Friday 4 March 2016

Round Three and Stash Musings

I think my colour choices for this month's Round in Circles definitely shows a longing for blue skies and fluffy clouds - something seriously lacking in our weather at the moment!

Round Three - Round in Circles SAL by Mabel Figworthy
 
I don't very often use hand dyed fabric for Hardanger, something about having to cut parts of it away just seems to go against the grain with me!  I've used 28ct Lugana in In the Clouds by the now long gone Sugar Maple Fabrics, #8 and #12 white DMC perles, three colours of PTB and two different sizes and colour of MH beads.  It was lovely to stitch something other than crosses and now I'm back working on Cinderella - once the stitching is mainly completed on her I might treat myself to a new start!
 
Speaking of new starts, was anyone else like me and told themselves that they would under no circumstances peek at any of the new releases from the Nashville TNNA Market - but then their curiosity got the better of them and they couldn't help themselves!?  So many gorgeous new releases from Gigi R, Plum Street Samplers, Cottage House Samplings, Nikyscreations, and The Scarlett House to name a few!  French Woolens has made it right to the top of my list so I expect as soon as Karla at The Patchwork Rabbit gets that one in it will find its way into my shopping basket!
 
After stitching from stash for just about the whole of last year, I now find it surprisingly difficult to add to my stash at all, not a surprise where charts are concerned as I was never one for collecting those - but the prospect of new threads just doesn't have the same effect anymore!  This last week though I did purchase my first new pattern in over a year, because when you have the rest of a set you have to buy new additions :).  I'm really hoping that Ambra releases a pattern for my favourite artist Henri Matisse one day!  I have great plans for this little set that will require a bit of planning, playing and experimenting, maybe they will make good summer projects for this year.
 
I also signed up for Abi Gurden's latest SAL, Seasons Sampler (despite it being a semi mystery design) over on the Yahoo Stitch Specialist Group.  Me being me, I won't start it until I have all the parts towards the end of the year even thought the first part has already been released.
 
The other reason why I probably won't go mad on new charts is that as well as having the full set of GOSM, I now have the full set of SANQ after ordering the 1991 - 2000 DVD:

Complete SANQ Collection  
 
There have been lists a plenty made of designs that I want to stitch from them, which has the knock on effect of me wanting to get on and finish my current WIPs so that I can start on something new. 
 
Last but by no means least, I had an email a few weeks ago from a stitcher that had been looking through my Pinterest Stitching Wishlist.  She had contacted me as she had seen a chart on my list that she had in her stash and knew she would never stitch and wanted to know if I would like it - so of course I said yes please!  I was very happy when this dropped through my letterbox, especially as it had become hard to find in the UK:
 
Redwork Garden by BRD
 
Huge thank you to that stitcher for her kindness and generosity!  I'm currently in the process of choosing threads for it, with only three colours required you would think it would be easy, but with so many gorgeous shades of hand dyed red thread available you'd be surprised lol!
 
That will probably be it from me until the end of the month, when hopefully I will have something worth showing in the way of progress on Cinderella!
 
Happy Stitching!

11 comments:

  1. A lovely finish. Sadly none of the Nashville releases appealed to me so my pocketbook is safe.

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  2. I am saving Round in Circles for a later date.The dyed fabric works so well with your colour choices.
    Redwork Garden looks gorgeous,how lovely to have it sent to you.I will look out for ths one.

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  3. Great post that's awesome you got the chart :). Beautiful stitching as well!

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  4. Nice finish! I thought that release might help. Great choices and thanks for link to check all the new releases too.

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  5. I'm finding that I'm not really interested in buying new cross stitch patterns. I've been more interested in books. I've had to restrain myself since I know I won't have the time to really spend time with them.

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  6. I have to be honest and say the combination of Stitch from Stash and Gifted Gorgeousness has pretty much quelled my desire to buy anything new at all! I do still buy the occasional chart if it's cheap or part of a set I'm collecting.
    Love the new BRD and what a kind person to send it to you! Stitchers really are the best. Most of them anyway LOL

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  7. What a lovely surprise gift! I'm sure your friendly stitcher is happy that the chart will be used.
    Your circle is lovely and it must have worked as we had blue skies yesterday.

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  8. Your finish is lovely. I'm similar to Jo - SFS really made me think whether I needed or simply wanted a chart. Temptation still gets the better of me but by no mans as much as it used to. :)

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  9. What a beautiful description of your finish! Blue skies and fluffy clouds fits it perfectly!
    How sweet of the stitcher to think of you with her pattern, stitcher's are the most kind hearted people I know!
    I can't wait to see progress on Cinderella, I bet she will be beautiful!!

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  10. What a lovely new Hardanger finish you have. Very lovely.
    With all the TGoS issues and the SANQ collection you will always find something to stitch, I'm sure. Since I was doing the SFS challenge I rarely buy anything new either. Whenever I see a new chart I think of all the charts that are in my stash and I decide that I don't need the new one. So, no, I haven't been at the websites showing the new releases :)

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  11. I have not started on Round in Circles yet. Your finish is lovely and the description of it fits perfectly. I must admit I fell victim to some new Nashville pieces by Stacy Nash and With Thy Needle and Thread, but not too many. <3

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