January Just Nan 2014 SAL Update

Here is my progress on Just Nan's Patience Sampler. I expected to complete the first band and I probably would have, if I hadn't miscounted the positioning of the centre piece after the first rose! So after some frogging, here it is.
I'm stitching on the recommended 30ct Liberty fabric and I'm still undecided as to whether I like it or not. I feel that the fabric holes are 'big' compared to 32ct. Silly I know, but as I usually stitch on 28ct or 32ct linen, it just feels different. Still love what I have managed to stitch though.

Just Nan 'Patience'
Stitched on 30ct Legacy

Housework neglected for some finishes

Housework took a back seat this week (not that I needed much encouragement) as I was determined to finish the cot quilt that I have worked on for the past year. In addition, I also needed to stitch a scented sachet for an exchange at my local sewing group last Thursday. I've had a month to do it but for some reason it got squeezed into the final two days. Sound familiar? Here are my photos of the finished items. Unfortunately they are not as good as I would like as the lighting is too dull to get a decent photograph.

Design taken from 'Romance' by Emma Coutancier, Burda Patchwork, No.32, Autumn 2012

Design is 'Petit Bouquet' taken from 'Minatures au point de croix' by Françoise Prax

Now I have two exchange pieces to stitch as well as continue to work on Just Nan's Patience Sampler. With doing so much stitching in January, it's very likely that February will be a quiet month craftwise.

First Happy Dance of 2014

I finished the Fairy Tale Sampler from Dragon Dreams earlier this afternoon. I'm pleased with it and glad that I used the recommended Waterlilies 'Mulberry' thread. I had considered just using Waterlilies 'Sky Blue Pink' for the speciality stitches but it takes the two colours to provide extra definition.

Dragon Dreams 'Fairy Tale Sampler'
Stitched on 28ct Brittany Ivory

Nearly finished!

Last year I joined my local Patchwork group and started working on my first quilting project. Last night, I started to stitch the border. Once I've completed that, it will be finished. I'm very pleased with how this looks even though my hand quilting has room for improvement. This picture shows the quilt pre-basting.

Something New

I've toyed with the idea of a blog for my hobbies before now but it was the idea of joining the Just Nan Stitch Along 2014 that made me decide to take the plunge. I've got more Just Nan charts than I've stitched so far!

If you would like to find out more about this SAL, the details are here: Just Nan Stitch Along 2014 hosted by Zeb of Keep Calm and Cross Stitch.

My main stitching piece at the moment is Fairy Tale Sampler by Dragon Dreams. Here is the latest picture of my progress.

Dragon Dreams 'Fairy Tale Sampler'
Stitched on 28ct Brittany Ivory