Glue, Tack, Baste, Cut, Measure, yes MEASURE, Stick, Snip

Bar my hockey game (3-1 loss, don’t ask), and a VERY expensive *tears* trip to the VW garage, I spent every spare second this weekend finishing up a number of smalls. I didn’t even take time to change out of my jammies on Sunday in the final push to get everything done (oh how I love a jammy Sunday). Finishing holds a fair amount of peril for me – I try to measure 4 times and cut once, but sometimes, sometimes I just measure wrong 4 times. You know? But I had given myself a deadline, and a list (something else I love, a list. And don’t even get me started on an alphabetised list – bliss) so I was determined to get everything done. And, I’m proud to say, with only a few minor hiccups, I did!

Now I can’t show you everything, because I posted off Edda’s return Crazy Exchange to her on Monday, and it wouldn’t be fair to ruin the surprise here. And I finished 2 secret stitchings which I will reveal to you very shortly (maybe even as soon as tomorrow).

But I can show you the last two.

First, it’s a needlebook that I stitched back in 2007. (Once they’re stitched, things tend to languish in my finishing drawer for quite some time before I finally get around to finishing them off. It’s just the way it is.) It’s not really very spring-y, but I will think of it as being ahead of the game for autumn 2009, rather than 2 years behind since autumn 2007.

Design: A Touch of Orange Needlebook by MTV Designs
Linen: 32ct Vintage Country Mocha
Floss: Gloriana, Atalie, Kreinik
Beads: Mill Hill

And, second, I finally got around to stitching the first Just Nan tin from last year – Hop. It stitched and finished up really quickly, which is encouraging me to stitch the rest of them this year too. (Yes, of course I’ve signed up on an auto for this year’s lot…I’ll stitch them next year.) I’m now stitching the companion piece, the Hop needlebook fob, so that will undoubtedly sit in my finishing drawer for a few months before I get around to completing it :)

Design: Hop Tin by Just Nan
Linen: 28ct Lilac Grove by Countrystitch
Floss: DMC
Beads/Charms: included with kit

Oh, and nearly forgot, I picked up Their Song from the framer’s – I was in two minds about whether to have a matt or not, went into the shop, chose a matt and a frame, walked out of the shop and immediately began second guessing myself. I nearly walked back in and cancelled the order. But in the end my pragmatic and shy streaks won (too time-consuming and would look like an eejit going straight back in the shop), and I’m delighted they did:


It was a bit expensive (as in, framing in general, not that this framer is any more or less expensive than the average), so I’m going to wait a bit before dropping in the next thing to be framed. Perhaps Awake the Dawning Day which I finished back in July 2008, to match Their Song?

Happy stitching!

A Finish and a Few Grapes

I got rather busy at the end of last week, and then we had a bank holiday yesterday - finally some good weather over a long weekend, truly amazing! I really think it is time for me to get a computer at home - I never have enough hours in the working day to post and read all the blogs I'd like to! So I didn't post over the weekend, but I have been stitching, so I've some progress to report! Firstly, I finished stitching the needblebook - hurrah! I'm thinking of turning my Friday stitching session into a 'secret stitching' day as I've just realised how many things I've committed to over the next month or two :)




Above is the 'Touch of Orange Needlebook' by MTV Designs. On the left is the cover (front on right and back on left) of the needlebook, and the right hand photo is the small motif which will be a scissor keep and sewed to the inside of the book. It's stitched on 28ct Vintage Country Mocha linen, using Gloriana, Atalie, and Kreinik threads and Mill Hill Beads. Now that I have my brand new sewing machine, I'll be able to sew this all together once I pick up a few necessities - ribbon for tying it shut, a bit of felt, etc.

I also did a bit of work on ADD at the weekend - the grapes are nearly done!



The best part of the weekend was Saturday night, when H and I went for a 'date' at a very nice gastro pub a few miles away that we'd been meaning to try. I realised when I got out of the car park with my freshly shorn legs, newly painted toenails, best dress, blow dried hair and best jewelery that we don't really do dressed up occasions very often, so it was a real treat to ourselves. And the food was gorgeous! I had a wonderful goat's cheese salad with apples and walnuts, followed by a Welsh fillet steak with cheesy mash. H had the largest, cheesiest half baguette of cheesy garlic bread I have ever seen, followed by a delicious looking burger with all the trimmings and chunky chips. I indulged in 'Angel Mess' for dessert - raspberries and blackberries crushed with lots of whipped cream and broken up pieces of chocolate meringue. Yes, it is rather sweet, and no, after all that food, I couldn't quite finish it! But we had a lovely evening, and it really made my weekend!

Happy stitching, and thanks for stopping by!

Weekend Update

Friday saw a new start - hurrah! I keep seeing stitcher's pockets and cases, and I keep yearning for one, so now I'm stitching one! I've selected MTV Designs' 'A Touch of Orange Needlebook' because the finishing looks straightforward and it's a lovely design, but not too complicated. I have just ordered my very first sewing machine, which H tells me has arrived today (delivered to his work, as far too bulky to carry home from my work in London, which is an hour and a half on the train from home!), so I'm all set to whip this one up once I've finished stitching it, and of course once I've learned how to use the machine. Suddenly, those Grade 8 sewing lessons with Miss Anderson seem rather a long time ago!! This is as far as I've progressed with the stitching (this is the front cover):



I'm using threads out of my stash, and not the prescribed ones, and have gone for a rather more rusty orange look than is suggested on the chart. Bright orange isn't one of my favourites. This is a Gloriana silk thread called, I believe, Fall Leaves or something like that.

Saturday's update is of course PL. I'm working on a very huge medallion beneath the (?) dragonfly - I managed to get the first three 'spokes' of it done. That's nearly all of pages 1 and 2 completed now.



Happy stitching all and thanks for stopping by!