Now that my Gingerbread House is finished, I needed a new project for class. It has to be something easy that doesn’t require all of my paraphernalia (magnifying glass, stand, etc.). So I ordered this cushion from Ehrman, it is Blooming Roses Charcoal by David Merry. I am just doing tent stitch.
There are a lot of colours in similar shades, so I might be getting it wrong, but I am just going to push on.
Filed under Canvas Work, Embroidery
After all my other embroidery projects (Cinnamon Stars and the RSN crewel work), I want to make the Home Sweet Home sampler from Modern Folk Embroidery. So I have bought a few different reds from Stitchers’ Corner to test. I am going to use this linen (Sand 40 count)
Filed under Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch
I am still plodding along on Miss P’s blanket, but every now and then I need a bit of a change. I have started a new pair of socks – I have joined the Golden Honey Sock club, and this is my version of the Duke Who Gives it All Up socks. I think another pattern comes out in May so I need to get a move on.
I am using a yarn from Elsie Gray’s (my Albany souvenir yarn) and my usual 2.25 knitting needles.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
I finished the Gingerbread House! First mentioned in December 2018. I stopped working on it for a number of years, but in the last six or so months I was determined to get it finished.
The pattern was from the 2016 Family Circle Christmas Special and for a while you could get the charts online, but I don’t think they available anymore.
I used a plastic canvas I bought from Spotlight (kind of like this one), one sheet is probably enough for two houses.
I used the called for DMC floss (six strands). I needed multiple skeins of the white and the gingerbread colour, but a single skein of the other colours is enough.
Filed under Canvas Work, Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch
I have almost finished Miss A’s quilt – just the binding to go.
After watching this video, I managed to finish my continuous binding (it did take four attempts). The really useful piece of information was knowing that the overlap had to be the same length as the width of the binding strips.
Now I just need to turn it to the back and sew it down. I still haven’t decided whether to hand sew it or machine sew it.
Filed under Foundation Blocks, Patchwork, Quilting
I finished my Dunsborough Socks (so called because I put the yarn there while I was on a weekend holiday).
The yarn is Cowgirlblues Merino Twist in sock weight (100% wool), colourway Camel.
I used my standard 2.25 knit pro zings (I use a circular needle and do magic loop)
It’s top-down with a heel flap, gusset and round toe. The pattern on the leg and foot is from the Bijou Socks pattern.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
This is my year of finishes. I want to finish projects that I have started. Like my Cinnamon Stars project. This is what I work on at home, at my two stitching groups, I have been working on my Gingerbread House. It’s looking a bit ramshackle because I have sewn it altogether yet.
Below is my previous progress photo – I have now finished the top half and just have to work on the bottom left and right.
I think I finally have a set-up that works well. My Lowery frame, magnifier and working at a table.
Filed under Canvas Work, Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch, Embroidery
Stitchers’ corner re-opened in its new location with a new owner, so, of course, I had to go and be supportive. The store is fabulous, so much beautiful stuff (and finally some modern patterns).
I want to try a higher count linen, so I only have to use one strand. The linen above is Newcastle (40 count) in colourway sand. I am also keen to try Au ver à soie 100/3
My plan is to stitch Modern Folk Embroidery’s Home Sweet Home, in a rich shade of red. I like the DMC 321 in the photo above, so I might choose that.
The other things is the LA D Da Needlebook. I saw this on Brenda and the Serial Starter’s flosstube.
Filed under Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch, Embroidery, Patterns
I read about cashmere, merino, nylon sock yarn and so, of course, had to get some. I bought them from ZigoZago, a shop in country Victoria (the service was fabulous and my yarn arrived within days!).
The one on the top in the image is Dream in Colour Smooshy Cashmere in the sonoran magic colourway, the one at the bottom is tôt le matin sock in the Jane Doe colourway (it doesn’t have any cashmere, but I loved the colour and it was the same postage for one skein or two).
I am super keen to get started on these.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
I have been blogging for sixteen years! My first blog was on March 18th 2007 and I wrote about creating a snail trail quilt using my embroidery machine – I never did finish that quilt.
810 posts and 1234 images
Back in the early days it was all about the quilting and the sewing. I did a lot of machine embroidery. I made the girls applique t-shirts for Easter and Christmas
And I went through a phase of making embroidered patchwork cards
I thought I could somehow turn my craft into a viable business, I tried making personalised T-Shirts. I went to that disastrous market and I even set up an Etsy store, but it was just a big fat failure.
And then, in January 2008, my love affair with knitting socks started. Over the years, I have had a lot of knitting failures; necklines too small, necklines too big, but the socks were always reliable. As far as my knitting goes, I am most proud of my Chemo blanket and Miss A’s blanket.
I was very chuffed with my Advent Calendar, which we still use every year
I have included book reviews and baking (I don’t do much baking now days).
In 2015, I started a Canvas work class, cue my interest in hand embroidery, in particular counted embroidery.
And I have bought so many hoops, embroidery stands, Q snaps (twice because I gave the first lot away!), but I think I have now settled on my lowery stand
Now that I look back over the past sixteen years, I can see that my more successful projects involved machine embroidery (why did I stop?). Miss A’s quilt (the sampler quilt) stopped me quilting altogether. I love doing cross stitch. My stash purchasing (for all crafts) is far greater than my ability to use these supplies and this makes me feel guilty.
A few knitting things I’m proud of
Machine embroidery
My redback spider costume
My hand embroidery sampler
What will happen in the next sixteen years?
Hopefully, I will finally finish the Sampler Quilt! And get back into more machine embroidery, more sock knitting, more cross stitch, more blanket knitting, maybe some shawls, more book reviews, and possibly a bit of weaving.
I get so much joy, contentment and satisfaction from crafting, despite not being very good at it. I now feel that I can do it simply because I enjoy it, with no need to turn it into some kind of side hustle.
Filed under miscellaneous
