Category Archives: stitching patterns

WIP Wednesday

Posted in Mirabilia, stitching patterns by

I finished putting together one of the two poppies I stitched for ANZAC day, which is this Saturday. The finished one is for Sarah P (who gave me stitching stash for Secret Santa, removing the “secret” but rocketing her into my “favourite” list, see here: https://sewscrapmuse.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/secret-or-not-so-secret-santa/ ) & she’s already wearing it, and the second I want to add the phrase “Lest We Forget” and “1915-2015” top & bottom, then finish as a hanging ornie. Pics later – I need something for my Smalls SAL post next week!

Today I need to work out the final two rectangles of my RR and where the corner border will finish in relation to those. Because some ribbons go thru the border on The Dreamer I also need to chart something to fill in the gaps that looks natural. The easiest way would be to frog the RHS of this corner and mirror the LHS exactly but who likes easy? Or do I just finish at that first scroll? Decisions, decisions…

The dreamer

WIP Wednesday

Posted in Mirabilia, stitching patterns by

FB_IMG_1428961147869I’ve been quite slack this week. I had planned to complete at least two “smalls” – both poppies for ANZAC day, one for me and the other for Sarah P, who gave me the chart for Christmas. Didn’t even make a working copy of that portion of the chart. Laaaazy.
I also planned to have at least one of the corners stitched on my RR piece. I’m not even half way! I predict lots of mysky and stitching tomorrow. Yay for days off!

I just have get very thru very wet cold training tonight…

Tablets vs Paper Charts

Posted in grateful, league, stitching patterns by

a friend of mine takes her tablet everywhere and uses a Reader app to high-light her charts as she stitches – no more highlighter on the linen! I tried this with my android (Samsung Galaxy Tab 2) and couldn’t get the same effect (she has an iPad) but by chance I stumbled across this post today – http://meari.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/stitching-and-tablets.html

It’s brilliant. I was only doing one thing wrong – not saving my scan chart to the SD card. Trish2

Guess what I’ll be doing tonight! No more stressing, hopefully!

And league season starts officially this weekend. Already? I am so blessed as one supplier is giving me water bottles for the babes; and another set of parents has stepped up to coach/manage the second team. I was worried about being in two places at once (impossible) and letting some kids down or alternatively having to do a lot of rotation every game day (which annoys the parents who won’t step up, that their little Johnny doesn’t ever get a full game). So while I will be spending a lot of time with Kara while she learns the ins & outs, I won’t be spread thin and it should be an enjoyable season.

April WIPocalypse

Posted in embroidery, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

Last night there was a red Moon. Or there should have been. Sadly I was on night five of interrupted sleep (Mase has asthma and this was one of the loooooong bouts where I get up on a cycle to keep ahead of the breathlessness) so when that alarm went off I rolled over. Never mind; apparently it happens again in 2018.

This month’s question is about speciality stitches. I know more than I thought but not enough! Zeb found a class last year that we both attended (www.thestitchsmith.co.nz check out some of her designs! Very Kiwi) and I’m comfortable with the basics, like cross, smyrna, chain, algereian eyelets, stem and so on. I can do but suck at French knots; I’d rather bead,  as evidenced here in B’s sampler. Nothing much has changed there since 2000!

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Here’s the entire piece;  Alma Lynne’s Noahs Ark.

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Not much actual stitching since last WIPocalypse; lots of thinking tho. See you next full moon!

WIP Wednesday

Posted in Mirabilia, stitching patterns by

There has been no stitching at all this week. First time in a long time, but I’m exhausted. Work, home, sport, illness;  it’s all catching up on me.

I have done some work on a potential RR layout however.

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I’m thinking of extending the castle out to a panoramic type view. Then I’ll only be one spot short (need seven) and I think it could look very cool.

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 Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

2004freeWell, I did get some progress done on Jug, but forgot to take the photo this morning *facepalm*

My work piece is the 2004 Mirabilia cherub. I’ve opted to use DMC 823 instead of black in the background, & I’m sure that won’t be my only conversion.

If you want to stitch along, visit http://www.mirabilia.com/category/free-graphs/ to download or view any of the other free charts.

and in SQUEEEE! news, I have been accepted in a Mirabilia/Nora Corbett Round Robin (RR) group for this year. Really excited – now I need to chose parts of 7 pieces to have stitched, plus choose a fabby, plus choose & stitch the border…pressure’s on! but so much fun.

I’m thinking my theme will be small things – as sometimes it is the small things that really grab me in a chart. Like the arch in Rose of Sharon. The White Rabbit in Fairy Idyll. That sort of thing. Feel free to chime in with suggestions!

Annnnd the Saturday stress has started

Posted in league, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, sport, stitching patterns by

Today’s post comes from Northall Park – yeah I didn’t know it existed either! Simon is in the middle for a pre-season Glenora v Glenora game, Bran is running one side line and the rest of us are settled in for a hot 40 minutes.

I’ve found myself a shady spot right next to the school playground. Mase is making friends (that’s my mum. She’s going to give me a new brother. I am? News to me, kid) & Zac is thinking about his creative writing prompt. Bats v Spidy. Who is the best a fighting crime? He thinks Bats. I’m undecided.

I think I’ll make pancakes when I get home.

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).