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.

April re-cap

I'm aware that the April re-cap is coming a little hot on the heels of the March re-cap, but at least I've remembered this month. I do like seeing this each month, so I am trying to remember.

This is how the Cloudsfatory 2014 SAL finished the month, definite progress!

This is how it started the month - I'm aware that these two are the wrong way round, but blogger will not let me put the pictures the other way round, and I can't work out why.

Heather as she started the month

And as she finished the month, kinda weird looking, but definite progress

 Dragon Rider as it started the month

And how it finished the month. Not a massive amount of progress, but a page finish means I moved on to another project.

Writing, also not bad, I managed 11344 words, so I hit my target, which I am very proud of, but I'd me a lot more proud if I hadn't done over 5000 of those in one day, begging the question of what I really did for the rest of the month? Oh well, word count is still work count.

Not a bad week

So, this is Heather all ready for me to take to my stitching retreat with me. All I have to do is colour in the black, none of that pesky counting involved, so I don't have to worry about getting distracted and making a mistake (hopefully anyway.)

Second up I have my Cloudsfactory 2014 SAL, which is starting to vaguely look like something, even if I am only working on the border still. This was started during a new start event last year so I only did a couple of hundred stitches and moved on. I've also discovered that as I made it ridiculously small (1 over 1, full crosses on 28 count) it's the perfect size for my needle minders :-)

March re-cap (a bit late, I know)

I know, it's ridiculously late, apparently I didn't achieve much in March.

This is where I started Dragon Rider

This is where I finished!

In other news my writing went quite well (a lot better than it's gone this month so far), I managed a word count of 12427.

Heather returns

She's looking a bit surreal at the moment. I'm doing all the outlining on this row for this rotation. There's a odd sort of logic for this. I'm thinking that I'm going to take Heather to the Craft Retreat in June, which means that I can then do all the filling in without having to count and so without having to worry about miscounting and messing up because I'm not concentrating!

Third finish of the year

As promised, I did manage to finish this last week, it's now with the framer, so that it can be gifted soon.
Stats:
Design by Cloudsfactory
Fabric: Shades of Autumn by Sparklies
2 over 2 on 28 count.

Another couple of days should do it

I've nearly finished, and as the title says, another couple of days should finish it, then I'll be back into my rotation, and mostly done with presents. My only remaining present is my long term project for my mum, so I can get back to my own things for a while!

I've recently redesigned my rotation, meaning that I have priority 1, priority 2 and everything else, so some projects will work up more quickly than others. It's ridiculously complicated, but it works for me.

If you're interested my rotation now works like so:

A, B, C, D, A, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, A, G, H, I, A, B, C, D, A, J, K, L and so on. See, needlessly complicated, but works for me. If you're interested A is Dragon Rider, B, C and D are Heather, Cloudsfactory Calendar and Family Values, and everything else is everything else.

When A B C or D are completed, something else will get promoted to being a priority piece. I'm hoping it means that having priority projects will mean that I get to see more progress on those (well, of course it will, duh!), but it means that it'll be a longer time between each time I work on other projects. It's logical in my head. Having a basic rotation meant I was only working on each project once a year, so this way means more attention to some, but other might go a couple of years at the moment.

Happy Stitching all!

Page finish!

Here's my page finish on Dragon Rider, which I'm very excited about, and a page finish means that I unroll it and show a full picture thus far.

Loving seeing the wings come together and I'm debating where to go next. I know the next page down would be the obvious route, but I don't want to end a project working on a page full of tree or similar, so I'm tempted to work round the edge and then finish on the dragon. Hmmm, not sure, but I've got a little while to think about it.

Happy stitching all!

Not bad, even if I do say so myself

I've actually managed some vaguely decent progress this week, and hopefully I'll have even more to show by the end of the weekend. My original plan was to have this page finished by the end of the weekend, but I may be willing to accept that that was a tab ambitious. However, it's not going badly, so I'll see what happens, you never know.

Happy stitching all!

IHSW

Two posts in as many days? It must be International Hermit and Stitch weekend, and due to shifts and life generally getting in the way it must be the best part of a year since I last got to join in, so I've rather enjoyed this, and have some actual progress to show, which makes me very happy as well. I'm now over half way through this page! I'm hoping to continue being productive this week, shifts are falling pretty well for it, and I'm going to have a little unofficial IHSW all to myself next weekend as well!

Happy stitching all, hope those that joined in had a productive weekend as well!

Pottering along

 I seem to have had very little time this week, so while I have managed a tiny bit of wing, it's no where near as much as I was aiming for... however this weekend, and next week and weekend is looking like I might actually have some stitching time (don't say it too loud in case the stitching bugs sneak up and bite me) so I'm hoping that the next couple of weeks might actually have some progress to show! But progress or not, there is wing, the dragon is officially growing and this makes me very happy!

In other news  have progress on my Star Wars chart, as I'm sure I've said before the Cloudsfactory patterns always seem to stitch up so quickly because they're made up of lots of little patterns. Anyway, I'm on course for having it finished in time.

Happy stitching all!

Dragon Rider and a little start

At least I've got a bit of progress to show on Dragon Rider, I do forget how well this is turning out, next progress I should have some more dragon to show as well, at least some wings anyway, and as far as I'm concerned wings are dragon!

But it the mean time, I may have got a little distracted...

I finished Brave off, which, as we all know, was a gift,but then I had my doubts about it, as a suitable gift, and ended up starting a new project instead, so here we have the beginning of Star Wars, so far represented by The Emperor, I'm rather enjoying the Cloudsfactory patterns at the moment, which isn't like me, they're smaller than I usually go for.

Dragon Rider Returns

Turns out it's far too long since I last worked on Dragon Rider, it was May when I last posted on this, which is shameful (although with the number of WIPs that I have, possibly not surprising). However, this year I have declared Dragon Rider to be one of my focus pieces, so hopefully there will be more updates to show this year. I was hoping to have more progress to show on this this week, but I got distracted, I've just started to pick up my crochet again, having not touched it since I originally learnt last year, and since I restarted on Thursday I now have six granny squares. I've recently discovered Ice Yarns and am completely in love with their yarn, so there is now a lot of it in my home, however I'm hoping to get some more stitching progress today.

February re-cap

Apparently February has been a surprisingly productive month, if my progress pictures are anything to go by:

Madame:

Before

After

Brave:

Before

After

Family Values:

New start

I've also finished the Secret Stitch which I'm taking to get framed in the next couple of days so one day I may actually be able to post a finish picture, just as soon as it's intended recipients are given it.

So I've got two finishes for 2015 already, although I have a sneaking suspicion that they may be my only finishes of the year.

Elsewhere I've also had a productive writing month, I had my writing target of 10,000 words pretty comfortably, managing to hit 13156, which means I averaged about 470 words a day, which by my standards is pretty fantastic. All in all, a good month!

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!

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.

Tiny update

Just think, in the next couple of weeks I'll finish my Secret Stitch and I'll actually have some kind of progress to show off, however that day is not today, so all I have to show this week is a tiny progress picture of Brave.

It's cute, but seeing how much I've actually stitched this month it's a little sad looking!

I'm also doing a little bit of cross blog advertising. I'm a member of a local craft group (which is where this project is currently getting it's sole attention), and I look after their blog, the posts are sporadic, but I've just remembered to post something so I thought I'd share the link over here as well:

Harrogate Craft Work Group

January re-cap

I've decided that, as a bit of motivation throughout the year for the ridiculous number of targets I set myself for 2015 I should do a re-cap at the end of each month to see how I'm actually doing, so this is my January re-cap:

Madame
Before:

After:

Brave

New start

Secret Stitch

New start.

I'm actually progressed far beyond this, but I can't post any more until it's finished and gifted

 Winter Geisha

New start

So that's one 2015 target worked towards

Complete one page of Madame!

I've also managed to write 10102 words this month, so I hit target, woohoo, but 6000 of those words were in the last three days of the month.

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.

Will power, what will power?

No new starts I said, this year is going to be a year of progress I said, how rubbish am I? Especially as I can see at least two more starts in my future. I really want to start an Aimee Stewart bookshelf, I was trying to wait for Heroes and Heroines but I also really want to start one. I've also got a couple of images with Sarah from Paine Free Crafts and she's looking into charting them for me (although I have told here there's no hurry, because I do have the secret stitch to finish first).

Anyway, my pretty new start, I've mostly been working on my secret stitch the last week but I had a day off with nothing much planned and this had been calling to me! This is Winter Geisha from Love Thy Thread (sadly now closed) and it's stitched on 28 count Dark Goddess from Sparklies. I can only work on this for so long at a time because I've discovered that stitching over one on 28 count on darker fabric really messes with with eyes. 28 count doesn't normally bother me, but this is rather testing. I was originally going to stitch with sparkly floss, but because the fabric also has sparkle in it it didn't look right, so I'm just going to white dmc instead!

Second New Start of the Year

I know, I said there weren't to be any new starts this year, and I'm already on my second, I'm so weak! In my defence this is intended as a gift, and I said that gifts were allowed, it's also something that I can show progress on relatively easily while not being able to post on my secret stitch.

Don't they look find creepy without their eyes stitched, a little like Village of the Damned.

For people who like to have information this is Brave by Cloudsfactory, stitched two over two in 28 count something (I can never remember what type of fabric I'm using and can't tell them apart half the time), but it's called Silver Lining and is from polstitches.

First and Last update

This will be my first and last update picture on this project until it's finished and gifted to it's intended recipient. It's a present for someone, and they do occasionally check my blog so I can post it now when you can't tell what it is, but any further than this and there might be too much of a give away. The designs are by Cloudsfactory and I just think that they're so cute!

2014 achievements and 2015 targets

I love this time of years, when I look back on how I managed on last years targets and what targets I'm setting myself for 2015, sad but true!

So, starting with the targets I set myself for this year:

One page on Joan Elliott: FAILED

One Page on Dwarven Leader: FAILED - but I have at least worked on it

Two and two half pages on Dragon Rider: FAILED - I completed two half pages

1.5 Pages on Lancelot and Guinevere: FAILED - apparently I haven't worked on this at all this year, that actually really surprised me

1 Page on Winter's Majesty: FAILED - nothing, again

1 page colour on Clara: FAILED - although I have done a bit of colour

2nd row of black on Heather (5.5 pages): DONE

1 page Tale of the Red Swans: DONE

1 Page Rendezvous: DONE

2.5 Girlsof the World: FAILED - again, nothing

1.5 pages of P&P: FAILED - I did half a page though, so that's something

Start Japenese Chatelaine: FAILED

1 page Apocalypse Princesses: DONE - woohoo

Finish something: DONE - two finished actually, thank goodness for weddings and christenings

Start birth or wedding sampler (possibly both): DONE - as well as the above finish I've also started Bothy Cut Thru Noah's Ark

So basically, overall, I didn't do very well on last years stitching targets. 

Not stitching targets

Learn to make crotchet Granny Squares: DONE - I did managed it, but I haven't made one since learning

Write 10,000 words a month (its less than 350 a day, so less horrendous than it sounds): Managed this a couple of times this year, but not every month. However my annual word count was 65654 so I'm taking that as a win.

Take part in NaNoWriMo and manage more than the 11,000 words that I managed this year: I didn't take part, but I did manage 22,000 words that month, so I'm going to take that as a win!

Start looking into the logistics of a stitchers retreat: FAILED - again. There has been talk of it, but it hasn't happened

Get better at gingerbread houses: FAILED: I've done nothing, again

So, having seen how badly I did on last years targets, lets see what unnecessarily ambitious targets I can set myself for this year:

Stitching Targets:

Madame: 1 page

Dragon Rider: 3 and 1 half page

Heather: full row - 5.5 pages

Cloudsfactory: Border and Jan - April

Our Seasons: 1 page

In Her Room: 1 page

Le Pas du Sucre: 1 page

Rendezvous: 1 page

Winter's Majesty: 1 page

Elsa: 1 page

Joan Elliott: 1 page

Dark Hope: 1 page

World Collection: 1.5 girls

Lancelot and Guinevere: 0.5 page

Pride and Prejudice: 1 page

Tale of the Red Swans: 1 page

Promise To Heart: 1 page

Clara: 1 page

Dwarven Leader: 1 page

Apocalypse: 1 page

There have been a lot of new starts this year, so I'm trying to limit them next year. I have allowances, but other than those listed below I'm not allowed to start anything else

Heroes and Villains by Aimee Stewart from HAED - the artwork's been sent so I'm waiting for it to be released

Ex Machine by Cris Ortega from HAED - the artwork's been sent so I'm waiting for it to be released

Heathcliffe and Cathy / Robin Hood and Marion from Cross Stitch Collection

A secret gift

99 bottle of beer from Ink Cirlces

Winter Geisha from Love Thy Thread

I have two (hopefully three) pieces of artwork that I've had permission to get charted for personal use, I'm not guaranteeing that I'll be able to resist starting one of those.

Presents for others because I can't dictate when or if those will happen.

I know that it's still a relatively open list on new starts, but I know that saying none at all would be a pointless lie!

Non-stitching targets:

10,000 words a month (again - I'm getting closer)

Work on stitchers retreat!

Ridiculously ambitious, as usual, but it's fun to try

2014 progress - picture heavy

Apocalypse Princesses as it finished 2013

Apocalypse Princesses at they finished 2014 - Jasmine has a face

Clara as she finished 2013

As she finished 2014 - there is a bit more colour in there

Cloudsfactory 2014 SAL was a new start for 2014

Dark Hope was also a new start for 2014

Dragon Rider as it started 2013

Dragon Rider as it finished 2014 - probably the most noticeable change of the year

Dwarven Leader at the end of 2013

And at the end of 2014 - there is a difference, just not much of one

Elsa was a new start for 2014 - and is hardly a start at all

Heather at the end of 2013

Heather at the end of 2014 - other noticeable difference

In Her Own Room was a new start for 2014

Start and finish photo - how embarassing

Le Pas Du Sucre - new start for 2014

Madame - another new start for 2014

Noah's ark - yet another new start for 2014 - are you seeing a theme?

Our Seasons - another 2014 new start

Pride and Prejudice at the end of 2013

And at the end of 2014, I finally finished the cream

Promise to Heart - a new start for 2014

Tale of the Red Swans - a new start for 2014

Rendezvous - a new start for 2014

Snowdrop Fairy - start and finish photo - oops

Winter's Majesty - start and finish photo, this is now two years without progress, I have to work on this in 2015

World Collection, also no progress this year

My first finish of 2014 - Together Forever from Love Thy Thread (sadly no longer trading), an intended wedding gift

Second finish of 2014 - Animal Fayre from Bothy Threads, also a gift, this time a christening present