Back again!

When we came back from our holiday last year we brought back a surprise souvenir with us which has made some big changes to our family and is partly why I've been so quiet for such a long time.

Our third son, Myles (appropriately named) arrived at the end of July and we're - only just -getting used to juggling the needs of a baby and our two much older sons.

My stitching achievements and mojo have been pretty low this year but seem to be making a comeback now, this is of course just when I have much less free time to enjoy them, LOL. Even though I haven't been stitching too much myself I've enjoyed reading other stitchy blogs to see what everyone else has been up to during the year which has been nearly as good. However, I'm glad that I finally feel ready to join in again.

Missy Ann and Annette are having great giveaways for the 31 Days of Halloween which sounds like lots of fun and I've signed up for the Great Pumpkin Challenge run by BeckySC. I'm definitely in Halloween mode and hope to have lots, well maybe a few, Halloween finishes by the end of October.

Hope you find stitching time today :)
Karrie

Our European odyssey is over and we're back home. It was a wonderful adventure! I took what I thought was an achievable amount of stitching with me and I didn't cross one x the entire time. So no stitch-y updates at the moment but hopefully soon.

Hope you all find some stitching time today :)
Karrie

One to keep and one to giveaway

I've received a beautiful ornament from Jen for the ASOE - Stitcher's Choice. It's a Christmas design - I love Christmas decorations - and worked in a lovely purple-y overdye. This is the first time I've received a flat finished ornament, or even seen one IRL, hopefully now I'll work up the courage to try this finish for myself, now I can really see how it's supposed to turn out.

Thank you Jen for a gorgeous exchange.

I've finished the wedding sampler from my last post and it's all framed and ready to go. The framer suggested a double frame - I'd never heard of that before - and I think it turned out quite nicely only a bit bigger than I'd originally planned. Now I just have to hope that they like it - fingers crossed.

(Please excuse the reflection from the glass in the photo).

Wedding Spots
The Trilogy
32# Belfast linen with GAST and DMC threads

I'm also very close to my first TW finish - only 18 rows to go! It's "Above the Clouds" which I bought as a kit off Ebay as a practice piece. As it was for practice I just used the aida that was in the kit and have been stitching it using the parking technique - great for the constant colour changes, but the back looks like a dog's breakfast : (

The story behind this is that about 3 years ago I started "Peacock Tapestry" by TW and it quickly became clear that I was waaaay out of my depth so I put it aside until I could figure out how I could stitch it without going insane. I saw these smaller kits and thought what a great idea to practice on a smaller design and work out the kinks. It was still a nightmare until I stumbled across the parking technique and I was finally able to work on it without going mad and now, I'm nearly finished - I am so pleased. Soon I'll be able to pick up my peacock again and make some real progress - without going insane - which will be nice : )

I hope you all find some stitchy time today : )
Karrie

*Edited to add * I've had a question about the parking technique, so I'll add a couple of links which will explain it much better than I could ever hope too. The first site I found that made sense - to me - was on Nicki's blog (if you scroll down the left menu there is a tutorial under Posts to Remember). As with most techiques there are a few different ways to do them, here and here explain it differently. This technique is mainly used for designs with lots of colour changes and dense stitching - such as HAED's and TW designs. The only thing I can think to add is if you'd like to try this is make sure you overlap your rows a little or you can end up with ridges where they meet.

Summer Squares to Renee

I see that Renee has received her squares for the F&S - Summer round and I am so relieved! Hers was the very last name with no - received - next to it. I always feel a little anxious till an exchange arrives because you can never be 100% sure if it will make it. Things, unfortunately, seem to disappear into the postal black hole from time to time so until my partner has their exchange in their hands I worry - just a teensy bit. What's even better and possibly more important(?) than an exchange arriving is knowing whether or not they like it and I think that's part of the worry, I thought it would get easier as I did more exchanges but I find it just as difficult to choose something I think my partner will like as I did for my first exchange. The good news is that she does like it, so thank you for your patience if you've read my ramblings to finally reach this point, which took way too long to make - sorry ;)

Summer Sparrow
Waxing Moon freebie
32# Lambswool linen with recommended GAST

I couldn't find a picture of this design finished anywhere so I didn't really know what it would look like till I had most of it stitched, luckily I liked what I saw or I would have been in a pickle!

Unfortunately it's no more exchanges for me - for a little while - as we're going to Europe for a few weeks - which is very exciting as I've never been overseas before - but at the same time a little bit sad as my most favourite-ist exchanges will be happening, the Halloween ones - wahhhh. Oh well, I can't have my cake an eat it too - unfortunately for my figure this is only figurative and not literal - Halloween will be here next year and I don't think we'll being taking another trip like this for a looooong time, so I guess I'll just have to make the sacrifice... and go on this trip... LOL

Our main reason for going overseas is for a family wedding in Italy and what do you give the couple who has everything already, why a marriage sampler of course! We don't know their tastes or decor - they live in the UK - but we're winging it and crossing our fingers that it works out alright. My DH helped choose the design - "Wedding Spots" by The Trilogy - as it's reasonably modern, fairly small, neutral colours and we both liked it ourselves, so hopefully a good choice. I don't tend to give cross stitched gifts to people unless I'm pretty sure they'll like it, after all it's not everyone's cup of tea, but we've never been to a wedding without some sort of gift and it would be just too strange, so this is what we've come up with.

It's nearly finished and I'm just wondering if we should stick with a similar frame to the model's or a matt silver for a more modern look - any advice very welcome.

We'll I'd better go and actually finish this sampler so it can be framed before we go.

Hope you all have some stitching time today :)
Karrie

Hello!

I'm still here, still low on mojo but plodding along. I have a couple of tid bits to share so at least a mini post is an option :)

I've received a lovely set of squares for the Fair and Square - Summer round from Renee. It's a design by Donna Kooler and has a lovely big pitcher - I like that word so much more than jug - full of iced tea under a shady umbrella. Excuse my explaining the picture but I couldn't seem to get a good shot and don't know if you can make it out clearly! Anyway, it's lovely and very appropriate for the Summer yet to come - still enjoying my mild Brissie winter at the moment.

My only other share-able finish is Brite Birds by Barrick Samplers. Barbara was very kindly sharing a couple of freebies - with permission - and I was lucky enough to get this one which I started on straight away. What I like the most about it and why I really wanted it is the sideways birds - I think that has to say something significant about me, I don't know what but I'll pretend it's flattering...LOL

Brite Birds
Barrick Samplers
40# Unknown R&R Linen with GAST (own choice)

Despite my lack of stitching mojo I have big plans afoot! I have finally chosen a fabric for the Mary Wigham's Sampler SAL - I'm ignoring the fact that other stitchers have nearly finished while I have yet to start - and I have family baby and wedding pieces to work on so hopefully more regular posts from yours truly with interesting tid bits to share.

Hope you all have a stitchy day :)
Karrie