Saturday 27 September 2014

TUSAL and holibobs

Hi all,

Hope you are all well! I'll kick off with my TUSAL which is hosted by Daffycat. It's where we post pictures of our thread ends (ORTs) and show them off each month as a way of gauging how much, or little, stitching we've got done...

I've made a bit of progress with the baby sampler. A few weeks ago I sprained my weak ankle again and after being on holiday this week, it's been playing up again so I had a day of enforced rest today. Meant I got loads done!!
I recently won a £20 Amazon voucher from something I took part in in Uni and I've used it to buy myself a Q-snap frame. I'm so excited, I can't wait for it to arrive! Heard so much about them from you all...I just couldn't resist.

Michael and I had a weeks holiday this week. Nothing special, just using up annual leave. We have done lots of fun stuff though from adventure golf on 'Pirate Island' to taking a night out and going down to see my brother in Portsmouth where he is at university. We took him out for lunch and got a nosey around his new house which was nice. Our hotel we stayed in was very funky and we had a really chilled out and fun evening. Will defo do it again! Sadly my bad ankle couldn't take much walking so we couldn't stay any longer on Friday afternoon as I was worried about driving home. Thinking I might talk to the doctor about some strengthening exercises for it!!

Oh well back to work Monday. I'm really looking forward to it after such a lovely week. I feel very refreshed and ready to get back!! Hope you are all well. Until next time...happy stitching!!

 

Wednesday 17 September 2014

The bug is back!

Hi all,

Hope you are all well. I'm enjoying the nights starting to draw in a little. Autumn is my favourite time of year, the colours and slight chill in the air is so lovely!

 

Well after losing my stitchy bug slightly, I've found him again and am thoroughly enjoying working on the baby sampler and it is sooooo quick to stitch.

I think I lost my bug as I insisted on doing the border first. It was such a drag with just one colour in one long line. Next solid border I end up doing, I will do in stages. I really feel like with every piece I stitch I'm learning more and more! Gridding, loop method, fractionals and the dreaded French knot and even framing! I love this hobby so much!

I treated myself today to a little thread jar to keep all my TUSAL oddments in. Sainsburys had Kilner jars on sale and this one made it's way home. It's already filling with prettiness!

I've been admiring everyone's blogs recently and have got a bit of a thing about learning different ways to make up my stitching. After all, after the baby samplers I doubt I'm going to keep doing framed pieces forever! I really fancy learning how to make cushions and pull hangers and customising things using waste canvas. I'm so obsessed that I have asked Santa for a sewing machine this year! A few friends and family have machines so I may have to go and play on them to get a feel for it. Any tips?

Right, better get to bed. Am up early this week for work but I don't mind as Michael and I have a quiet week off work next week! Stitchy heaven here I come!!

Until next time...happy stitching!

 

Saturday 6 September 2014

Friday Night with Friends

Hi everyone,

Hope you all had a lovely evening! My hubby and I treated ourselves to a Chinese and a bottle of wine last night for the first time in a while and it was lush! Didn't get much stitching done I'm afraid so I'm going to show you where I'm currently up to with one of the baby samplers I'm working on.

I've done most of the border of it, but a little bored of doing that so might move on to some of the pretty colours. It's the Zoo Alphabet Baby Sampler by Dimensions that I'm doing for my best friends little girl who is due in November. Also my first attempt at marking out fabric to help with counting, which I'm loving right now! It's stitching up pretty quick so hopefully be able to get it done and move on to my nephews one. Very exciting!

 

Hope you all had a great FNwF, I'll be popping over to see how you got on!

Until next time....Happy stitching!

 

Thursday 4 September 2014

Time to relax? What's that?

Hello all!
Sorry I have been so quiet this last month, so much to do at home and work that I've been coming home exhausted! Hardly any stitching done and defo no energy even to blog. I have been keeping up with you all though so I'm not completely out the loop...

I know I told you I am working in an emergency night shelter as part of my Uni course. I love it just so so much, really feel like I know what I am doing now and even have some clients to keywork myself. It's all so positive and I am going to struggle leaving to go back to Uni next year for sure. Hopefully they will love me enough to offer me a job when I leave uni....here's hoping anyway. One of the activities we do with the clients is performing arts and recently completed a 6 week course of becoming a choir. We ended by playing a gig at a local festival called Weyfest and it was amazing. Even I was on stage singing and I have no confidence to do things like that! Awesome to see what working with others brings out in me.

My stitching hasn't completly come to a halt. I managed to stitch up a little card for my Grandmas birthday which was today. Saw this in a recent issue of World of Cross Stitch and loved it, knew she would too. Although Grandma wants to frame it as well! I'm very flattered....

I'm starting to get a little more patience with backstitching now, although it will never be my favourite job to do. My next project is to continue on with the birth samplers for my nephew and best friends daughter who are due in December and November. So a bit of time but it is rapidly disappearing, losing the stitchy bug due to tiredness has eaten into my schedule a bit...
My little brother got into Uni! Yippee! I am so proud of him. He is going to study Drama and Theatre Studies at Portsmouth - which is great for me to go shopping hehe. Wonder if there are any craft shops at Gunwharf, may have to look into that. Andi got his house sorted today as well, one week to go then he is on his own two feet! Scary stuff.
I also have a new addition to my little family by way of a Syrian Hamster called Garibaldi, or Gary for short. He is a gorgeous little character and is super friendly and tame and loves a cuddle, just the perfect pet. My dog, full sized Labrador, is still frightened when Gary gets in his ball and rolls around. Considering the size difference, I tell my dog he is a big fat wimp!
Gary selfie!
Hope you are all well. Thanks for bearing with me and until next time....Happy stitching!