From Left to Right – Log Moderne Blanket, Christmas Sock, Halloween Cat Cross Stitch
I have been working on a few of my projects. Miss P’s blanket is progressing (slowly), I switched to Knit Pro Zing needles and it has been much nicer.
I am on to the second sock of my Christmas socks, turned the heel, so now it’s just the gusset, the foot and the toe (I am maybe a third of the way through)
And finally my Halloween Cat cross stitch is very close to being finished – I just need to finish off the last cat and do the back stitching (there’s not much of that – whiskers and mouth).
From Left to right – Halloween Cat Cross Stitch, Log Cabin Moderne Blanket, Christmas Sock
We went to Rottnest for a few days, and I took a little cross stitch away with me
Little Elephant Cross Stitch
14 count Aida done in the hand. And it reinvigorated my love of cross stitch, so I have been working on my Halloween Cat (by Satsuma Street).
Miss P turns 18 in early 2023, so I have started her blanket. It’s the same as Miss A’s but in purple shades.
The last is my Christmas sock, which is going to be short – for wearing in summer. It was 44 degrees yesterday (that’s 112.2 for you Fahrenheit people), so you can see why I need short socks. The yarn is Poinsettia from Daffodil Road Yarn. I bought it last year, but I imagine they do something similar every year.
I have tried to do an interesting rib – I used Gaughan’s Twisted Stitch Source Bookand did a K2P2 rib, but the K2 has a right twist every second round. I think it is very effective.
I have bought a new table clamp (the Elbesee Versatile Table Clamp – from here).
I like it. It means I can work two-handed and have it at the height and angle I want. I can also attach my magnifying glass (it pegs on) and because the hoop is stable, I know longer get nauseous.
I have been having chemotherapy and now have neuropathy in my fingers and toes. I wasn’t sure how this would affect my embroidering, but it hasn’t made any difference. I have been able to work on my Halloween Cat project.
This is a Satsuma Street design. I am using DMC threads and a 25 count linen (2 strands over 2 threads).
I seem to have my system working now – the ‘double decker’ hoop (so I can work two handed) from here, and the magnifying light (which I bought from an electronic hobby store).
This is coming together nicely – although I am very slow. It’s about the process though and not the final product.
I have become quite monogamous on this cross stitch.
The motif in the upper-right corner created a lot of difficulty for me. I think I stitched it three times before I could get the outer border to join correctly. The blue marking lines helped enormously. I have put more in to make the last few motifs easier and then it is on to the alphabets.
I’m back to stitching in hand and it just seems to work a bit better for me. I don’t think my stitches are better (in fact I think my tension is probably a bit off), but I am far more likely to pick it up and work on it.
I got a bit carried away with buying new charts last year and now I feel a bit anxious about the amount of unstitched charts I have.
I started working on this house late last year to use as a model for my girls, but soon realised it was going to take a long time and that they wouldn’t have the patience to finish it. I wondered if even I had the patience (dedication) to finish it, but when I added the back stitch the design popped and now I feel quite motivated (I doubt it will be finished this year).
The design is from the 2016 Family Circle Christmas Special – you might still be able to find the pattern here.
I bought the plastic canvas from Spotlight and I am using 6 strands of DMC floss, 2 for the backstitching.
As someone who prides themselves, on my ability to do maths – this cross stitch has humbled me. The motif in the top right I must have stitched at least twice.
The pattern is My Lady’s Quaker from Jardin Prive – 32 count Belfast linen, DMC threads (Black and a Variegated Red)