Bits and Bobs

So, firstly I've manage to finish the second page of Family Values, and the page really came together at the end, especially the scythe, I really wasn't seeing that until right at the end.

Secondly, excuse the gratuitous boob shot, which, now that  type it probably isn't the thing to type on something that could be searched by google, but now the idea of someone searching that and ending up here is amusing me so it's going to stay in. Also excuse what is an incredibly unattractive photo of me. Anyway, I'm learning to sew. I'm trying to make a costume for LFCC but I've never made things in my life. I bought a pattern, got it out of the packet, stared at it for a while then put it back in the package and messaged a friend who is good at sewing, she is not teaching me to follow the pattern. This is a mock up of the top, it's the wrong fabric and too small, but it's tailored and I'm proud of that fact that, with her help, I actually managed to make something of sorts.

And finally... when I started this year I said that there wouldn't be any new starts but gave myself a couple of get out of jail free cards. These were mostly gifts for other people, but also included two designs that I knew had been sent to charters and so I was just waiting for them to be released. Typically they were both released in the same week and I'm now officially doomed. Here's my first of these starts. Heroes and Heroines, Supersized by Aimee Stewart and charted by HAED. It took me quite a lot of staring to work out what this is, it's pretty much nothing but bookshelf, there isn't really any picture in this page.

Progress of varying degrees

 So, Family Values is progressing, little stitches fill in the blanks now, so it's coming together quickly, but at the same time this last bit seems to be taking me ages and I really don't know why that is, so I'm still working on it. However Heroes and Heroines Supersized was released today, so I need to finish that page off so i can start my new project.

In other news I was at the Crafty Kitten stitching retreat this weekend with the lovely Angie from Miamina's Musings, Dawn from Crafty Kitten, Sarah from Paine Free Crafts and Eileen from Thread Pickerz and many other people, but they're the only ones that I can reliably link to. We had a fantastic weekend, but I didn't achieve quite as much stitching as intended due to spending far too much time talking instead but here's what I did achieve. I carefully set her up so that I wouldn't have to count at an point during the weekend, so at least that went well.

Actual change

I didn't have as much time as I was hoping to this week, I've been getting distracted by other projects. Been working on my crochet and a dress pattern has been calling to me... actually it's not calling to me, I'm a tad scared of it, but I will manage it (with a little help from a friend maybe), but anyway, here is my progress this week, and there is an actual difference this week. I'd like to say that it'll be finished by next week, but I don't think I'll have much time this week. There will be something to show though!

Spot the difference

There honestly is a difference from last week, although you have to look quite hard to spot it. I'm not really sure where this week has gone. I'm hoping to have a bit more progress to show next week.

I did have a slight panic about the curve at the bottom of the D this morning, but I checked the picture and it's right, I should have trusted Sarah.

More than I expected

Considering how little time of spent on this this week, I'm surprised that I actually have so much growth to show. Mostly due to a couple of hours on Friday morning. Again, loving how fast tenting stitches up.

My C is still looking a little bit like a E, but it's improving, couple of weeks should have this finished. Maybe even one week if I really get down to it, but I'm not sure whether that will happen.

It's back

I love Family Values, it took me quite a lot of will power to not make it my main focus piece, the only reason I didn't is because Dragon Rider is intended as a gift, so I figured that I ought to work on that the most.

This is tented, so it's stitching up really fast, which is always nice, and you can already see this page coming together (if you know what you're looking for. You've got the shape of the I S and C appearing. I did have a brief panic that the C was starting to look suspiciously like an E until I realised that it was Death's scythe running through the middle.

Enjoying this one as usual, and hopefully it'll only be a couple of weeks for another page finish.

Second week of stuff to show

So, second week in a row I've had quite a productive week and actually have progress to show. It's like magic, I'm actually finding time to stitch! Anyway, first off is Brave by Cloudsfactory, stitched 2 over 2 on 28 count from Polestitches, I think the colour is called Silver Lining, but I'm not as certain as I'd like to be on that. It was lovely to stitch, although the metallics drove me a little dotty, but Cloudsfactory charts are always lovely, simple little stitches.

Second up I have my new project that I was teasing about last week.As it's now actually starting to look like something I can show it off a bit more. This was a bespoke chart done for me by Sarah from Paine Free Crafts and the image is called Family Values from the artist Paul Kidby (charted with his permission). I am quite childishly excited about this project and it has instantly become one of my focus pieces. I went to Paul for permission for a couple of his images to be charted and Sarah's done an amazing job on them, but I just want to stitch so many of his artworks, I can see me going back to him at some point and requesting permission for more of them. For those that don't know the art work I'll put a copy of the image in the right bar so you can have a look!

Technical stuff: tented 2 over 1 on 28 count, which is how I've managed to do a page in less that two weeks!