Category Archives: Smalls SAL

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.

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 #210

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, embroidery, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash by

This week has seen virtually no stitching. I am mentally tired; we have been flat out renovating in the small refereeing window, both at home (the main bathroom) then from Monday, the MIL’s lounge/dining space. I am missing my two youngest, who are living it up in Invercargill with Grandma & Aunty Sharon (and Han Solo, the cat that thinks it’s a dog). I am reading garbage quick romances; anticipating the return to work as being refreshed. Sadly, I’m still ho-hum about it all.

Stitch from Stash – I finished 2017 in the red, thanks to a payment bouncing & a quick trip to the sale table at Ribbon Rose. However the money was confirmed in my account on the first, so I am starting 2018 on a high.

Dec-17
 Allowance $25.00
StitchNZ disct DMC -21.00
RR Fairy Idyll beads -52.00
Rose Of Sharon RR 12.14
Jamaica Santa #1 & #2 20.00
MH Believe 20.00
L*K Today’s Good Mood 9.94
Rollover -$113.09
Total Available Budget -$99.01

20171214_220410Smalls SAL – for December I finished the Jamaica Santa’s – they are so cute! One for me, one for Louise. I plan on completing the set at some point in 2018. I’m not going to participate in every month’s check in for 2018, altho I have enough Cozzolino Santas to keep me going!

Pass the Stash –  Heather B was the only one to enter, stating that she’d give coal to anyone who didn’t believe in Santa! Congrats Heather – please get in touch so I can post the chart & remaining beads/threads to you.

 

Hope everyone has a relaxing week – if you’re still on holiday, enjoy it for me!

2017 WIPocalypse In Review

Posted in cross stitch, embroidery, lavender & lace, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL, stash cache app, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler by

When I look back at my January post, I think “you plonker”. I was far too ambitious!

The rotation plans were loosely worked around the following:

  • StitchMaynia’s monthly SAL e.g. Feb is “fandom” SOMETIMES
  • StitchMaynia’s colour SAL (this is only on the 15th of each month). SOMETIMES
  • The Never Ending Band Sampler. NOPE
  • The Magazine SAL. NOPE
  • The Round Robin piece, whatever it is and whenever it arrives. YEP
  • Focus on a Finish – whatever needs completing from the above or a current WIP that is nearly there. Mermaids of the Deep will be high on that list. UH HUH, REALLY? FOCUS?

Going into 2017, I had the following starts (listed in age!!):

  • TW Tapestry Cat (Dec 2006!) WORKED ON IN 2017
  • Semco Toy Story Sampler (October 2013) STILL RESTING
  • Nora Corbett Arezzo (March 2014) WORKED ON, FROGGED, WORKED SOME MORE, IN TIME OUT
  • Mirabilia Persephone (May 2015) BARELY WORKED ON – JUST A COLOUR DAY
  • Nora Corbett Blitzen (as part of my reindeer parade, Rudolph started in July 2015) FINISHED Blitzen, started Prancer
  • Mirabilia Mermaids of the Deep Blue (December 2015) FINISHED
  • Mirabilia Raven Queen (January 2016) NOPE, RESTED ALL YEAR
  • Tamara Blackwork (September 2016) I THINK I WANT TO FROG THIS ENTIRELY
  • Never Ending Band Sampler NOPE
  • Lavender & Lace Celtic Winter (December 2016) A FEW STITCHES ONLY

While I got some new starts & finishes in 2017, most excitedly the Mirabilia Andromeda, I think that I will work on focus pieces for 2018, and dribble in the odd new start that I have kitted. I’ll ignore the SM & SFS themed SALs except where my focus piece matches the theme e.g. in the FB Teresa Wentzler group (also run by Mel!) January is animals, April is nature & both of those would match Tapestry Cat. I’m taking the two-monthly Jane Austen SAL and I’m going to mix & match different pieces to make a unique sampler of quotes & icons. More on this in the next update!

So my focus pieces for 2018 (given that I want to end in the black for SFS also) are in order of attention:

  • Mirabilia Ashley’s Roses RR section (Dec 2018)
  • Semco Toy Story Sampler (October 2013) – Zac will be 15 soon, & this needs to be done before then! But first I have to hunt it down…
  • Mirabilia Fairy Idyll (September 2017) – Gail has loaned me the chart, & I want to return it in 2018
  • TW Tapestry Cat (Dec 2006!) – because it deserves progress
  • Mirabilia Persephone (May 2015) –because I want to get thru that skirt!
  • Jane Austen SAL (December 2017) –because I want to keep up with the readings

I’m going to throw in a few Small & Medium pieces, along with the Mill Hill Santa kits that I already have (Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Barbados, Trinidad, Venice & Genoa, remembering that I do two of each of these)

  • Lizzie*Kate Don’t Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle
  • Lizzie*Kate Wise Men Still Seek Him
  • Lizzie*Kate Coffee Time – Today’s Good Mood (already started)
  • Fancy letter P (I forget the designer)
  • Little House Needlework’s Bethlehem
  • Plum St Sampler’s Patriotic Freebie

I’m going to try to limit my purchases also. Any planned stuff must come from a local supplier, no more overseas blitzes! I’m also pulling out of an international sales group (most participants wouldn’t post to NZ in any case) & removing myself from mailing lists. Wish me luck!

WIP Wednesday #209 & #passthestash

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, embroidery, freebies, grateful, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Woot! I have had a bloody good Finish week. Both Jamaica Santa’s are FFO, one on my tree and one ready for Aliese; and even better, Believe is an FFO as well! I found a funky frame at Living & Giving (it’s by Umbra) that was cheap, as one piece of glass was broken. You’re supposed to put the photo between the two pieces of glass, but instead my sandwich is the perforated paper, glass then a piece of thin, sturdy card. Doesn’t it look cool?

IMG_20171216_201857_557IMG_20171216_201857_55820171214_220410

I’m also very, very pleased to have nine (now ten!) stitched pieces on display.

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My work piece therefore is new – it’s one of this year’s Lizzie*Kate Coffee Time designs. I’ve even coffee-dyed 28ct white Lugana to suit, & I’m using the Gentle Art threads I used for the Mia Mermaid. They aren’t very variegated but they are nice to work with. Progress shot next week!

What this means is that Believe is ready to #passthestash. I use a working copy, so the chart is pristine. The leftover DMC floss & beads are included; some will definitely be enough while others will need to be sourced/exchanged for what is in your stash. Entries are open from now until New Year’s Day 2018 & I’ll get Mase to randomly choose someone next week.

Comment below – do not mention the word G I V E A W A Y or I will delete. Let us know what you would give to someone who doesn’t believe in Santa!

WIP Wednesday #208

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, DIY home, family, me, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

It’s been a busy week. My mind is alternating between frantic & lazy, so I know I’m about to reach the end of all my tolerance.

Since last Wednesday, my Twitter #nzsecretsanta parcel has been checked into Santa’s warehouse, & bonus! The one that is coming to me is also checked in. Mase won Player of the Day at Tag; and celebrated finishing Goldfish #3 at swim school with “play” day, or what the teachers would call survival skills. Ben, his teacher, is off to Massey Uni next year as he has been accepted into Veterinary school. Mase’s sentiments? Hmm. I finished the last colour of Believe – and would you believe it, going back thru my planner I saw that I started this in January. That is how much I have hated stitching on a big piece of perforated paper! We had the school concert last night, finished painting the bathroom (I can hear Elizabeth’s “about time!” comment lol) and I am nearly done beading the second of the Jamaica Santas.

There will be a #FFO dance this weekend, folks.

WIP Wednesday #206, WIPocalypse & SFS

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

WIPocalypse is a monthly check-in SAL hosted by Mel over at measi(dot)blog – click the icon on the right to be taken to her blog. You can now also find us on FB!

Stitch From Stash is also a monthly check-in, hosted on FB by Stephanie, Ms Oh Sew Crafty on IG, blogland & YouTube.

So let’s get the shite part over with – I am officially well in the hole and very unlikely to get out this year. I *may* be fine in 2018, as I have fabric or kits now for a number of starts I want to do, plus I am in total love with Fairy Idyll. I am definitely more aware of what I am spending and doing a lot to avoid impulse buys, which I guess could be counted as a success.

Oct-17
Allowance $25.00
FB Dreamer/Watergarden -24.96
Hospice – JCS pile -2.00
NO FINISHES  
   
Rollover -$56.97
Total Available Budget -$58.93

 

IMG_20171101_054205_092.jpgThis month’s stitchy focus was Fairy Idyll, altho I also wanted to finish the two Jamaica Santas as my travel pieces. I started beading last night on those, & I’m happy with my progress on FI so far also. Those pinks, while they look like the charted pinks, aren’t. But the lightest colour, a blend of 819/blanc, looked too pale on the Applemint fabric, so I’ve increased the intensity. And I used my stash for that (bonus point, Stephanie? LOL)

I am still waiting to stitch on two of the round robin pieces – which would increase my SFS balance but take away from FI. I should chase those up – I believe they are both in Scotland.

November goals:

  • Leave Fairy Idyll as the focus piece
  • Bead & FFO both Jamaica Santa pieces
  • Bead & FFO Mill Hill Autumn Harvest Honey Pot pieces (started yesterday at work)

Question of the Month – How did you begin stitching? Both my grandmothers were crafty, especially Nana, as she was a farmer’s wife, but a big influence was Auntie Mick. She’s not my “real” aunty, but a great aunt a couple of times removed, but she was huge in the needlework world at the time. Te Papa, our national museum, has some of her work archived. See this post: https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5m51/mills-marjory-hinemoa

Next posting date: November 26, 2017

Topic for next time: What finishing style have you never tried but would love to do?

As an additional blogging question this month, I pose to you:  Do you have any plans or instructions for your stitching projects and stash for after you’re gone? Not really! I don’t have a local stitchy buddy and none of my children are as focused on stitching as I would like. Hopefully the stash will go to the local rest home & the finished pieces will be kept by the kids in memoriam.

#craft31days This one’s all about the Smalls

Posted in cross stitch, embroidery, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL by

Hey Heather & crew! This one’s for you… & if you want to follow along, click on the image to the right.

In September I had an amazing Smalls month, finishing an adaptation of Hawaii Santa, & two of the Florence Santa (one will be for my Lou, to go with her growing collection). And I started Jamaica Santa, again doing two at once. This is Z’s idea to ensure I have one for us, and don’t get bored with the chart & forget to do the second.

You will also see I’m using this as my kick-off to a version of #write31days, a semi-annual blogging prompt. My goal is to do something crafty every day & on most days, have this something being at least a thread on Fairy Idyll. As yesterday was the first, here’s my end point for about 6 hours overall work:

WIP Wednesday #205, WIPocalypse & SFS

Posted in cross stitch, friends, goals, grateful, lavender & lace, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, WIPocalypse by

IMG_20170927_082813Well – I *might*have blown Stitch From Stash. If I spend nothing more & have no finishes, I will end up at $16.03 at December, which is a very small amount indeed (if we are calculating the whole year, which thankfully we’re not, I’d be at -$88.49 & not in credit until April 2018!!). But it is OK, as I am happy, & unlikely to spend heaps between now and January except on the odd skein or two. Gail so very kindly loaned me Fairy Idyll!!! I have been wanting to stitch this 1996 chart for ages, & couldn’t find it for love or money. So I brought a piece of Applemint Lugana from Catherine at Countrystitch especially for it. This needs to be my focus piece until I complete her. Luckily there is plenty to hold my interest & keep me going!

 Monthly Allowance $25.00
Hospice – MLI Shepherd -1.00
Hospice – JCS pile -2.00
RR Spend -91.00
Fox Collec. Mill Hills -53.84
Countrystitch Applemint -42.60
SELL MLI Blueberry 5.00
Mia Mermaid 15.35
Hawaii Santa Conversion 10.00
Florence Santa x2 20.00
Rollover $56.12
Total Available Budget -$58.97

And this month I finished two of the Florence version of the Mill Hill Renaissance Santa’s, & then found that the Fox Collection sold them MUCH cheaper than the LNS. I’m talking ten bucks cheaper per item, people. Now, I work retail so I understand margin & if it had been only a couple of dollars, I wouldn’t have brought from the online. But overall twenty dollars is substantial.

And I also spent $91 at the LNS, on fabric, Thread Heaven (before it disappears entirely), speciality threads (Waterlillies are ten dollars each here), beads etc. Thank goodness for the finishes I had!

This month, in addition to finishing Mia Mermaid, Hawaii Santa, Florence Santa x2, I also started the Jamaica Santa for International Talk Like a Pirate Day, worked on Nantucket Rose’s tree canopy, finished Blitzen (except the ribbons) is done on my Reindeer Parade & I started Prancer. And of course I managed to work out the start point and did four threads of Fairy Idyll last night (Simon has discovered Taskmaster, & it’s hard to do a new start when you are watching something interesting and laughing you’re a$$ off). So far this month I’ve only had one day where I didn’t stitch at all.

Topic of the Month: Which floss (or colour of floss) do you absolutely adore and want to stash constantly? I’m really only buying thread as I need it. It’s too expensive to stash, but I have recently started using and loving GAST, so if I had a few extra dollars, I’d be buying that, & probably in blues. I really need to finish that Persephone in blue…

Note: SFS is a closed facebook group hosted by Stephanie (Ms Oh Sew Crafty). Registrations for the first part of 2018 will be opening up later this year. WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi over on her blog and in facebook. Click on the link to the right to be taken to the blog.

WIP Wednesday #204

Posted in cross stitch, family, Smalls SAL, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Yay! Most everybody got back to me after last week’s announcement (& a bit of social media nagging). The only person who didn’t was Carol, for Poppy Field. So, without further ado, I’ve redrawn this via Random Number Generator, & congrats to ANNE SHAW!

I’ve mostly been stitching at work during breaks, or while travelling. None of my big projects have grabbed me, altho I have put a few more threads into Nantucket Rose over the weekend, and so I’ve been working on two versions of the Florence Renaissance Santa, by the designer Sandra Cozzolino for Mill Hill. One on the perforated paper that comes with the kit, and another on clear 14ct plastic canvas. One for Lou, & one for me. It was Zac’s idea that I stitch both at the same time, as I haven’t created the second of the ones I stitched last year nor the two from earlier this year, & I think it’s worked. I’m up to the beading!

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And because yesterday (here in NZ) was International Talk Like a Pirate Day, I started both versions of Jamaican Caribbean Santa from this year’s series. Arg, me hearties…

20170919_134622.jpg