Thursday 5 January 2017

Hard Habit To Break......

Every year for the previous 6 years I have always had a New Year's New Start.  With me currently stitching next to nothing, I thought that 2017 might be the end to that little tradition.  I've put a few stitches in Band Sampler over the past month, but I haven't looked at any of my stitchy accounts/groups on FB or IG for weeks and have just been enjoying the hour or two I have spent stitching for me.

BAND Sampler WIP 3
Current progress on Band Samper - another band bites the dust!
So 1st January rolls around and at about 7pm I decided that yes, I will have a new start please and that it doesn't matter that I probably won't finish it until the end of the year if that!  It's a design I've had kitted up in preparation for 1st January and one I have had in my stash for five years so it deserved to see the light of day:

Elle Brode.... Materials
 
It is Elle Brode des Lettres Carmin by Reflets de Soie and I have this pattern spread across several issues of GOSM from 2010, but I think it has been recently re-released by Isabelle.  I love samplers, I love anything French, I love fonts and lettering and I love red silk and flax linen so this is pure joy to stitch for me.  Despite using AVAS Soie D'Alger on quite a few pieces, this will be my first time using Soie de Paris so I am looking forward to seeing how it compares to other filament silks I've used in the past.
 
The stitch count is 250 x 400 and I'm using 40ct, so as it is stitched using only 2 colours of silk (and a bit of ribbon work) it is perfect for me to pick up sporadically as and when the mood takes me - especially as it is an alphabet sampler band sampler.  Here is what I managed to do for a couple of hours on 1st January:
 
 
Elle Brode....WIP 1
 
 
 It is a strange feeling to love a piece very much but not feel the need to stitch on it for hours on end taking up all my spare time as I have on other pieces prior to this.  I'm not complaining at all - I feel much more balanced than I have for a while.  Rather than stitching taking up all my free time, it now occupies a fraction of it, leaving me time for reading (currently reading Julian Fellowes' latest, Belgravia) and other interests that I have never really talked about "publicly" such as diet, nutrition and wellbeing.
 
 So the blog may be quiet for a while, I will post when I have some more substantial progress to show.  Keep your eyes peeled for a destash post soon as I have threads and fabrics that really need to find a new home instead of just sitting in my stash when they could be better put to use in yours :)!

Happy Stitching!
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11 comments:

  1. Heather6 January 2017 at 05:06

    Great start! I think this is definitely the year of "stitch what you want and possibly less blogging" especially the "stitch what you want" part. I know I am!

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  2. Mary - Lecoeurceltique6 January 2017 at 15:07

    You stitched quite a bit in your couple of hours. This will be lovely when completed.

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  3. D1-D26 January 2017 at 15:10

    Lovely to hear from you :) I work full time so its hard sometimes to balance the need for stitching with just sitting and reading a good book. I sometimes go a whole week just reading and not touching my WIPs but that's ok.

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  4. Terri6 January 2017 at 15:56

    Beautiful stitching!!

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  5. Justine8 January 2017 at 07:24

    What a beautiful sampler! Sounds like you are really enjoying your stitching at the moment. I look forward to seeing your progress as and when.

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  6. Tiffstitch9 January 2017 at 16:59

    How wonderful to have a new start and glad you're happy with your current situation too. That's the most important thing. :)

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  7. Brigitte11 January 2017 at 07:40

    What a gorgeous piece you chose for your new 1st January start. I must be glad to have started it instead of breaking up the old tradition.
    Good to read that you feel more balanced with your new attitude towards stitching, which leaves you more time for other hobbies and important things in your life.

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  8. Sarah in Stitches15 January 2017 at 08:12

    A beautiful start to the new year! I love the red silk. The Band Sampler is looking lovely too :D

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  9. Jo who can't think of a clever nickname3 February 2017 at 19:33

    Nice to see a post from you. This is a lovely sampler with such beautiful colours. I can see why you wanted to start it this month.

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  10. 5 Foot Runt28 February 2017 at 17:44

    Your start looks beautiful. Happy to that you have balance in your life and you're taking better care of yourself.

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  11. tpdebbie11 March 2017 at 23:33

    Really missing your blog posts...I,still check everyday....you have been such an inspiration to me.....thank you so much ...

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