Drought has broken at Hawk Run Hollow

It's been a loooong time since I last posted, but finally I am here.

Due mainly to a holiday in Queensland (dog sitting for my Son), I have finally finished Block 6.  I had forgotten how lovely it is to actually finish a piece.  That sense of achievement is great and even though I am only half way through this sampler, I am determined to keep up the momentum now until it is finished.

My 13 year old Grandson watched me stitching one day and asked how long it  had taken and he was pretty horrified when I showed him my little book with the hours written in it.  His older Brother saw me doing some colour blending for a card one day and asked " don't you get bored doing that?".   Since they are into Wakeboarding which is a fast and exciting sport, my hobbies must be very dull by comparison.

So here is block six:

 

 

And my progress so far:

 

Please note that I have commenced stitching on block 7 - yay!

 

 

I have just realised that I haven't posted about the finish of Aaron's birth sampler!   I finished it a couple of months ago, just after his 3rd birthday!!!!  Oh well, at least It is finished.  I got lost with this one so many times along the way.

I think the AVAS colours were just too pale for me and I did alter quite a few, but then I realised that it was going to be far too long by the time I added in the name and date, so I decided it needed a complete revamp, which required unpicking - quite a bit of unpicking actually!  

 

So now to get this one and one other to the framer.  Stay tuned !

Five down and seven to go

I think this must be the longest anyone has taken to stitch Christmas At Hawk Run Hollow.  Talk about dragging it out.  Stitching always seems to be at the end of my to do things these days.  I keep promising myself that I will stitch each night but it just doesn't happen.  Anyway, back in July I finished Block five so here it is:
    

 

and a view of progress so far:

I guess it is not going to be finished in time for this Christmas either as I have started to stitch a birth sampler for my Grandson. 

 

I chose SB The Promise and will work in his details towards the end of the sampler.  I chose to stitch it in AVAS because I had all of the threads, but it is very pale.  Not a lot to show at this stage:

 

The colour is not good here as this is 32 count Belfast Platinum, so not grey at all.

 

 

So that is about it for now.  I should be taking advantage of a free day and sitting outside in the beautiful spring sunshine instead of fiddling around on the computer.

As always, thanks for popping in,

Mary

Yay, the plan is working

I am so pleased with myself this afternoon because I have just finished Sergei - the very elegant bird from Plum Street Samplers.

 

I started this one back in April 2012 while I was away on holiday as it was the smallest piece of stitching I could find to take with me.  I have barely touched it since then, but decided to finish it off before I got back on to the huge task (for me) of finishing off Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow.

 

I have stitched on it a little in the last week or so, but this morning I sat by the window with the early morning sunlight streaming in and started working on him.  I completed the last stitches about an hour ago, and as it is very hot here now it was getting rather sticky for stitching.

 

So, ta da !!  here is Sergei !! 

 

 

 

I know, I know - sorry it is not ironed!  As I said above I was so chuffed that I wanted to share it straight away and it really is a bit too hot for ironing!  (honestly!)

 

It is stitching night tonight, so if it is cooler, I will be able to move back onto CHRH and see if I can get into the swing of doing one block a month.

 

Thanks for popping in,

Mary

About THAT stocking!

2014 - can you believe it??

 

Surprise, surprise, I do have a finish for 2013 - in fact I have 3 finishes.  It was a race against the clock, but I managed to have three new stockings hanging from the mantle at my Daughter's home.  Not something I had originally intended, but something I am so happy with now.

 

In order of finish, they are:  Greg's ( SB Brett's)

 

 

  Susan's ( SB Anna's)

... and last, but most importantly, Aaron's ( SB Reed's)

 

 

 

 

I am sure you will all have noticed that there is a difference in the stocking I showed last post and the photo of that stocking today.  Well,  I had finished the stitching on that stocking and wasn't happy with the colour the name was stitched in (the red), so I restitched it in the blue from the waves, which I thought was more in keeping for a baby boy. While at the shop choosing the backing/lining material I saw Reed's stocking on display and just loved the beautiful blues and just knew it was the one I should have done for Aaron.  What to do ??  Well, to cut a long story a little bit shorter, I pulled out the name again, and restitched it (in the red) with my Son in Law's name.   While I waited for a couple of threads for Reed's stocking I commenced work on my Daughter's stocking and when it was done I stitched one for the original recipient, Aaron.  

 

At this stage I should also confess that I did not do the making up of these stockings. Whilst I enjoy hand stitching, machine stitching is a chore, which is evidenced by my pile of unfinished pieces.  I can sew, and I have sewn the previous stockings I have stitched, but don't enjoy it, (and I decided that I am too old to be doing something I don't enjoy if I don't have to), so these three were finished by Diane from Craftee Cottage in Oakleigh, and they look beautiful and I am almost over the feeling of guilt at not doing them myself.

I absolutely loved stitching these SB stockings - if you have never stitched one, you should try it.  Yes, it is quite different to the fine linen, but it is fun in that it grows so fast.  I would love to do some more, but as they are a labour of love, you do need to choose the perfect recipient.  I know that my Daughter considers them heirlooms and they will be hung for many years to come.

So, now it is time to return to some long neglected stitching.  Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow is at the top of the list, but I have been working on Sergei (Plum Street Samplers) in the last few days.  I started this in April 2012 as it was a small piece to take away on holiday, and because it is small I will complete it now and then give the huge piece my undivided attention.   Well, that sounds like a plan, anyway!!

Thanks for tuning in folks, and the very happiest of New Year's to each of you - may 2014 be filled with good health and happiness!

Mary

About a boy's stocking

Wow, I am finally updating my stitching blog.

Why am I finally back to stitching?   Well, I have a beautiful new Grandson and of course he has to have a Shepherds Bush stocking to hang up with those of his Brother and Sister at Christmas.  So that was the incentive.  Out came all the stocking patterns and I narrowed the choice down to 3.  I decided to do whichever of those I already had the pack of embellishments for, but that didn't work because I had all of the button packs!!!!   However, I finally made a decision on his stocking and sent off my order for the perle threads that I didn't have.  The later SB stocking patterns use a variety of threads, including some over dyed.  Fortunately, I did have one piece of Floba so I was able to start on the stocking with the threads I had. 

 

The stocking I chose was "Brett's".  Here is my progress to date:

 

 

Finally, here is an update of CHRH - very slow progress on this one.
 

Let's just say that if it wasn't for my dear friend Margaret who keeps inviting me to her stitching nights where I put in a minimum amount of stitches once a month, then my progress would be nil.   However, I do enjoy it on the odd occasion when I pick it up and hope to get back to it earnestly soon.  This block was rather monotonous with all those white snowflakes and the changing of threads on the house, but I was determined not to start another block until this one was completed. 

Block 4 CHRH

the first 4 blocks of CHRH

only 8 to go !!

 

Well, I have to say it is lovely to have finally written this update.  I have been procrastinating for far too long and the longer you leave something the harder it is to get back to it.

Hopefully I will be back soon with the stitching all finished on the stocking (and all the buttons and trinkets sewn on too)!

 

Mary

Three firsts ???

My first post for 2012 - didn't manage to get it done in January because I was busy stitching !! lol that's my excuse.

So, what was I stitching?  well I was finishing the stitching on DT English Garden Pocket.  As to when the actual finishing of the pocket will occur - well that's another question.  I have had it hanging over the back of a chair in the hope that I may pluck up the courage to start the cutting and making process, but so far there has been no sign of that happening although I have read the instructions several times. 

I decided to check out Karen Vincent's finishing service, but her website has not been updated and her Picasa albums have disappeared, so do hope all is well with her. 

Enough waffle - here is the piece in question:

First Finish for 2012

I used Needlepoint silks on 32 Belfast cream but I changed the colour of the house as I thought it was a bit too blue.

I had promised myself that I would actually make up some of the pieces I have stitched, but that wasn't about to happen and I really wanted to get on with some proper stitching.  Boris and Olga were calling to me so I pulled them out only to find I didn't have any of the required threads (ok, I could have done them in dmc but  .... ).   Christmas At Hawk Run Hollow was next on the pile ... ahh  NPI, that's better.... but guess what - of the 59 shades required I only had 16 in my collection.  Buying 43 NPI didn't fit in with my "use whatever you have in the stash" resolution, so I bit the bullet and started it with what I had.  For the first block I only had two of the NPI so went all the way with DMC.  I will assess each block as I get to it.  The very good news was that I had the perfect piece of linen - 40ct Zweigart - which had been a gift from Sandra, and the colour seemed to be a good substitute for the recommended Lakeside Linens Examplar.  After hours of deliberation/procrastination I put the first stitches in on the 21st January. 

I have given myself a personal challenge to get one block done each month and should I finish a block before the end of the month, then - woo hoo, I can start on Boris.

I am really proud to say that I finished Block one on 14th February and bearing in mind that I only started on 21st January that is some kind of record for me.

First Block of CHRH finished

Block two is on the way, but there is a lot of stitching in it so I will need to keep threading those needles if I am to stay on target.

By the way, I have found a great use for the IPad I received for Christmas - I can zoom into Nicole's finished CAHRH and see exactly which colour I should be using and whether the dmc is a good match or  not - Thank you Nicole!

Happy stitching

Mary

Peace ....

absolute peace !  For me, the days after Christmas are the ones that really spell out Christmas.  The hustle and bustle leading up to the big day are over and there is a quietness everywhere that is just a wonderful time to slow down, relax, smell the roses, and recharge our batteries before the new year dawns and we are once again embroiled in the myriad of normal daily events.

I have not only smelt the roses, but I have pruned them, weeded parts of my overgrown garden and actually sat in the garden on a couple of occasions to just enjoy it.  I have also made a small inroad into cleaning out piles of papers that were threatening to take over the whole of the floor in the study.

So feeling reasonably virtuous, I decided that the time was right to update the blog.  Not that there is a lot to show in the way of stitching, but more particularly I wanted to say a big thank you to all of you who have posted to your blogs.   I have popped in from time to time to check up on all of you, often without the time or energy to leave a comment, and see all your beautiful finishes and I leave with my passion for stitching still alive. 

THANK YOU !

Suffice to say the ninth day didn't get finished !!

I did manage to stitch SB Love scissor fob for a friend way back in July and liked it enough to do another one for myself.

About the same time I started DT English Garden Pocket and that has been the only other item I have worked on since.  It is not finished, and although I optimistically picked it up last night for the first time in ages, it will not be finished in 2011.

and, that, I am afraid, is it.  Not much to show but at least I have a clean slate for 2012.

I hope you have a very healthy and happy 2012.

Mary

Ninth day

I have been spending my stitching hours working on the 12 Days of Christmas project and here is the Ninth day nearly finished.  It does need a few more tiny red beads but then this square will be done.

This is  a lot of fun just adding bits and making it up as you go.  I have been moving between the different squares/days as the mood takes me but none of the others are finished yet.

Cheers

Mary



12 Days of Christmas

When I said I'd be back with some photos of my current project, I didn't expect it to be so soon, but I am having a really good catch up on lots of bits and pieces today.

I bought the material for this back in December 2008 - very much a spur of the moment purchase as there was a finished one on display in the shop and I thought it was delightful.   I actually started to stitch on it in May 2009, thinking it would be done by Christmas !!! ho ho ho !  I worked on it until July 2009 and it got put aside.  I picked it up again in May 2011 and have been spending my all stitching time on it. 

The vine on the outer border is stem stitched in gold with red beads all along it;  the "12 Days ..." is outlined in chain stitch; all of the pale green borders have two rows of running stitch around them. 

I haven't been doing it in any particular order - just whatever takes my fancy.

The photos are not very good, but you should be able to click to enlarge them to see the detail.  The snowman's jacket has some stitching; most of the main bits are outlined, including all of the pears, birdcage, duck, gingerbread man etc.  I have started to add ribbons and trims here and there.

Satin stitch on the candy canes; the clock is outlined in stem stitch with metallic thread (not fun stitching with that!) and chain stitch on the gold rings.

The partridge is outlined in gold thread and has blue beads at his throat; red ribbon sewn on his wings and I have done some ribbon leaves too.  The birdcage is outlined, as are the birds, but they need something more to lift them a bit.

It is a fun project - but I am finding the stitching much harder to do than cross stitching on lovely soft linen. 

As always, thanks for popping in,

Mary

The lovely Elizabeth

Finally a photo of Elizabeth.  I finished her in early April - well, finished except for the words.  I still have not decided what will go there - I had intended to put my Daughter's name there but not sure now and will see what she prefers.

I know some of you will not appreciate that I have changed the pattern so it is all symmetrical, but it would have driven me mad as it was.

I do love this one - the colours are so pretty.   I look forward to seeing it framed one day soon.

This little one was also finished a while back  - it is BBD Pins and Needles.  I have added it to the pile waiting to be made into something.

A very wonky photo - not sure what angle I was aiming for there - probably in a hurry as usual.

I am off to take some photos of my currect project.

Mary

Two birds in the basket

I started La D Da's "Bird" way back in January.  I have no idea when I finished it, but finished it is - well, the stitching anyway.  What it will become or when, is quite another question.  It is really too big for a pincushion and I won't be getting it framed, but here it is. 

The second is this sweet little red bird.  Pattern by BBD using the called for threads and linen from my stash.

Again, I don't know how I will finish it off.  I am getting quite a pile of finished pieces. 

Mary



It's true ...

... the longer you leave something, the harder it is to get back to it.  Oh my, I can't believe that it is nearly two months since I posted anything.   I sat down an hour ago to start this but then had to stop and take a couple of photos so I could show you my meagre efforts.

I did enjoy following a couple of the ladies doing the Crazy 15 challenge and loved seeing some of the patterns they were starting - quite a few of those same patterns are sitting at the top of my pile.

My stitching hs been very limited, mainly because we have had some very humid weather.  Melbourne does not usually get more than a day or two of high humidity through our summer, but this year has been very different (as it has all over the world really) and we are just not used to it and it certainly is not good for stitching.  We have had more rain than we can remember as well, which was badly needed because we had been in drought conditions for a few years with water rationing etc.

While checking out all those lovely blogs I saw a gorgeous black cat on Karen's blog and just had to get Jardin Prive ABChat.  So much for my resolution of not stitching anything at all until I had finished Elizabeth!!  I wanted it for a scissor fob so stitched it over one with DMC black.  Thoroughly enjoyed doing this one.

 

I did have a week away in the country at the end of January and instead of taking Elizabeth, I took a couple of small things with me which I managed to get done. 

A nice small one to start with - BBD Bluebird - stitched on Belfast Light Mocha with the called for GA Uniform Blue - not quite sure what I will do with this one.

I loved "Hare's Christmas" from Plum Street Samplers and would love to get it for next Christmas, but then I found this lovely freebie from Paulette and decided to do it for my friend for St Patrick's Day.  I had thought I would make it into a card, but it is rather large for that so maybe a stand-up.

As I was on a roll, I started La D Da's "A Bird in Hand" but my week away ended and I am sad to say I have barely stitched at all since returning home. 

February is a very busy month for birthdays in our family so I have been catching up on the birthday cards and cakes, and hopefully I will get a bit more stitching done in March.

I thought I would leave you with this beautiful King Parrot, who let me get quite close to him when he popped in for a feed.

Cheers,

Mary

Stitching Gifts

I want to share with you some of the lovely stitching related gifts I have received for Christmas. 

From my dear friend Chrissie in Queensland, I received this lovely parcel of goodies.  Wonderful fabric all folded into a tree shape and topped with a gold star and beautiful silk ribbons;  lovely black and white scissors and  matching tape measure; a wonderful handmade Christmas card and also a lovely tag in the shape of a dressmaker's dummy which has more ribbon and a lovely heart shaped clip.

Chrissie has been bitten by the papercrafting bug and I am sure you will agree that her cards are very special.  Thank you so much for my terrific parcel, Chrissie.

Now these goodies came all the way from England.  Even before I opened the package the perfume of the lavender was wafting through the house - wonderful.  I have some beautiful moda fabric with the sweetest birds and some lovely narrow ribbon for needlerolls, and needles too.  Thank you so much Sandra for all of these goodies and for all the others through the year.

By the way, I WAS very good Sandra, and I DIDN'T open the parcel before Christmas, in fact I didn't open any of the gifts I had received from stitching friends until late on Boxing Day.  By then I had restored order to my house after the last few weeks of card making, cooking, Christmas preparations and gift wrapping etc.  Then I sat down and savoured them in peace.  Great fun!

My next show and tell is from Marg.  I met Marg through stitching (through a Shepherd's Bush message board actually - not sure if it is still going or not) quite a few years ago now.  She contacted me and we found out we were only a few minutes away from each other and she invited me to a stitching evening at her house - I thought it was lovely and it was the first time I had been to anything like it.  She is still inviting me to her stitching nights each month, and she is, most importantly, a wonderful, caring and sharing friend, and her stitching is absolutely beautiful.

So, having said that, look what I got: 

the Christmas ornament is lovely - I know you can't see the beads, but they are there. I love the idea for the hanger.  The card has not photographed well. (That really should read:  I have not taken a good photo of the card! )  It is an angel, stitched in gold thread, with tiny beads around the base of her skirt.  So delicate.  A lovely little crystal angel to hang on the tree as well and a very Christmassy linen napkin.  Thank you so much Marg for all of these things.

I did receive some other lovely goodies from stitching friends but they were not of the stitching variety.

Although it is not a Christmas gift - you may remember these lovely scissors Marg gave me for my birthday in November - well I have paired them up with a fob which was also stitched by Marg a few years ago and I think they are a perfect match.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my gifts.

I love to pop in to your blogs and see what you have been up to and feel that I "know" some of you quite well.  I guess this is the modern version of 'pen pals'!

I wish you all a very happy New Year and hope that 2011 will bring good health, much happiness, and lots and lots of stitching. 

Love

Mary

Finishes, framing and frustrations

Well Christmas preparations certainly put paid to any stitching from me.  I have been put to shame after seeing so many beautiful stitched gifts and ornaments.  There is so much talent out there in blogland.  It never fails to amaze me how much work some of you get through and the pleasure you give others by sharing on your blogs.

I did finish off the SB St Nicholas needleroll a few weeks back.  I was in such a hurry to get it stuffed and finished that I forgot to go back and stitch the white beads on the santas hats as I said I would, but I wasn't about to undo it.  This has turned out to be a rather plump little needleroll - I must have cut the linen too wide - but it looks just fine. 

I collected my framing last week and usually this is very exciting, but I have to say that I am somewhat disappointed this time.

For BBD Tis the Season, the framer and I choose a slightly 'shabby chic' stark white frame which I felt picked up the white snowflakes well.  The framer said that when the framing arrived they had changed the colour but she thought it looked ok.  I don't agree - I think it makes the whole piece look rather dingy and uninteresting, so that is really upsetting me.  I will wait and see what my stitching friends think - maybe I could paint it, but not happy.

As you can see my photography has not improved and probably never will - either it is too bright and sunny or I forget and then have to take it indoors with the light on.  I have fiddled with the photos in Gimp this time trying to crop them but now I have large white borders - not sure which is the best.

So, moving on to Blessings sampler - I just cannot make up my mind about this one - I can't seem to get enthusiastic about it at all.  The framing is fine and as we chose, but I kept looking at it and knew something was wrong.  It suddenly dawned on me that it isn't centred perfectly - it's only a quarter of an inch out so I am probably just being picky.  I have been using the same framer for years and although she is expensive I have always been very happy with her work until now.

The last piece I picked up was DT Teaching Band Sampler which I stitched years ago.  It was hanging at my Daughter's house and the frame got broken during renovations - unfortunately it had to have a whole new frame but at least it will not sit in the cupboard now.

I must say that this one has not been one of my favourites, but I think it could be because it has been hanging with two SB samplers and it didn't really belong with them, so hopefully we will put it somewhere else when the house is finished.

I am off to update my card blog and then it will be time for some serious stitching. 

Cheers

Mary