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

Happy Saturday stitchers! My Saturday has suddenly had its plans all changed. Instead of scrapbooking with my friends I am stuck in bed with a virus and fever. Never-the-less I will enjoy the rest from everyday life and hopefully bounce back onto my feet soon. I have uploaded another stitching progress video to my YouTube channel, thread garden. It shows progress on my Bothy Threads Cut Thru' projects and the Prairer Schooler Alphabet. Enjoy! I stitched more on B is for Blackbird on the Prairie Schooler Alphabet with my friends on Thursday night. The top half of B is stitch heavy so hopefully it won't take so long to stitch the lower half.

My friend, Samra, agreed to let me post a photo of her project. She is stitching it on Antique White Zweigart 36 count linen, two over two. She is stitching 4x letters across by 7 rows. She has stitched the letter box (which is usually the last block but in this case her first), D is for Drum and E is for Embroidery. Don't you just love her blocks. Isn't her first block with the stitcher in the centre so pretty?

I hope you all get lots of stitching time in this weekend, Jan x

Weekly Roundup of cross stitching progress...

Big news here! I have finally bought a Qsnap needlework frame, the 11 inch size, after reading about so many stitchers using them.  I tried them for the first time on the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle last night and I could see why everyone was raving about them.  I love how the frame holds the fabric taut and that I can rest it easily on my body to stitch two-handed.

Despite a busy week with daughter Mary's birthday and sadly a funeral, I have made stitchy progress on some of my cross stitch WIPs especially in the last 48 hours.  You can see my progress "LIVE" on the link below if you love videos:

YouTube Weekly Roundup #4 video link

Shepherd's Bush 2007 stocking
18 ct linen

On the Shepherd's Bush Christmas stocking, I have added the wise man's bottle of myrrh (I had to look up how to spell it LOL) he is holding. 

And I have completed the border on the Little House Needleworks "Bringing Home the Tree" Christmas ornament.  I only have a few details left in the main picture and it will be ready to sew up into an ornie. 

Little House Needleworks
Bringing Home the Tree
40ct linen

Thanks for wandering through my garden (with an umbrella as the weather is showery today)...

                                                                                    Jan x

Project Growth!

Hello happy readers and welcome to my Sunday post full of news.

I want to update you with Block 1, Shores of Hawk Run Hollow, by Carriage House Samplings.  The ocean and rocks have grown since the last blog post which you can view here.  It has been slow as I have only spent about 4 hours on it.  I guess it is not always on my radar as a project to work on. Do you have projects like that?

I have uploaded another video to My YouTube channel.  Making videos has been a fun challenge.  I have learnt an awful lot about making and cutting video clips.  Suddenly my almost teenage son, Jack is very useful with sources of information and help for tips and tricks with movie-making and YouTube, even if he still doesn't know how to stack the dishwasher or turn it on.

I like videos because the projects go from being 2D to 3D and I can add a little more information on them that I wouldn't necessarily write about.

You can check out my latest video clip on the link below.  I show my progress on four cross stitch projects:

thread garden's Video Clip

Finally, I have decided to dedicate this blog to cross stitch only so have started another blog to document my crafty life.  

You can spy on my new blog here:

crafternoon garden blog

Thanks for wandering through my garden today and watching me plant my tomatoes bushes (yes, I have really planted tomatoes today)!

                                                    Jan x

Pre-Christmas Cross Stitching and Video!

Remember on my last post (here) I promised I would tell you about a new stitch I have started. Well here it is! 

My husband is the only family member without a Shepherd's Bush cross stitched Christmas stocking so I have started one. 

I have chosen a King/Wise man.  The colours are rich burgundy, greens, and golds adorned with delightful charms that include a sun, crown, whale, fish and beads.

I have just uploaded a Pre-Christmas video on YouTube you can view on the link below:

thread garden YouTube video

During the filming of this video Three Year Old Tom had lots of fun playing with his Shepherd's Bush Christmas stocking.

You can buy a similar pattern from this link here. I have stitched this one and love it!

Enjoy your weekend. I hope you have a happy one!

                                                                           Jan x