Category Archives: conversion details

WIP Wednesday #275

Posted in Christmas, conversion details, cross stitch, goals, me, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Hey everyone! Look at this, a post with stitching on a Wednesday. Wow.

This week I’ve only dawdled on Fairy Idyll, severely unmotivated as I was worried about the event last Sunday. I have finished around with adapting Cathy Habermann’s Year in Chalk December chart to fit a specific frame, so here it is:

The original, available from 123Stitch
My version, in GAST chalk on Jade PTP Belfast

As for the event, it was my first competitive 10k, based on the Devonport Half Marathon. Si completed the half, just outside the time limit, and I completed the 10k just inside that limit at 1:51. My plantar didn’t give me too much grief (it did hurt at times, and I did cry when the site physio manipulated it after the event) but I’ve pulled up okay. Roll on Omaha in December!

WIP Wednesday #272

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, embroidery, freebies, me, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Hello everyone! Today marks halfway thru the mandated national quarantine program. My personal opinion is that lockdown will extend further, but we’ll see what happens. Good bless the media, they ask the stupidest questions in the daily updates from the PM (can we vote her in for life?) & are looking for holes. I’m over negativity.

This week, I’ve finished both Antique Celtic Sampler and the Hands On Design #bewellandstitch freebie that is featured on Cathy’s blog. My thread choices are shown in the photo.

I’m now working on beading the two Genoa Santa’s from the Mill Hill & Sandra Cozzolino team. I’m mowing thru my WIPs and that makes me happy.

Hope you are all doing okay. Talk to you Friday or next Wed.

I have a finish already!

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, Smalls SAL, stash cache app, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Hello everyone! My resolve for April is to be not as inwardly focused, so you should see a bit more of me. It was partially depression, partially feeling overwhelmed that lead to a quiet March, blog-wise. With what happened in Christchurch, while I wasn’t directly affected, it’s been a massive shock and I’m certainly not ready to articulate my feelings there. I will share more of our family time as there’s some scenery later on this month.

As you saw in my last post, I was in the red for SFS. Luckily one of the week’s “homework” pieces handed out yesterday in #magicalstitches was to choose a piece that was 75% done and work 300 stitches on it. I wasn’t actually sure that I had 300 stitches left but luckily – 409 including the backstitch! This is a portion of Little House Needlework’s Captains Inn (2007) on 28ct Haystack from Countrystitch, full conversion except for DMC blanc. Everything is in the Crescent Colours I’ve stashed, except for the sea is a Waterlilly & the anchor is DMC.

Original Used featured
LHN Captain’s Inn Sign
434 Roasted Chestnut sign
434 Fool’s Gold ship
CC Blackbird Hickory Sticks
CC Green Onion Eggshell
WDW Dolphin WL 229 Oasis
WDW Gunmetal 3768

WIP Wednesday #237

Posted in Christmas, conversion details, cross stitch, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, weight loss by

Hello everyone! It’s hump day, hooray.

Life update: I’ve been on antidepressants for three weeks now & had a check up yesterday. A lot of improvement in my overall wellbeing, my blood work was fantastic & I’ve actually lost 1.3kg (side benefit). I’ve got another check in 3 months & will continue with the meds in the meantime. I also went back to bootcamp this week…. mild ouch.

S

titching wise I frogged the initial start on Shakespeare’s Fairies by Mirabilia. Neither hubs nor I liked the fabric, so on Monday I went back to the initial plan of Urewera Mist and restarted. Much happier.

At work, I’ve finished the paper stitched version of Golden Tannenbaum by Mill Hill & started a plastic canvas version. Once that’s stitched, I’ll bead them both. Then onto a Santa!

Hope you all have a lovely week.

WIP Wednesday #228

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Hey everyone! After the interruption of #10ThingsToTellYou (which I think I will put in my personal Project Life album) we’re back to stitchy updates. And I have some finishes to share with you!

20180919_144008.jpgThe first is just the little notebook kit that I picked up from an Op Shop sometime last month. There was no chart but it was easy enough to follow the cover photo. It’s FFO’d by craft gluing the first and last pages of the supplied notepaper insert to the back of the covers, and ready to add to someone’s Christmas stash.

And the second is Mirabilia’s Persephone! I am leery of sharing her conversion details as right now, it’s all mine. I am still seething that someone took my colourway AND my re-charting of Andromeda’s face and didn’t credit me, but is all over the FB groups gloating about their blue ribbon win. I have blocked this person from my IG & FB & blog – that’s how peeved I am – and while I am pleased for her that her stitching was up to the high standard it obvs was, it’s not nice to see her take full credit when she was one to message me and ask for more detail…anyway. Moving on.

20180922_130420.jpgThis is on a very openweave 28ct milk chocolate linen, which thankfully had few slubs. It is mostly DMC, altho the Waterlillies in the background border are as charted. There is a mix of GAST and DMC in the hem, which was my biggest headache. If you are kitting her up, I recommend at least two skeins of blanc and the lightest two threads of the (originally) tealish green. While you could fudge a batch colour change, you wouldn’t really want to.

On my big frame right now is Fairy Idyll. The top third was stitched, and now I’m beading so that when I roll it up (protecting the beads with padding!) I know that section is done. There’s a mild colour conversion already as one of the greens was the colour of the fabric, and the pale pink/white blend was lost so my pinks are a bit more intense than charted, but otherwise so far the look and feel is as per the original. I don’t think I will change her gown either – that yellow looks like it might have been a flower before it became a dress – but never say never! This is on a pale green hand-dyed lugana from Countrystitch.

WIP Wednesday #223

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, family, goals, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

As you read this, I am enjoying the day off work, as our Primary school teachers are striking for better pay & conditions today. Mase the Ace has his bestie, Noah, staying overnight from Tuesday after school (his mum is a teacher) until rugby training today. I’m likely running on coffee fumes but also having a blast.

WIP-wise, I have been throwing a few hours into Persephone but also a couple of smaller pieces. I am feeling the need to accomplish and finish, so first up was the quick Portrait of Antique Vines. This is the 25th Anniversary cameo from Nora Corbett of Mirabilia designs:

My changes included changing out the white linen for a Crafty Kitten hand-dyed opalescent scrap that was in my stash (thanks to Lynne for including it when I brought some fat Q’s). I’ve omitted two of the three Caron Waterlillies, and changed out the other for 229. I was pretty careful to stitch down from the mirror top down one side then the other so that the blends matched vertically. Then some of the black beads are also omitted (most noticeably in her “crown” as I liked the younger appearance of just a tiara. I changed the beads to the petite black (42014 I think) to add delicacy.

Next up is my Mirabilia Mermaid Round Robin (on Countrystitch Cook Strait lugana). The missing piece was originally planned to be Enchanted Mermaid, but as her face is much larger than Waiting for Ships I’ve happily changed her out to Renaissance (which came out post my original plan). I’ll have to ask Stephanie (HI STEPHANIE!!) to help me work out the SFS credit, as I’ll have stitched two portions plus all the frames plus all the beads…

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Hope you all have a lovely week!

WIP (it’s Wednesday somewhere) #222

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, family, friends, grateful, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Yay! I had yesterday off work, and I spent the day in a totally self-indulgent way, reading, stitching or spending time with Mase & Renee while we watch a local musical production, The Wizard of Otahuhu! It was super clever & I’m grateful for the opportunity from Auckland Libraries to go. Mase wants to go again (sorry kid, Mama has to work today).

WIP-wise, I got stitches into the surprise Santa (& now I know the recipient is reading my blog, I can’t show photos until after she’s received it). I am tracking my anniversary Mirabilia purchases (have already on-sold the duplicates I ended up with) and working away on Persephone. I am doing the heavily confetti parts with the flowers as I STILL haven’t been to the LNS to pick up some silks for the hem.

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Hope your week goes well!

June WIPocalypse

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, goals, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse by

WIPocalypse is hosted by Mel at her blog http://measi.net/measiblog/ ; it’s my favourite SAL, mostly due to the host organisation (which is spot on), the range of topics & the wide variety of stitchers participating. There’s always something to oooh over! Click on the link to the right.

I haven’t posted in WIPocalypse since the March check-in, so here’s some catch-up.

April Focus:

  • Finish the Mira RR piece – done, & mine has come back!
  • Continue with the Satsuma Stocking – yeah, nah
  • FFO a 2017 ornament into a flat fold – again, nope
  • March Flosstube update – even tho it’s going to be very short! – I *think* I did something

June/July Focus:

  • Celebrate the return of the stitchy bug by recording something every day (only missed one so far)
  • FFO Mill Hill honey pots (almost done) – DONE*
  • FFO Trinidad Santa (backing) – DONE*
  • FO Celebration Santa (with greyhound instead of cat, as this is for Becs)
  • Look to stitch last portion of my Mira RR – POSTPONED*
  • Look at available beads for Mira RR – POSTPONED*

*as you can see, I wrote this post a week ago in prep, so I wouldn’t miss it again. I’ve actually knocked out the two mini FFOs and revised my Mira plans. Jocelyn from the FB group Mira Madness has started an event – 50 Days of a Mira UFO & I broke out Persephone, who had been in storage since May 2016. I *think* #50daysofPersephone will get us to the finish, especially as I’ve sorted out what thread type I will use for the skirt hem. Here’s a start, then a shot from yesterday:

STITCH FROM STASH – I had my first “no purchase” month in quite some time in May. This has gone out the window as Nora Corbett is celebrating her 25th anniversary with her Mirabilia designs. There is the usual monthly release (Alice), then the 25th Celebration piece (Lady Mirabilia, complete with butterfly charm), a booklet with an exclusive design (cameo) and five re-released OOP designs, of which I have attempted to purchase Seaside Kingdom & Lady of the Flag (which I will convert to Zealandia).  However as I don’t yet know and haven’t been invoiced, I *might* finish this half in the black, but I’ll be so far out in July! Never mind, it’s the thought that counts…

April – Talk to us about your longest-running WIP or UFO. For WIPs, that’s Tapestry Cat by Teresa Wentzler. At least three of my children are older, but I’ve had it a shamefully long time. I do still intend to finish it however. UFO – I have an American type village, Stoney Creek style, that I started on aida back around 1998/1999. Simon wanted it & but I lost the love. It’s languishing in a draw & my worry now is that my threads wouldn’t match. It’s about a third done, from memory.

May – Where do you love to shop for stash? This year I am trying to shop used or local. I am looking in Opportunity Shops, on stash clearance sites – I need to list the opalescent evenweaves that I know I’m not going to use. That might balance out my Mira spend too…

June – Tell us what you think the ideal stitching retreat would include. Food that doesn’t stain! Comfy chairs, heaps of light, unlimited stash fund. My children quietly occupied elsewhere on the cruise ship (cause I like stitching at sea!).

Hope you all have a lovely month – & I’ll see you Wednesday for my “normal” update.

WIP Wednesday # 217

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, embroidery, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin by

Whoa. I haven’t been around for far too long. Life has been super busy and I didn’t realise I’d let this slip. Sorry!

IMG_20180415_215221_667.jpgSo in the last month (since returning from Sydney) I’ve completed Gigi, on Melinda’s round robin. I will probably never buy Under the Seas 32xt opalescent for my own work – this was too tight for me, & I don’t like the unevenness of linen. However I like the mottled effect! This colourway is Yorrick.

IMG_20180417_183208_988Because I’m more than a little stressed I decided to start one of the smaller purchases from this year instead of heading back into Fairy Idyll. Lizzie*Kate’s are easy enough (there is a mistake here that I left in!) & this one whipped up in about 6 hours total. The colours are as charted except for the pink. I used a stash find for that one & didn’t even record it. What a rebel (insert roll eyes icon). It’s on 28ct Haystack Lugana from Countrystitch & I will probably op-shop frame it myself.

IMG_20180418_092158_004My next new start is enabled by seeing a Spring version completed on Instagram. This is Little House Needlework’s chart #112, the Summer Band Sampler (also a stash purchase this year). It’s on another portion of the same Haystack Lugana (I have enough left for Autumn). I’m using the fancy floss that I have to hand, rather than the suggested DMC & I’m kind-off changing it up as I go. I’m thinking of doing actual specialty bands as the divides, rather than the single row of cross stitch – but I’ll have to choose something narrow, as I’ve already cut the fabric. Oops.

February WIPocalypse & a Finish!

Posted in Christmas, conversion details, cross stitch, friends, goals, grateful, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

WIPocalypse is hosted by Mel at her blog http://measi.net/measiblog/ ; it’s my favourite SAL, mostly due to the host organisation (which is spot on), the range of topics & the wide variety of stitchers participating. There’s always something to oooh over! Click on the link to the right.

February 28 – Gadgets! Show us your favorite stitching gadgets! and How did you do with Olympic Stitching, and what goals did you achieve?

clover

My favourite gadget is pretty and simple – the Clover pendant thread cutter. Most planes won’t allow scissors but this negates the need & they are widely available. An unpicker would be a close second.

My “Olympic” goal was to get the rabbit, topiary and wings done on this RHS of Fairy Idyll. I wanted to be focussed on Bethlehem at work & Idyll at home.

Achieved! Last night (Feb 28th) I put the last few stitches into Bethlehem (for the SM “Christmas All Year Round” SAL). It’s on Silkweaver 28ct Goldspinner Opalescent Lugana as I imagined the Star to have illuminated the stable & surroundings as it says in Luke 2:9 “Suddenly, an angel of the LORD appeared among them, and the radiance of the LORD’s glory surrounded them…” I made some changes; the flowers didn’t fit my viewpoint, so they were gone; the smaller stars got lost in the opalescent, so they are gone; and the crow is now a dove (eggshell plus DMC 168). I’ve just realised I forgot to initial it – doh.

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And while the next RR piece arrived mid-month, I didn’t start it. I have until mid-April, so it will now become my home piece until completed. I carried on the focus on Fairy Idyll (she even came to Wellington & road tripping with us) and I got the RHS wing, topiary (less the Kreinik strands) and bunny completed. I even got some of the grass done along the base and am in a pretty good space to continue after the RR witch.

Fairy Idyll as of 01/03

SALS – For the Jane Austen SAL, I listened to Juliet Stevenson read “Sense & Sensibility” (the Jan/Feb choice) but as I am waiting on my LHN Bookshelf chart to arrive, stitchy progress is nil. So I didn’t meet the stitchy portion of the SAL, but not too worried. I’ll make it up when Bookshelf arrives. The next one is P&P – my favourite Austen.

Satsuma Stockings.jpg

For the SM “Christmas All Year Round” requirements, my next purse project was given to me by a co-worker in a not-so-secret Santa two Christmases ago. It’s one of the Satsuma Street/Jodi Rice mini stocking designs. I’m choosing to start with the reindeer and I’m subbing a few threads. We’ll see how it goes! Satsuma St patterns are available thru her Etsy shop – here’s the link to the Stockings https://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/472290722/mini-christmas-stockings-set-of-four?ref=shop_home_active_5

SFS – I’m still in the black! I did buy a couple of things from Stash Unloading but so far am being good. This may be blown as I intend to visit Crewel Gobelin in Sydney this month – don’t you just love that name?

Feb-18
Budget $25.00
Portrait of Columbus chart -4.75
Scent of Old Roses chart -10.86
Spotlight 3 DMC -5.07
LHN Bethlehem 16.15
Rollover $56.10
Total Available Budget $76.57