Tag Archives: Smalls SAL

January Smalls SAL

Posted in cross stitch, Smalls SAL by

This SAL is a free choice SAL hosted by Heather over at Stitching Lotus. You can click on the button in my sidebar and it’ll take you there.

20160113_053605January’s choice was the Chinese New Year symbol for our local. It’s on 14ct white aida, DMC 347 with Mill Hill 0557 beads. I still have to make it a #FFO, but that’s on the plans for this weekend. I haven’t touched the Joyful World pieces but still plan to.

Hope your weekend is wonderful! Happy Anniversary Auckland! 

the very last Smalls SAL 2015 (well, it should be)

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, freebies, Smalls SAL, Uncategorized by

As part of my computer ban I didn’t post anything to the blog over the holiday period. Now I’m back at work so here we go. Thanks Heather for hosting this SAL. 2016 details can be found on her blog by clicking into the icon on the right of my blog or HERE

I chose to stitch home*stitch*ness’ freebies in December. Stupidly, I still haven’t made them into an ornament, but we have Second Christmas on Jan 23rd this year so I have plenty of time.

I think they’re gorgeous, and I plan to repeat stitch these for sure. Maybe on some 10ct aida for cushions? What do you think, Erin?

I linked to these charts earlier on this post HERE

November Smalls

Posted in cross stitch, grateful, Smalls SAL by

Smalls SAL is a monthly stitch-along hosted by Heather @ Stitching Lotus. This months’ post is here

My Small really is a small, but a big achievement for me. Mr Darcy only took 3 hours, from re-charting a Cloudsfactory (I changed the shape a little and definitely the dimensions) to picking threads to stitching. And thanks to the stand from Andrea, NO PAIN.

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Dear Darcy will be heading off to Jenna next week!

WIP Wednesday & a Smalls Update

Posted in cross stitch, round robin by

Regular people will know that I picked up another set of RR this month, so it’s all about the Smalls.

Gingerbread House

Gingerbread House

There’s Andie’s piece, a Shannon Wasilieff Gingerbread House (Andie is beading later on) then progress on Keely’s Christmas Angels.

Keely's piece is nearly done!

Keely’s piece is nearly done!

I had a goal last night to get as much of the actual stitching done as possible, so that I could be back stitching by the weekend and look! I’ll be starting on that tonight. I watched From the Rough, which was a based-on-a-true-story-sporting-chaff-becomes-winners movie but it was perfectly done, much like Remember the Titans. And it had Michael Clarke Duncan in it! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1704586/ And I do like Taraji Henson too. She plays Joss Carter in Person of Interest, another smart show.

June WIPocalypse and WIP Wednesday

Wow, WIPocalypse already! Time just seems to be flowing by. Sometimes I feel like I barely have time to breathe before diving into the next thing & I wish it would all just slow down a little.

Since the last WIPocalypse check-in, I’ve had some wins. Now seems like a good time to go over the May goals:

Nice to do’s:

  • Finish the stitching & beading on Mediterranean Mermaid DIDN’T PICK HER UP AT ALL
  • Sort out what my next big Mira will be STARTED THEN FROGGED ROSE OF SHARON; STARTED PERSEPHONE

So the June goals are:

  • Complete Ali’s April & May prompts for One Little Word
  • Print out the last 10 days before Christmas & journal to complete my December Daily for 2014
  • Complete my portion on Debbie’s RR (mermaids!) which will probably also double as my Small
  • Complete the hair portion of Persephone (it’s a lot of confetti, more than I anticipated)
  • Layout & complete my portion for the new New Zealand FB XS group RR (only four to a group, fast)
  • Complete Med Mermaid’s tail beading

Do you find yourself more productive with stitching in summer or winter? I’m about equal. In the summer I spend more time outdoors doing family stuff but I offset that against stitching while on the road (Si is one of those men, it’s my job to pack lunch/snacks and book the accommodation & find highlights on our route). In the winter there are always at least two nights a week that I don’t even think to pick up a needle due to exhaustion or mucking around with the kids’ training or a really good book. I binge watch recorded TV twice a week (my binges are pitiful, they amount to 2-3 episodes of whatever I’m loving right now) and stitch while watching.

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Today is also WIP Wednesday for me. Here’s my new start, Mirabilia’s Persephone. I had started Rose of Sharon, then frogged when I realised that the fabbie wasn’t going to be big enough. It will do for the NZ RR which I’m playing around with now. Thinking Mira (surprise!) with a horizontal layout, four heads divided with a peony tree in the centre. Or four reindeer, but I am stitching these anyway…oh, I don’t know! What do you think?

WIP (oh dear) Thursday & Smalls SAL

Posted in Mirabilia, stitching patterns by

So…this month has been a little slow on the stitching front.

20150427_184351I sussed out (finalised) the pieces for my Round Robin & completed the base framework. It was posted yesterday – before deadline! This is what it looked like – with the tiny bit of 422 that remained on my bobbin!

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I completed two small poppy badges for my Smalls entry, & to wear for ANZAC day. Sarah P received one, and mine was finished on black felt as I wanted it to be flat to go into my One Little Word Album.

I brought an awful lot of charts – see previous post – and another arrived that I swapped to receive – Mirabilia Dressmaker’s Daughter. Sulked a little as I realised the fabbie I had stashed for that was 28ct, so TOO SMALL to fit DD on it, unless I divide it into two halves (not happening, could get a different dye lot which would screw it all up). Fabric was the charted Milk Chocolate, but the chart calls for a FQ of 32ct. Stupid rookie mistake.

Persephone on Milk ChocolateThought about changing plans on that fabric and using it for Persephone – what do you think? This is from the Viewer; I still need to do a floss toss myself to confirm. Might take it to Zeb’s on Saturday & get her and Jenny’s opinions.

I didn’t complete any larger WIPs which has left me a little discouraged. I only need to do beading on Stargazer (I have decided she needs it); a small ammt of stitching on Med Mermaid (beads arrived last week) & a lot of stitching on the freebie Christmas cherub. I think the “only” needing to do the beading on Stargazer will mean that she comes to dinner with me Saturday!

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 & the Smalls SAL update AND the new hotel for Travelling Bunny

Posted in Mirabilia, Smalls SAL, stitching patterns by

Is that a contender for longest blog title ever?

I am rocking along with Stargazer. Last night’s progress wasn’t as much as hoped as I tried a couple of different beads for the swag (froggy came a courting) then settled on Kreinik #4 002. It’s more subtle than I wanted but gold beads are too much, and neither 00150 or 03050 or 03014 looked right. The front (white/lilac) part of the skirt is still to be beaded (I will likely use 03044 here) but I had to move onto the threads again as was watching NCIS season 12 kick off here. It’s the first time I’ve pulled that show apart while watching and I hope my love affair with it isn’t waning.

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For Smalls (hosted by Stitching Lotus, link here:  http://stitchinglotus.ca/2015-sal/  ) I managed not one, but TWO pieces. First was of course, Travelling Bunny. I used Anne’s finishing technique to complete him, and I’m really happy with how he turned out.

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Second was a colour conversion of Not My Circus, which is on my filing cabinet here at work. It isn’t properly laced as I am looking for that perfect Monkey or Circus button or brad to add to it but it serves the purpose as a reminder not to get caught up with other people’s dramas here at work, no matter how entertaining they might be. If you want a copy of my stitching notes, including colours, please flick me an email at paulainauckland at gmail dot com & I’ll get it out to you. I’m really happy with the tones that progress down the word Circus. REALLY happy.

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Next month’s Small should be the Lizzie*Kate Stitching Forever piece, as I picked up the chart on a quick visit to Ribbon Rose last week. I’m planning on incorporating some of the jewel threads that Gladrider sent me this month to illuminate it. Yummy!

Now, the last thing is to announce where Travelling Bunny is heading off to! I got lots of lovely comments – awesome to have contact with people who have stitched him in the past and are still following him – and seven entries. Drumroll please…Bunny is heading off to Stephanie42! You’ll be able to catch up with him here: https://stephanie42.wordpress.com/

Congrats Stephanie – check your email later on today!

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.