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