My latest toy and miniature quilt update

I love visiting family but it is nice to get home and back to your own bed. It also means that I can pick up on my stitching and quilting. Even though I take a small project with me when I'm away from home, I find that I rarely have time to take it out and do any work on it. I know that this will happen but I take something anyway as I like to know that I have something with me, in case I have some free time.

For ages, I wanted some way of being able to look at my charts when stitching rather than having to keep lifting them up and down from the cushion beside me. I read that some stitchers found a music stand helpful so when I saw one for sale in a charity shop, I bought it to try it out.
I'm so glad I did. It is easy to read my chart without having to put my stitching down. I wish I had got one sooner. I like that it doesn't take up much space and I am able to adjust the angle of the lectern that holds the chart.

My music stand for holding charts and diagrams

This photo of my miniature hexagon quilt is a little out of date as I have now started to stitch the rows together. I'm looking forward to getting to the quilting stage. There are errors in that each hexagon is not exactly the same size but I have learnt lessons from this project that will be helpful in future projects. It is very soothing stitching this by hand.

Design: Josette found in Magic Patch hors serie, no. 91,

'15 quilts miniatures'

Fabric: Moda charm pack 'Icicle Kisses'

Happy Easter

Wishing you a joyful Easter.
Here are some Easter gifts I have received in recent years on stitching exchanges.

Easter exchanges past

We don't get Simnel cake in this part of France so I bought this cake called 'Exotica' for tea on Easter Sunday. I don't think it will last too long.

Some more stitching and patchwork

Rather oddly, life has been both quiet and busy at the same time over the past couple of weeks. Nevertheless I made some time for stitching.

I've finished the stitching on February's Joyful World SAL.

February, Joyful World SAL - The Snowflower Diaries
Fabric: 40ct Newcastle vintage mocha
Threads: suggested DMC threads

March's Joyful World design is close to being finished. All being well that means that April's design could be stitched before the month of March is over.

March, Joyful World SAL - The Snowflower Diaries
Fabric: 40ct Newcastle vintage mocha
Threads: suggested DMC threads

During the past week, I went back to working on my mini hexagon quilt and discovered what I had suspected. Not all my hexagons are perfect so I'm doing some minor adjustments to make edges fit as I stitch. At least with hand stitching, I feel I have more control over how the hexagons stitch together.

Design: Josette found in Magic Patch hors serie, no. 91,
'15 quilts miniatures'
Fabric: Moda charm pack 'Icicle Kisses'

A Mado Patchwork blog post (in French) on the finished quilt can be found here.

A Stitcher's Day Exchange

The 25th March has been designated Stitcher's Day on the Friendly Stitchers forum. Since this is the group's only exchange this year I signed up for it and have sent and received my exchange ornaments.

From my stitching partner DJ (her blog is tickledpinkinstitches), I received this beautiful flat fold ornament. The stitching is beautiful and so detailed. DJ stitched this on 54ct linen! My highest count so far is 40ct and I think that will be it.
My husband teased me that he was surprised that I didn't have an apron like this in real life.

Stitcher's Apron - Sue Hillis Designs
Fabric: 54ct linen, cream coloured
Received from DJ

For my stitching partner, Christine, I made a needle case (which she has received). On the inside of the needle case, there is a pocket to hold a packet of needles and/or a small pair of scissors as well as a felt section for pinning your needles. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the interior of the case but here is what the exterior looked like.

Let's stitch - Patty C, Hanging By A Thread

stitched on 28ct Cashel Lanbswool

DMC threads; 317, 613, 680, 931, 3011, 3750

Needle case closed - front

Needle case closed - back

This free design from Patty C was enjoyable to stitch and a copy of the pattern can be found here; just scroll down the page.

Back to Alpine Seasons Garden

It's nearly a year since I last stitched on Alpine Seasons Garden. There is something satisfying about working on it, even though the section I'm working on is quite slow. This is how I left it last April

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine 

as at 25 April 2015

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Summer Khaki linen 

Threads: Recommended silk threads

and this is what I've stitched during the past week (bottom right hand corner)

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine 

as at 5 March 2016

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Summer Khaki linen 

Threads: Recommended silk threads

I've also completed the stitching on Blackbird Design's 'Basket of Memories ' and

Basket of Memories - Blackbird Designs

Fabric: 32ct grey/silver overdyed linen

Threads: Fils à Soso - Pierre de lune (160)

stitched Blackbird Design's 'Souvenir de France'. Both of these will be finished as pincushions. Well, that's the current plan.

Souvenir de France - Blackbird Designs
Fabric: 32ct Belfast pale lilac linen
Thread: Fils à Soso: Mille Saphirs (171)

Work in progress

I bought this overdyed grey/silver fabric along with some overdyed threads at the Pexiora needlework show at the weekend. I loved the colour so much that I had to start using it immediately.

Basket of Memories - Blackbird Designs
Fabric: 32ct grey/silver overdyed linen
Threads: Fils à Soso - Pierre de lune (160)

I haven't finished February's Joyful World design yet. I keep miscounting but it will be completed.

February, Joyful World SAL - The Snowflower Diaries
Fabric: 40ct Newcastle vintage mocha
Threads: suggested DMC threads

Maybe I need more stash? ...

Well not really. Certainly not when it comes to charts. However, when finishing a couple of stitched designs this weekend, I felt that I lacked inspiration. It was mainly due to my lack of imagination but when it came to finishing this time, I wan't inspired by my collection of charms/buttons/ribbon/lace, etc and my first thought was that maybe I needed to add to it.
The moral of the story for me? - Get more creative with what I have and seek inspiration from all the needlecrafters who show their work online. You produce some amazing work.

Do you ever feel that you need more stitching paraphernalia even when you know you don't need it?

So what are the ornaments that caused me this angst? The first is The Sheep Day, a freebie from The Little Stitcher. I stitched this late in 2014 but have only now made it into a small hanging ornament. The other is my Needlecraft Haven monthly Christmas challenge called Ho Ho Ho from Pineberry Lane. The chart for this can be found here.

Both completed ornaments

The Sheep Day - The Little Stitcher

stitched on 32ct Belfast Light Mocha (?) with recommended DMC threads

Ho Ho Ho - Pineberry Lane
stitched on a unknown 32ct overdyed tan/green linen with
recommended DMC threads except for 830 which was substituted by 832

Some finishes

During the past two weeks I've been visiting family. Before I went, I made up some of my finished stitching. I was pleased with my efforts as it is so easy for me to put my finished stitching to one side and say 'Done'. I've admired this design from Little House Needleworks for ages and I now have it finished and ready to display for next Christmas.

Season's Greetings - Little House Needleworks
stitched on 32ct Lambswool with suggested DMC threads
finished as a flat ornament with help from The Twisted Stitcher's tutorial

With almost 4,000 participants on Facebook alone, I've joined The Snowflower Diaries' Joyful World SAL. Now that I've received the magnets I needed, I will be able to complete the calendar I'm making to display these each month.

January, Joyful World SAL - The Snowflower Diaries
stitched on 40ct Newcastle vintage mocha with suggested DMC threads
Again, this is finished as a flat ornament using The Twisted Stitcher's tutorial

I've seen some gorgeous no-sew cubes online and thought this design was perfect for trying out this finishing technique. This is the first monthly ornament challenge on Needlecraft Haven that I've completed. This robin sampler from Aliolka (free chart) was too nice to resist.

Robin sampler - Aliolka
stitched on 28ct Jobelan Dark Red with DMC threads: blanc, 844, 3799, 3853
Finished as a no-sew cube using Little House Needlework's tutorial

A patchwork basket

Thursday night was patchwork night and there was a good turnout at our group because Patricia, our tutor, was showing us how to make a basket block. It took me three attempts to get the basket handle lying flat and in roughly the right position! I had to keep reminding myself that Patricia said this was the easiest basket block to make!

Basket block (untrimmed)

I've decided that I will make three more of these and make a small to medium sized cushion.

Next Thursday, we will be making other variations on the basket block, one of which is called the Durham basket

Smalls

It looks as if this could be the year of 'smalls'. Over at Friendly Stitchers and on various blogs, stitchers seem to be favouring smalls over larger pieces of stitching.

I'm going through a smalls phase as well. Given that I had limited time for stitching during the latter part of 2015, I'm stitching smalls because I want to see some quick finishes. Originally I thought that I would only show finished finishes but I've thrown that idea out the window. For the past week I've intended to get my sewing machine out but I haven't done it. So if I stuck with my original idea, I would be sharing very little stitching.

So here is what I've been doing over the past two weeks. I've admired this design from Little House Needleworks for a long time and it was a joy to stitch. I've looked at different finishes of this design online and I think I will do a flat ornament.

Season's Greetings - Little House Needleworks
stitched on 32ct Belfast natural linen
with recommended DMC alternative threads

I started this Blackbird Designs Bluebirds scissorkeep back in April 2015. Now I just need to finish the second bluebird and add my initials. I didn't want to undo my stitching to change 2015 to 2016 so I've left the year unchanged. I don't think I will use this as a scissorkeep as it is larger than I thought it would be. It might be finished as an oval shaped flat ornament.

Bluebirds - Blackbird Designs
stitched on 32ct Belfast unbleached linen
with recommended DMC alternative threads

Until next time, enjoy your stitching or craft of choice and thanks for reading.

Another year almost over

Just taking a moment to wish everyone a Happy New Year. May 2016 bring you what you wish for and if you make resolutions, that you are able to keep them.

Here is my last stitched piece for 2016 which is 'Winter' by Prairie Schooler. I stitched this as part of Needlecraft Haven's four seasons SAL.

Winter - Prairie Schooler
stitched on 16ct Flax with recommended DMC threads

Memories of Autumn

With Christmas almost here, it seems odd to be casting my mind back to Autumn but I haven't been able before now to share what I sent and received in the Needlecraft Haven Autumn exchange.
The exchange was for a pincushion and my partner Dusty and I stitched each other a biscornu.
This is the lovely biscornu I received from Dusty accompanied with autumnal themed napkins.

Needlecraft Haven Autumn Exchange 2015
received from Dusty

 I stitched and sent this autumn design that I found on www.palkolap.blogspot.com.

Autumn - www.palkolap.blogspot.com
stitched on 28ct Cashel Platinum,
DMC threads- white, 350, 400, 831, 3822, 3828