Category Archives: stitch from stash

Five for Friyay #9

Posted in cross stitch, family, Five for Friyay, grateful, me, stitch from stash by

Here we go. December already? My not-so-little Miss is 29 tomorrow. Time flies, I still remember that little button nose and the sweet new baby smell. Awww.

My week.

So..The carrot experiment was an abject failure.

Ray’s made some amazing pen holders/ort containers. I’m keeping a grey one and the other four are for sale.

I survived the Black Friday fortnight sale and it was with a lot of glee that I grabbed balloons and popped them. In a box, so I didn’t have to clean up. I’m not a complete idiot! It was actually very therapeutic.

Geraldine’s now got a wreath crown, I’m thinking of adding battery powered candles. Isn’t that a tradition somewhere?

I finished a pair of earrings for my Secret Santa recipient. I now need to FFO the stitched item and get it all out in the post. Deadline is next week.

I found Coffee Quaker when cleaning up. Thanks to pattern keeper, I’m now just over 50% even tho it’s over one. What was I thinking?!

And the end pieces are Peanut. She had a vet check today, her second vaccine shot and to see if she’s gaining weight (half a kilo in 3 weeks) but her urine is abhorrent. We have a special litter to use and to get a sample out, but do you think she’s using it??? She is letting me touch her again tonight (I thought she would be awful after the vet) but she’s stubbornly holding it all in. What’s the bet she’ll pee as soon as I go to bed??? Oh, and they think she’s only 6 months old. That seems awfully young to have gone thru all she has.

Five for Friyay #8

Posted in Five for Friyay, grateful, growing, me, Mirabilia, sport, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, work by

Hello everyone

“There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you, and there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.”

Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can’t Avoid

Sorry for the long delay in writing – life has been a bit chaotic. I can’t remember if I mentioned before, but we (Si, his mate Dave & I) got roped into running a Tag module at the local league club (it’s like rugby league, but without the tackles. Look up NZTFI on youtube or google). Honestly, it’s like hearding cats, except my cats are better behaved. There’s also the new software learnings, and one thing I have definitely learnt is that my teacher doesn’t understand it either. Never mind, this is what Google is for, #amiright ?

I am in a period of going out into the world, and this too is hard work. I hate having to sell myself and interviews and all that. Loathe it. But it has to be done; you can’t moan about something and expect change if you are not prepared to work for it.

But onto the YAY for the week. I have used Duolingo over 100 days consecutively, and am in the Amethyst league. I got nearly 400 stitches into my Princess Elliana (Mirabilia) conversion, but boo, still haven’t found the colour change notes. The babes reached 18months, so I wrote a wee love note to Charlie Meowse on my IG feed. And I cast on a new project for work, and have learnt that I am a yarn snob as acryllic is ick. The end result however will be so freaking cute…

So there’s my five. Hope your week was good, and your week ahead is even better.

Five for Friyay #5

Posted in Five for Friyay, grateful, me, stitch from stash, work by

This week has felt heavy. I feel like there are so many things that I *should* be doing, and instead am doing nothing. So here’s a list of things that I did do, just to balance out that feeling.

Check out the bod on Bazza!
  1. I went to work, and did a bloody great job of it too.
  2. I learnt to combine colours in a knitted piece, and along with that, mattress stitch and now a Russian join. I’m knitting Barry the Puffin, from @knitforvictory on IG/etsy/ravelry. He’s so freaking cute. I’m using Toft charcoal and cream, and the blue/yellow/orange are from Leith’s stash as I only need tiny bits.
  3. I found an app that lets me load my ravelry purchases (yes, multiple purchases) and include stitch counters for each part. Row Counter on my android phone, but it’s also available for iOS here https://rowcounterapp.com/
  4. The Sky receiver is fixed (hopefully for good, as I’ve had 4 techs out now) and they gave me a decent credit for the time without the use of the service.
  5. Voting is now open in the General Election! I am hoping that the polling is wrong, as I do not want a National/Act government. While our family would in theory be better off with the tax cuts, it’s scary what public services they will cut to fund this AND I am worried about the families and those in the low income brackets. I find that the older I get, the more left leaning I am.

August WIPoclaypse Update

Posted in cross stitch, embroidery, family, friends, goals, grateful, me, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

Kia ora! Sorry for the delay again – because again I’m sick. Sick enough for 14 days antibiotics and a week away from work.

I’m so very pleased to report that the First Annual West Auckland World Cross Stitch Day for Hospice West Auckland was a success! We raised $425 for the hospice team which is just a small drop in their $4M funding bucket, and we had a good day out. Special thanks to Zeb, who helped me secure the space and talked me off the ledge the night before; to the staff at Te Atatu Community Centre & Library for the free use of the room; the 34 women who came with open hearts and wallets; Grant, obvs, for being the only bloke and the team at Hospice outreach for the convo. Very special thanks for my boss Jon and partner Si for the goodies for the raffle and munchies. Mum’s piggy bank was stuffed full!

From the bathroom doors at the library

I completed Karla’s pukeko (purchased last month, see @orderlystitching on IG) and am eagerly waiting on the next issue, a Ruru (owl). I have an idea that I will join them together as a lap quilt somehow, which would be a nice way to make something useful that’s also handmade.

I worked on Aimee Stewart/HAED Treasure Hunt Fox to Dragon shelf, completing nearly 2000 stitches. My monthly total is the highest since April and well over expectations, even with work and now being sick. Post-covid, everything knocks me for six, dammit.

I’ve also completed 1648 stitches on Rogue Dragon and am just about into the last 20%. He’s an easy stitch, being over two on 25ct confederate grey lugana, as opposed to the latest start, which is on a fabric zip pouch that came with a stitching box from the UK a couple of years ago. It’s a bit of a squint fest but will look oh so good when done. The design is Pumpkin Blossom, a cute wee inquisitive bird from Blackbird Designs. It’s in the Autumn trilogy book.

Counting people among us may have worked out that technically I’ve started WIP 24 for the year. According to the rules, which I never really read thru, if you finish a WIP on your 23 in 23 list, you can replace it. This is a massive loophole as I haven’t even touched some of the WIPs on my original list, but yeah. I’m rolling with it. I purchased the Lan Arte secret SAL kit, so that will be my September start. I’ll also have an overlocking start and finish, as I have two Saturdays next month in a class; and lastly a long/short stitching class with Auckland Embroidery Guild and Jo Dixey. Jo completed an RSN apprenticeship, went onto more things and is by all accounts a wonderful tutor. She’s @dixeysoul on IG. I’m really looking forward to that class (which is now full).

Other side of the bathroom door at the library

WIPoclaypse Update

Posted in cross stitch, family, grateful, me, Mirabilia, stitch from stash, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse by

Kia ora! I’ve had a MONTH and coffee has been in demand. The weeks seem to run by quickly, and my weekend (Friday and Saturday) even faster. WHY???

Creatively, I’ve been all over the place. I did add on an eight finish for the year, Nora Corbett/Mirabilia’s Christmas Elf Fairy although mine is definitely not a fairy, as I’ve omitted the wings. I have also fussy cut the thread to give her pink-ish cheeks, changed the beads on the tree, changed the trunk on the tree and cursed a lot at the Whisper thread. Situation normal, then.

I have finally started a Jeanette Douglas Design, her Seasons by the Sea, after having the Autumn chart in my stash for years. A fellow NZXS member on facebook finished hers and I jumped at the opportunity to buy her leftovers. There are multiple changes here, so that this reflects the culture I live in, and woop! Jeanette herself said that she loves that I am making it mine.

I am knitting – SHOCK – and the girls (Leith and Nicole) have sorted out my tension issues and I guess I’m about a third of the way into a soft cowl. The wool is from Leith’s stash, an 8ply hand-dyed that is very close to a Malabrigo that we stock at Ribbon Rose, and it’s on 5mm needles. The plan is to finish it like the Rowan freebie Twisted Ridge with big buttons https://knitrowan.com/en/products/twisted-ridge-cowl?taxon_id=1476 and have it with my hoodies etc on the football field. Being raspberry tones, the likelihood of my children stealing it is slim to nil.

I’m also mapping out the main design for the Christchurch Retreat in New Brighton in April next year (I’ve been asked to create a matching biscornu as well as lead a class on construction), and I’m prepping for the World XS Day that I am hosting in a fortnight. Eep! I have so many things to do there, not least wrap some spot prizes and do a Costco bakery shop the night before. Luckily for me Si is very good about helping out with things that float my creative boat.

Stash enhancement included Karla (Orderly Stitching) Pukeko kit. According to my family these are my spirit animals, and I have a few gifts over the last years that show off my family’s sense of humour. Those gifts sadly slowed down since I jumped on board with it tho ☹ I guess it was more fun to be taking the mick? I also brought a needleminder from her – she makes these in acrylic and wood – and this one is the Pattern Hoarder. Karla’s site is www.orderlystitching.co.nz and she specializes in Aotearoa’s animals and birds. Her kits are well prepared and labelled, definitely a chore that some bigger companies could learn. I’ve also re-ordered her Thread Drop Winder as it looks gorgeous and is very practical.

Speaking of family, Lou has chosen her wedding dress. She’s going to look WOW. Also her dad and I will be blubbering messes.

And speaking of having a small cry, I was upset to see the time has come for Teresa to close her sites. Her complex signature designs – no-one else can match her – were such a part of my teen and early stitching years. I have several smalls that were gifts from others in the various exchanges and I’m grateful that I have so many others of hers in my stash pile. Including three copies of The Castle, before I learnt the value of using the Stash Cache app! I guess we all are getting older and there’s a time to slow down and be selfish. I just didn’t want it to be now. Thank you Teresa, and God bless.

February WIPoclaypse Update

Posted in cross stitch, family, goals, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

Kia ora.

Since the last update, Auckland has been hit again by more bad weather in the form of Cyclone Gabrielle, although not as bad as the floods, but it’s certainly added to the issues; and other areas of Aotearoa are hard hit. It’s been several weeks and the search & rescue has turned to recovery and clean up. We don’t yet know the full extent of the damage and loss of life, as some areas are still without power and communication abilities, and we’ve been warned to expect more weather events. This is more than a little scary, TBH, as our environment is changing around us.

On the positive side, Si had a birthday and we realised that it was also Gotcha Day for the babes. Hard to think of them now as needing so much assistance, they rule the roost and provide us with purrs, hugs, licks and the occasional hiss.

I kind-of ignored some of the challenges this month. They were a bit much for me in this state, so I worked on what was calling to me and if I could fit that into the WIP Warriors or Magical Stitches, cool. WIP Warriors Scattegories was J (eep) this month and that has been a challenge.

I do have two more goals achieved:

  • FO Hissed Off (Silver Creek)
  • Get to 50% of Strawberry Fields Forever (Blackbird Designs) – SMASHED THIS and finished.

I’ve also stitched on the following this month:

  • Mini Cliffhanger (838, now 28%)
  • Letter P Fairy (212, now 14%)
  • Happy Bunny by the Trilogy (new start, 677 stitches)
  • QS Treasure Hunt Fox to Dragon Shelf by HAED/Aimee Stewart (new start, 3042, 3%)

Overall in February I stitched 9385 stiches, which is less than January, but I did have several non-stitching days due to a fatigue bout.

On the stash enhancing side, I ordered two more Blackbirds to go with Strawberry Fields, being The Long and Winding Road and Yellow Submarine. Who doesn’t have an earworm when reading “yellow submarine”?! Another piece of haul is Mary Hickmont’s Feline Fancy as I saw a finish in the NZXS group, and the cat was very similar to our Charlie Meowse.

I forgot to answer the January question which was If you have been to retreats, what are your must-bring items and supplies? I’d say needles (guess what I forgot the other day), my Ott light, and a couple of different projects. And items for the #passthestash table.

February’s question is What stitch-a-longs (SALs) are you participating in this year? I’m about to start the NZ Embroidery Guild SAL, which is mostly embroidery and is based on Dunedin imagery.

Hopefully March is an easier month on us all, weather and stitching-wise. Stay safe, stay well.

January 2023 WIPocalypse Update

Posted in cross stitch, goals, me, stitch from stash, WIPocalypse by

Hey everyone! I hope you have had some sun wherever you are – it was late arriving for the “summer” holidays here in Aotearoa, so late that I was joking we missed it in the lead up to Christmas. Unfortunately January has also brought in some pain, as B farewelled a school friend (very hard to do at 22) and a family friend drowned and another has passed due to cancer. Please, please – take care of yourselves and your loved ones. The city has also lost four people in the horrific flooding that’s taken us over.

Right. Stitchy stuff.

I have completed one goal in my annual list!

  • FO Seas the Day (Hands on Design)
Seas the Day, Hands On Design, GAST – Weeks conversion.

Seas the Day was completed on January third, while we were travelling State Highway 35 around the East Coast of the North Island.  I have found a frame too and just need to re-colour it.

Other pieces that have been worked on this month include

  • A Stitch in Time (825 or 41.86%)
  • The Letter P Fairy (429 or 9.09%)
  • Rogue Dragon (757, now 70.06%)
  • Seasonal Trilogy Autumn (400, now 10.49%)
  • Strawberry Fields Forever (2623, now 49.67%)
  • Tournee du Chat Noir (4559, now 15.79%)
  • Jim Shore’s 12 Days (474, now 29.43%)

Strawberry Fields has become my go-to stitch, as it’s mostly GAST and Weeks, which I love, and there’s a bit of repetition. Perfect for binge watching – we’ve done Wrexham and all the Broadchurch this month, and there’s been a lot of cricket. I’ve also put most things into Pattern Keeper to make it easier on myself, but that 12 Day’s number refers to only days 3 & 4. That’s all I’ve re-charted right now. Days 1 & 2 were completed prior to March 2021. In total I hit 11038 stitches, well over target.

January 2023 – WIPocalypse Begins Again

Posted in cross stitch, embroidery, family, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

Hi everyone! I’m back for the seventh year. It’s the most committed I’ve been to any SAL & I put that down to the pressure free, encouraging environment that Melissa hosts. If you’re a crafter, please join up either on your blog or via the Facebook group – we welcome all enablers!

If you’ve not read from my blog before, I’m in my late-40’s, a working mum to four (ranging from 28-13). I am book-mad, often found stitching & listening to podcasts or audiobooks, or training our three kittens. We own our home near the base of Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges & can often be found working on it, walking on the beach or in one of the many beautiful parks Auckland boasts. I’ve been hand stitching since before I was 10, can’t knit an even scarf or crochet to save myself and don’t often pull my machine out, although I did master zippered project bags & bagging out a waistcoat last year.

Stitching-wise, this year I am doing a combination of WIP Warriors 23:23 and Magical Stitches. It’s going to be a bit of a struggle to connect some tasks with a limited list, but I would like to get some things done in 2023 that have been hanging around for a while.

Year Long Goals:

  • Complete panels 3 to 6 of Jim Shore’s 12 Days
  • FO and FFO A Stitch in Time (Hands On Design via Quilts & More magazine)
  • Complete 3 houses in my Mill Hill collage
  • FO Hissed Off (Silver Creek)
  • FO and frame the Klimt Tree (Nora Corbett’s Patreon)
  • FO and frame the Letter P Fairy (Nora Corbett)
  • Get to 50% of Cliffhanger (Aimee Stewart/HAED) – currently 24%
  • Start Nightingale (new Mirabilia, ordered)
  • FO and frame Rogue Dragon (Nora Corbett’s Patreon)
  • FO Seas the Day (Hands on Design)
  • FO and FFO the Perennial Pinwheels (Hands on Design) – separated to three designs.
  • Get to 50% of Strawberry Fields Forever (Blackbird Designs) – currently 8%
  • Get to 20% of Tournee du Chat Noir (Lesley Anne Ivory/HAED) – currently 13.96%
Just a wee bit of black to add…

I’m starting with just the 15 projects to allow myself some new starts, which I think will keep me more on target. Last year I flittered and fluttered, managing only seven small stand-alone finishes and five full coverage pages.  Let’s see how I get on!

WIP Wednesday #294

Posted in cross stitch, friends, goals, me, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Woo hoo! Back from a long, invigorating and inspiring weekend away, followed up by illness then a holiday weekend, I’m resenting being here in the office when I have so many things I want to do. My personal highlight from the retreat has to be that (I think) seven or eight people rang the bell after FFO’ing their biscornu! It was the first time I’ve released a full design into the wild, so to speak, and it was cool seeing all the variations of it.

I brought quite a bit of haul – less so than what I thought I might tho – and the best is already started. Hannah had finished Blackbird Design’s Strawberry Fields Forever, and Catherine was able to part kit it. I’m using mostly the charted threads on 28ct Countrystitch Toitoi lugana.

Catherine also had another skein of the waterlilies thread I needed for Red Velvet, and that was a finish on the 12th.

I also finished up CloudsFactory Labyrinth on the 14th – not sure why I didn’t get this done months ago!

Since then I have completed 2% more of Tournee du Chat Noir and while I’m struggling to complete a diagonal, I am just popping all over putting in some bulk ecru when we’re talking, or the red circle around the cat when I’m by myself and can concentrate.

9.84%
11.84%

I am watching the first season of The Chelsea Detective on Acorn (a mostly British TV streaming service). It’s quiet, thoughtful, quirky – all the good things. Each episode is about 90 minutes, long enough for a good story. The second season is in production and hopefully there will be a lot more.  Reading-wise, I finished the third Richard Osman book, The Bullet That Missed.  Again, it’s quiet, thoughtful and quirky – I really enjoy the characters in this series. If only I’m as sprightly as Elizabeth when I’m retired! I have a bit of a book hangover now, so I don’t know what to start next. I’m listening to Anne Cleeves “Vera” novels but flirting with fluff books on my reader. Any suggestions?

WIP Wednesday #293 & September WIPocalypse

Posted in cross stitch, goals, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

Hi everyone, sorry I didn’t write last week but honestly I had nothing to say (and today is Friyay, definitely not Wednesday!).  It was post-daylight savings and I’m always a mess then, and I didn’t really have much of a stitchy bug. I worked for a few nights on Cliffhanger, then swapped over to the Ink Circles Red Velvet, which I am actually doing in a Caron Waterlilies thread, 177 Sapphire. I’ve realised that I will fall short there as it will take more than the full skein, bugger, but I’ve put a call out in local groups to see if anyone has any. I initially borrowed the pattern from Liz C but have since purchased it on Tracy Horner/Ink Circle’s website and loaded into Pattern Keeper – much faster progress! I have become too used to digital charts now. The freedom to zoom in and jump around is really helpful to me. I wish all of Cathy Habermann/Hands On Design worked in there too. I have a lot of those to do.

Red Velvet in Blue

September 25 – Are you a seasonal stitcher? If so, which seasons do you find yourself more productive or less productive? I love stitching Christmas stuff, but I find I am stitching more as the whim hits, rather than seasons. Not sure what I will do next year, but I am tempted by a No Starts, as then I’d get finishes…but then I’d also have more stuff simply hanging in the wardrobe unframed.

This weekend I am off to Thames, for the 2022 Cross Stitch retreat. I am so looking forward to catching up with people and collecting my haul from Catherine. Not sure now how much I am looking forward to teaching my first class – the stage fright is real.