Category Archives: stitching patterns

WIP Wednesday #229 & September WIPocalypse

Posted in cross stitch, goals, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stash cache app, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, 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.

September Focus:

  • Finish Persephone – YAY!
  • Bead the top third of Fairy Idyll – done, despite somehow losing two packs of beads.

October Focus:

  • Complete the wings, Rabbit’s Kreinik ball & face/neck/back over one stitching of FI’s skin – partially done as I completed the wings last night
  • FO the two Mill Hill Peridot ornies – up to beading
  • FO the Celebration Santa gift – found out I ripped the plastic canvas, so it may be a re-start.

SEPTEMBER QUESTION: How do you keep your stitching stash organised?

I have the Stash Cache app on my phone, so as long as I keep that updated, I’m sweet there. Most of my patterns are in clearbooks, except for my Mira & Nora stash – that’s in a basket I can pull out and play with (unless the chart is second hand & without the folder – those are in a clearbook to protect the chart). I have four thread boxes of purely DMC, with speciality threads in another; beads are in a Sistema plastic box. But my SIL found a replica stitching box that will soon become the home for everything! It needs to be pulled apart & re-painted, as that dark stain just won’t work for me, but it’s sturdy enough.

STITCH FROM STASH: This isn’t in as great shape as I had hoped, as twice someone’s pulled out from a purchase, and I still have a second Lady Mira + bead pack for sale. I also hit up every Op Shop between Palmerston North & New Plymouth last month & spent a bit (found an OOP Prairie Schooler that I am really pleased to have tho).

$25.00
Fox Rapunzel, Aphrodite & Bellas -29.43
Spotlight 13 DMC -21.97
Op Shop Finds -31.90
SOLD Biancabella (Shayla) 70.00
Mira Mermaid (round robin) 34.50
Stitchers Notebook 2.55
Persephone (conversion) 54.50
Rollover + Budget -$159.74
Total Available Budget -$81.49

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.

WIP Wednesday #227

Posted in cross stitch, family, goals, grateful, Journal, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, photos, Project Life, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Hey everyone! I’m half-way thru my week of solo parenting and am pleased to report no casualties as yet. Not even a ding on the ute – as Si took my car away, I’m driving his brute to & fro, mostly work. I have done a heap of “one little things” around the house and spent a good portion of Sunday working on building a personal album – July-now is completed. There is a small volume of personal writing which is hidden from initial view and that’s just the way I want it. Mase is likely to pick it up from my side table to look at the pictures (I need to wean him from this habit) but he does know not to pull the tabs.

Reading wise, I ended up returning Mythos. It just wasn’t right for me. Instead I’m re-reading (as not much effort is required) the Chesapeake Shores series by Sherryl Woods (try these Elizabeth!) and listening to the 47th (??!!) In Death book, Leverage.

20180911_212120.jpgAnd stitching – some progress on the Peridots during work breaks, a wee bit on Fairy Idyll as I wait for Bran’s physio appointments, and I FOUND THE BOTTOM OF THE DESIGN in Persephone. That’s a huge finish motivator – altho I note that there’s about 3 days stitching the hem, plus 3-4 days on the confetti heavy flower trail that’s on the left plus another 3 days on the beading, but I will finish this month even if I get distracted by something else.

WIP Wednesday #225 & August WIPocalypse

Posted in cross stitch, family, friends, goals, grateful, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

Hello lovely people! I am in a much better head space this week – had awkward convo with family member & hard convo with the boss out of the way, and on Sunday we (Si & I) completed the Loaded Tough Guy mud run. Exceptionally slow time, but we’d made a decision to stick together so that meant we were governed by my fitness – then on the first downward slide, T injured his back. This was maybe a quarter of the way in? So after that, it was Si, myself, T, Alvin, Mel & Ondrake working together. We picked up Kim (Mel & Kim earworm for you other 80’s survivors hehehe) who had been left behind by her team and while we were the last group to finish, we finished. My shoes are a write-off and my body isn’t that far behind. However – massive achievement, given the course conditions and the mental fortitude needed. My Samsung watch says I climbed 49 flights & did 9.6 km that day. And that won’t count the sliding downhill – I did a lot of that both on my arse and my feet! I recommend Magnesium supplement – it’s made a huge difference.

Stitching has been excellent. I have beaded Deepest Love & Renaissance Mermaids, and have started Waiting for Ships. My work project is two copies of Mill Hill’s Peridot ornament (long time readers will remember I did a lot of these a couple of years ago for family members who don’t appreciate, so now it’s one set for me & one for a gift to a stitchy friend).

As I missed the July WIPocalypse, here’s my answers to both questions (click on the icon on the side to take you to Measi’s site, where the main event is hosted. If you’re a stitcher, please join our motley crew).

JULY – Half Year recap – how are my goals for the year?

Huh. Looking at my points from January this year, not great at all …

So my focus pieces for 2018 (given that I want to end in the black for Stitch From Stash also) are in order of attention (bracket date indicates the start month & year):

  • Mirabilia Ashley’s Roses RR section (Dec 2018) FINISHED
  • 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… I KNOW WHERE IT IS, I JUST DON’T WANT TO DO IT
  • Mirabilia Fairy Idyll (September 2017) – Gail has loaned me the chart, & I want to return it this year MADE STEADY PROGRESS, ABOUT A THIRD THRU AND AM LOOKING FOR MY OWN COPY SO I CAN RETURN GAIL’S
  • TW Tapestry Cat (Dec 2006!) – because it deserves progress NOT EVEN TOUCHED
  • Mirabilia Persephone (May 2015) –because I want to get thru that skirt! MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS, DOWN TO THE LAST QUARTER!!!
  • Jane Austen SAL (December 2017) –because I want to keep up with the readings GAVE UP, I’LL STITCH MY AMENDED BOOKSHELF NEXT YEAR

Too many other things caught my eye! I’m still very pleased with what I have done this year. Not much chance of finishing in the black for this half (altho I did for the first half & should for the whole year) – those Mira 25th Anniversary purchases threw that plan out!

AUGUST – Which is more satisfying to you and why – the process of stitching a piece, or the finish? It’s both by turn – I enjoy the quiet of stitching, the achievement of the finish.

STITCH FROM STASH – thanks in part to some sales, I’m not in as bad a position as I thought. If the person who wants Biancabella does pay, and if I finish Persephone I will end in the black for both the half and (importantly to me) the year. At the least, I resisted spending more this month than just the DMC skeins I ran out of!

Aug-18
  $25.00
Spotlight 7 DMC -11.83
 
Portrait of Antique Vines 11.04
SOLD NC Snapdragon (Maureen) 15.00
   
Rollover -$223.95
Total Available Budget -$184.74

WIP Wednesday #224

Posted in cross stitch, family, friends, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Hey everyone! Its hump day… it’s also “difficult-talk-with-the-boss” day; if you pray, I’d appreciate it.

Stitch-wise I had a wee break over the weekend. I was out and about so really only stitched for a little bit on Saturday and had Sunday/Monday off from any crafting (I discovered a new-to-me author and yeah. It’s hard to stitch and read at the same time!). I took the boys to Stardome on Wednesday as there was NO parking to be found around the Museum and we played in the park. Both Lou & I fell asleep for a bit during the movie about Super Volcanoes (Benedict’s voice). Don’t think we snored, or the staff were too polite to mention it!

TULIPS!
last rugby game
Mase & Noah

So here’s Renaissance. I’m into the home stretch! Less than 250 stitches to go, then the back stitch around her hand, a bit of Kreinik then I’m beading!

last week
as of this morning

WIP Wednesday #223

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, family, goals, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

As you read this, I am enjoying the day off work, as our Primary school teachers are striking for better pay & conditions today. Mase the Ace has his bestie, Noah, staying overnight from Tuesday after school (his mum is a teacher) until rugby training today. I’m likely running on coffee fumes but also having a blast.

WIP-wise, I have been throwing a few hours into Persephone but also a couple of smaller pieces. I am feeling the need to accomplish and finish, so first up was the quick Portrait of Antique Vines. This is the 25th Anniversary cameo from Nora Corbett of Mirabilia designs:

My changes included changing out the white linen for a Crafty Kitten hand-dyed opalescent scrap that was in my stash (thanks to Lynne for including it when I brought some fat Q’s). I’ve omitted two of the three Caron Waterlillies, and changed out the other for 229. I was pretty careful to stitch down from the mirror top down one side then the other so that the blends matched vertically. Then some of the black beads are also omitted (most noticeably in her “crown” as I liked the younger appearance of just a tiara. I changed the beads to the petite black (42014 I think) to add delicacy.

Next up is my Mirabilia Mermaid Round Robin (on Countrystitch Cook Strait lugana). The missing piece was originally planned to be Enchanted Mermaid, but as her face is much larger than Waiting for Ships I’ve happily changed her out to Renaissance (which came out post my original plan). I’ll have to ask Stephanie (HI STEPHANIE!!) to help me work out the SFS credit, as I’ll have stitched two portions plus all the frames plus all the beads…

20180812_203645.jpg

Hope you all have a lovely week!

NEW Stash Cache entries (lots of Mira!)

Posted in cross stitch, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stash cache app, stitching patterns by

Part of my new/limited Mirabilia stash arrived, so I’ve updated my phone Stash Cache and uploaded the files for those of you who use the app.

  • Alice
  • Lady Mirabilia
  • Lady of the Flag

NOTE these are “pure” and don’t have my planned conversions.

WIP (it’s Wednesday somewhere) #222

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, family, friends, grateful, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Yay! I had yesterday off work, and I spent the day in a totally self-indulgent way, reading, stitching or spending time with Mase & Renee while we watch a local musical production, The Wizard of Otahuhu! It was super clever & I’m grateful for the opportunity from Auckland Libraries to go. Mase wants to go again (sorry kid, Mama has to work today).

WIP-wise, I got stitches into the surprise Santa (& now I know the recipient is reading my blog, I can’t show photos until after she’s received it). I am tracking my anniversary Mirabilia purchases (have already on-sold the duplicates I ended up with) and working away on Persephone. I am doing the heavily confetti parts with the flowers as I STILL haven’t been to the LNS to pick up some silks for the hem.

20180711_212841.jpg

Hope your week goes well!

WIP Wednesday #221

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, friends, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Sorry peeps! I missed a week due to illness and work and all the horrid things. Life should be sorted out soon, I miss my summer routine & can’t wait for winter to be over. Not least bc it’s 7 bucks for a small punnet of tomatoes right now. I am craving tomatoes.

Not a lot of progress on Celebration Santa; most of this was done last week. I’m changing out some gift boxes for hens as the recipient has chooks galore.

I’ve worked on Persephone for 6 days now out of the 50. The beading on the top skirt is done, some fill in is going on & I’ve sorted the cream DMC conversion for the hem. Pretty happy with that progress.

That’s all from me, hope you are all well & getting lots of good things.

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.