March Plans and a Finish!

I like to set stitching "goals" at the start of each month, that way I can tailor them to my particular stitching tastes at the time, as well as making them achievable for that particular month if I know I will have less stitching time.  Past experience has taught me that yearly goals don't work for me, as soon as I say x/y/z has to be done by such and such a date, I instantly loose the desire to stitch on that piece :).

I'm trying to have a more laid back approach to my stitching this year, so if things on this list don't get done, it's no big deal - I just like lists!

March Plans

• Start and stitch on Plum Pudding by Glendon Place from 1st -7th March as part of my SAL with Nic
• Start a project using a technique that is new to me (very excited about this!)
• Stitch and finish my March freebie project for Operation Threadporn, something from La Comtesse
• Stitch the March Hardanger square from Songs of the Weather SAL by Mabel Figworthy

Those are the priorities, if they are done than one or more of the following could be started:

• Butterfly Quote by Jodyri Designs
• Butterfly Garden by The Drawn Thread
• Emma and Eliza in the Garden by Just Nan
• Confetti of Hardanger by Bee's Needleworks (Abi Gurden)

So we'll see how that goes.......

Today saw the release of the final part of Les Dentelles SAL, as I was home today I made sure I had everything ready to go last night so that I could stitch and finish the piece today:


Hard to get a good photo with neutral on neutral tones!

I really enjoyed stitching this piece and I love the way my colour combination turned out.  Esther's designs are beautiful, so if you are a fan of blackwork and enjoy choosing your own colours I would definitely recommend her Etsy Shop!

 

Hopefully my next post will be an Operation Threadporn report for February..........

 

Happy Stitching!

Les Dentelles - Penultimate Part!

Not much stitching has been going on here, but quite a bit of reading and research has been taking place........

 

My sister also very kindly gave me an exemption on thread purchases so that I could buy the AVAS I needed for my Scarlet Letter Sampler, A Flamestitch, that I plan to start for my Autumn/Winter project this year.  After I heard the terrible news about the AVAS factory fire, I wanted to make sure I had the threads I needed sooner rather than later.  I now have all the threads I need for my projects this year........

 

 

 

I have finished my Operation Threadporn freebie project for February, I just need to find some buttons for the finished finish and get it sewn up over the weekend, but here is a sneak peak:

 

 

 

And finally.........I've finished Part 8 of Les Dentelles, all ready for the release of the final part on Monday:

 

 

 

I'm looking forward to starting Plum Pudding with Nic on Sunday :).

Happy Stitching!

Les Dentelles and other happenings

On Monday Esther at Brodeuse Bressane released Part 7 of  Les Dentelles SAL (taking place on FB and her blog) - only 2 more parts to go!  I'm stitching mine on Oatmeal Cashel linen and using Anchor 778 and 387 (Ecru by any other name) and Caron Wildflowers in Maple.  I'm also using DMC #8 perle in Ecru for the blackwork element.  I would have preferred to use a #12 perle but #8 was what I had in the colour I wanted so in the spirit of stitching from stash that is what I used!  Here are Parts 1 - 7 completed:

 

I wanted to go for a light and delicate feel to match the title of the piece (Lace), so neutral tones on neutral fabric was what I went for.  For the top part of Part 7 I used what I will describe as a woven lattice stitch, as I prefer the look of the longer lines and like to add a bit of texture!

 

In other news, I received my monthly subscriptions from Michelle at Jodyri Designs - always a welcome package in this house! 

 

 

The FOTM is gorgeous as are the new antique silks.  The only problem is that I think I have welcomed more hand dyed threads into my stash this month than I have used - which means Operation Threadporn might be a bust for February.........oops!  There are still 10 months to go though!  My sister was no fool when she put the percentage rule in place.......

 

Speaking of my sister, have I mentioned that she is in charge of my stash budget this year?  It's not as frightening as it sounds though and has worked out very well so far, making me focus on what I really want to have and not just randomly spending stash pennies on silks (my default setting!).  Branching out into new areas of needlework inevitably means new stash, but the items have to be on my wishlist before they are even considered as a viable purchase!  If it's a request for more (unnecessary) threads, the chances are it will get vetoed.  In fact for March and April I am not allowed to purchase any more threads outside of my subscriptions, so good news for Operation Threadporn if nothing else!  In fairness though, my sister is the only other person on the planet aside from me that knows the full extent of my stash, so she knows that I am not lacking in the thread and fabric departments!

 

I've pulled threads for February's Operation Threadporn projects and will be stitching them for the rest of the month.  I changed my mind a few times, but that's all part of the fun and here are my final selections - projects to be revealed at the end of the month:

 

 

Finally I gave a very talented friend of mine my Jodyri Dragonfly finish from a few years ago and a bunch of fabric I'd been saving for a "special project" as you do (except this time I was obviously right to do so!) and she made me this gorgeous pin board which now hangs above my desk in the craft room:

 

 

 

Happy stitching everyone!