Sunday 27 August 2023

MORE OWLS

 

My crosstitch is growing but no progress on my table topper yet.





I haven't been reading as often as I used to due to so much turmoil in recent months but I finally found myself enjoying one of my favourite author's latest book. There were so many twists and turns right to the end...didn't see it coming. 




No sleep last night until around 8am this morning and I was up at 10.30am to do the first load of washing. I usually make soup on weekends and freeze some but decided to do it tomorrow along with other household tasks I was supposed to do today. Not much stitching happening today as I am a bit bleary eyed. 


I hope you are enjoying some stitching.

Sunday 20 August 2023

ZOOMING ALONG

 

The past week I have been zooming along with my Christmas owl crosstitch but the aida is not softening . Never mind, at least I am stitching.




I had a lovely time chatting with the lovely ladies on  Chooky's Zoom  session on Friday evening. They were very helpful suggesting various things including different magnifiers, hair colouring and where to buy good aida. There were some lovely projects underway.  Thankyou all for a wonderful evening and a big thankyou to Chooky for hosting again. 

Today I started removing more of the papers from my hexie table topper and just have the edges to do now. I find that peeling them off from being glued tends to fray the fabric a bit so  I need to perfect my method. I used to baste with thread. 





Next step is to delicately remove the edge papers and neatly iron the edges ready for needle turning. Hmmm, not sure if I can face that today.  I think more crosstitching shall be on my agenda . 


Happy stitching.



Sunday 13 August 2023

FOUND ANOTHER CROSSTITCH

 

Oh dear! My last few posts have been all about crosstitches. I found another one hidden away during the week but at least it is finished. I used my own selection of colours judging by the pattern and I even made up the design on the 2nd heart. It seems I was quite confident with crosstitching back then in 2001. Maybe I will frame this one myself or add fabric around the borders to make a wall hanging. We shall see. 




My new crosstitch arrived on Friday . I ordered a kit with aida 14 count  to get me back into crosstitching again aside from completing the ones I started decades ago. Despite not really being a fan of 14 count aida, I figured it would be easier on my eyes these days and I was correct. No magnifier required. Gee, it is stiff to start with! 




This is my progress so far which I have rather enjoyed. 




So, it looks like my UFO quilts are waiting a bit longer now. I have had an ant infestation in my sewing room which has delayed my enthusiasm to cut fabric for borders and put my sewing machine back on the table.  It was a major clean up, wipe down and vacuum while being bitten repeatedly by the pesky little critters and finding them inside my clothing!! The entry point outside my sewing room window has been dealt with but they are still coming back so I need to deal with it inside as well but I detest using poisons especially inside my home. A solution shall be found eventually . 


                                    



Sunday 6 August 2023

FINISHED? AND A BIG THANKYOU

 

Wow! The power of bloggers and the internet! On my last post I put a pic of another incomplete crosstitch, an alphabet sampler I had found that I started over 25 years ago. Unfortunately, I could not find the pattern with it, unlike the others I had found. So, I asked if anyone knew an avid crosstitcher who may recognise the designer. Well, I am so thrilled to say that wonderful Lou located the pattern for me via a facebook friend of hers who put a lot of time into finding it for me. THANKYOU Lou, you are an absolute treasure and so is your friend. It is a Pat Roger's design called " Ella's Sampler" and a link was also attached to a place I can purchase it. 

Meanwhile, I finished that pesky crosstitch dress on the current project I am completing from decades ago. 






After that most of my time was spent doing all the detail lines on the treadle table with single thread and then the swirls and brand name on the sewing machine. The wreath is now done too.




So, the only thing left to stitch now is a toy underneath the cupboard and heaps  of french knots strategically placed all ovet the cupboard door sections. I am wondering if the doors look just fine the way they are. What do you think? I may even omit the toy.




I think it looks okay as is. There are a few charms to attach but I am not sure if they will fit under non reflective glass when framed so I shall unpick those black threads dangling from the shelf. I noted that the local framer is still there but fear he will close so I really want to get this framed soon. 

My magnifier arrived quite promptly but I am struggling to get used to it. The part that is meant to sit on your chest is impossible to place for anyone with boobs so I sit it underneath . The light is good but I can't seem to place my work high enough to do. Persistence required ! 





For some reason the above pic can not be enlarged. The gremlins are at it again. So, I am now going to restart one of the other crosstitches and maybe get back to putting the border on my blue and white hexie table topper. My patchwork and quilting seems to have been forgotten since I have been crosstitching again. 


A BIT HERE, A BIT THERE

  Weekly blogging is hard to keep up with lately as my crafty progress is slow these days. Health challenges often get in the way of product...