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

Oh and a small amount of stitching!

I got carried away showing you my Birthday gifts and forgot to show you the small amount of stitching I have managed to do.  I didn't want to take "Elizabeth" to Darwin because it is always so hot and sticky there, so instead I took SB Queen Bee Sampler.  I did get a bit done whilst in the air conditioning at the hospital each day.

and there's my nice new scissors just popping in to the picture.

I had already done the Queen Bee so did from there down, the writing is over one so that wasn't a bad achievement for me - I actually quite enjoyed doing it too.  I may just continue on and finish this one now.

I have taken my Blessings Sampler and Tis The Season to be framed so they should be back before Christmas.

Mary

A snowflake short of a snowstorm ?

When I started "Tis" I thought it was going to be a quick stitch - two months later it is finally done.  After several wrong turns through the vine, many variations of the snowfalls, many hours of unpicking snowflakes and a long stitching slump, the big red bird and his stitcher have reason to be jolly.

I have just finished pressing this and it was looking great - but in the photo it looks like a crumpled rag!  Took the photo in brilliant sunshine but it still does not do it justice - it really is a lovely piece.

While I had the iron out I pressed my new pieces of linen.  Some of them had fold creases in them which weren't responding to the dry iron so I dampened my pressing cloth and pressed through that - oops ... probably not a good idea as I then had a bit of a watermark.  I have done the piece again and hopefully it will be ok when it dries.  Like I said previously I haven't used these overdyed linens before and I have a bit to learn about them.  

Oh dear, now I have to choose a new start - how sad is that ????? lol

Bye for now ..

Mary

I didn't really die waiting !

You must have thought I had popped over to America to pick up my parcel.  I cannot believe how long it is since I posted, ..... and yes, my order did arrive shortly after that post and everything I had been wanting arrived.  I must say that Elizabeth looks a little daunting but not enough to change my mind.  I have spent ages fiddling around with threads and linen and finally have decided to bite the bullet and buy the Crescent Colours to do this one in.  I have also ordered some 35 count linen for her as well.

My favourite linen has always been 32 count Belfast, but my friend Chrissie and I did a stitch along on the Blessings Sampler and when I saw her version done on a 35 count linen it looked so much smaller and daintier than mine I knew that I had to try it.  I would not have thought that 3 or 4 threads per inch could make that much difference.  So .. stay tuned to hear if I can handle this finer linen.  Not sure what I have let myself into. 

Tis the Season has been waiting for some more Gloriana to finish it off - only the wording to do. I found that using two strands of the Gloriana I got the coverage it needed.

No photos today but hopefully soon.

So once again I am waiting on an order but it should be here any day now.

Bye for now

Could it be, yes it could, something's coming, something good ...

...if I can wait.  I don't know what it is but it had better be ... ELIZABETH.. 'cause that would be great!

Can you tell I am excited ? The good news is that my bank account has been hit (well yes, in this case, it is good news), but the bad news is that the amount is not enough to cover all that I ordered (hmm surely that should be good news ??), so the conundrum now is - what's missing?? I ordered Elizabeth and a few of the new BBD back on the 17th March but I guess they had to order the pattern in so it has been a while.  I added a couple of CHS charts to the order on 8th April along with one or two (dozen??) threads.  So the amount is too much for just the first order but not enough for both orders so I will have to sweat it out a bit longer, but let me tell you there will be major tantrums disappointment if the lovely one is not in the parcel.  The mail used to only take about a week to ten days from the US, but the last parcel took nearly three weeks, so I hope it won't be that long this time.

Anyway, I really need to move butt and finish "Tis" before that parcel arrives.   I have been trying lots of different white threads to get the coverage for the snowflakes and the writing, because it needs to be quite stark looking and one strand of the Gloriana was not giving that look.  The gloriana is the brightest white I have so I am trying it now with two strands and will see how that goes.  Sorry no pictures today of my unpicking.  I have a few cards I need to get finished and then it will be stitching time and hopefully a finish.

Thanks for listening

Mary

"Who's a pretty boy ?"

Here is my progress on "Tis".  I thought I would have finished it by now - I thought once the bird was done that was it, but as usual vines take much longer than you expect.  Thanks for your comments on that leaf, but I did change it tonight for a more autumn toned thread and I am pleased I did because it seems to pick up some of the red in the bird.  

 Still about five of the paler green leaves to go and the snowflakes and the wording. 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and once again I have charged off all 'gung ho' to start this one and the instructions for one thread over two were obviously meant for using the silk, which I am not, so the coverage is not as good as it should have been, especially with the white.  I have been using one strand of Gloriana silk for the white but I think I may go back and do the words with two strands and possibly even the snowflakes.  Also I am not sure now that it was Belfast because it seems quite a bit thinner in parts and I have found the threads splitting very easily - not at all like Belfast. 

All that said, I really love this one and it is a joy to stitch - I like the way they have done the leaves.  I only realised tonight that the year is on this one - over on the right - hadn't even noticed it before, because it sort of blends in.  I have been hurrying to finish this one in case Elizabeth arrives, but of course even when my card is debited it will still take about ten days to get here.  Oh well, I am sure I will find something else to fill in with, although I am also waiting on a few threads.

I checked out the Cardinal on the web and they are really beautiful little birds - not as large as I thought they would be. 

Oops, nearly Cinderella time again - where does the evening go to?

 

" 'Tis" - a new start

with grateful thanks to Karen "the temptress" and Sandra "the enabler" I have started stitching this lovely piece by Blackbird designs - " 'Tis the Season" and I am thoroughly enjoying it.  Not that I have had a lot of time to spend on it lately as I have been busy with work (pays for the stash).  Instead of the called for "32ct Pear by Lakeside Linens", I am using a piece of pale green linen from my stash - I think it is Belfast but not really sure but it seemed to be similar in colour.  I don't have any Belle Soie so I started with the dmc colours and then changed most of them to Sampler threads.  I am quite happy with it so far with the exception of that leaf at the top centre - it needs to be more of a contrast  from the bough so will check out the threads and find something a bit more autumnal.  I tried all my white threads and ended up using Gloriana silk although it is not showing up too well in the photo.  Not much done at this stage but it isn't very big so shouldn't take too long to finish. 

I am still checking every day to see if the lovely Elizabeth is on her way to me - I can't wait for her to arrive on my doorstep, but at least "Tis" is keeping me occupied until then.

After a busy day today at my Grandson's birthday party I intend to sit and stitch all day tomorrow - I may not even answer the phone or the doorbell!  lol !  So if that comes to pass I may be back tomorrow night with a finish !!

Mary