Testing, Testing 123.........

So something extraordinary has happened - I've picked up a needle and thread again after a long hiatus.  Even stranger is that since April, I've started a HAED, a Mirabilia AND uploaded not one but two videos to YouTube - three things I never thought I'd hear myself say again!

Blogging seems to be on the decline, but I see the hardcore stitching bloggers are still in action!  Being short on time, I find Instagram a faster way to chart my progress and to connect with stitchy friends, but I thought for old times' sake I would attempt a blogpost as an update to what I am stitching on currently.

Band Sampler by Susan Haverson, taken from SANQ:

I'm currently working on the penultimate band of the final part on this one, stitched on 40ct linen using the recommended DMCs.

Elle Brode des Lettres Carmin by Reflets de Soie taken from The Gift of Stitching Magazine:

I've actually completed the bands started in the above photo, I just don't have an up to date photo, but this one is stitched on 40ct flax linen using AVAS Soie d'Alger and Soie de Paris and some silk ribbon.

HAED Mini Tears of Yesterday, artwork by Zindy Nielsen:

I was after an easy mindless stitch to take my mind off things, so I opted to start a HAED of all things!  Love stitching on her though and she is currently a few rows further along as she is the piece I have out at the moment.  Stitched on 28ct evenweave 2 over 1 in continental tent stitch subbing out the kreinik in favour of PTB.

Miss Cherry Blossom by Mirabilia:

Stitched 2 over 2 (skin will be 1 over 1) on 28ct Brittney Opal in The Milkybar Kid by Jodyri Designs using the recommended threads and beads, except the kreinik has been subbed for PTB.  I checked out any new releases I'd "missed" during my hiatus and this one immediately jumped out at me, so I bought my first stash in over a year and started her straight away!

Alice by Aury TM:

My first finish since OCTOBER 2016!!!  Stitched on 40ct pearl grey linen using my choice of silks mainly and sparkly threads.  I don't think this chart is available anymore, but I loved stitching on her and thanks to Wimbledon managed to finish her after leaving her languishing for a long time!

Although I don't have anywhere near the time I used to for stitching, I've enjoyed picking up my stitching regularly, even if that has only been once or twice a week for a few hours.  It's a battle now between books and stitching, quite often books win.  I've read over 50 so far this year which is hilarious considering that I probably haven't read a total of 50 book in the last 10 years combined!

I will try and update the blog with these current WIPs and any new starts, so I'll be checking in every so often.  Progress is slow, but although neglected, my blog is a good way of looking back on what I've stitched and I'd like to keep it up to date for my own records.

Happy Stitching!

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.

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:

 

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:

 

 

 

 

 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!