I've started knitting

Starting with my update of Dragon Rider. I've decided to make this my focus piece (due to it currently being the only project with an intended home). So the intention is to work on a page of this then a page of something else, and so on. This page will actually have some dragon on it. I've very excited!

And here we have Ben modelling my first ever knitted thing! I've made a scarf and I'm quite proud of myself, especially as it's only taken me 4 days, although the wool is ridiculously thick, meaning that it knitted up really easily. I had also started a second scarf, but I got that out today to see a mistake on it, so I'm going to have to start that again!

Pride and Prejudice reappears

Finally, an update, I've been very bad with my updates recently!

I took Pride and Prejudice on holiday with me so I actually managed to do some work on it! The rest of this page is cream, so it's easy stitching to finish this page now!

In other news it was my birthday yesterday (the big 30, sigh) and one of my friends got married on Saturday, so it's been a busy weekend. One of my presents from Ben was a pair of bamboo needles, so impressed bless him! Also a gorgeous bag, a framed print, latest Studio Ghibli (he knows me so well - I'm slowly collecting them all, this gets me up to 4) and Folio Society of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, it's like he's lived with me for 5 years or something! Then I went shopping and bought the shoes that went with the bag - Irregular choice, so dangerous. And a cloth bound edition of the Once and Future King... all in all a fantastic weekend and I'm now skint!

Colour!!!!!!

Look, there's colour, actual colour! Not much I know, but I'm so excited to see that Clara has finally got some colour. There's some blue in the feather (but you can't see that very well on the picture), and there's pink on her hat.

Oh look, some more grey!

I don't really have to show much this week, just a little bit of progress on the grey, don't seem to have had much time really this week... so instead I shall refrain from making any comments about 50 shades of grey and just hope that by next week I'll have finished all the shades of grey on this page and I can start playing with different colours.

It's finished!

I finished it, which means that not only have I finished my project but I've also managed to achieve one of my targets in my New Year targets which was to finish anything, I wasn't picky about what as long as I actually managed to finish something. So, I've got to get it all framed up as it's a gift, which I should be able to do in the next couple of weeks.

Also, today I've been learning to knit, I'm very proud, I've managed to knit, purl, increase and decrease! So I'm going to play round with stitches for a bit longer then start trying to make a scarf!

The return of Clara (briefly)

Clara has been calling to me, so I decided to spend a week on her before I went back to the final push on Dictionary on Love. She's been screaming for attention for so long and I was looking forward to the bright colours on her, so what did I do? Work on the grey on the back ground... I'm an idiot. Having said that, it's quite nice blocks of colour, so it has stitched quite well, so maybe there was an odd sort of logic in doing the grey first... that and the fact that I usually try to stitch the 'boring' bits first, so that I don't loose interest as I'm getting to the end (as is happening slightly with Dictionary at the moment). Anyway, back to Dictionary I go, lets see if I can get it finished within the next week... here's hoping, because I'm missing my other projects!

Look!!!!

I am childishly excited to introduce the top of Lancelot's head. I know he doesn't look like much at the moment (and believe me he looks like a whole lot less up close, that's part of the reason I take pictures and blog, it gives me a little more perspective on what I've been stitching), but that is Lancelot's parting, and it's quite sad how excited I am to see it. It mean's that I'm no longer just stitching wall, there's some person in my stitching! And aptly I was watching Merlin while stitching his parting. Hope everyone is having a good stitching week!

So near...

Good afternoon my dears, my apologies for being so absent recently, I don't seem to have much time recently, either for stitching or for then blogging about what I stitch... which is why I've also been so useless with International Hermit and Stitch just recently... having said that I've had a surprisingly productive couple of days... Love sick has been done in the last 24 hours, which is definitely a record for me... I've only got the title left to do... the end is in sight and my deadline is no longer scaring me. My target was to be at this point within another week and a half, there's a possibility that I could have this finished by then, but, as has been my habit recently, I might take another break before picking this up again... (and breath, that was a ridiculously long sentence).  I'm trying to convince myself that I won't be starting something else once I've finished this one, I've got a few others that aren't on frames so I ought to just swop onto one of those instead, having said that there are a couple of smaller (by my standards) kits knocking about the flat which are trying to catch my attention now that they know this is nearly done. Temporarily I'm going to try and work on some other projects, but I may end up being weak and caving on a new start.

Oh, and it's the Great Northern Needlecraft and Quilt Show next week, that can only be a bad thing... wish my luck!

Another week off

Another progress picture of something other than Dictionary of Love, albeit all I've done is add to the wall, but it's a very pretty wall... and on the next row I get to see the beginning of their heads, which I'm very excited about, it'll make a change from wall... but I don't think that that'll be until I've finished Dictionary now... I suddenly realised that time is ticking away.

Happy stitching all!

Another section finished

I'm starting to realise that for the first time ever I might actually hit my target date. I've only got two squares and the heading left, miracles happen!

Late again

My blogging has become most sporadic recently, I do apologise. Thank you for your patience my few remaining followers. Here's my latest update on Dictionary of Love, the end is almost in sight and I can almost believe that I might actually finish it in time, something that rarely happens, I don't like stitching to a deadline. But that's six done now, and I'm working on the seventh. Nearly three and the title to do. And I do still like it, which is rare when I'm on a deadline. It's all good!

I decided to take a little break...

...from Dictionary of Love and work on something else for a week so that I didn't get bored and fall out of love with it. So I've managed another row on Lancelot and Guinevere (if I end up doing a row a week then it's going to take me a while to finish this project, although I've not had much time this week, so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it). I do always enjoy this project, and having picked it up again I don't want to put it down again, but I'll be good and go back to Dictionary... got that time limit to think about.

All coming up Clover

Clover is what the latest square is, although I'm aware that, without the pack stitch, you can't really tell that yet. Hoping to get this finished within the next couple of days. I'm getting the urge to work on other projects which isn't good when I'm working to a deadline on this. I'm currently trying to decide whether I'm better to give myself a couple of weeks off to work on other things or whether I should just push through. I've got about 3 months left!

Heather returns (briefly)

As promised last week, I managed to work on Heather this week, and I'm pretty proud of my progress on her, especially as I didn't really think I'd had much free time! The top row (of black) is now complete, so this is 5 full pages and 1 partial page (it was only about 12 stitches wide). I love her, such a gorgeous chart, although I did seem to have a slight melt down with my ability to count to ten at one point, I think I've solved it now. I think this is a sign that I'm starting to get a little more settled with my hours at work that I'm actually managing to get stitching time again! So happy all round really!

Happy stitching everyone. Oh, and I apologise for being such a bad blog follower recently, I'll try to get some time to tour every one elses blogs and leave some comments.

 

Oh, in other news, does anyone else really want to see Despicable Me? I'm currently trying to convince my other half that he wants to go with me, I think I might have to bribe him with pick and mix!

Fourth square

I finished another square (woohoo), although this one seems to have taken me absolutely ages, compared to the others anyway. I have technically started the fifth (there's a small red splodge at the bottom) but I've decided to take a little break before I get fed up with it. So I started a little work on Heather yesterday, hopefully I'll have some progress to show on her next week. Happy stitching all!

So-So

I seem to have a good week then an off week at the moment, as far as my progress goes. My little boat is developing, but I was hoping to have it finished this week, which obviously hasn't happened. But you can see the shape, and that's good enough for me at the moment.

Actual progress

I've done better than I expected to this week. The Love-a-bulls are finished, and I've now managed to move onto the next square, so, at the moment at least, I'm still pretty comfortable with my deadline for getting this finished in time. Lets give it a few months though and see what happens.

A wee bit of progress

I don't have much progress to show at the moment, just a little bit of the third picture, you definitely tell what this one is going to be yet. Hopefully I'll get a bit more stitching time this week.... stranger things have happened

Such a bad blogger

I am such a bad blogger at the moment. I'm still trying to get used to my shift patterns in my new job. It means that I don't always seem to have much time for stitching or blogging at the moment. I'm hoping that as I get used to the shifts I'll manage a bit more free time, and that as I get used to the work I'll end up doing a bit less over time, which I'm currently doing to make sure my work is actually finished at the end of the day. But anyway, here are my updates. First, Dictionary of Love, I've said in the past that I love working on Dictionary of projects because it gives me a fabulous sense of achievement, because you get lots of little finishes and actually get to see progress happening. This is planned as a wedding present and I've got a little under five months to get it finished and framed, which, I think I will manage, they do stitch up beautifully quickly, and always look great when they're done. The backstitch is very simple but always looks so effective.

Secondly is a tiny bit of progress on Snowdrop Fairy. All of my other projects are a little bit secondary at the moment because Dictionary of Love has to be the priority, as I've got the time limit, but I have managed to get a bit more done, I hope to do a little bit more before I go back to Dictionary, but I think time limits and guilt will pull me away from Snowdrop and back to Dictionary pretty soon.

Happy stitching all, I apologise for being such a terrible blogger, I will try to update more regularly, and more importantly, I'm missing everyone else's progress so I'll try and spend some time whistle stopping around all your blogs as well!

Yet another week without much progress

Life definitely seems to be getting in the way of

my stitching time at the moment, I don't know where the weeks keep going. You can technically see the difference, but barely. I'm settling to do some stitching now, so fingers crossed that it'll look like something next week.

A new start... oops!

I know, I really don't need another start, but I can justify this one (kinda), it's a present, and it's got a time frame, so I had to start it! This is Dictionary of Love by Bothy threads.

I don't have much to show on it yet, it's still taking me a while to get used to my shift patterns. I think this week is actually going to be a bit more productive for me, I'm more used to my shifts now, and I've actually got a couple of earlies this week (whereas I haven't finished before 6.30 the last couple of weeks) so here's hoping I'll actually have something to show next week, and I've then got a weekend of stitching planned next weekend so it's all good. Some more progress on this, and on Snowdrop Fairy, and maybe even on Lancelot & Guinevere. You never know, stranger things have happened!

Snowdrop Fairy is pretty

Least ways she will be when I actually get round to doing some stitching on her... although there's definitely more than there was the last time I posted, if you squint you can almost see the bunny. I just don't seem to have had much time for stitching recently. I started a new job a couple of weeks ago so am going through a pretty intense learning curve at the moment, plus it's shift work, so by the time I get home I'm utterly brain dead, but I'm hoping to get my butt into gear and start stitching on her again this weekend. I've also got stitching group this week (although I'll be late cos of work, but after this one I've requested earlies up to the end of the year to stop that happening again) so at least I'll be able to work on something then... don't think it'll be this though, I'm a bit scared about taking hand-dyed fabric out of the flat. Hope everyone is having fun and their stitching is more productive than mine it!

Computer working update - picture heavy

Picture update now that I've finally got a working computer again (although it doesn't seem to be liking blogger for some reason)!

First I have Heather, next page finished, and now put away for a while so that I can work on some other, much ignore projects! She sure does have a lot of hair, although she also has goggles now, which is very exciting to see. I've now got one and one partial page to finish the row, so I'm pretty comfortable that I'll achieve this New Year Target

Lancelot & Guinevere hasn't had any attention for far too long, probably the best part of a year, I've also decided that, as it only has 50 colours so I'm using it for another attempt at parking, and the top row has now been completed! I've really enjoyed it, as it's so long since I've worked on this it has novelty value, and I'll get the beginning of Lancelot & Guinevere on this page, which is exciting!

 I've managed to complete the second page of Pride and Prejudice, which I'm really happy with. I always fall back in love with this when I'm working on it, it stitches up so nicely and so quickly!

And finally, because I've decided that I'm not going to finish Chakra Fae (I just wasn't enjoying it, and didn't like the way it looked, so I took the hint) I've got a new start, Snowdrop Fairy by Joan Elliott, I've been promising myself a Joan Elliott start for ages, so I finally have... not much to show, I know, but isn't the fabric gorgeous? It's Lady of the Lake for Steph's Fabby from a RAK event at Christmas, and it's great!

 

IHSW (sadly picture free)

I had a really good International Hermit and Stitch Weekend, sadly I cant prove it!

My computer went fizz on Saturday (possibly the reason why I got so much stitching done, to be fair), so I can't upload my pics to show you, I'm on a public computer writing this and it won't take my memory card!

I finished my page on Heather and managed quite a bit on P&P as well, taking my computer to be repaired this week, so will hopefully get it back before next weekend so that I can atleast do another update then!

I am officially sulking!

Pre IHSW

First, my update of Dwarven Leader, it turns out that I had the perspective all wrong, what I thought was the beginning of his beard is actually where his eyes are going to be. I spent last weekend working on his face, so he does have a little bit more shape than he once did. I only work on him in short bursts

And here's Heather who I still love working on, but I think that I'm finally getting to the stage where I'm happy to put her away and work on something else without getting distracted by her again. We were playing a game on Facebook this week where we posted one picture containing all of our WIPs, my picture had 10 WIPs in it, 1 of the girls had 48 WIPs in her pic, so we're now all using her as out excuse if we want to start something new. I'm going to try and finish this page of Heather and Pride & Prejudice, and then I'm thinking that some older projects will see the light of day, it's about time that Lancelot & Guinevere, Chakra Fae and Winter's Majesty got some love. So I'm going to try and get a couple of page finishes in, then move on to some unlobed projects! And it's International Hermit & Stitch this weekend, and Ben's planning on going out a couple of times, giving me the perfect opportunity to actually settle to do some stitching!

Have fun!

Heather is now at 3 pages

Latest update of Heather, she has some hair (just for a change), but she also has half of her goggles as well, and I'm still loving working on her. I've forced myself to put her away for a couple of weeks so I can work on something else, but I think I'm going to miss her, so I'm sure that she won't be missing for long.

A tiny update

I don't really know where this week went, but I don't have much progress to show... although the advantage of doing the black on a Hannah Lynn is that it doesn't take much work to make it look like I've actually progressed. And I know, I'm meant to be finishing my page of Pride and Prejudice, but the smaller stretchers for Millennium frame arrived and I just couldn't resist trying them out. Now that I've got stretchers that are the right size for me, I offically love my Millennium Frame, just like everyone else in the stitching world already seemed to.

However, to make up for my lack of stitching I do have some news which is very exciting for me and probably a lot less exciting for everyone else, but because I'm excited I'm sharing it anyway. I got a new job! I handed my notice in to my old job yesterday and start in my new at the beginning of April. After what seems like years of trying I'm finally taking a step in the direction I want to go in and have a job with a local (very nice) hotel, I'm so excited! Looks like I might actually achieve one of my New Year's resolutions after all! Yay!

Pride and Prejudice

Not much to show I'm afraid, I haven't had much time to stitch since posting my IHSW pic. Hope everyone else has had a more successful week!

February IHSW

My update for International Hermit and Stitch Weekend, not as much as I was hoping for, but not a bad showing all the same. I've only worked on one colour this weekend (my stitching is rather monochrome at the moment, I think whatever I choose next, I'll have to make sure that it has some colour in it), but there's quite a lot of that colour, I've still not quite finished down the right hand side. I hope everyone else had a lovely IHSW and I look forward to seeing all your progress over the next couple of days.

Pre IHSW update

Pre-International Hermit and Stitch Weekend progress update. Firstly, I managed to finish the second page of black on Heather last weekend. I'm starting to think that my six page target on this might not be as overly ambitious as I originally thought. I do love working on the black on Hannah Lynn's, they're so easy to stitch and stitch up so quickly, especially as this is tented, making it even faster than usual.

 

This is what I'm going to be working on this weekend. I'm just starting to see this page take shape rather than it being a random brown shmush. To be honest, this page is mostly hair, so there isn't really much to see anyway (hmmm, bit of a theme here, today I have mostly been posting about hair). Ben's reading over my shoulder as I type this and has just asked "So, does that mean it's International Hermit and Stitch Weekend this weekend?" When I said it was he replied that "It's also FA Cup Weekend." So it looks like we're both going to get to do what we want this weekend. Happy stitching all, I look forward to seeing your IHSW progress in the week.

Heather has hair

To be fair, I think that's how I'm going to be describing Heather for the next six months, she has quite a lot of hair, so I'm probably going to be stitching her hair for a while yet. I do love working on her (just as I always love working on Hannah Lynn's designs, the black stitches us so quickly). Have you seen Hannah's latest Alice in Wonderland series that she's working on? I'm absolutely loving them!

I give, this is who it is!

I know that I'm probably the only person who's been amused by the 'mystery' stitch, so thank you all my lovely followers for your patience with me... but I give, this is what I've been working on. Dwarven Leader, art work by Jankolas, charted by Paine Free Crafts, which I fell in love with when she released it, so I had to start it straight away. As you can probably imagine, there's a lot of background to stitch so I have sort of skimmed over the background a bit to get me a bit more central so I'm actually working on him instead.

 

Here's the latest update on it, there's a little bit of hair in there now, although it's not a great picture, I really struggle to get a decent picture of the pale background. He's actually going away for a while now. I'm stitching in little short bursts at the moment and his hair is quite confetti, and confetti when I've only got short stitching times drives me crackers. So I'm settling to work on something else for a while then I'll come back to this when I've really got time to sit and work on it.

 

Another mystery update

It still doesn't look like much, so I'm going to hold off saying what it is for another week. However, the guess I had of Linda Ravenscroft by The Maiden I'm afraid isn't right though, but I can see the logic. She's very fond of 3770 backgrounds, which will be included in the shading here. I am enjoying working on it, unfortunately, there a lot of working happening at the moment (stupid jobs, taking up valuable stitching time) so there isn't as much stitching as I'd like.

First International Hermit and Stitch Weekend of 2013

Well, here's my first progress picture of the new project, but I'm afraid that I'm not admitting to what it is (other than a cream shmush, obviously), until I've got a bit more to show and it actually starts to look like something.

I can think of a couple of bloggers who may well be able to work out what this is because they know me through facebook, and a few more that will rather like this once I give in and admit what I'm actually stitching on (for instance the lovely Joysze who always so generously hosts IHSW).

I have to admit that this pic looks more productive than I actually was, I did half of this during the week. I was hoping to get loads done this weekend but it just hasn't happened! I've got a couple of major stitching weekends planned already this year (whenever Ben goes away I hole up and work on my stitching), but none that close, so I'm (sadly), doing little bits here and there... especially with the second job. But I'm sure it'll start to look like something soon, and I'm quite excited to see what people think of it when it does!

Hope everyone who joined in had a lovely IHSW, have a lovely week.

Pride and Prejudice has returned!

I've started the second page of Pride and Prejudice and I love it, there's only 2 colours in and you can already see his head taking shape! (Okay, I know it's still a bit of a shmush, but humour me).

It's such a lovely project to work on, but I have an admission to make, I've been distracted by another project (yeah, like I needed another start). I started it this week but don't have much to show yet, so I'm going to wait to post an update. It's International Hermit and Stitch this weekend, so I'm hoping that I'll have a bit more to show and will be able to unveil my exciting new start on Monday!

Happy stitching all