It's a miracle

Wednesday night when I went to bed, I hadn't touched this and I didn't think I was going to get anything done on this at all this week. Thursday evening I managed to get out of work a little earlier than I was expecting (still an hour after my shift finished, but earlier than I was expecting) and then Ben was late home, so I managed a bit of stitching and was thinking 'at least I'll have something to show this week.' Friday afternoon I had an hour to kill while waiting for a delivery and suddenly it was all coming together. This evening I was banned from the living room because Ben was organising something I'm not meant to see (it's our anniversary on Monday, so that's not as weird as it could have sounded) so I took my stitching and a dvd to the bedroom to work on it, and now it's the Champion's League final which I don't give a damn about but he loves, so that's a girl to do but stitch? So here's my page finish, technically it's two pages but they're only partials. And my needle minder illustrating for me as this still doesn't really look like anything (little clue, the needle minder is in the same order, this is the beginning of Sarah's skirt). So, page finish means these ladies get tucked away, and despite my startitus at the moment, if anyone has managed to get a grasp on my complicated rotation system will know that every third page is Dragon Rider, so the little dude is back out again.

A little more

I didn't get quite as much as I meant to done this week, I was hoping to have these two partial pages finished, but as per usual I have too many hobbies and therefore don't spend enough time on any of them. I had a full stitching day planned on Saturday, and I did get some done, but I got distracted by some colouring, which I haven't done in ages (wow I'm out of practice), and managed to get a little bit of writing done as well, which means this has not had the attention that I intended, but at least you can definitely see the difference between this weeks picture and last weeks. Not enough to be able to tell you what it is, but the needle minder is a pretty hefty clue on this occasion. And hopefully my free time will increase in the next few weeks, as this is my last five day week at work. So excited (and a little bit scared!)

STITCHING!!!!!!!!!

Excuse how excitable my title is, but I'm really excited by the fact that I've actually managed some stitching... enough stitching that there is recognisable progress, and enough progress that I've got two page finishes, granted they're both partial pages, but considering how little stitching I've actually been able to do this year, I will still take that as an absolute win.
Also, this is quite an excitable chart. More and more of my stitchy projects are showing my geeky side, partially because more and more designers are picking up geeky designs and artists, and partially because I'm becoming more comfortable with the geeky side of my personality.
Anyway, here is my wee start of Sailor Moon, so happy. I know it doesn't look much like Sailor Moon at the moment (check low down the side bar if you want to try and work out what this is) but, in the dark and distant future (as is often the case with my million and one projects) there will be the Sailor Moon girls as well.
Happy stitching my darlings!

Tiny and tinier!

Firstly, so more neon squares, I'm aware that these will start to look quite samey after a while, but it means I can show that I have actually done something, even if it does look a lot like last week, and the week before, I'll try to make the pictures look slightly different, honest! 

Secondly it was the Takaki SAL on facebook last weekend, and despite the fact that it was me that organised it, I hardly got anything done, but seeing as I'm generally rubbish at SALs, the fact that I did anything is a major achievement for me. It is a same that Tilton no longer have the licence for Takaki, although I'm aware that this doesn't look massively exciting so far. It's such a tiny amount that it's hardly even background. 

And finally the sheep hat is looking slightly less barrister like, although I do accept that it still does. I'm hoping that eyes and ears will make the final difference.

It is slightly pointy at the top as I've discovered the best thing I have to photograph it on is a terraramundi. I was meaning to finish this weekend, but sleeping and work got in the way. Hopefully another week might do the trick though.

I will be a good blogger, I will I will!

 First up is my mystery stitch, I know I'm the only person who is amused by this, so I'll stop being childish and dragging this out, especially as it's now been packed away so I can work on something else for a while. This is Always by Kordek from Tilton Crafts, this is my Alan Rickman from earlier this year, I still haven't quite settled on what my David Bowie tribute is, that are a couple of HAED ones that I'm thinking about, but I really shouldn't add any more new starts into my planned starts and rotation.

So, what is coming out to play I wonder, hmmm, what could it be? Again, I know that I'm the only person that this amuses, thank you for humouring me, or at least not telling me to shut up!

Secondly, and despite the fact that I haven't finished my Toft toy yet, my blanket obsession has won out and a new crochet blanket has been started. This is Harmony from Attic 24. Love this blanket, although I accept that it's not massively blankety yet. I hasten to add that while my crochet isn't brilliant, it's not quite as uneven as this picture makes them look, I think I must have had my camera at an odd angle. Despite the fact that this really isn't my normal sort of colour scheme (I tend to prefer bolder), I loved the colours on this and was really enjoying this. Most of this was actually one evening of work, but as per usual work has got in the way of crafting this week. Besides, if I want to justify starting the new blanket. This was bought at Yarndale last year, and we're only two weeks off this year, so I'm trying to start some of the stuff that I bought this year before I blow everything that I've saved this year. It's quite sad how excited I am about this!

Actual progress!

The title says it all, after not having anything to post about last week because I was working on my secret stitch I've got lots to show this week. Having finished my secret stitch - I'll post a pic once it's been gifted, I've had time to work on other projects this week, and I've actually had stitching time so I have actual progress to show. My target this week was to finish the second partial page of Madame from Tilton Crafts by Victoria Frances, due to a surprisingly successful day I actually achieved that by the end of Monday. I love this project, it's stitching up beautifully and the cobwebs look fantastic! For people who like to know these things this is stitched on 25 count, 1 over 1, full crosses.

Secondly I have a new start (I know, absolutely no will power). I'm not letting on what this is just yet, but I'm loving seeing it stitch up. I'll hopefully show what this is going to be like next week when I've got a bit more progress to show. This was a bespoke chart from Paine Free Crafts after I got permission from an artist to get some of their artwork charted. I was quite childishly excited when Sarah sent me the mock up of this, and I'm really enjoying it. And again, for people who like to know these things this is stitched on 28 count, tented, 2 over 1, which is why I've already got so much progress to show.

Madame's made a brief return

I decided to give myself a new days off the secret stitch, partially so I can actually have something to show on here, and partially because if I force myself to work on one thing for two long I'll get annoyed with it and never want to work on it again.

So, here is a brief update on Madame by Victoria Frances from Tilton Crafts. I always enjoy working on this, and because of the relatively muted colour palette it's relatively confetti free, at least so far anyway, so I get to have something to show for my time. Back to the secret stitch soon, but I am rather enjoying this, I think she'll be back soon.

The cobwebs are growing

Not by much I admit,, but they are, you can see where folds of fabric and cobwebs will be, one day. Sadly Madame is going away for a couple of weeks now, I need something simpler to work on for a couple of weeks due to work being done on the flat so Heather is coming out to play, as she's only one colour at the moment!

First (minature) page on Madame

I know, she still doesn't look like much, but she looks like more than she did that last posted, so that's something. I can see the beginning on cobwebs, so that makes me happy!

Nearing a page finish!

No progress on the new starts to show this week I'm afraid, but I am making plans. As I was close to a page finish on the beautiful Apocalypse Princesses it made sense to go back to this, and I think I've only got one week left to hit my page finish. All there is to do is finish off her face then the rest of the background, and there's only one colour in the background so hopefully I can potter through the mindless stitching this week.

After that I've got a present to finish, Animal Fayre, which I have been vaguely working on but always forget to post because I never have it out at home, it always goes to craft group with me instead. After that my plan is to get back to all my lovely new starts that I showed my initial progress of last week. I'm very excited about showing some actual shape and colour in all of them, as I'm aware that all of last weeks pictures were a bit grey and shmush.

In fact, even as I type that I've just realised that I only actually posted two of my pictures last week, so here are the second two.

So, here are my other starts. Firstly I have Le Pas Du Sucre, which is probably the one I got the most progress on last weekend. I'm tenting over 28 count, which is probably why I got the most progress on this one. I was surprised by this page, the colours in this are really vibrant, so I didn't expect that I'd be working in black and navy, but I'm sure that it'll get brighter as I move further in to the centre.

Secondly I have Our Seasons, again a lovely colourful chart, but I started in the colour where everything was dark. This one is a major confetti fest, so I suspect that progress will be pretty slow. But again, I'm tenting on 28 count, so that does mean that my progress is faster than when I'm doing full crosses on 25 count. Wish me luck. I now have so many WIPs that I struggle to work on every one in a year. There's a chance that I have a problem. Especially as I'm waiting on two other charts to be released so that I can start them as well.

My name is Kim and I am a Start-aholic!

Did someone say new start?

 The titles says it all really, some fool (okay, that may have been me) suggested a new start SAL on the Tilton page on facebook, and as it was my stupid suggestion I was punished with being told I had to more than one start... but first things first, here's my progress on Apocalypse Princesses, Jasmine is coming together, you can see her face now. give it another couple of weeks and I might actually be able to say I've got a page finish. All I've got left if the confetti on her face, all the background is the same colour, so I can enjoy mindless stitching once her face is done.

 Secondly I have my first Tilton new start, In Her Room by Yuu. It doesn't look like much I know, in fact from the photo you can't really see anything other than the black, however the bottom left was some which stitching and some shading between the white and black. There's so much that I love about this design, the fact that it's a day and a life all at once. I know it's been done before but I still like the metaphor. However I'm also aware that at the moment it looks like neither a day nor a life, but it will, and it's lovely!

Secondly (although I actually started this one first) is Madame by Victoria Frances. She's a little creepy, but I really like her. Again, I'm aware that she doesn't look like a she at the moment, never mind a she, but she is lovely. I really enjoyed working on this one, and she doesn't look like she'll be too confetti heavy, because the chart is mostly shades of grey there aren't as many colours as you normally get in charts of this size.

There are two more starts planned over the course of today, one already started and one to be (see, four was my punishment), but I don't have photos of either of those, so they will probably appear in here next week.

Happy stitching all.

Oh dear, startitus

There was a new start challenge on facebook this weekend and I couldn't resist, so I've got lots of pics to show this week, but there isn't much to show on them. Firstly is the continuation of Apocalypse Princesses, I still haven't managed to finish the sword hilt, but I am getting there, and I'm filling in other bits of confetti as I go along as well!

Secondly this is my first new start, this is the 2014 Cloudsfactory SAL, and it will be beautiful. They recommend working on 16 count, but I'm working on 28 count because I had some pretty fabric and it would only fit on it if I worked over one on 28. I love how delicate it's coming out though, and the sparkle is rather pretty! 

And finally, if you can guess what this is I'll be really impressed, although I have added a pic to the WIP bar, so it shouldn't be that difficult, this is the very beginning of Elsa from Tilton crafts, she's so pretty!

And finally...

Check it out, I finally managed it, I finally got my page finish, and I'm very happy with it, because I can suddenly see it coming together, I can see the plant pot and the beginning of flowers. I know that floor looks a little grainy at the moment, but lets be honest, this is a tiny part off the whole picture and isn't designed to be looked at this close. I love this piece, the shading and colours are beautiful, but it's now going away so that I can work on something else for a while!

 Next, I realised that I've managed a fair bit on Noah's Ark since I last posted, although this still isn't a page finish. There's some lovely sparkles on this page, but it's almost impossible to get a good picture of sparkles!

And what do we have here? A new start? Oops! Once again, I can justify it. Some friends have recently announced that they're having their second baby, and I did a sampler for the first, so I can't not do something for the second. Doesn't look like much yet though does it? It'll be lovely and bright and quite cute eventually though!

Why is this page taking so long?

Okay, so I actually know the answer to that question. It's because I keep not picking it up to work on. It's definitely time for me to move on to something else because I'm definitely getting fidgety on it. However I do nearly have a page finish (finally), so I might as well finish the page now. Plus today I can suddenly see the shape and scale of the page rather than a random shmush of pixels, so at least it's coming together, despite all my procrastinating and moaning!

No page finish this week

Here's the latest update, although as the title suggests, I'm rather disappointed to have not managed another page finish this week, although this page is still pottering along nicely... if I get my head down I might manage to have a page finish by this time next week... stranger things have certainly happened. I'm loving how much lighter this page is coming out. Part of the reason I fell in love with this chart was the lovely blues, so it's nice to see those coming through.

I have found my attention waining slightly this week, so once this page is finished it'll be on to something else. I have four new starts screaming at me (1 christening present, 1 wedding present and two that I'm just in love with) plus many existing projects begging for attention, so who knows what I'll actually work on once I've finished this. I'm terrible with my stitching, a love all my projects but if I work on one for too long I lose interest and find myself stitching less and less, that's the main reason that I have so many projects on the go, when I lose interest in one I just move on to another one, it keeps be constantly interested in my stitching, whereas when I only worked on one or two projects I found I could go ages without stitching at all!

Another page finish already...

A girl could get used to all these pages finishes, but eventually I'll run out of partial pages to work on, so I'll just have to enjoy the run I'm on while it's happening.

Here we have page two of Promise to Heart by Takaki from Tilton Crafts, It's not been particularly confetti thus far, apart from a little flurry on the far right, so it's stitched up quite quickly.

One more partial page to go then this is going to go away for a while, so I'd better enjoy it while I can I guess.

Happy stitching all!

Page finish and new start

 Miracles happen, I managed to finish my page on Dragon Rider, I do love him. The motorbike is officially here, which I'm loving, it's probably sad just how happy the arrival of the motorbike makes me. There's one little stitch in the silver rim on the wheel that's bugging me slightly, I think when I do the next page I'm going to end up unstitching it and putting it back in a darker colour, but I'm very happy with it all the same.

Secondly I have my new start. By popular demand I present Promise to the Heart from Tilton crafts, art work by Takaki. This is technically a page finsih, although it was the worlds smallest page. The colours on this are beautiful, although I admit that it doesn't show much on this page.