Tuesday, November 18, 2014

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

Monday, November 3, 2014

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