Day 31 March Madness

Hello!

We are here! We made it :) oh my word I'm not ready for April 😳

At the end of every show they often throw roses and today's stitch was a WIP, yes...a rose WIP!

Here is what it will look like finished...

Here is where I started....

And here is where I got to today...

I would just like to thank you all for your support throughout March and with everything that's going on, it's greatly appreciated!

I am looking forward to reading all your A to Z blogs, the only thing is I'm supposed to check out the blogs that come after mine in the list ... So if you are participating please feel free to add your link in the comments below! 

Day 30 March Madness

Hey

Well today's stitch was a WIP, yes it is a lady, this time Spanish! 

Here is what she will look like finished...

Here is where I started ...

And a gold star to anyone who can see where I put the stitches????!!!! I did.

Day 29 March Madness

Some time ago I bought some patterns in a sale and I saw this one...it is so far removed from my comfort zone that I don't know what I was thinking! But all that being said...something about it calls out to me...

Here is the design...

I have chosen to stitch on cream linen instead of the blue and here is my progress....

I hope your day is going well :) 

Day 28 March Madness

Hello! 

Well can you believe that it's back to work tomorrow? Me neither. AND it's almost April which I am far from ready for.  

Work is going to be hectic tomorrow I just know it, it's the curse of the Tuesday's, but I will try and sort my brain out on my lunch break. I will go and visit my mother straight after work and then get home for tea, stitch for an hour...two if I'm lucky...before it starts again. I'm glad it's a four day week but I'm not so glad I have 8 days work to do in if 😁

Today I was stitching on this...

A Bothy threads kit based on a painting by Lowry. I had it in my Christmas wish list and my sister very kindly got it for me! It's quite simple as there is no confetti or dithering or much of much. 

Here is where I left it last time...

That is the top left window in the big yellow house...here is where I am leaving it today...

It has a bit of roof. 

See you tomorrow!

Kate x

Day 27 March Madness

Hi there,

I've noticed that Day 26 hot stuck mid publish yesterday but of course I only just noticed it! Doh!

Anyway, today's stitch was a new start from the Stoney Creek booklet below...

I have been searching for a music themed pattern for forever, and although there are many I have still not found one that represents my feelings about music. I know that's a bit deep for cross stitch pattern choosing but music is everything! 

This was ok, and I bought the booklet in order to stitch the piece on the left...it says music and it's going down in a vertical line. I have no intention of stitching the words around it but focussing on the middle section. I chose to stitch on a piece of fabric that was gifted to me and I also opted to change the colours. I basically picked out all my variegated colours and randomly assigned a number to a number in the pattern. I didn't even try to match colours. I want this piece to speak to me, some people may not like the colours and they may clash but for me, different music is liked by different people, and originality is expressed in the best stuff. It has to talk to you.

So without further waffle....here is my progress today...

The colours aren't a true likeness but once more stitches go in I shall take another picture. 

Happy Easter everyone! Hop hop!

Day 26 March Madness

Hey guys!

Today I stitched on the frosted pumpkin passport pals stitchalong. 

I haven't stitched on this since completing the January part (except the words and border) but today I stitched the Eiffel Tower and the louvre.

Here is where I started...

And here is where I left it...

I hope you've all been enjoying the weekend :)

Day 25 March Madness

Today's stitch was a new start, a kit given to me by my grandma as she knows I like cats.

It's an Australian kit and uses 18ct aida and anchor threads. 

Here is what it will look like finished.....

And here is the little I have done...but still some...

I would also just like to thank you all for your kind words regarding my mother, it's appreciated x

Day 24 March Madness

Hello,

Yet another busy days. My mother is still in the hospital and will be for Easter weekend :( so I am spending a lot of time visiting and very little doing much else (between that and work) but day 24 was a HAED WIP, faces of faery 66.

This is where I left off...and this is where I got to...

A very small progress down there in the brown.

Day 25 is hopefully going to be a bit better, I have a long list of chores today but I'm hoping to stitch whilst watching the Hunger Games (not seen before!),

I hope you all have a good Friday and I'll catch up later 😊

Day 23 March Madness

Hello!

Bank holiday is upon us and an opportunity to catch up with all my blogs. 

My mum is still in hospital and likely to be kept in until next week, we find out tomorrow about her echo results and if they will be moving her to another hospital. 

I did stitch during my lunch break today but didn't get much done...five stitches? I think. 

It was a new Halloween start (some of you will recognise it) and I have started it on black fabric. I originally wanted a different colour but couldn't decide what I liked best and although I may need to tweak the colours of the back stitching, I decided black would be best.

Here is what the finished piece should look like...

And here is where I am up to...

Tomorrow is a WIP! 

Day 22 March Madness

Hi there,

I've spent more time at the hospital today, and that combined with work has left me exhausted. I did still want to stitch and put a few in today's piece. 

It's probably one of if not the oldest WIP I have. I think I started it way back in 2002!

It's a dimensions kit called 'Three Yoruban Women', yet another stitch of women from ethnic backgrounds. 

Here is what it should look like finished...

Here is where I was with it....

And here is where I am now after adding some light yellow and maroon.

And musey took a shine to it...

See you tomorrow!

Day 21 March Madness

Yesterday was Day 21, I never had the chance to post as my mother was taken into hospital unexpectedly, but I did stitch during my lunch hour.

The piece is a free pattern that I found at www.rainbowgallery.com and is a design by Erica Michaels called 'May's "Home Tweet Home"'

It's a birdcage, the words home tweet home and three little birds.

I stitched this on a piece of fabric that was given to me a long while ago. It's called Cinderella and is from Polstitches Designs.

Here is my progress..

Day 20 March Madness

Hello folks!

Today's stitch was a new start in a Christmas decoration. I bought the kit at the first stitching show I went to a good 8-10 years ago and it's been sitting idle ever since...much like my good self! Lol

The kit had six decorations to stitch and I have chosen this one to start with...

It's from Dimensions Gold Collection. 

Here is the start I have made on it...

The photo is a bit yellow but the fabric us 18ct cream aida.

I hope you've all been stitching up a storm for IHSW! 

Day 19 March Madness

I just wrote this and it vanished! So let's try again...

Today's stitch was a new start on a HAED mini that was also given to me by keebs and it's printed on fab card paper 😁

Here is what it will look like finished...

And here is the smallest progress I made starting it today, I started in the centre of the pic on evenweave. I am happy to be rotating again and am thinking that when I work weekly on a project the progress will be more obvious...I hope!

Here it is...

See you tomorrow!

Day 18 March Madness

Today's stitch was a new start...

I am not stitching them in the order above and may separate them. I didn't have long to stitch but am really happy to have started it. Here is my progress...

I'm off to see what's number 19! 😁

Day 17 March Madness

Helloooo!

Now I know I said March would be mad but I didn't quite expect it to be like this!

I am now back in the UK and shocked to see that it's Day 17. In the end I took one project away with me and that was the Paris project that was gifted to me by Keebs. I did stitch on it most days but it's one of those projects that shows slow progress as its confetti heavy. But I am loving stitching on it and it's a shame to put it down but I am going to and I will pick up today's stitch soon. 

As a reminder... Here are the projects I stitched on from Day 1-7...

And here is Paris as I left it....

And here is Paris now...

I am happy to be back and I think Muse is happy to have me back as she has been following me everywhere I go! 

Tonight I am taking a short road trip to Wales...yes! That place I said I had never been too?! Fate has stepped in and is sending me there to collect my nieces puppy. So keep an eye out for puppy pics when I get back, along with pics of Tenerife too...if you can bear it and yes, I'll try and take some pictures of Wales beautiful valleys. 

I am aware that I am behind on my Top Fives but remember to check the links on the left as Elliptical Man has also joined as these past two weeks! Go look 😊 and Tiff and Keebs too x

I also did not prepare for April, so to say that I have a lot to do in the next three days (as well as a creative group meeting on Sunday) is an understatement...wish me luck, I shall need it. 

Just in case you are curious...this is today's stitch project now I'm back to a rotation...

It's the alphabet sampler! 

Here is it as of now...I will update this post this evening with my progress pic...

Bye for now! 

Kate x

Update:

Tiny progress as I was distracted by this little feller!

Day 7 March Madness

Hellooooo!

So before Christmas I joined the Christmas ornament stitch a long and was doing really well until...dum dum dum..,it was time to stitch in white! 

Saying that I do like these ornaments!

Today was the snowman one and here is where I got...

And here are his friends waiting for him! 

Tomorrow will be crazy as I have a lot of work at work and then have to come home and pack as I'm off to Tenerife on Wednesday :) I need sunshine! I will be packing some projects and hope to get my A to Z challenge posts all done poolside. 

I hope your week is off to a good start! 

Day 6 March Madness

Today is Mothering Sunday here in the UK and so my stitching time was fairly limited once again. But I did get to work on a WIP of mine that I do enjoy stitching on.

Here is the before....

And here is the after...

And here is what it will one day look like...

I hope you all had a great weekend :) 

Day 5 March Madness

My original project for today was a new start but a couple of days ago keebs gifted me a pattern which I just had to start today! It is this picture and I hope she will tell us who it's by in the comments or I can update tomorrow. Here is what the finished pic will resemble...

And here is where I am up to...I'm stopping early as I'm stupid tired tonight and it's not even seven!

I'm so tempted to only stitch on this but I need to save it for April/may instead. I am really enjoying it though :)

Day 4 March Madness

Today was well...not great stitchy wise...but I did manage to get some in so I shall take that as a success.

Today I worked on a WIP that I recently was working on...any guesses? 

It was Noahs Ark, I started here:

And managed some stitches on two little piggies and started the foxes outline...

Can you see? 

Hopefully tomorrow will be better as its a new start. 

Have a great weekend guys! 

Day 3 of March Madness (a SAL this time!) UPDATED

Hello!

Tonight I was due to go out but Mother Nature is insisting I stay in with a hot water bottle, a cup of tea and some maltesers – and who am I to argue?

The other day I mentioned that I was struggling to decide whether I should include SALs or not and I decided that I would.

I originally started this back in January but had (for some unknown reason) decided to stitch two over one and I really hated it. So, although my preparation for this challenge wasn’t overly meticulous or lengthy, I did frog….yes, I frogged!...I frogged out the part I had done.

I started stitching part one of Ele’s ABC SAL (recommended to me by….someone…raise your hand if it was you as I am terribly forgetful) and this time I stitched two over two.

I have followed the pattern, no mistakes yet only I have used my own colour choice, although they are not that different to the original.

There are four parts currently out and I am half way through part one…go check out Ele’s blog by the link above for a sneaky peek at what I am stitching…and hopefully before bed I will post a pic of my progress, and with no plans but to chill I think I may at least get one part done if not two!

Update!!

Day 2 of March Madness UPDATED

Today is a new start!

I bought the booklet in which the pattern is not too long ago because I am looking for a seaside themed pattern or at least I was! I have since seen another design but I like this one as its more calm and delicate (imho).

I am stitching it on white even weave with count unknown – possibly 28?

Yesterday when I was deciding where to start on the pattern and which colours to pull (don’t want to be too organised!) I noticed that some of the colours are stitched single strand and some two strands. It actually made me more excited to start on it (I am starting with the lighthouse) as the change in threads is around the base and I think is designed to show depth rather than colour alone showing this. I like this idea and so am keen to get a start on it. I am not sure how many hours I will have – I am hoping for 3 but could be 1! – and will update this post with my progress.

I hope your day is a good one….

Oh wait! Come back….here is a pic of what I am starting today….the booklet is called Sea Life and is Lanarte by Leisure Arts and can be found here

UPDATE!!

Is day 2 too early to call it quits? I'm just kidding! But seriously, I started stitching this and all was well and then...I swear I only looked a way for a second but when  turned back I had managed to go wrong...then I thought that it might be salvageable as I am not the best or the most fond of frogging...and then I looked at the fabric...looked at the pattern...looked at where i had started stitching and wondered if it was maybe time to hang up my cross stitching boots!

I am not the most organised stitcher (as you probably know by now) and I am also not the most methodical (which explains why all my pieces are...ahem...unique!) but I hadnt measured the fabric, and then I started stitching at the top of the lighthouse in the middle of the fabric! I mean...what the??? I have no idea why I didnt start at the bottom. So, basically unless I adjust the design it won't fit on the fabric and as I have about 12 stitches that are actually in the right place...this is one seriously fudged lighthouse. The part I have done is iffy to say the least but I am hopeful that the next time I work on it the fact that the entire thing is going to be wrong won't be too big an issue...

Here is a pic...please be gentle..i'm calling it creative....

,,,tomorrow I will be stitching on a SAL that I started but ...wait for it...frogged so that I could start again as I wasn't keen on how it looked one over one...and hopefully I won't be able to mess that up!