Category Archives: stitching patterns

WIP Wednesday

Posted in me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler by

So after putting down my fairy (and forgetting to initial it, FAIL, so pulling it out again), I had to have a severe talking to myself. My WIP pile was growing and while not as large as some in any of the FB groups I belong to, it takes up nearly a whole drawer in my craft organiser. Right now (in age order)

  • Si’s country scene (a Stoney Creek design that bores me now & he’s forgotten about)
  • Teresa Wentzler Tapestry Cat
  • Z’s birth sampler which needs a whole section re-charted or frogged out
  • Teresa Wentzler Noah’s Ark – the frame broke so it’s just sitting on the bars
  • Nora Corbett Arezzo – who had the great idea of doing this all over one?! What a muppet. I’m waiting till true Summer so I can do this in daylight
  • Mirabilia Stargazer – which I started this year
  • Nora Corbett Mediterranean Mermaid – again, started this year & is my hospital visit piece

I didn’t consider either of the TWs (I would have to re-kit out the Ark and I’m up to the over one anyway) so I dangled a metaphorical carrot over my head. Do a decent week on a WIP and you can start something new. So I got out my Maria, which is on (un)evenweaved linen. 32 count too. Ugh. She looks good but it’s very, very slow compared to anything on Lugana. But having to slow down might help my wrist heal.

stargazer dec 3

The orange is what I’ve done since Saturday night…getting along. The gaps are where I need to bead – lots and lots of beads. She’s coming to Sydney too – eight or nine hours at airports or on a plane means a decent chunk will get done. The biscornu disaster is postponed again!

WIP Wednesday – NaBloMoPo twenty six

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, me, NaBloPoMo, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

Can’t quite believe that it’s less than one month to Christmas. I have brought a couple of things but am planning on buying when we’re in Sydney next month. Also can’t quite believe that I have made it this far without missing a day! Thanks for sticking in there too.

Z changed some of the 12 Things in the car last night. He’s the one who thinks long and hard about the right answer.

  • Five commando comics
  • Six Coruba RTDs (as he drinks Coke all the time, so my suggestion wasn’t special enough!)
  • Eight Wheels Washing (the kids will clean & valet the cars)

Ten is definitely Lotto scratchies then. Easy!

Today’s WIP isn’t large, as I finished the Scarlet Tanager on Sunday night. I think he’s gorgeous, lovely colours. I changed the background blues, more to match the other two already completed than for any other reason.

Tanager 3

This is another Nora Corbett – the Letter L for my L. Colours are being converted bc I can’t afford the Crescent Colours threads (and they aren’t colourfast) so it’s a little slower than first thought. I also haven’t chosen the replacement for the purple Letter interior. Fabric is 25ct beige Lugana.

L fairy 1

CC DMC
Bejeweled 562
Cobbled Peach 819
Key Largo 3817
Deep Fennel 502
Old Blue Jeans 501
La Tierra 840
Hickory Sticks 3031
Vintage Violet 3756
Cloud blanc
Argyle Socks ???
Mill Hill
42027 40123
02001 02010
02072 02053
12126 12286
02001 in hair 00557

Friday Finish – NaBloPoMo twenty one

Posted in me, NaBloPoMo, stitching patterns by

One thing which I am kind of scared about doing, but really want to, is a biscornu. I’ve seen some fantastic looking ones around the traps (including at Zeb’s) but I’m hating the thought that i might just balls it up!

Here’s a link to finishing instructions, via Anne’s Focus on Finishing blog http://focusonfinishing.wordpress.com/ : http://www.annettesacre.com/lessons/biscornu.html

http://www.creativepoppypatterns.com/stitcher-resources-make-biscornu-pxl-8_16.html (includes free autumn charts)

Links to free patterns: http://www.victoriasampler.com/Free_Patterns/

http://www.pinterest.com/ladysammyla/free-biscornu-charts/

http://www.pinterest.com/gallazandra/biscornu-pattern-charts/

As for me, I think I’ll try this one : http://www.pinterest.com/pin/85216617924354664/

WIP Wednesday – NaBloPoMo nineteen (nah nah nah nah nineteen)

Posted in books, Journal, NaBloPoMo, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

Extra points if you get the musical reference. It came up at pub quiz last week 🙂

Tanager is progressing nicely and quickly. Too quickly as I have early signs of OOS in my right hand – need to move so that I use the mouse with my left. Surely that will help?

Tanager 2

Reading now – The Realm, the true history behind Game of Thrones by Ed West. Kicks off with the people and events at the start of the War of the Roses, Lancasters & Tudors. Still listening to Naked in Death at work.

Friday Finish – NaBloMoPo fourteen

Posted in NaBloPoMo, stitching patterns by

image

This little design was sent to me as part of the facebook NZ Cross Stitcher’s fantasy exchange earlier in the year. I stitched some fairies and finished them as a double-sided hanging ornament (lots of Kreinik blending filament so it would sparkle). This was the first time I’d seen an ornie finished like this – currently it lives on my bathroom shelf next to the coral piece B made for me a couple of years ago. And lots of shells.

Finishing instructions can be found here: http://stitchitagain.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/patriotic-cross-stitch-ornament/

Really clear pictures here: http://meadows08.blogspot.co.nz/2012/01/gift-for-my-aunt.html where the stitcher has used chipboard coasters as the underlying form

Plus there are plenty of pintrest boards to follow! #enabling

WIP Wednesday & Cupid Stunts is on the rise – NaBloMoPo twelve

Posted in books, friends, Journal, me, NaBloPoMo, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

So. We came second last night! Yay! However we haven’t told Si (who was at the ARL Referee’s AGM) that there were only two teams J We’re planning on stringing him along for as long as we can. Bringing along the “Youf” may not have helped tho! There was a small collection of wine glasses in front of her, so maybe we have to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe. We also got the announcer in the last round, as she totally mispronounced our name.

Small start to NC188 the Scarlet Tanager. Like the other two birds, this is on 25ct white Lugana and there will be some thread changes. This is about 4 hours work, mostly while watching TV or listening to JD Robb’s Delusion in Death.

NC188 Tanager 1

Friday Finish – NaBloMoPo seven

Posted in Christmas, Journal, NaBloPoMo, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler by

One of my favourite new friends, Anne, collates a whole heap of stitching finishing techniques on her blog Feather Stitching. I find it a great resource for trying something new (not my forte at all) but also the basics. Some of the links are dead – they are mostly to other people’s blogs so have patience http://focusonfinishing.wordpress.com/tutorial-links/ another link I like is here: http://stacybinnj.wordpress.com/basic-no-glue-ornament-finishing-tutorial/

This is an exchange piece from Claire (yes, same Claire) that I received last Christmas. It’s a Teresa Wentzler freebie, designed to introduce some of the colours & speciality stitches that are involved in her larger Father Winter sampler. You can download the freebie pdf here: http://www.twdesignworks.com/Free/fworn.html Just remember to respect the designer’s copyrights and not make this piece for sale and so on.

20141107_120744

 

WIP Wednesday – NaBloPoMo five

Posted in Journal, NaBloPoMo, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

I have a few pieces that are still sitting around, languishing incompleted. Today’s WIP (work in progress) isn’t going to be one of those – this is the Nora Corbett Yellow Figbird (NC186). M says with all the innocence and disgust of a five y.o. “It’s GREEN!” Yes, yes it is…go save your indignation for the new CGI Bob the Builder, honey.

20141105_075916

This one has been super quick – today is day 11. If I pick up the missing thread colour from Spotlight tonight I’ll be finished by Friday. And if it’s sunny this weekend I’ll pick up Arezzo and work some more on her. Over one on 28 count was totally stupid and overly ambitious!

20141105_075928

Close-up of the beads; this is a design where I prefer to stitch the beads with a full cross as they are so large. Actually I do this on most pieces as I think this makes them more secure, and I like to see them vertically rather than on a lean. Also very important is to NOT carry the darker threads under a light coloured fabric. If you are a new stitcher, remember that you can flip your fabric 180 degrees and your crosses will still go in the same direction! And if you are stitching massive blocks of background, either buy that thread ensuring it’s from the same dye batch or stitch that block using one thread from each skein to get a blend.

Fabric: Wichelt Lugana, 25 count, White

Threads: DMC as charted EXCEPT 827 for the background rather than 3846. Definitely two skeins needed.

Beads: Mill Hill as charted.