Brave challenge .....

Hi there, I've been asked by a friend to crochet up a baby shawl for her friend. The pattern is in Book 519 Crochet with Peter Pan and was purchased from my local yarn store. The brave bit of this shawl is that it is done using 2ply wool so is very delicate but the result as I'm working it is definitely worth the challenge. This is the first time I've worked in 2ply so hence being brave; here it is so far:

This is the first motif, its worked in 6 rounds using a 3.5mm hook.

What I love about this pattern is that you join the motifs as you go along;
so here is motif one and two ...

And motifs one, two and three ...

And motifs one through eight ..

The pattern calls for 12 motifs to a row and then 12 rows of motifs to be joined together for the shawl before adding a border to it.

This is a photo of the finished item as per the book:

hope mine turns out just as neat and delicate as this

much luv Stitchy xx

Home is where the heart is ...

I love finding or receiving items that I can either change or freshen up, be this from the charity shop or things that friends have fallen out of love with. Yesterday's project falls into the latter cateogory, my friend gave me wall hanging last year that said Home on it with foliage, a birdhouse and some flowers. It is a metal hanging that had a plain cream/off white enamel finish, well now its been revamped with a few layers of enamel paints.

I used the following shades - Home #65 matt, birdhouse #26 matt,
 foliage #131 satin, flowers #222 metallic from Humbrol. 

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this project as the more I was painting the more I found myself relaxing and unwinding. I don't often get the chance to do something like this so made the most of it. Its given me an idea to keep an eye out for other items like this that I can revamp or freshen up for around the house. This is currently hanging on my kitchen wall and looks fabulous when the sun comes round and catches it towards the end of the day.

Luv Stitchy xxx

Stitches of two different kinds ...

Hi crafty folks,

As we go into the New Year I would just like to wish everybody a safe and joyous time ... if you're setting resolutions, good luck with keeping them; personally my few goals for the coming year are to make my stash stack smaller, to try a few new things, to try and improve my physical and mental health needs ... and last of all I just intend to enjoy whatever comes my way.

In the last couple of days I have started a new cross-stitching by Anchor as part of their Premier Collection; I have started the kit called Cliff Top Footpath, its finished size will be 29cm x 42cm (11¼" x 16½") and is being worked on 16ct white Aida using a hoop.

Anchor Premier Collection
Cliff Top Footpath

This chart surprised me by its papersize; its unfolded here on my
worktop and has two sheets to work from (when these are turned over
it shows the backstitch that is required including dreaded french knots)

My progress after a couple of hours ... lots of little stitches
making up this ... this bit here actually is two different
shades of green - and there is lots of them!!

See!! Lots of greens!!!!

I also made a start on a pair of crocheted slippers. I made a pair for my Mum for her Christmas present and a family friend was admiring them so with having enough wool left over from the original pair I am making her some as a RAK. It's from a pattern by Vicki Brown and was published in Simply Crochet magazine issue 12:

These are the ones I made for my Mum ..

... And this is the one half of the pair I'm making for my friend

Have a happy and safe New Year, wishing you all the best for 2014.

Luv Stitchy xxx

2014 WIP Cross-stitch Challenge

Hi there,

My personal challenge came about from a shout out on Facebook by a friend who wondered if fellow stitchers would like to join a group to get mutual respect and support from other stitchers. The aim of the group is for members to choose some of the WIP's (work in progress) that they would love to get finished by this time next year. Its a closed group but feel free to ask to join as I'm sure Kathryn won't mind a few extra faces. (join group)

To follow on from my last post I've made start one of my WIP's; I've chosen the Red Pagoda, all it needs is the backstitching finished and lots and lots and lots of french knots adding *sigh* ... might do seed beads yet instead but haven't decided yet.

Each of the kits I have chosen for the challenge have a history to them; so here is the story of the Red Pagoda ....

Several years ago I met up with a fellow stitcher and good friend 

for a coffee and chat in our one of local cafes ... my friend was having

a de-stash and wondered if I would be interested in some of them 

as she knew I was short on funds at the time.  Well, I took her up 

on the offer and gave a new home to several of them including this 

particular Red Pagoda kit. I started work on it not long after but 

unfortunately I fell out of love with it when it came to the backstitch; 

the main stitching itself was lovely to do and so full of detail, it stitched

up quite quickly. Then I came to the backstitch! Normally, I love 

backstitch as I think it brings the finished project to life and gives it 

depth and detail from a distance ... I think the aida its stitched on is 

16ct but not sure as I don't have the original packaging anymore, 

just the chart. Its the use of aida for such detailed backstitch that

 caused me to fall out of love as the backstitching requires lots of little 

stitches which really work but trying to get the needle to come 

through the aida at just the right point is awkward and sometimes 

frustrating, now see this is why I love evenweave in contrast. 

Anyhow, I've picked it up again and hereis the current progress on it:

This is how far I had got when I fell out of love with it.

And here it is again after a couple of hours work on
the backstitch; its def worth it for the result!

Hoping you enjoyed reading the history of this beautiful chart. Stay safe, keep crafting and best wishes for the New Year.

Luv Stitchy xxx

A New Year approaches so a new blog is born .....

..... decided that with a new year approaching, a new challenge is needed to encourage my crafting skills and my ever-so-long list of things I want to get finished (or even started in the first place).

So here goes ..... My challenge should I choose to except it is to have the following two pictures of projects completed by this time next year. I'm hoping to work it on a rotation system like I've seen other stitchers do; for the month of January my aim is to finish the back-stitching on the Red Pagoda as well as getting a big chunk of WTP done.

 I don't just cross-stitch, I have my crafty fingers in many projects and skills. I am currently working on knitting and crochet projects, of which I am guilty of being a serial starter and have a few projects on the go at the same time. My autistic daughter is forever saying to me that I need to finish one project before starting on another one lol ... at times I wish I listened but then I like the variety of the projects so I don't get bored.

Not sure exactly how the blog will pan out for the future but please support me along the way.

Luv Stitchy xx