Slowly but surely!

Finally braved the cording on Maggie last night (I've been too terrified of ruining the whole thing to try it!) and it isn't so bad - but it is slow going. Now I've started it might get quicker, but I'm so looking forward to finishing this! It's been on the frame since March 2006, and since then I've had two babies, finished all sorts of other things and taken up at least two new crafts.

On the other craft front - have been playing with charms and beads to make bracelets, and also finished an ambitious asymmetrical three-stranded necklace - photos to follow!

Progress report!

In the last couple of weeks I've managed to get down to some work on Maggie at last. I've almost finished the basic black backstitching, then there are some details to add in three or four different colours, and then finally the cording which I've never done before. It can't be that difficult, surely! I'm looking forward to posting completed pics, as the end is surely in sight now...

I've also completed the design for my parent's Ruby Wedding sampler, and I'm being stern with myself - I can't start it till I've finished Maggie. I'm also working on the Fumitory Fairy from DMC, as my 'portable' project.

I have so many projects on the go, I really ought to organise myself....but then it wouldn't be so much fun!

Guard This Keep - finished!

Am really pleased with the way this has turned out as - I may have mentioned this - I hate rayon & metallic threads and most of this design was made up of them. I may have to re-think my attitude towards them! The pic doesn't really do it justice as it's all shiny and sparkly. Hopefully my mum will love it, I'll be sending it out to her next week. Ynys Haf, the name of their house, means 'Island of Summer' and as far as I know it's a sort of Welsh Avalon.

Before getting back to poor neglected Maggie, I've started on some mini birth records for mum as well as she likes to keep track of her grandchildren. I've chosen the baby shoes design for Tove (meant for a Christening) from a back issue of Cross Stitcher, and also the baby feet design from another of the mags for Catrin, my niece. I'm doing the shoes one for Catrin's mum as well. Will add pics when complete!

Guard this Keep update

Two weeks into 'Guard this Keep' and I've finished the border, the castle and trees and the lettering at the top - very pleased with myself as the border and lettering is all in Kreinik braid and rayon threads. Just got to do the dragon and the name of my parents' house (all charted and ready to go - Craft Creations do brilliant graph paper in different counts for designing) so hopefully I'll get it all finished in time to send it to France very soon.

Think I might have to put Maggie off again while I do a birth sampler - I'm going to be an aunty next week for the first time, very exciting. I hate when people don't know what they're having, it means I can't get a head start...

Greetings fom Brittany!

Writing from my parents' house in France - it's much warmer here than in the UK, although there was snow on the drive down from Calais on Monday. The lagoon next to the canal across the road is frozen and looks like frosted green glass - on a walk yesterday we saw hundreds of gulls floating on the river and being spooked by a buzzard which then wheeled off into the sky, coots chasing each other in the fields and cormorants perched in an old tree. My OH has been taking pictures so I'll post some when we get back to the UK.

I am managing to get some stitching done too, while Granny cuddles Tove and Daisy plays with all the 'holiday' toys! I started 'Guard this Keep' (Dragon Dreams chart) yesterday - requested by my mum to go in her hallway. It's on lurex-flecked aida and uses 4 or 5 different rayon threads which are too slippery for me. I stocked up on that miracle product Thread Heaven - that helps a bit, and I read somewhere that dampening the threads before use also helps. Any more tips would be appreciated. The design calls for Kreinik braids as well as the rayon so this could take a while!

Last week I made some progress on Maggie's BS - will post pics of everything soon....

Pick up a penguin...

Finished the penguin bag last night! There were four stitched penguins in the corners but after stitching the top right-hand one two squares too far over I decided I didn't like him anyway and replaced him with a button I found in my stash. Just need to iron vilene onto the back and then he's usable.

I'm also going to add a bag charm - which involved rediscovering eBay and all the wonderful things there are out there! I probably didn't need 25 silver penguin charms, and I definitely didn't need the ladybird beads, the daisy beads and the mobile dangles but I'm sure they'll come in useful....honest.

Started another Margaret Sherry free kit last night as well - a cat in a hammock - but now that Tove is sleeping for longer I'm going to try and get Maggie finished.

Time to dot the 't's and cross the 'i's...

Finished stitching Maggie last night - now for the back stitch, which I really enjoy. The detail in this kit is amazing, but there are none of the dreaded metallics after all (hurray!), although there are a variety of colours and flosses used....here she is before I start!

WIPs

This is Maggie the Messmaker, a huge Dimensions Gold kit that I started in March 2006. This pic is from August 2008, as you can see I'm 3/4 of the way through. Poor old Maggie got put down quite early on while I concentrated on being a mum and then on getting through PND in 2007, but I have picked her up again this year after much teasing from my OH.

I was hoping to have her finished by the time the new baby arrives, but with less than three weeks to go this latest pic shows it might be unlikely! I may get the main stitching done and then I'll just be left with the details and backstitching - and there's lots, including couching and metallic thread which I really hate using. The detail in this is amazing, and there are lots of colour changes and blends as well. Definitely a challenge.


My second WIP is a Margaret Sherry design called Cul-Purr-It, from the Heritage Stitchcraft range a few years ago. I've done a few of her designs and I love the way the backstitching gives a great furry effect - and also the expressions on the cats' faces. This is my 'portable' project that goes with me to work - I stitch on the tube in the mornings and really don't mind the delays!