I'm Done With Stitching!

Well, stitching in 2015 that is!

A few days ago I put in the final stitches in to my final finish of the year, Catherine Agnes by Indigo Rose, gifted to me by the lovely Dana (you may know her as Parksfarm here and there) and she was right - I loved (almost!) every stitch!

 

I stitched this using 28ct Quaker and a mixture of Jodyri Antique and Regular silks (with a Caron Wildflowers used just to outline the cutwork) and it was packed full of speciality stitches (closeups of which you can see here if you are interested).  It did include the stitch that a lot of stitchers love to hate (except the crazy ones that love them, not mentioning any names you know who you are!) and I was very proud of myself that I powered through and did them at great cost to a now very bent straw needle - Bullion Knots, 28 to be exact !!!!

 

 

Not perfect but the best I've managed thus far!
 

Now that piece is completed I have the final results of my stitching for 2015!  With a clean slate for the start of 2015 I managed to have 50 starts and 50 finishes - more finishes than in the past three years combined!

 

I didn't start the year intending to have that many finishes, I knew I would have at least 27: 12 freebie projects, 12 hardangers and the 3 medium size projects I'd picked last year. 

 

The number of finishes would explain how I managed to smash my Operation Threadporn goal total!  At the start of the year I wanted to use 12% - 15% of my hand dyed thread collection in my projects, but was dubious as to whether I would ever manage it!  I can now reveal that in 2015 I managed to use 26.43%, which I am chuffed to bits with as when your collection is in the four figures that's a lot of different threads!  I loved stitching from stash, in the truest sense, as 92% of my finishes were stitched from stash - patterns, fabric and thread, changing threads and fabric to suit what I had already.  Of course it helped that I didn't purchase hardly any threads, especially in the latter half of the year - my sister was right, having a percentage as a goal was a real motivator!  The last few months I have only bought #8 and #12 white perle, white #9 beads and black AVAS - all needed for current projects.  The whole challenge really did cure me of my need to own all the threads - I knew my favourites before, but now I'm really sticking to them, quality over quantity and all that.  Consequently I've halved my stash budget for 2016 so as not to be drawn into temptation again!

 

The other part of Operation Threadporn was to try and fully finish more of the pieces that I stitched, which worked until about halfway through the year, then all I wanted to do was stitch!  The fact I told myself I "had" to do something was probably the reason for my rebellion!  However on the positive side, the 10 FFOs I did have were 10 more than I would have done last year lol!  I'm never going to be a finisher - neither me or my friends that love my stitching have the room in their houses for it to be displayed properly.  As much as I love my stitching, I don't have the room for all the things I finish - so they go in The Drawer where they take up far less space as I am not giving up stitching!  I'm still trying to figure out where I can display ONE of these (and I have many that I want!!) as wall space is already scarce in my little apartment!

 

The other thing I was keeping tabs on this year was the number of different stitches I used in all my pieces.  I gave up counting sometime in September, by which time I had already used 60 different stitches, so my total for the year will come in at around 70, probably 80+ different stitches used in 2015.  That pretty much confirms that although I am interested in all types of embroidery, its history and technique - counted threadwork is where my heart lies and where it will settle.

So having already discussed my (lack of any real) plans for 2016 here, I leave you with four little teaser shots for the projects I've kitted for January - not including Mabel's first piece for her SAL as until I see the design I cannot pick the colours :).  One of them is my New Year's New Start for 2016, by a designer that I have not stitched before and the others to be stitched as and when the mood takes me in January and beyond:

 

Answers on a postcard.........

 

Thank you to everyone that has stopped by my blog this past year and to all of you who comment/email/message me and encourage me in my stitching - I hope you are all having fun planning your new starts for 2016!

 

Happy Stitching!

Final Operation Threadporn Finish!

Before I show my final Operation Threadporn finish, here is an update on the goals situation:

Finish A Flamestitch - DONE

Finish Summer (Autumn) Tree of Stitches 

Start and finish my final Autumn/Winter new start - Catherine Agnes by Indigo Rose

Complete October, November and December SOTW Hardanger squares - DONE

Complete Snow Poem Tree by Erynne Chard (freebie, blog no longer available)  - DONE

Complete Winter Solace by By The Bay Needlearts (freebie from a past BTB newsletter) - DONE

No stash spends for the remainder of the year unless I run out of AVAS on Flamestitch - still  staying strong, only black AVAS purchased for A Flamestitch

Try and properly finish a few things here and there

Kit up a few projects from stash in preparation for next year! - DONE

So just two projects to carry forward to December, Summer Tree of Stitches and Catherine Agnes to start and finish!

Here is my finish of Erynne Chards's Snow Tree Poem.  In the end I decided to keep it simple with just one colour of silk and beads, but did go with two colours of metallic as PTB15 is one of my faves and I couldn't resist!





 

 

It was hard to photograph as it is so sparkly with all the metallic and AB delicas!  The fabric is 28ct Jazlyn Twilight Enchantment by The Crafty Kitten and the threads are Night Smoke 5301 (HDF) and PTB 10 and 15.

 

I will write a post at the end of the month on Operation Threadporn, my thoughts and musings on this year long undertaking of mind - including the final tally of threads used for the year of course!

 

Thanks for visiting and also to everyone who left a comment on my last post, I really appreciated it!

 

Happy Stitching!

The Elements Series is Complete!

Finally the series that has sat in my stash for four years is complete and all in a week's worth of stitching!  Crystal Waters and Fresh Air have been added to the pile of finishes for the year.

For all three of the samplers I used threads from stash, I happened to have the majority of silks and cottons required, but I used different beads and metallics to what was called for.   The charts called for Kreinik  but I'm a Rainbow Gallery girl :) and I have quite a collection of random Mill Hill and Delica beads so it's always a good feeling to be able to use stash!

 

So here are the finishes, firstly Crystal Waters:

 

 

I love the little silver metallic whales!

 

And then Fresh Air:

 

 

Rhodes butterflies - one of my favourite stitches!

Thankfully the delicate hardanger section survived!

 

I've also picked my threads for Operation Threadporn this month.  Originally  I had planned to stitch another freebie, pulled threads and fabric for it, but then came up with better options - the only problem being they were fabric and threads which were not in my stash ha ha!  So that idea has been stored for another day and I went with a different freebie which has already been stitched up and is waiting to be finished.

 

 

 

So that's my past week in stitches!  Not sure whether I will accomplish all the goals I had for this month, but a possible six finishes is not to be sniffed at I guess!

 

Thank you to all of you that stop by and to those of you that comment on my little stitching adventures!

 

Happy Stitching!

September Operation Threadporn Report

This month saw fantastic results for Operation Threadporn, but before I talk statistics, here are the projects!

Firstly there was September's SOTW Hardanger square.  I decided to change things up a bit with my materials by using a chocolate brown lugana rather than my usual white.  I also chose to use a much stroked but lesser used perle in my stash, my only silk #5 perle.  Try as I might I could not get a photo showing the true colours of this piece, but here it is anyway:

 

 

I really like the satin stitch braid border and will try and remember that one for future smalls.

 

 

In celebration of the last series of Downton Abbey airing in the UK, I stitched this freebie from The Sampler Girl and *shock horror* actually finished it!  I will add that my baking skills far far outweigh my sewing skills lol!

 

 



 

Loved loved loved using 100% Nina loveliness for this stitch, they made the project extra special!

 

So how do the Threadporn stats read after all those new starts?

 

Percentage of hand dyed thread stash used to date: 21.36%

Number of different stitches used to date:                57

Number of finishes to date:                                     33  (10 of which are FFOs)

I've surpassed the 20% mark, which in real terms means for this year I have used well over 200 hand dyed threads in my projects!!  Not sure if I can make it to 25%, but that would be a tidy number to round off the year with.............

Happy Stitching!

A Much Anticipated New Start!

Any of you that have been following my needlework adventures since my YouTube days may remember a video I did last Summer on my top three wishlish charts for 2015 which I planned on stitching.  Red by Mirabilia was the first, Plum Pudding by Glendon Place was the second and now begins the journey of stitching the third :).

I'd never been one for reproduction samplers, that is until several years ago when I discovered Nicola's wonderful blog and exquisite stitching.  After following her stitching journey through several beautiful Scarlet Letter pieces, I knew one day I would have to stitch at least one of Marsha's samplers myself.  As I'd decided that in 2015 I would be stitching what I want when I want and not be tied down to my usual designers - this year seemed perfect timing to fit a Scarlet Letter sampler into my stitching schedule!

Being the type of person that I am, I read everything that I could on Scarlet Letter samplers, I've never been one to jump in feet first and panic later!  I'm so grateful to Nicola and Jo and all the contributing bloggers on the various Scarlet Letters Years blogs for taking the time to explain and photograph their work.

I had a few questions about fabric choice - Edinburgh or Floba?  Who better to ask than Nicola herself!  As Floba was a fabric I'd not tried before, Nicola very very kindly sent me a sample piece so that I could see its merits for myself.  I took the opportunity to give it a trial run and stitched up this little freebie by Blackbird Designs:

I loved stitching on Floba!  It's lack of slubs and fine appearance compared to 100% linen made it the perfect choice for me for whatever Scarlet Letter chart I decided upon.  It was a given that I would stitch the sampler in the charted AVAS d'Alger as I adore stitching with those silks.  I find by planning my projects early that I can work large 100% silk projects into my stitching budget and thereafter it encourages me to stitch from stash as much as I can :).
 

All that was left now was to decide on the sampler!  I have a real love of bargello/Florentine/flame stitch (call it what you will), so the solution was obvious and screamed at me from the Scarlet Letter catalogue - it had to be 🔥✖️!

 

 

35ct cream Floba and the recommended AVAS d'Alger

Now you can see why this start is much anticipated as after being in the pipeline for over a year I can FINALLY put silk to linen - well linen mix if we want to be 100% accurate :).
 

So here is my start!

 

 

 

It goes without saying that stitching on this one was well worth the wait - I absolutely adore it!  For someone who loves stitching fonts and lettering, it really is a wonder that it took me this long to stitch a reproduction sampler!

 

 

Now I really should put this down and work on my Operation Threadporn pieces for this month - including a freebie in commemoration of a much anticipated TV programme returning to UK TV screens for its final series:

 

 



 

But maybe I'll do just do one more row on Flamestitch...........

 

Happy Stitching!

August Operation Threadporn Report

Another month and more threads have been seeing the light of day!

First up was a freebie by Jeannette Douglas that I found on the Caron website, I stitched this one on a Crafty Kitten Ltd Ed Opal from November 2012 and used AVAS and Waterlilies silks.  I loved the way the colours turned out and *one day* I will turn it into a needlework wrap/roll with thread rings to store threads for my small WIPs:

Next up is my SOTW square for the month, I changed the threads slightly by working in another wildflower to add to the thread totals!

This saw the combination of possibly the two most hated stitches - French knots and lazy daisies to make the French daisy!

My thread totals didn't advance too much this monthly, mainly due to the addition of a few Jodyri threads that landed in my letterbox :).  A few months ago Michelle at Jodyri Designs sent me a photo of an upcoming thread she had in mind for a future limited addition thread and I knew when it was released I would HAVE to have it.  So here is Regal Peacock (August's Ltd Ed) in 32ct Belfast, stranded cotton, stranded silk and three sizes of perle lol:



Michelle had also updated three of her hand dyed regular cotton colours, so I had to have those in the interest of keeping my collection up to date.........

All in all that meant that for this month thread totals were as follows:

Percentage of hand dyed thread stash used to date: 16.18%

Number of different stitches used to date:     49

Number of finishes to date:                          29  (9 of which are FFOs)

Part 5 of Milady's Blossom Garden was released on Saturday so I stitched that one up over the weekend - not entirely without incident I have to say but here it is:

As it's a bank holiday here in the UK today I'm hoping to squeeze a little bit more stitching in on the final day of August as I haven't touched Butterfly Garden all month.  Then there are projects to finalise for Autumn/Winter stitching as I'm dying to get my teeth into some projects that have been sitting in my stash for too long!

Happy Stitching!

Aurora

Long time, no post!  I haven't been stitching as much as usual, but I am back with another finish!  I actually thought that this particular piece would be the last of my summer pieces to be finished.  However it turns out that the easy two over two full crosses of this piece were just what I felt like stitching these past two weeks, so here she is - Sleeping Beauty by The Primitive Hare:

 

I chose to stitch her on 36ct Cream Edinburgh (the same I used for Red last year) and I changed the charted colour of her dress (GAST Banker's Grey) to an (unknown) GAST Ltd Ed I had in my stash as I wanted a more blue/grey look to it.  Although this is a prim design, I couldn't resist a tiny touch of sparkle so for the fibre in the spinning wheel I used some Petite Silk Lame Braid (love that stuff!).  Now Sleeping Beauty is done I might allow myself at some point in the future to add Rapunzel and Snow White to my collection - one day they would look nice displayed together in some rustic wooden frames........

 

I'm all behind with threadporn, so just last night I kitted up my two designs for this month, my Hardanger square and an appropriate freebie for me by Jeannette Douglas that I found on the Caron site.  Here are my thread choices, so hopefully I'll find the time over this week to get them stitched!

 

 

 

 

I haven't touched Butterfly Garden this month yet, I wasn't in the mood for "bitty" stitching and the next part of MBG will be out this coming weekend  - so all of that should keep me out of trouble until the end of the month.

 

I've also been umming and ahhing over whether I want to stitch another Chatelaine next year - Joyce has been tempting me with her Serengeti!  I've swished through my stash and I have a fair amount of the fibres required, but I will probably substitute the threads that I am missing for ones I already have in my stash.  If I did decide to go ahead with Serengeti, I may well force myself to make it a year long project - it's divided into twelve parts so makes it nice and easy to stitch a part every month in 2016!  That way at least I will get my money's worth out of the project, knowing my past history with Chatelaines once I start one it's very hard to stop stitching on it when I get going.  Sometimes it's nice to have a big project to get your teeth into and at 409 x 409 stitches Serengeti definitely fits into that category..........!

 

Happy Stitching!

And Then There Were Two.........

......WIPs that is, as Living with Charm by Lizzie Kate is now complete!

 

I haven't added on the charms yet - I'll wait until I finish it properly to do that as I don't want them catching on anything while it's "in storage" lol!  I'm really happy with the way it turned out, even though it wasn't stitched on my preferred fabric (I'm not a fan of Permin/Wichlet linen, I'm a Zweigart girl), but what is a stitcher to do when you win an auction for a metre of it for £6.00 on eBay!  I also ended up with a few full skeins of thread left over, which is never an issue for this stitcher - more to add to the drawers!

 

Speaking of thread drawers, although I feel as though I've talked enough about my storage and threads on the internet - I haven't done it on this platform, so I thought I would show you how I store threads and fabric as stitchers always like to know about that stuff for some reason!

 

Last year I decided it was high time that instead of storing my stitching supplies in various boxes here and there, I would collate my supplies in one place!  I figured as the value of my stitching stash runs quite high (the value not necessarily being what I paid for it:)), it was worth investing in some decent storage that would work for me.  This is what I came up with:

 

 

 

Two custom storage towers from the Really Useful Boxes company which houses my entire fabric and thread collection!

 

The smaller drawers are mainly jam packed full of floss away bags like this:

 

 

 

 

Or with perles like this:

 



 

Each of the thread brands has its own drawer or drawers, depending on the amount I have, so for example this is one of my Caron thread drawers:

 

 

There are other supplier specific drawers for Jodyri Designs, GASTs, Dinky Dyes, Gloriana, Thread Pickerz, Mo's Sale and Threadworx etc, as well as some for hand dyed perles, miscellaneous silks and miscellaneous cottons.

 

 As you can see I store all my hand dyed threads in floss away bags - I don't like my special threads getting kinky on bobbins (the same rule does not apply to DMC and Anchor, I'm very devil may care with those!).  I put an index card in each one, so if the thread is for use in a particular project I can make a note on the card and it also gives the bags some strength, making them easier to file in the drawers! 

 



 

I only begin to kit projects up a few at a time as I come to them, so some threads in my collection are ear marked for different Chatelaines and other special projects.  I just choose to keep my threads as one collection rather than spread across a lot of kitted projects.  Threads that I have used already this year as part of Operation Threadporn are denoted by a little stick on crystal, so as I flick through my drawers looking to pull threads for a project I know which ones I have used already this year (the rule being no duplicate threads allowed this year!).

 

 

So that covers the little drawers, but just in case you were wondering what is stored in the others - in the medium drawers you will find my hand dyed fabrics and fat quarter finishing fabrics along with trims and other notions:

 

The larger bottom drawers house "The Drawer" (of finishes) along with my plain metres of evenweave and linens and my Anchor (100% complete) and DMC (90% complete) cotton collection (all bobbinated in boxes):

So there you have it - a sneak peek into my stash!

Happy Stitching!

July Operation Threadporn Report

The results are in, the threads have been counted - here are the designs for this month!

First up July's SOTW Hardanger design by Mabel Figworthy.  I chose another unusual colour combination, until you actually stitch with a thread it's hard to know how the colour variation will stitch out.  I'm quite pleased with the results and who knew how easy it is to add beads to hardanger:

Introducing ermine stitches!

 

A slightly more summery feel to my chosen freebie for this month, a design by The Snowflower Diaries, who incidentally posted a new freebie design to her blog this past week.  For this one I chose a OOAK hand painted sea effect jobelan that Sam from Chromatic Alchemy very kindly gifted to me last year along with cottons and silks from Nina's Threads that Chiara gifted to me via her Enigma (it has just occurred to me that I really should have used this finish for a Gifted Gorgeousness post..........muppet!):

 

 

 

Yes I know, epic fail on the finishing front but I'm just not in the mood for it at the moment.  If I force it, everything will just get finished for the sake of it into pillows or something easy that I can do - I have better ideas, just lacking the inclination at the moment :).

 

I am ecstatic to report that I have this month hit the magic number as far as thread usage percentage is concerned - probably helped out by the lack of thread buying going on here at the moment!  Here are the monthly totals to date:

 

Percentage of hand dyed thread stash used to date: 15.51%

Number of different stitches used to date:     48

Number of finishes to date:                          24  (9 of which are FFOs)

 

So seven months in and my target of 15% has been reached!  Maybe I could reach 20% by the end of the year - but a thread binge could strike at anytime.......vigilance must be maintained!

 

In other stitching activities this past week, I've put in few stitches on Sleeping Beauty by The Primitive Hare - she is no longer levitating:



 

 

I also completed Part 4 of Milady's Blossom Garden by Abi Gurden which came out on Sunday:

 

 

 

Loved stitching the drawn thread bands with all those coral knots!

 

Hoping I can stitch a word or two on my L*K before the month is out and then 1st August sees the release of the final block for Box of Delights!

 

Happy Stitching!

Emma and Eliza in the Garden

I figured this one would be the first of my finishes for my Summer Starts - it was just too darn cute and I adored the theme and colours!

Spot the hedgies and the incy wincies!

 

I can see why these designs are so addictive and I expect there will be more like them to follow!  I changed a few of my original colour choices as is my prerogative - but still another 8 threads to add to my threadporn totals so it's all good :).

 

This brings me to finish number 22 for 2015!  I know I drive certain stitchers to distraction over the fact that most of my finishes end up in "The Drawer", I've always been more of a process stitcher than a product stitcher.  I do have five pieces of my stitching hanging in my house, two of which are huge Chatelaines - there really is only so much stitching I can take hanging in my house, otherwise it would be a "can't see the wood for the trees" situation!  I just love everything about the actual physical stitching, from picking colours of thread and fabric to deciding on which individual stitches to use for a piece.  Once a piece is finished, I'm ready to move on to the next one, taking what I've learnt from all my finishes and putting that experience into a new start, whilst always being open to learning new things along the way.  I've always been about the journey and not the destination.  Stitching for me is like the colouring in "Art Therapy" that so many people are in to nowadays.  No one asks them what they are going to do with all the colouring books when they've completed them, the act of colouring means it has served its purpose - that is like me with my stitching :).

 

I've finally got around to picking my threads for my Hardanger and Snowflower Diaries freebie for this month (no prizes for guessing which design I'm doing lol!):

 

 

Nina's lovelies put to use!

 

Lastly on the subject of freebies, if you love history and stitching, then head on over to the Stitchory FB group (it's public), where Chase has flexed his designing muscles and created a beautiful Aztec inspired turquoise mandala design - educational AND fun, would more could you want!

 

Happy Stitching!

WIP Update!

Not a great deal of stitching has been going on at Milkybar Towers this week, so I'm going to have to get a move on if I want all my current projects to be finished before the start of the best sporting event on the planet ;).

I've cut the border for the final part of Confetti of Hardanger and am looking to get that finished next week hopefully:

 

I've also been chipping away at Jodyri Butterfly Quote and just have the word "world" to stitch, so looking for a finish this weekend then it will be off to the fabric shop to find suitable fabric and trimmings!

 

 

I just love this colour!



I've also picked my colours for my thread challenge pieces this month, I think I must have been influenced by all the blue sky we've had around here lately!

 

The colour combination for my hardanger piece this month may prove interesting, but I had that Watercolour in my stash so I figured I might as well use it and step out of my comfort zone!  My freebie piece this month is a bit selfish as it is no longer available, it is by The Sampler Girl aka @bzmama on IG aka Tanya Marie Anderson.  Nowadays she is much more about the knitting and yarn, so if you love that too check out her ravelry page, blog and vlog!  I do miss her Jane Austen inspired designs, but I have a few in my stash to keep me going yet ;).

 

Here's to having a more productive week next week!

 

Sidebar:  Thank you to everyone who entered my vlogaversary giveaway last week and who left comments on my video.  There were 170 entrants and the winners have been drawn and notified and their charts will be in the post in a few days!

 

 

Have a good weekend everyone and Happy Stitching!

May Operation Threadporn Report

Slightly later than usual, here is the monthly progress report on my thread challenge for May!

Once again for my SOTW hardanger square I choose DMC and Anchor perles for the design - pink seemed to be my theme for the month!

 

This was the first time I'd stitched unevenly woven bars and I really like the effect - plus the fact that it makes it easier to run your thread underneath them on the back!  I'm not sure what I will do with my 12 hardanger squares at the end of the year, maybe I will pinch Jo's idea and scrapbook them along with a record of threads and stitches used.

 

My freebie for this month was taken from this blog: Les Chalet des Perelles (I love a good French needlework blog if anyone has any suggestions!) and I decided to stitch it in silks, mainly because when I saw the colours I knew I had an excellent selection of pinks, reds and greens in hand dyed silks!  I thought I would have issues with greys though - I mean who has several shades of grey in their silk collection??!!!  Urm that would be me - I'd forgotten I have approximately 12 shades to choose from!  Anyway here is my finish,  a little stretched canvas:

 

 

 

I know I'm not particularly adventurous with my finishings, but for me after years of never finishing ANYTHING, even ornaments, pillows and canvases are a vast improvement!

 

 

I also have an update on my Jodyri Butterfly Quote (chart available for free on the Jodyri Designs FB group), I've finished all the words in Unicorn Magic, just need to add the words "butterfly" and "world" for a finish.  I decided that all the nouns should be in a different colour thread so I'm waiting to decide on colours (either Crystal Seas or Deep Dive) for "world" after I've stitched the word "butterfly" to see which blends in better:

 

 



 

This means that the stats up until the end of May are:

 

Percentage of hand dyed stash used to date: 10.99%

Number of different stitches used to date:     38

Number of finishes to date:                          17 (9 of which are "finished finished")

 

Once I start my summer stitching I am confident that I will reach the magical 12% stash goal and possibly by year end will have surpassed the 15% I thought impossible!  I will definitely be rolling Operation Threadporn over into 2016 as it is really making me think about my thread usage.  Using such a wide assortment of threads in close succession also makes for great comparisons (or not so great in the case of some threads!).  Whilst I think that I am cured of my thread buying addiction (though The Sister says we must remain vigilant for signs of waivering!) I definitely know which threads I would focus my stash pennies on in the future should I wish to add to my collection :).

 

Happy Stitching!

April Operation Threadporn Report

It's that time of the month again to report on how I have got on with my monthly thread challenge!

For my April SOTW hardanger square this month I choose to use mainly DMC perles in their variegated and variations series - not everything I do has to use hand dyed :) (although they don't count towards my thread challenge totals).  I stitched portuguese ladder stitch for the first time and I also had to stitch what I refer to as" maggot stitch" - aka bullion knots, which I hate!  Fortunately I had a straw needle large enough to take #8 perle, so that made them a bit easier, though they are still one of my most hated stitches lol!

 

 

I then chose two freebie projects to stitch this month, each of them was only an evening's worth of stitching and I got to use more threads :).  Firstly was the La-d-da Rose Freebie, I chose 28ct Jobelan in Mummies Curse by Polstitches and Valdani and Crescent Colourworks threads and finished it as a little cushion with some of my new fabric stash:

 

 

Valdani Threads: Old Rose, Old Brick, Muddy Monet, Crispy Leaf
Crescent Colourworks: Hickory Sticks



I also stitched the Stitching Days freebie by Glory Bee, this time using 28ct Jazlyn in a pink/yellow solo by Chromatic Alchemy, silks by Thread Pickerz and metallic and beads for a touch of sparkle and turned it into a needle book, with a page for each of the needle types I use:

Thread Pickerz Silks: P3 and Fuschia
Pages for beading, chenille, crewel, straw and tapestry needles



So the stats for this month are:

Percentage of hand dyed stash used to date: 9.07%
Number of different stitches used to date:     27
Number of finishes to date:                          14 (8 of which are "finished finished")

Now to think what I want to achieve next month.......

Happy Stitching!

Plum Pudding by Glendon Place - April Progress

Nic and I are SALing on Plum Pudding by Glendon Place on 1st -7th of each month, I picked this on up on Friday and here is where I got up to by Tuesday:

 

A lot of stitchers have commented on the way I have chosen to stitch this piece - working from the inside out in a round instead of page by page or corner to corner.  I've stitched quite a few mandala designs in my time and I've always found it easier and quicker to stitch identical elements together as by the time you've stitched something for the 4th/8th/12th time you know the pattern by heart!

 

One of the questions I get asked the most over on my YouTube channel is "How do you stitch with variegated floss?" - to which my (probably unhelpful) answer is "However you like, as long as it looks good to you that's all that matters!".  Of course we all have our preferences, but there are very few rules in stitching and far be it from me to make my methods rules!  In Plum Pudding there is only one really variegated thread out of the six silks used and that's Moonie Ponds.

 

 

I have no hard and fast rules on how I choose to use multi-coloured/variegated/overdyed/space dyed etc etc threads, I take it on a project by project basis. I'm a stitcher that doesn't mind the stripey effect you sometimes get when using these threads, I stitch with them vertically, horizontally, in a round, to match the shape - but for areas of Plum Pudding I chose to stitch with Moonie Ponds diagonally, horizontally and vertically!  I wanted the change in colours to go in the same direction as I felt the shape was going - if that makes any sense :).
 

 

I love stitching on this piece - stitching goes so much faster when you are using silks!

 

Not sure what I will stitch on next, possible my Threadporn projects - here are my thread choices for this month for my SOTW Hardanger square:

 

 

Not much in the way of hand dyed threads for this one in April, but there is nothing wrong with good old DMC and I have a mountain of perles to get through!

 

I couldn't decide between two freebies this month, so decided to stitch them both as they are only small.  One is from La-d-da (you can probably guess which one by my thread colours!) and the other is from Glory Bee in their archives section:

 

 

 

I've picked out hand dyed fabrics for both (Polstitches and Chromatic Alchemy)- I've got them so I might as well use them!  Top threads are a mixture of Valdanis and Crescent Colours and bottom threads are Thread Pickerz silks which were left overs from Twisted Rainbow (I LOVE leftovers!).  The Glory Bee design I've chosen was originally charted in GASTs I think - I've pimped up the design a bit with pink, purple and sparkles :).

 

Happy Stitching!