2017 WIPs

I came into 2017 with 12 WIPs. I was thrilled as I started 2016 with 17 WIPs. I will list them for you now in no particular order over the next few blog posts. 

1. Mini Alice and Snow White by Heaven and Earth Designs (HAED)

I am delighted to announce I finished this on January 9th. It will be framed and given to my daughter who loves everything fairytales especially the TV show Once Upon A Time. 

It is stitched on 25 ct evenweave using two over one tent stitch. 

 

2. Four Seasons by HAED

This is my HAED focus for 2017. I am currently madly stitching the second page of this for a FB challenge. This is stitched on 28 ct evenweave one over one. 

 

 

3. The Enchanted Mermaid by Mirabilia

I made this a focus from mid-2016 and have now stitched a half. It is much bigger than I imagined and takes lots of patience but I am loving how it looks! This is stitched on 28ct hand-dyed fabric by Chromatic Alchemy using two over two Threads. 

 

 

I will be back soon to post more WIPs. 

Jan xxx

2016 Finishes

Hello beautiful readers,

I am wrapt with my stitching productivity this year. Cross stitching has given me a buzz and made my working life and mundane areas of life easier to deal with. 

At the start of 2016 I had 17 WIPs. I finish 2016 with 12 WIPs. I have had 8 finishes.

Today I will share with you my Finishes.  

2016 Finishes

1. Prairie Schooler Alphabet- I love wrapping myself in this beautiful finish as I haven't framed it. It's just like a lovely large piece of cloth. I keep it draped  it over my sewing machine. I started this in January 2014 and finished it May 2016. 

2. 2011 Autumn Freebie called Fly Agaric by Chatelaine- started in 2014 and finished in 2016 stitched on 32ct Belfast linen in Antique  Gold.

 

3. 50th Wedding Anniversary Cross Stitch- I stitched this for my parents. It features a wedding photo and a current photo of the happy couple. The design is from Just CrossStitch June 2015. It is stitched 32ct Belfast linen in Antique Gold. 

 

4. Chateau by Annet Eriksen - this was started in 2013 and finally finished in December 2017. It is fully stranded black cotton thread stitched on hessian. I will see it into a cushion cover. 

 

5. Holiday Express by Mill Hill - started in September 2015 and finished in Dec 2016 for my son as a tree ornament 

6. Scottie Dog by Mill Hill- I started this in Oct 2015 and finished it December 2016. I gifted it to my mother for her Christmas tree.

 

 

7. Secret block I cannot discuss-ssshhh. All will be revealed later in 2016.

8. Christmas Fox by Vervaco- started in late 2015 and finished in December 2016. This is a cross stitch on printed canvas - 11ct. I fully finished it into a cushion. 

 

I will be back with a WIP update. Happy stitching. ....Jan xxx

Working on a HAED WIP

It is so devine to have the time to do daytime stitching during the January summer holidays. I love this more than anything in January. No school drop offs, no after school activities and for another 10 days, no work. Yay!

Today I stitched on a Heaven and Earth Design WIP called Mini Alice and Snow White. I started this Dec 1st 2014. I am up to page 10 of the large format pattern. It is tent stitched two over one. I am loving this. The parking method and PDF pattern keep me so organised.

                                 

Happy stitching...

Jan xox

HAED update...Treasure Hunt Bookshelf

Happy April readers,

I was drawn to start a smaller version of Heaven and Earth Designs (HAED) Treasure Hunt Bookshelf back in January. I am trying to stitch on it at least once per week as it is calling "stitch me, stitch me".

The Treasure Hunt Bookshelf artwork by the artist Aimee Stewart is one vibrant piece.  I am stitching a portion of the original artwork - Fox to Dragon.  It is the large format pattern. There are 24 pages.

I was delighted to finished the second column of page 1.  It is stitched using DMC threads on 25t Magic Guide Evenweave two over one. I am staggering my edges to avoid stitching lines in my work. What you see is the top left corner of a book (Quest of the Red Fox) in front of the midnight sky. I am parking my threads.

Hopefully my Easter break will be filled with many stitches.  Enjoy your Easter break if you celebrate it...
                                                                Jan x

My Top 5 HAED Tips...

Hi everyone,

I have been AWOL.  I had the beastly Summer Influenza (if there is such a thing) and it took three weeks of my life away.  I am so pleased to be back, stitching as madly as ever and back to blogging and floss tubing (another term for making cross stitch videos on YouTube).

2015 has seen me delight in stitching on Heaven and Earth Designs (HAED).  I have two on the go.

First up is the HAED Mini Alice and Snow White, artwork by Jasmine Becket-Griffith.  This is stitched on 25 ct Magic Guide Evenweave, two over one tent stitch. The pattern is the large format pages and have nearly finished the second page of 16 pages. I am so happy with how it is stitching up.  I have stitched the top of Alice in Wonderland's head and the hair of Snow White is starting to appear. It is a joy to stitch on. I started it on December 1st 2014.

HAED Mini Alice and Snow White

The second HAED I have started is QS (Quick Stitch) Treasure Hunt Fox to Dragon Shelf, artwork by Aimee Stewart. This design is part of the fabulous Treasure Hunt Bookshelf by the same artist and it is glorious. It is also stitched 25t Magic Guide Evenweave, two over one tent stitch. The pattern is the large format pages and I am stitching the first 10 by 10 column of stitches of the first page.

HAED QS Treasure Hunt Fox to Dragon

My Top 5 tips for stitching a HAED:
After failing miserably stitching a HAED several years ago I have worked out a way that works for me when stitching on them:

1. Pre-gridded Fabric
The pre-gridded 25t Magic Guide Evenweave purchase at www.sewandso.co.uk has been a lifesaver. It is a nice quality and not too stiff to hold. The gridding has helped me from some major mistakes and saved me hours from gridding it myself. I use a purple marker pen (ink disappears in a few hours) to mark the 10 by 10 grid (as the even weave is divided into 20 by 20 blocks).

2. Reading the pattern from an iPad 
My mini iPad has been so valuable.  I don't have bits of paper floating around me.  I bought the HAED pattern as a PDF and use PDF Expert Application to read my pattern from. I can enlarge the 10 by 10 squares which makes it so easy to see what stitch I am up to.

3. Parking Threads
Carolyn Mazzeo's video on parking is brilliant so check her channel out on YouTube.  I stitch on my HAEDs in 10 by 10 blocks working down a page.  I leave my threads (parking) in the next 10 by 10 block below if that colour is used in the next block. Parking allows me to continue using the same thread without stopping and ending threads so it is time-saver.

4.  Highlighting my Pattern
So I don't get confused I mark my stitching offs on my PDF pattern in the PDF Expert App with my finger with a pink dot.  That way I can keep track of my progress. I mark my parked threads on the pattern on the iPad using a yellow dot.  It is a good idea to mark the parked threads as it makes it so much easier to know what colour it is without doing lots of counting or colour matching to find out. With these types of patterns there are often graduated colours used so keeping track of which colour is which is easier if the pattern is marked.

5.  Starting a Thread- Front Loop Method
The reason I am using two threads to stitch my HAED with is for a selfish reason; previous tutorial on a loop method but it the thread is put through the loop on the front of the work not the back. The advantage of this is that one doesn't have to turn the work over or view the back of the work.  It is a very quick way of starting a thread.

I only want to start a thread using the front loop method.  This is similar to my

They are labour of love but I am so pleased I gave HAEDs a second chance.

Happy stitching and thanks for visiting...
                                                           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

It's "Super Moon" Wipocalypse Time...

Did you have the buzz talk about the "Super Moon" last weekend? Maybe this phenomena only happened in Australia. I had never heard this term before and suddenly I heard this term used the media 20 times in the one day! Well I wish this Super Moon had had some gravitational effect on my quickness with this squirrel picture, but alas it hasn't. It's just plodding along. The scrubbing brush is slowly appearing...I want to start on the pumpkins already! Yes I am being impatient.

Well I have come to a realisation.  I don't like stitching my HAED ("LOVE"by Marta Dahlig). Here are some reasons:
* it is really hard to get neat stitches 2 over 1 on 25 count (I am a perfectionist)
* my DMC thread gets very worn and breaks
* I cannot stitch it sitting on the sofa
* it is really hard to end the thread into the back of the tiny, tiny stitches

I think I will not continue it...convince me otherwise HAED lovers or offer any suggestions to get me back on track. I have done about 1/2 of the first page.

On a brighter note I have bought some patterns I have admired for a while -The Prairie Schooler Alphabet and have joined a blog site, The Prairie Schooler ABC Stitching Bee with fellow stitchers. I think I will stitch some of the letters individually especially the "L" featuring a deer - I am so into deers at the moment like the rest of the world. I also think I need to stitch a mermaid so "M" is on my list too. I don't have all of the letters but I am sure I will accumulate them over time.

Thank you for dropping on by and sitting in my garden...

                                                     Jan x

Updated theme-a-licious post...

It's unusual for me to blog in the evening. I usually do it in the early afternoon when Toddler Tom is napping.  Well tonight is different. I have been in my sewing room all evening listening to the cricket (Aus vs India 20/20 match if you are interested). DH has gone to work doing a night shift so there was no excuse to spoiling myself with lots of stitching time!

I have a finish to share. Lollies stitched on 28ct antique white linen. Another adorable pattern from Sweet Treats cross stitch book.

Tonight's stitching was too much for Bob...

I forgot to mention in my last post what projects will be my focus for Fangirl February, Theme-a-licious.  These projects are designed by my favourite designers.

1.  HAED: I will devote time to "Love".  I have nearly finished the top section of black on this first page! It will join up with the rows below it very soon. Click here to see what Love will look like when it's finished.

2. The Prairie Schooler: I will make a start on this Halloween sampler that I kitted up last year

3. Marjolein Bastin designs: I will keep plugging away at the English garden sampler

Have you ever lived so close to a walking track but never been on it? That's exactly why I was determined to do this bushwalk with my family today! It has been something I have been thinking about doing for ages. Sure I have been to the destination by car but never by this track.  Being in the Aussie bush with all it's smells and textures cleared by head. It got pretty exciting at one point when I was in the lead and apparently I nearly stepped on a whip snake. Luckily I was none the wiser until after the snake was well and truly off the track.

Thanks for visiting my garden....
                                                    Jan x

Am I photographing my stitching or my cat?

Bob (my blue British Shorthair) would definately say that the photoshoot is of him.  My stitching would say otherwise...

For those of us in the Southern hemisphere the school year and "after school" activities are reaching their crescendo. End of year concerts, assemblies and plays are scheduled to occur in the next two weeks in the middle of Christmas preparations.  You get the picture.  I've been up to my eyeballs in dancing costumes. At least there was a moment last week when I thought I had finished sequinning so worked on my MB sampler and on my first HAED.  Then I was pulled back into reality and found out there was another costume that needed sequins. Oh well, it will be so worth it when I see my DD's ballet group dancing on stage.

My first HAED "Love" by Marta Dahlig has been a learning process.  Unlike the MB sampler I have to sit at a table to do it as I working it on a frame using my two hands.  I also have to stitch with a light due to the small hole size - this is a first for me! I was getting bored with the black so started on some antique blue.  I am using 2x strands of DMC on 25ct Lugana. The holes are so much smaller than the 32 ct linen I am usually stitching on but I am adjusting to it. I am looking forward to spending more time on it over the summer break.

Sequins...

This week has seen me help organise some ballet tutus for one of the groups my DD dances in.  The end of year concert is fast approaching so I've been cutting and sequinning. 

My HAED is slowly but surely growing. The black is a large part of top left of the project. Luckily it's the only colour so far as I haven't looked at the DMC list. Steady she goes...

I'm working on the left side border of the MJ English sampler. Progress appears slow when working the borders.

Meet Mr. Hedgehog...

I have stitched another little on my MB English sampler. Mr. Hedgehog has come alive with his eyes and whiskers stitched in place.

Well I'm managing to do a little of my HAED. I think I'm doing the hardest bit first - BLACK. 25ct is so teeny tiny. Any tips for making it easier stitching black would be greatly appreciated.

The first stitch is in...

That's right everyone I have started stitching , my first HAED.  The rainy weather drove me to do it he, he, he. Like I needed an excuse! I have done about 120 stitches into my 25ct luguna antique white linen. All black DMC thread so far. I am doing it on an oak lap frame. I haven't used a frame for years. I've decided to train myself to do the two-handed stitching method with the frame resting on a desk. Hoping it is will quicker using that method.  I need to use my daylight lamp as those stitches are oh so tiny! I figured if I stitch on it everyday then I should progress with it nicely.

Marjolein Bastin is progressing well.  I have finished two seeds to the left of the toadstool and have half done the hedgehog.  I should have the hedgehog knocked off by tonight.  In Australia we don't have hedgehogs. We have echidnas instead.  

Thanks for visiting my garden.
                                                   Jan x

My First HAED!!!

I can't believe it.  I have purchased my first HAED (insert Happy Dance here).  "Love" by Marta Dahlig.  It is a completely different pattern to the ones I put in the HAED survey last week on my blog for your feedback. I found it by accident here while trawling blogs. As soon as I saw it I knew it was the one! 

As you can see, Gypsy Firefly was voted to be the most popular pattern voted by you, my readers. Don't be alarmed as I still love it and it will be my second HAED pattern.

Now to begin gridding my 25ct antique white luguna linen...