAED) on December 1st as part of a stitch along (SAL) with a Facebook group.  There were no other SAL rules apart from starting December 1st.  I chose a mini HAED called 'Mini Alice and Snow White'. It is tent stitched (only half crosses) on 25ct Magic Evenweave using 2 strands of DMC floss over 1.

I am thoroughly loving stitching this! How refreshing to stitch on something different.  I have stitched about 1600 stitches.  I am using a parking method I learnt from a YouTube channel by the delightful "Carolyn Mazzeo".  Check out her parking video if you want to find out who she parks.

Great excitement yesterday as my gorgeous hubby surprised me with a mini-iPad. I am going to use it as my pattern guide.  I mostly use PDF patterns but instead of printing them I can read, enlarge and  highlight on my iPad using an app.  It is working so well and I have only been using it for an hour today.

I have posted a video on my YouTube channel showing how I started the HAED on December 1st. If you are interested in Heaven and Earth Designs you might like to see my fun.



Thanks for stopping by today.  Have fun in stitches...
                                                                               Jan x

My Slow WIPs...Turtle Trot SAL Update

Howdy lovely blog readers,

Turtle Trot SAL 2014
I signed up for the Turtle Trot SAL (Stitch-Along) run by BAP Attack at the start of the year.  This SAL is about nominating 10x WIPs to work on once per month and posting their progress on the 10th day of each month.  I was religiously doing the SAL every month until June 2014 when I made the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle my focus piece so I could finish it. As I live in Australia I have been posting on the 10th. I didn't realise until recently, there was a spot on BAP Attack's blog, to link my page back to the Turtle Trot SAL. I think this is because I was looking her blog too early living in Australia (it is the 10th when only the 9th across much of the world). So I have missed all of the link opportunities this year so will just have to do it again next year.

Now that I have finished the castle I can give some loving to some of my slower WIPs.  I hope you enjoy the before and after photos.

1. Shores of Hawk Run Hollow by CHS
I have continued stitching on Block 2 this month which is an under the sea theme. The fish are very cute swimming amongst the seaweed.

Before:

After:

32 ct ivory linen two over two

2. I Love London by Historical Sampler Company
I have had fun stitching this border while travelling in October through New Zealand. This will be a January focus piece - I hope to finish the border and sew it into a pillow.

Before:

After:

32 count  white linen stitched two over two

3. Shepherd's Bush 2007 Christmas stocking

Hooray I have a finish! The stocking is now sewn together using a burgundy/black star cotton fabric. Everyone one in my immediate family now has a Shepherd's Bush Christmas stocking.  This is for my hubby. Let's hope Santa fills it with some gifts. 

After:

11ct linen stitched with No 5 Pearl cottons

4. Annet Eriksson's Passion for Stitching Chateau 
No progress

5.  Christmas House by Bucilla
No progress

6. Designers Forum Needlepoint Rug
No progress

7. Country House Needleworks Santa's House

No progress

8.  Bucilla Touch of Gold
I have shown this some loving recently and have stitched some more of the background. I am treating this as practice for my HAED (Heaven and Earth Designs pattern) I am starting on December 1st in the HAED SAL. The muted colours are so feminine.

Before:

After:

Stitched on 28ct mushroom even weave two over two

9. The Prairie Schooler Pumpkin Patch
No progress

10. Promises Kept by Dimensions

I also started stitching the two horses on this project. You can see a grey horse facing it's black horsey friend.

Before: 

After:

Stitched on 16ct Aida

Cross Stitch YouTube Update

It you enjoy FlossTube (cross stitch updates on YouTube) you can see my latest video about my finishes and WIP progress can be viewed here:

IT Help Needed
I am so frustrated with Google Plus! It is constantly converting my status when I comment on blogs. It converts me into a "no reply" commenter which means bloggers cannot reply to my comments as it has unlinked my email address. I am so sick of it I have stopped commenting on blogs as it takes me half an hour to change it back again. Anyone who has a simple way of converting it back please share!

Happy stitching…

                        Jan x

Around the World Blog Hop and Finish!

Hi everyone,

The lovely Sarah in Stitches nominated me to write do the Around the World blog hop.  I met Sarah online about 2 years ago. She is the first person I have ever known who lives in Dubai.  I love that our cultures, landscapes and weather can be so different but we can still connect through our hobby - cross stitch. We are not so different after all. 

I live in Hobart Tasmania, a small island off the mainland of Australia. It has a harbour and is overlooked by a beautiful mountain covered in snow (even though we are only a month off Summer)! 

The view from my home of the River Derwent with the Tasman Bridge.

What am I working on?

If you have been following my blog and YouTube channel  (Thread Garden") for a while, I know you are going to all immediately say the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle. It seems to be my signature piece. I cannot say I am working on it anymore, as I proudly put the final back stitch in it yesterday. I have to now wash it and then sew on  three gold stars before getting it framed.

Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle stitched on 16ct light blue Aida

So now I am going to madly work on other WIPs before the HAED SAL (Heaven and Earth Designs Stitch Along) and Mirabilia SAL starts in December and January respectively. The  projects that will receive focus are a fairy WIP called Touch of Gold by Bucilla - see below. 

Bucilla "A Touch of Gold" stitched on 28ct "mushroom" even weave

My new signature piece for my blog and channel will be the Prairie Schooler alphabet.

Prairie Schooler alphabet stitched on natural linen 36ct using DMC threads

How does my stitching differ from others?

There are so many different designers and styles of cross stitch out there that my work differs because of the designs I choose. I think I have eclectic tastes loving samplers to fantasy designs, fairies to traditional. I also love typographical designs.  I sometimes change a few colours when I stitch a design or don't follow the instructions 100% so that makes my work unique. Also I might finish them in a different way than the designer might have suggested.  

Why do I create what I do?

Like other women in my family we cannot keep still. I always like to be busy and keeping my hands busy allows my mind to escape and relax. I would find life very boring without cross stitch.. 

How does my stitching  process work?

I stitch for about 2 - 2 1/2 hours per evening. As I am a mum of three children I can only occasionally stitch time during the day (mostly weekends or school holidays). I am a member of two delightful stitching groups so have local stitching friends which is an asset. When I am not working I am often thinking of cross stitching, looking at it online or daydreaming about it. 

Unfortunately I could not find any recipients to pass the banner onto so to speak. If you haven't done this tag consider yourself nominated. If you do it, tell me and I will come over and check it out. 

Happy stitching...

                     Jan x 

A Finish and A Castle Update...

Hi everyone,

I have a finish!  I enjoyed sewing charms and beads onto my hubby's completed Shepherd's Bush Christmas stocking last night. This is the 2007 "Brett" stocking.  It is my fifth SB stocking I have stitched and one of my favourites.  My hubby is delighted.  He enjoys the religious story of Christmas, so stitching a King rather than a Santa was perfect for him.  The robe is stitched in the most gorgeous rich Weeks Dye Work threads.  The stocking is stitched on 11ct natural linen over 2 threads.

I will now take the stocking into my local needlework shop who will sew it into a stocking. I sewed two of them into stockings myself previously, but wasn't 100% happy with the second one I did. I am now happy to offload that part of the project.   When the stocking is complete I will post a photo of it with the others.

It is time for a Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle update also. I am so close to finishing it that it isn't funny. Probably only 3-4hours of backstitching left.  I have been surprised at how much I have enjoyed the backstitching.

There are so many funny characters in this design which keeps me entertained as I stitch.  Like the man reading the news on the toilet, the poor old fellow in the catapult and the bird almost struck by a wayward arrow.

Happy stitching all...
                        Jan x

The First Row is Complete!

Hi everyone,

 The last few weeks has seen my family and I travelling through New Zealand. What fun it was to ski, jet boat and adventure in that awesome land. Snowy mountain peaks seemed to be everywhere on the south island. I adored trekking around the township of Hobbiton, featured in the movie The Hobbit. I want to go back to that place where cottage and veggie gardens and quaint antique garden furniture adorn the little hobbit holes! I have put together a little photo collage of Hobbiton for you. 

Today I have uploaded a little video featuring me on a flying fox at Lake Tekapo in NZ. The video also shows my latest cross stitch haul. I hope you enjoy it!




 I was very happy to put the last stitch in I is Indian today. This is block number 9 of the Prairie Schooler Alphabet. This means that I have finished the first row! I started this project late January 2014. I am hoping to finish it by the end of next year. It is stitched on 36 count raw Belfast linen 2 over 2 using mostly the recommended DMC threads.

The next block, J is for Jack O'Lantern is perfect timing for Halloween! Happy stitching all..

 ...Jan x

Castle Progress. Almost there!

Progress over the last week:  the before photo is on the left and after photo is on the right

Great news. I have finally joined Instagram. My account name is: threadgarden  I have been posting lots of videos over at "FlossTube" (aka YouTube) also.  My channel is called: "Thread Garden".

How's your stitching week been?  

                                                  Jan x

Hello readers,

My anticipation is high this week as I come towards the end of cross stitching the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle.  Only a small section of the final page remains. I will of course have to tackle the back stitching then but that shouldn't take too long.

To remind you, it is stitched on light blue 16ct Aida.  Last week saw me add fish to the moat, water (in a pretty variegated thread) and seaweed.

Time for a WIP update!

Hello readers,

Since my last post, I received Happy Mail from Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  I won the Easter Blog Hop.  Jo sent me a gorgeous handmade Goody Bag filled with delicious Jodyri hand dyed Thread and a chocolate. Thanks Jo for bringing a smile to my face! I don't have any Easter themed stitching so she enhanced my stash with a delightful Easter pattern also (not in photo).

The Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle is stitching up fabulously. I only have a page and a little left then will finish it with the backstitching. I am trying to focus on this so I can finish it very soon.  I am currently stitching the cellar and the cell.  The prisoner is about to make a jail-break so that will be a fun part of the pattern to stitch! Such a story is told in this design.

The Prairie Schooler Alphabet is going well also! This is an inspiring stitch done on natural 36 ct linen. In the photo I have almost finished G is for Garden (which is now finished).  Next up is H is for Honey. Also pictured below are some finished blocks, E is for Embroidery and D is for Drum.

Gosh cross stitch is exciting! So many patterns to enhance my stash and to start. I couldn't help buying three patterns in the latest Heaven and Earth Designs sale naughty me.  Did anyone else succumb? I have to stop myself.  Right, stitch those WIPs then move onto the next pattern.  I am being v e r y  s t r o n g.

Happy stitching until next time...
                                             Jan x

June WIPocalypse update...

Hello happy stitchers,

My needles are still warm from all of the stitching I have done on my two main projects (my WIPocalypse stitcheries) over the last few weeks. The full moon has come and gone and I am late posting. Sorry!

 The Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle is sporting a tower and staircase (on the left side of the cross stitch). I have almost finished my sixth page so am two-thirds finished.

The Prairie Schooler Alphabet has become my other WIPocalpyse project.  I have almost finished the 6th letter, F is for Friend.  Such a sweet block featuring two ladies holding hands between their neighbouring homes. Only 21 letter blocks left after this one (yes, I can count - there is a 27th block at the end of the alphabet so that it can be stitched in 9x3 format).

 If you would like to see and hear me chat about these two projects, you can view the video below from my thread garden YouTube channel:

 

Measi, who hosts WIPocalypse  posts a question every month to answer on our blog post. This month's question is:  Have you ever been to a stitch gathering such as a retreat or a festival? 
I have been to plenty of scrapbooking and quilting retreats but never a stitching one. Maybe one day! 

Thanks for coming by my garden...
                                                  Jan x

June Turtle Trot update...

I am definately late for this posting! There has been so much on, particularly with my 15yo daughter's  school and future pathway planning meetings about school next year. She will be in Year 11 in 2015, which means a change in school and the studies suddenly become more serious. Yikes! Since when did my daughter get so old?

BAP Attack is hosting Turtle Trot 2014.  This is my June update.  I hope you like following my progress. This Turtle Trot allows me to focus on a few WIPs each month. 

Since May 10th, I have made progress on three of the ten projects on my list.  I am really happy with the progress (despite only working on 3x WIPs) as I finished Block 1 of my first project, The Shores of Hawk Run Hollow.

1. Shores of Hawk Run Hollow by CHS

Hooray! Block one is completed and I sure do love it. My 4yo boy, Tom loves the lighthouse a lot!

Before:

After:

2. I Love London by Historical Sampler Company
I have stitched up the double decker bus! It is the last picture in this scene. Now for the fun border.

Before:

After:

3. Shepherd's Bush 2007 Christmas stocking
I stitched more on the buildings and the border below the sheep.

Before:

After:

4. Annet Eriksson's Passion for Stitching Chateau 
No progress

5.  Christmas House by Bucilla
No progress
6. Designers Forum Needlepoint Rug
No progress

7. Country House Needleworks Santa's House

No progress

8.  Bucilla Touch of Gold
No progress

9. The Prairie Schooler Pumpkin Patch
No progress
10. I movedAlpThe Prairie Schooler Alphabet out of this Turtle Trot into my major project list. 

If you like videos, then here is part 1 of a video I have filmed for my YouTube channel "Thread Garden" which features some of the above projects. Part 2 featuring the other WIPs will be up on my channel very soon.

Happy stitching…

                        Jan x

Stitching fun...

Hi stitchers,

I have been working more during school hours over the last few weeks, giving school children immunisations. I have had a less time for blogging as a result -sorry! I am sure the children liked seeing my face at their schools - NOT!

Also there has been no end of drama with our boys in our household recently with Tom (my 4yo) breaking a bone in his forearm (at the supermarket of all places) and 13yo Jack being sick with pneumonia. Luckily both boys are improving now.

I have had loads of fun stitching on both of my main projects.  The Bothy Threads Cut Thru' castle is progressing well.  I love the tower which I am stitching.  A stair well is next up in the tower.  I bought  a washable pen to try marking the 10x10 squares to make it a little easier to stitch (especially so I don't muck up the counting).   I have 3 1/2 pages left and counting (plus all the backstitching of course).

The Prairie Schooler Alphabet has been growing. I have almost finished stitching E is For Embroidery. What a pretty block that one is the a pretty cross stitched embroidery in a frame with a pretty lady, scissors, needle and cotton reels adorning the block.  Just another 2 hours of stitching left then I am starting F is for Friendship.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today...

                                                      Jan x