Category Archives: Smalls SAL

Wowzers! Be in to win!

Posted in cross stitch, embroidery, freebies, friends, grateful, High Five For Friday, me, Smalls SAL, WIPocalypse by

UPDATE 29/10/15: This competition is now closed.

When I started blogging I didn’t think that anyone other than family would notice. I’ve been blessed by your feedback and comments, and now I’d like to pay it on!

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The prizes are:
A Lizzie*Kate snippet, Cross Stitcher in Residence plus goodies
OR another snippet,  Stitching Forever plus goodies
OR if you follow me because I read & you read, I’ll custom make you a book mark. It could be the design pictured here, or something else that depicts you or what you read (let’s keep it pg tho!).

So to enter, you need to be a blog follower and comment below with “snippet” or “bookmark”. If you comment with bookmark, let me know what genres/authors interest you, or a cross stitch designer or theme of you prefer. I’ll post wherever so this contest is open internationally.

Three winners will be announced on October 27th, two WIPocalypses away from today.

Good luck!

It’s been 14 days since my last entry…

Posted in Smalls SAL, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse, You Can Quote ME by

PeedoInstead of being all busy and achieving heaps while Si was away I was knee deep in cleaning as all three boys went down with this tummy bug. I copped it twice and was absolutely wiped out by Wednesday, when he came home. We had a very quiet birthday for Mase (he was six on Sunday) & have plans for his school friends party in a fortnight.

In this time I’ve missed a couple of WIP Wednesday’s (wouldn’t have mattered, I didn’t have the energy to read, let alone stitch), YCQM, a Smalls check-in and a WIPocalypse. It was my question this time around too!

So here we go:

SMALLS: I worked on the Reindeer Parade (Blitzen is coming along but I can’t find a decent photo) & a NZFB RR piece. This is Angela’s selection:

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WIPocalypse: Topic: What makes you pick up a long-abandoned UFO rather than beginning a new piece? I’m genuinely interested in catching up with the answers on the blogs this month. I tossed up on Saturday about what I should do now, in that gap between finishing Angela’s RR piece and receiving the next of the Mira RR, and I ended up picking up my second oldest WIP, the Teresa Wentzler Tapestry Cat. Poor old TC was my Christmas present to myself way back in 2005 or 2006 and I’m telling myself that I must finish this before she finishes charting Illuminata (race is on!) because otherwise how will I justify purchasing a new chart?!

I am trying to find a new leaf outline thread – the ones on the right in the image are as charted, the top one is the current thought. I just want them to be more defined – what do you think?

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YCQM: I’ve managed to be more Serene than not while Si was away, with the exception being the Screaming Teen’s night time antics. He just won’t stay in bed! I can’t tell you how many times he woke me by watching TV in the lounge which really, really wound me up. Now I’m back at work I am enjoying waking him up for a change.  And isn’t this the truth?

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WIP Wednesday

Posted in family, me, Mirabilia, round robin, Smalls SAL by

So I screwed myself over when I said I’d possibly have a finish by now. The whole family has had one bug after another (I’m hoping that B’s vomiting last night is due to something he and he alone ate!) and I didn’t pick this up for three days. Still hoping to have a finish by next Wed, the Smalls check in date.

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I also fell in love with the new Mira release, the Raven Queen. She’s on order now.

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I did Mase’s reading with him last night (he usually does this with Grandma). He’s reading early chapter & nonfiction already!

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June WIPocalypse and WIP Wednesday

Wow, WIPocalypse already! Time just seems to be flowing by. Sometimes I feel like I barely have time to breathe before diving into the next thing & I wish it would all just slow down a little.

Since the last WIPocalypse check-in, I’ve had some wins. Now seems like a good time to go over the May goals:

Nice to do’s:

  • Finish the stitching & beading on Mediterranean Mermaid DIDN’T PICK HER UP AT ALL
  • Sort out what my next big Mira will be STARTED THEN FROGGED ROSE OF SHARON; STARTED PERSEPHONE

So the June goals are:

  • Complete Ali’s April & May prompts for One Little Word
  • Print out the last 10 days before Christmas & journal to complete my December Daily for 2014
  • Complete my portion on Debbie’s RR (mermaids!) which will probably also double as my Small
  • Complete the hair portion of Persephone (it’s a lot of confetti, more than I anticipated)
  • Layout & complete my portion for the new New Zealand FB XS group RR (only four to a group, fast)
  • Complete Med Mermaid’s tail beading

Do you find yourself more productive with stitching in summer or winter? I’m about equal. In the summer I spend more time outdoors doing family stuff but I offset that against stitching while on the road (Si is one of those men, it’s my job to pack lunch/snacks and book the accommodation & find highlights on our route). In the winter there are always at least two nights a week that I don’t even think to pick up a needle due to exhaustion or mucking around with the kids’ training or a really good book. I binge watch recorded TV twice a week (my binges are pitiful, they amount to 2-3 episodes of whatever I’m loving right now) and stitch while watching.

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Today is also WIP Wednesday for me. Here’s my new start, Mirabilia’s Persephone. I had started Rose of Sharon, then frogged when I realised that the fabbie wasn’t going to be big enough. It will do for the NZ RR which I’m playing around with now. Thinking Mira (surprise!) with a horizontal layout, four heads divided with a peony tree in the centre. Or four reindeer, but I am stitching these anyway…oh, I don’t know! What do you think?

Jacqui’s RR is done!

Posted in Nora Corbett, round robin, Smalls SAL, stitching patterns by

And three weeks before deadline. I’m so pleased as I can now focus on other stuff without feeling any guilt.

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It was stitchers choice of the Nora pixies; I chose Daisy. I’ve not stitched her before but she went fairly quickly in about 16 hours tops (from choosing the chart to beading). I did scoff at Jacqui’s note about not being able to count, so she is 30 * 72. Whoops. But I am going to count her as my Small for May.

Here is the piece as it will leave me next month:

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Now to focus on finishing Stargazer’s beading before Debra’s piece arrives!

First of May, first of May…

Posted in Mirabilia, round robin, Smalls SAL by

I won’t complete the line from an old Jilly Cooper book in case it offends anyone, but today is (for me) one of those earworm days. I also have the same experience on the 4th, only it’s Luke etc saying “May the Fourth be with you”.

I know. You really needed to know that.

I thought I would trial listing my goals for the month. If I crash & burn, it’s likely to be the last goal list, but here goes nothing.

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  • Complete Ali’s April prompts for One Little Word
  • Print out the last 10 days before Christmas & journal to complete my December Daily for 2014
  • Bead the night sky on Stargazer (which is only 4-6 hours at the most!)
  • Start & finish the C fairy for framing; it’s the MIL’s birthday in six weeks so this is priority!
  • Complete my portion on Jacqui’s RR (hoping it’s leaving Scotland today/tomorrow) – second priority
  • Chose & stitch a “Small” for the Smalls SAL

Nice to do’s:

  • Finish the stitching & beading on Mediterranean Mermaid
  • Sort out what my next big Mira will be

So that’s just three starts this month (one being a Small, and one being not much bigger as our limit was 2500 stitches) and hopefully four stitching finishes. Sounds doable.

WIP Wednesday & Smalls SAL check in

Posted in freebies, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL, stitching patterns by

Hello!
I’ve been very busy, in between painting the house, refereeing the brats, work and the cricket world cup (& amazing laugh filed brunch with stitching girlfriends) but I’ve completed my Small this month.

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This is a Joan Elliot design from the same book as the Orient piece. Much nicer to stitch! This is on a simple 6*8 frame for Sarah, one of my work mates who has a gorgeous garden. It’s her birthday on Sunday and I wanted to give her something special.

I’ve decided to stitch the rest of the bead stars on Stargazer. I’ll pick up some invisible thread to do that with. In the meantime I started one of the free cherubs from the Mirabilia site.

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I’ve changed the background colour from 310 to 823. So far I hate the hair colour but let’s see how adding more colours changes it. I’ve already frogged a section due to cricket excitement so that’s not a problem anymore.

I’ve also tentatively decided what to stitch for the Round Robin. I’m very lucky as Zeb is lending me some of her charts to snip some small portions from. As of today, this is how I look:

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What do you think? I am short one section still…

WIP Wednesday

Posted in grateful, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL by

Does anyone want to welcome me back? Four days of migraine & I feel like it was four weeks. I had no end of FB notifications, emails etc – if you sent me something, send it again as it’s a big blur. However yesterday I sort-of felt human again & was up and about. I completely regret missing Z’s 12th birthday party but I can tell you that cricket balls against your window are not conducive to a fast recovery.

I finished the stitching part of my Small for the month (reveal is set for the 25th; if I showed you something now I’d have to get something else done before then!) and the beading on Stargazer’s dress. I did the large star but I’m not 100% sure if I want to do more, to be honest. Right now I am living with her in daily view so I can make a decision later. There’s no rush; she is for me so I don’t really care if that portion of the design is done or not. I am keeping the chart tho (I normally swap so I can a) keep my stash manageable & b) stitch something else I want to do cheaper) as I plan to do her again in 10 years or so!

Med at March 9, 2015

Because DD still hasn’t arrived in the mail I pulled out a WIP last night. My “hospital” piece, the Mediterranean Mermaid. Last night was some confetti, the backstitch around the urn/hands (yes, that bead is not as charted) and a bit of working out where I was up to/where I want to go next. I sort-of have to finish her in the next block; the pattern’s already promised to a friend & they have been patient! Far more patient than I am 🙂 I love how the BS around the skin suddenly made it pop. Sorry about the spooky eye tho. Promise I’ll get onto that this week.

So a quick trip to Spotlight for a couple of DMC threads (I’m in a hurry and annoyed that I don’t have them to hand) and another order to Elizabeth at http://www.stitchnz.co.nz as I have changed the beads charted – again! The perils of not using the original fabric – something’s usually got to give.

WIP Wednesday

Posted in grateful, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL, stitching patterns by

I decided not to pick up Orient during my wait for more Stargazer supplies (impatient much?!), and decided even more not to start another bigger project. Instead I started my March small. Three evenings in and here it is:

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Sorry for the angle; at 2030 last night I wasn’t exactly thinking straight. This is the Joan Elliot design Joy of Gardening that was in the same book as Orient. I altered the “he” to “she”, because the intended recipient is also female & I know for a fact the other half is the designated hole digger/path maker. Anyways, it’s a quick design and you can’t tell where my count went out by a square. I think this one will be a finish this weekend, once the birthday parties are over and done with. Threads as charted except for the onions (the other colour didn’t stand out on my beige Lugana) and over 2 on 25ct. I was tempted to change the robins to tuis but I don’t know if they are in the recipients garden. Maybe next time – this is one I will stitch again. Even the border looks good – simple but effective. I’ll use that on something else too.

I’m seriously thinking that after Stargazer I might try one of the freebie Mirabilia designs in a tent stitch, 2 over 1. I also think I might be nuts. But I do know I don’t want to do a full cross over 1 again, as Arezzo languishes in the drawer unfinished. I was going to pull her out over the “summer” but then I put her straight back again. I really should just sit down with her while the cricket is on the telly.

What are you working on today?

Smalls SAL + WIP Wednesday

Posted in Mirabilia, Smalls SAL, stitching patterns by

I’ll confess straight out. I didn’t finish my small this month. I finished the stitching but I didn’t get brave enough to tea dye it like I planned. I have enough of the thread to test; does anyone know if DMC variegated is colourfast? Like the last small, this is on 25ct lugana, over 2.

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Souvenir de France, a Blackbird Designs freebie

In other news I HAVE NEARLY FINISHED STARGAZER! And as you can tell, I’m a little excited. Just two more hours I think of stitching then to compete the beading. I’m swapping out another of the colours as it looked very very wrong on my fabric (Jennie & Zeb concurred).

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Isn't she gorgeous?

And lastly, the current bane of my life, Orient.   I’ve spent some time with a working copy and a pen and I’m fairly confident I won’t stuff it up again. All that purple needs to be frogged then I can start again on the fan. I guess this is my rut piece. I might just move onto week three’s portion of the chart or finish the border. That at least should be idiot proof. Hush up there in the cheap seats!

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Orient, week 2

M has started on his first kit, a little owl he had fun choosing. I hope he enjoys the process – I made sure to buy him a needle threader for the next steps. Z sometimes picks up his piece but right now its all about the cricket. Next month it will be all about the league! He might finish that car before he’s 21 (house joke).