Quick wedding WIP update 11th Oct

Got really true to life colours on this shot!

Wedding WIP September Update #2

Hello again! I have been stitching like a mad woman and tonight I present to you this washed out night-time image of my stitching! I forgot to get a picture in daylight but have tried to edit to show the colours correctly. I'm so happy I've gotten to the point where you can see my Mums face, its a little more motivating to show it coming together now!

Also, I have done a terrible silly thing. Notice that torn edge on the right side? I decided to "trim" the edges so I didn't have so much fabric hanging off the edge of my frame and instead sheared off most of it. I completely forgot to leave some for the frame and stretching!

So guys, have I ruined it? Could a professional printing place frame it with that much fabric there? I was planning on just the stitched area showing anyway. Oh well, thats a mistake I won't be making again!

I'll post some more progress in a couple of weeks :) I've been so busy working and doing other hobbies (drawing/video games etc.) I don't think I'll be updating this more than bi-monthly, but I will be updating and thats all that matters!

See you next time ladies and gents.

Wedding cross stitch WIP Update!

Hello ladies and gents! It's been a few weeks, but I thought I'd try and leave enough time to show a substantial update - and here it is!

So I've done the entire top 3 rows! I've parked my threads for the next (massive) page and will start it tomorrow when I have more natural light. I'm really pleased with how its going so far although it is slow! Should be able to see my dear mothers face soon :)

Also got these beautiful things in the post today from sewandso! (I highly recommend this company if you are from the UK like me!)

I adore these scissors, reminds me of one of those big black vintage sewing machines! They're nice and sharp and I don't have to 'saw' at the threads to cut them anymore.

This neat little thing is called a Needle Minder, it has a magnet attached to it, with another magnet that sits on the otherside of your fabric and holds it in place. When you're not using your needle you pop it on the needle minder and it'll keep it nice and safe for you! I have two kittens so making sure that a stray needle doesn't fall on the floor is my top priority, this helps a little for my anxieties!

So thats it for this update, hope to get a little more done soon as my due time is looming!
Thanks for looking!

Knitting and Cross stitch Progress in August

Its been a couple of weeks since my last post, I would show more frequently how I'm getting on, however I'm not the quickest! I don't want to inundate you all with daily posts of the few stitches I've managed to do here and there... so here's a more substantial update!

Now, I feel like the worst knitter in the world. If you're a knitter you may know how enjoyable knitting teeny clothes for newborn babies are and how satisfying it is to knit up pieces so quickly. I'm fighting a losing battle with my Suzette cardigan and stopped knitting at all for a few months (Hello cross stitch!) and didn't think there was any point doing baby stuff as noone in my family were close to having babies!

However my brain failed to notice that MY OWN MOTHER has had a bun in the oven for 6 MONTHS! 

Yeah, thats 6 entire months of lost knitting time, how many little baby booties and mittens is that?!

So I scoured my digital copies of The Knitter and found an adorable baby pattern called Little Vine (Ravelry link) 

I went out and spent a ludicrous amount (£11) on 2 gorgeous balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, because every baby needs cashmere in their life, even if it will be 12 weeks before they grow out of it.

Its knitting up so fast its awesome, although I'm used to doing adult clothes that take forever. Alas my camera has absolutely butchered the colour of this yarn. Its not this sickly red colour going on right now, its a gorgeous deep purple, like wine and mulberries. Here is the swatch from the Deramores site, it's much more accurate: Cashmerino in Plum

As always, I'm using my trusty Knitting Needs by Signature Needle Arts which are hands down my favourite knitting purchase ever. These are 3.5mm with the super sharp Stiletto tips (great for lace!)

The little vine pattern is easy to memorize and enjoyable to do. Nothing too taxing, a few YOs and SLKPs and the usual knit and purls!

Here's the back knitted up and the left front, just the right and arms left!

I've done lots more on my Wedding Cross Stitch, although it seems to take forever. I'm cutting time by using lots of needles with each colour so I'm not rethreading all the times, and using the parking method!

I took this photo this morning so you can see the colours better (hadn't stitched as much then) but I love doing the little greens, oranges and purples that pop up, and it all works so well together!

While I'm not sure that I'll get it done by December, in fact we all know that'll be a small miracle, I'm enjoying the process as I go, and I'm adding up a small collection of patterns I want to do once its finished!

(To see the wedding cross stitch progress in its entirety, click the wedding label down the right hand side of the blog, it will show all posts!)

'Til next time.

What I've been busy doing these past few weeks...

So, me being the type of person to run before I can walk, I embarked on my first proper cross stitch project of my own!

This is the design, all ready to stitch with DMC threads:

Its my Mother and my Step-Dad on their wedding day last year! I adore this picture and their entire wedding was vintage themed, with vinyl and cupcakes and a rock 'n' roll band. I thought what better than to cross-stitch their photo to enjoy for years to come?

So a few weeks have passed and I've been trying to do a 10x10 square a day. I'm not doing so well, but after learning the "parking method", my stitching has sped up tenfold! As you can see from the pattern, in 100 crossstitch squares, there can be 30 or 40 colour changes! So parking has suited me very well.

Here is some progress pictures, and how my "cross stitch caddy" is set up!

I have approximately 27 colours, and many more skiens in storage just in case I run out! My caddy has removeable sections which is really useful, as I've made a little bin for my waste threads, and a section for my pens, needles and scissors!

This is the first (and smallest!) page I'm doing, as it starts in the top left. I didn't like the idea of starting in the middle and spending months rubbing my wrists over finished needlework and making it tatty!

I do try to wind my bobbins neatly but sometimes it just doesn't happen!

I used a thin sharpie to write the symbols and numbers on the bobbins, this helps for quick selection. As I'm using at least 10-12 colours at a time, I like being able to quickly find a colour bobbin and check it against the thread to make sure I'm using the right one!

1500 stitches so far (I think!) if you compare it to the picture above you can see it coming together! I gridded with a wash away marker, that will disappear when I wash it (or I hope so, otherwise tears will be shed and tantrums had!)

I'm using an R&R Frame, which is a plastic snap frame to hold your embroidery. In the US a similar brand is Q-Snap! I really recommend these as you can keep them in the frames for long periods of time, and unlike embroidery hoops, doesn't leave harsh line marks!

I'm using the largest size available, 17" x 17" which is quite unwieldy to be honest, but I've gotten used to it, and I like being able to eventually see the entire cross stitch on it! My local needlework shop has ordered in some smaller sizes for me for future projects, as I can't see myself going back to hoops after this!

Thankyou for looking!