Some progress on a WIP

This is one of my current works in progress, Confetti of Hardanger by Abi Gurden of Bee's Needleworks and it's the current SAL on The Stitch Specialists Yahoo Group.  This is Parts 1 to 4 and lots more to come yet.  You can see the finished version on the home page of the group.  Part 3 was all the motifs and eyelets and took a while, mainly because of the counting involved.  I went ahead and did part 4 first to give another point of reference for the counting.  Part 8 has been released and so I'd better get on and get caught up!

Another finish

That's two this month, I'm on a roll!  If it wasn't for the deadlines on the Sticklounge group I may not have them done but by the time I get to the last part I'm eager to finish.  This is Fleur et Papillon from Angie Designer and it was done in six parts.

 

Finally a Finish!

Last night I finished Tribute to Ackworth which is a SAL on the Sticklounge Yahoo Group.  What a joy this was to stitch!  I enjoyed every minute of it, except when I had to do some frogging!  However, that was my fault and not the fault of the design.  This is from Luv2Stitch2 Designs, Barbara J. is the designer. 

It is stitched in Waterlilies silk #112 Fir and the letters in Soie Cristale to match the green in the Fir.  The picture isn't the best and I may try to get a better one, it's more vibrant than it shows.

A couple of updates

I've finally finished Part 5 of Fleur et Papillon, just in time for Part 6 to come out, and that will be the final part and so the pressure will be off!

 

I've also completed Part 2 of Confetti of Hardanger by Abi Gurden of Bee's Needleworks.  This is a SAL on The Stitch Specialists Yahoo Group.  Part 2 was the cable stitch and double backstitch around the motifs.  I enjoyed doing the cable stitch but not the double backstitch so much.  It was done from the reverse side of the fabric and that felt really weird!  I'm not sure I've got it done right now but it's going to stay the way it is!

 

Now to catch up with the Many Years Ago sampler and Tribute to Ackworth, and then get back to Around the World in 80 Stitches, I'm still on Part 3 and I think Part 6 is due.  Also, so many new projects I want to start...so much to stitch, so little time!

 

Started Hardanger SAL

I've finished Part 1 of Confetti of Hardanger by Abi Gurden, here is a picture. 

I'm using 32 count Belfast/Lilac, Caron Wildflowers #162 Periwinkle, and I will be using Rainbow Gallery Subtlety #Y935 for the weaving and stitches that require the finer thickness of Perle.  You can see the finished product on The Stitch Specialists Yahoo Group home page.

I'm still working my other SALs and will post photos when I have some significant progress to report!

Just a quick update

I've finished the next part of Fleur et Papillon by Angie Designer, this is parts 1-4.

I believe there are two more parts.  There is a different central motif and the rest is a mirror image of the corners with the butterflies.

Next is the next part of Tribute to Ackworth, this is parts 1-13.

 

This is a very quick stitch and the part I just did only took a couple of hours if that.  It's a good project to SAL alongside others.

I will be starting another SAL with the Sticklounge group on July 25.  It's called the "Many Years Ago" sampler by Gudi Kolden.  The design is about 9" x 9" on the 36 count Edinburgh linen I've chosen and so will be considerably smaller than what I'm currently working on, which is good!  The linen is a solo from Silkweaver and is a tone on tone mauvey color, not too blotchy.  I'm going to use DMC #315.  I had chosen a nice silk from Soie d'Alger but I didn't have enough and it's not an easy thread to get and I didn't want to have to order and wait.  The DMC will be fine, I'm going to use one strand on the 36 count.

Plum pudding is calling me!  I'm not talking about the stuff you eat but this design from Glendon Place Plum Pudding.  I have the chart and all the threads I just need to choose the fabric, the thread colors are just gorgeous, my favorite purples!

I've also just received a lovely kit as a Bingo prize and I hope to start this soon.  This is not really a "kit" but a chart that came complete with fabric and all the threads and accessories, whole skeins of thread.  It's the Embroidress Band Sampler by Moss Creek Designs and it's really lovely.  I'm not sure if I'll do the whole of that border, it might become a bit tedious, I'll have to see when I get into it.

Last but not least, Confetti of Hardanger by Abi Gurden will be starting on August 4th.  This is a SAL with a Yahoo Group I help moderate The Stitch Specialists, you can also see a picture at that link.  This project is for beginners and those a bit more advanced and can even be done with no cutting if desired.  Abi will be presenting options for different stitches and it is a teaching SAL.  We have 125 members signed up and I'm really looking forward to it.

I think that's about it for now.  Hopefully I will have some progress to show on Around the World in 80 Stitches next time I do an update.  That project got put on hold while I got on with the other two.  Part 4 is out now and I've not done Part 3 yet, so I have some stitching to do!

Quick update on WIPs

Just a quick update today on a my two Sticklounge projects.  The first is Fleur et Papillon by Angie Designer and this is Parts 1-3.  Part 4 was released a couple of days ago and I need to keep up!  I'm half way through now.

I don't usually work projects by pages, I always tape pages together and work across the join but there's no option with this SAL as you have to stitch one part before getting the next.  However, I'm loving stitching this piece and only 3 colors to worry about, it goes pretty fast.

The next project is Tribute to Ackworth by Barbara J. (Luv2Stitch Designs).  This is a VERY quick stitch and I'm now through Part 12 of 24.  This is stitched in Waterlilies silk #112 Fir.

 

I've made a start on Part 3 of Around the World in 80 Stitches by Papillon Creations but put it up to keep up on Fleur et Papillon but hope to get back to it today.  I think I'm going to frog first though because I'm not happy with my lazy daisy stitches, they are always difficult to place on counted thread, easier on freestyle embroidery.  I'll do a picture update when I have more done.

All for today.  Off to watch Breakfast at Wimbledon and do some stitching!

Around the World in 80 Stitches update

I've finished Parts 1 and 2 of Around the World in 80 Stitches, except for the beads that is as I won't put those on until later.  Had some frustrations along the way, and a bit of frogging, but it finally came together.  I didn't like the Moravian stitch very much (think that's what it was called), seemed like too much thread in a small area, this is in the white section top right and bottom left.  Anyway, part 3 has been released and so will now get on with that, there is some nice cutwork (drawn thread) in that section.

Update on a couple of SALs

Here are a couple of updates on my Sticklounge SALs.  This is Tribute to Ackworth by Barbara J. of Luv2Stitch Designs through Part 11.  I'm still loving stitching this piece, it's so quick and easy.  I'm feeling a bit better about the thread situation but not 100% yet, hopefully I have enough, otherwise I'll just cross that bridge when I come to it.

The second one I'm doing is Fleur et Papillon by Angie Designer and this is it through Part 2.  This is also a lovely design to stitch and a bit more time consuming than Ackworth.  I've worked a bit on Part 3 but I'm going to put this up for a bit while I work on Part 2 of Around the World in 80 Stitches by Papillon Creations, I would like to get that done before Part 3 comes out.

Fleur et Papillon, Part 1

My other project with the Sticklounge Yahoo Group is "Fleur et Papillon" by AngieDesigner.  Having just joined the group I'm a little behind, Part 3 has just been released, but I have just finished Part 1.  I'm stitching this on 28 count Cashel/Lavender Mist using Rainbow Gallery Splendor silk.  The colors are S1037 Dark Plum, S1035 Medium Plum, and S802 White.  Looking forward to Part 2 which is the top right hand section.

I'm all caught up!

I've caught up with the group on A Tribute to Ackworth and this is my Parts 1-10.  Parts will be released every two weeks and so I've got to wait about 10 days for Part 11. This design is by Barbara J., Luv2Stitch Designs, and is a SAL on the Sticklounge Yahoo Group.

This is a really fun and very quick stitch.  Once in a while it's nice to do something all in one color and straight cross stitch.  Well, it's two colors in that the letters are done in a solid but the bulk is in Caron Waterlilies.  My only concern right now is that I might not have enough thread but I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it, can't worry about it now!

I've moved to working on Fleur et Papillon, another SAL on Sticklounge and I will have a progress picture on that shortly.  When I'm caught up with that one I will then move back to my Papillon Creations "Around the World in 80 Stitches."

Tribute to Ackworth through Part 5

I'm still moving along on Tribute to Ackworth, this is Parts 1-5, another corner finished!

Tribute to Ackworth -- SAL on Sticklounge Yahoo Group. Design by Barbara J.

This is Part 5 that I finished this afternoon.  I think the group is on Part 9 so I have just a bit more to do before I'm caught up with the SAL.  This is a really fun stitch and I love the motifs.

Tribte to Ackworth - Parts 1-3

I started a new stitchalong on the Sticklounge Yahoo Group.  This is Tribute to Ackworth by Barbara J. (Luv2Stitch2 Designs)  parts 1-3.  I started this in progress and the group is up to Part 8 so I'm playing catch up but it's going fast, this is one week's work. The fabric is Belfast/Fairy Dust and the thread is Caron Waterlilies #112 Fir and a coordinating solid Soie Cristale for the letters.

Around the World in 80 Stitches - Part 1 Complete

This is Part 1 of 24 of Around the World in 80 Stitches by Papillon Creations

I wish I could get the colors to show up more true but this is as good as I could tweak it.  The fabric is Belfast/Toasted Almond and is darker than in the picture.  I'm really enjoying stitching this project, and I've learned a few new stitches.  On the right hand heart the flowers are done in Lindisfarne stitch completed in 3 parts; the centers in metallic, then the flower petals and then the outline.  Other stitches are Scotch, lazy daisy, eyelets, and rays.  The left hand heart uses Norwich stitch for the purple flowers with metallic rays.  The green flower stems on the red flowers are Berwick stitch, a very interesting one to do and new to me.  Then there is a selection of rays, lazy daisies again, and backstitch. 

I have decided not to do the beads yet but there are several dotted about in this design. They will go on top of the Berwick stitch stems in the "corners" of the left heart, and also in the centers of the backstitch diamonds. They are in the empty backstitch sections on the right hand heart and elsewhere.  I don't like scrolling up beads and I want to wait and see what the next part is before I finally decide on the colors I'm going to use.  It calls for two colors of beads and I've picked four to choose from.

I changed my mind on the color of the metallic from what I posted last week in my color choices. The one I'd picked was too dark and so I went with PB10 Petite Treasure Braid from Rainbow Gallery.  I'm looking forward to the next section!

Check out new web site!

This is Abi Gurden's new web site, Bee's Needleworks, and she is the designer/owner of The Stitch Specialists Yahoo Group I co-moderate. You might see something of mine in the gallery too :-)
http://www.beesneedleworks.co.uk/

Chosen fabric and threads for next project

My next project will be "Around the World in 80 Stitches" by Papillon Creations.  This is a SAL and will be released in 24 monthly parts, the first part has just been released.  I went out to my LNS today and chose the fabric and threads.  The fabric I chose is 32 count Belfast/Toasted Almond and the threads are a selection of Rainbow Gallery Splendor silk.  It called for two colors of beads but I couldn't make up my mind and so I'll choose those from the 4 I picked when the time comes to use them.  There's also one skein of metallic braid from Kreinik.  The instructions were to choose 3 greens (dark, medium and light), and 8 floral colors. There's also going to be some white in there somewhere, not sure if I'll use floss or Perle.

Can't wait to start!

Finally Finished!

This is Day & Night by Long Dog Samplers.  It has been a WIP/UFO for a LONG time and I finally made a commitment to finish it.  The chart was a nightmare to work with because of the symbols not being clear, and some being very similar, but other than that it was an enjoyable stitch.  Excuse the wrinkles!  I didn't take time to iron it before taking the picture.

Another finish

This is my second stitching of the Tree of Stitches by Abi Gurden.  The first one I did in all greens and this one is my blossom tree. I left the beading off this one because I think it looks fine without it and I'm not wild about doing beads! 

An actual finish!

Just a small update because I actually finished something!  This is Heart of My Heart by Abi Gurden which was a Valentine freebie on The Stitch Specialists Yahoo Group. 

I've had virtually no time to stitch the last few months but hopefully that will change within a month or two. I quit a part-time volunteer position at the end of December and when I've finished the online computer class I'm taking I will have lots more time, that's the plan anyway.