Category Archives: WIPocalypse

WIPocalypse Check In

Posted in stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

WIPocalypseThis month’s set of posts was delayed, thanks to Gremlins getting into Measi’s site. Blah. Sucks that you can’t throw water on electronics (showing my eighties upbringing).

The topic for this month was: I would like to know if you look for LNS’s when you travel. What is the favorite shop you’ve ever found?

I do look for LNS (local needlework store). In fact, I had the GPS going when we came back from Newcastle to Sydney, and a list of five stores. In my defence, we had a list of 24 wreckers to find the bits for the Rodeo.

On Saturday I bribed the tweens I was transporting from their game with Wendy’s just so I could pop into Ribbon Rose in Mt Wellington. I only brought a bobbin of Nymo but it was the best 10 minutes of me time. I had taken in Stargazer & the beads I intend to use, and the sales assistant even stitched a few on the fabbie to show that the thread was hidden. Brilliant service. So if you’re in Auckland, that’s where I recommend you go.

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!

March WIPocalypse & You Can Quote Me

Posted in WIPocalypse, You Can Quote ME by

March 5  – Topic: If money – and time – were not limiters, what projects would be on your stitching bucket list?

I’d own a LNS. Seriously. I love walking into a well-stocked store, smelling the fabric, looking at row upon row of patterns, threads, beads. Samples lying around, a farmhouse table where people could meet, framed examples on the walls. Knowledgeable sharing people on staff (and me, of course) and a really good back-of-house system where sales & inventory meet. Fantastic non-whinging customers with open wallets, so I can keep on buying and trading.

Taking a step back, I’d be plowing thru more Mirabilia, and maybe a HAED or another BAP. Finishing some Teresa Wenztlers, playing with dyeing my own fabric. I’d have a craft room that had bolts of fabric and hook after hook of thread & beads so that when I wanted to change something out I could see the possibilities. Space for my home office setup and space for another person (or 2) to craft with me.

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I’d also hire a cleaning service. I’d probably have to pay them double to deal with the boy’s bathroom, but it would be worth it.

And for this week’s quote: no pretty picture, just words. Don’t argue with an idiot. Bystanders can’t tell the difference.

WIP Wednesday & WIPocalypse for February

Posted in freebies, Mirabilia, Smalls SAL, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse by

February 4 – Topic: How do you overcome that feeling that you’re in a rut with a particular project?

Right. Onto the hard stuff already, Melissa? Meanie.

In all honesty, I don’t do rut treatments very well. In the past, they’ve just gone into the UFO pile (altho there is actually only four pieces in that pile). I tend to fad about a piece and LOVE IT SOOO MUCH that it has to be finished, right then & there. Mostly, my 2014 choices reflect that. I got a heap of stuff completed & only left two major starts unfinished. One, because it’s my “hospital” piece – Mirabilia’s Mediterranean Mermaid – & I only work on it when Mase is hospitalised. The other – for some reason I got discouraged with Stargazer. I think it’s her hands – they look so awkward.

However, for all that gloating, I didn’t touch Teresa Wentzler’s Tapestry Cat. At All. Not even to get it out of the storage container it lives in. I think it must be the perceived difficulty & fiddly bits – I love the image and the colours and the work I’ve done so far. I know that if I just pull it out, and start stitching, I’ll fall back in love with it – after all, that’s worked with Stargazer. She languished for about four months until I packed her, and only her, as my “entertainment” for our family holiday early in January. Since then, I’ve worked almost exclusively on her. I guess forcing myself on something makes me appreciate it. Like doing the dishes – a clean kitchen is a beautiful thing. Or laundry – folded piles & clothes on hangers almost make it worth the repetition.

Anyway. Regular blog readers (hey!!) have seen a few other things & today I have two more to share. First is Blackbird Designs freebie Souvenir de France. I had planned to stitch this for Si’s birthday (whenever he sees a shot of the Tower he comments “been there”. It’s very annoying sometimes) but now it’s intended for someone else. I need to finish it this weekend – this is at about 6 hours stitching so even with variegated thread (one stitch at a time) it’s a quick stitch. 25ct natural Lugana & DMC 99, in case you care. I’m thinking of maybe washing it in cold tea to age it a little – what do you think? Link to get the chart is here: http://blackbird-designs.blogspot.co.nz/2009/05/souvenir-de-france.html

Second is about three hours of lettering – I am not in love with lettering at the best of times – of the Joan Elliot SAL (26ct cream Linen, lettering changed to DMC 311 as black looks too harsh). I also need to have this done over the weekend. Then I need to suss something out for Si. Perhaps something English? Help!

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January WIPocalypse

Posted in Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, OLW, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse by

January 5- Topic: Introduce yourself, your projects, and any goals you have for the year!

Introduce Myself. Hmm. Right. I’m Paula, and I live in Auckland, New Zealand. My avatar name is pure panic/laziness, as I needed a personal email the one time I had to go job hunting and that was all I could think of. Paula, in Auckland. I am a mum to four, who range from 20 to 5. I am a partner/fiancé of nearly 19 years now. I work as a vendor performance manager for a major retail group, and I have my fingers in quite a few pies. I also do volunteer work during the league season – in 8 years I’ve only taken the one season off. I’m seriously considering being a sideline mum this year. I don’t use my degree at all, unlike Si, my partner, who uses at least two of his in the day-to-day role he has. I am overweight & not really looking to fix this in a hurry because I have no desire to run even Round the Bays. I’d rather walk it. Or swim.

Personality wise I am friendly, altho don’t lie to me. I will drop you like a hot potato. I like to make people smile or laugh, and it was only after a massive issue at my then employer in 2012 that I learnt to say “no” when asked to do something. A very valuable skill to have. I like to support people and find solutions to help make them happy. Happy friends = happy me.

I read A LOT. Like, two to three books a week. Anything from suspense to biography to contemps to historical. I don’t read horror, or misery memoir. I did read M&B (bath books!) but it’s more than a little stupid to use your Sony in the bath. I’ve been reading since I was 4 & I love to escape into a world that someone else has created. Pretty much everything I read is now digital. Forget diamonds – eReaders are this girl’s best friend. I do occasionally buy physical books – for the pretty pictures or the travel guides.

I dabble in scrapbooking – mostly Project Life, December Daily and this year I’m taking Ali Edwards’ One Little Word. The idea is to take one word that really speaks to you, and make it your focus. You can read about my choice here: https://sewscrapmuse.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/one-little-word-2015/ and more about Ali’s course here: https://aliedwards.com/projects/one-little-word

I took a surface embroidery class in 2014 and enjoyed it. Not enough that it has taken over my main hobby, which is cross stitch, but enough that I can see where I want to incorporate it into pieces (Mirabilia Sleeping Beauty’s blankets seem to be a cool spot) & I have some confidence to do so.

I made Teddy Bears – proper old fashioned ones – in the past. One sits on my console here at work & is regularly picked up and examined. Others have been gifts for newborns and friends going thru hard times. Others have sold, which was amazing to me at the time. I still have the tools and a banana box of stash/patterns but I haven’t made a bear in years.

2014 saw a revival of sorts for me, stitching wise. It went from a chore & an ignore to a woo-hoo! & I got lots more completed than I thought I would do so. I filled my TUSAL jar. An attempt at rotation (let’s blame my wanting to grow up to be Anne for this) failed as I got the “must finish it now” bug. I got a Nora Corbett bug & brought heaps of patterns, altho I cleaned out boxes and boxes of stash.

This year’s WIPs are:

  • Nora Corbett Reindeer (I started with Rudolph). I only have five charts more to go…six to buy!
  • Nora Corbett Mediterranean Mermaid
  • Mirabilia Stargazer
  • Teresa Wentzler’s Tapestry Cat

Planned new starts:

  • Nora Corbett Letter C
  • Nora Corbett Letter P
  • Mirabilia Rose of Sharon

 

I am still collating my list of Smalls for the SAL this year, as I like to be a little flexible (I was regimented about the 12 TW smalls for last year and finished with 3. Dismal fail). I sort-of think the NC letters are small, as I tended to finish them in only a fortnight, but the rules state they are not.

  •  Travelling Bunny (he came from Wisher in November, & he needs to move on)
  • A biscornu
  • A Just Nan special finish
  • a “not my circus, not my monkeys” piece I saw on Pintrest. It fits nicely with my OLW for this year too.

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And that’s it. A shorter list than I anticipated! #mustworkharder

 

WIP Wednesday – the TUSAL

Posted in embroidery, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse by

TUSAL? ORT? I didn’t formally join the Totally Useless Stitch A Long this year but I loved the idea of it. I found a Moccona jar, scoffed down the coffee and this is the result…chock full of ORTS.

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Looking at the layers I can see where I was this year, and it’s a tangible reminder of what I have accomplished in 2014 (especially given that I haven’t found the $$ to frame most of what I finished). Starting off with Teresa Wentzler’s Stretch, moving on to the Nora Corbett Sleigh (my fav of this year), a few minis, the start of Mirabilia’s Stargazer, a start to Mediterranean Mermaid, some more mini’s, three NC birds that are completed, Lou’s Letter Fairy and the start of the Reindeer. I love the glints of the metallic Kreinik that shine thru.

This has been really satisfying. I plan to use these threads to fill a Christmas ornie and I’ve already picked next year’s jar – a big, faceted whiskey decanter. Very Downton Abbey 🙂

Next year (it’s nearly here!) I’m planning on taking a photo with each WIPocalypse. Could be embarrassing…

WIP Wednesday

Posted in Christmas, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse by

No stitching progress today. Yes, I’m sad about that too. The reality is that my wrist hurts so much that I am seriously considering the physio. Mouse opperation is ouch!!!

But planning for next year. Signed up now to the 2015 Smalls SAL (click the button on the sidebar) and Measi’s organising a WIPocalypse again (http://measi.net/measiblog/wipocalypse_main/2015_wipocalypse-basic-info-sign-up-page/) This is a huge effort so much appreciated. I brought stash while in Sydney – more Nora Corbett, quelle surprise – two pieces for Carol (my MIL) and the Party Cakes for Louise.

I also plan to complete at least two of the NC reindeer (they almost qualify as a small, given the size of my WIPs), Stargazer, and complete another chunk of Tapestry Cat. My smalls will most probably be Christmas ornaments; I’ll use the monthly check in to get some presents underway and finished! Bonus.