Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Arriving on Platform Ten: Train of Dreams

Thank you so much everyone for your comments on my Crazy 15 so far and on my Wipocalypse too.

Gabi, you asked about The Basket so I thought I'd better explain for my followers that haven't heard about my sad case of Basketitis.


I am one of the unlucky Southern Hemisphere stitchers doomed to pay outrageously expensive prices for everything related to our addiction art but I am lucky enough to have a gorgeous (not so local) LNS that stocks many of the things that make our addicted arty little hearts so happy.  Now and then on my very rare free Monday mornings, I'll take a little drive just to experience the sheer joy that only you my fellow "floss fondlers" can possibly understand.

The only problem with this wonderful little shop - The Crewel Gobelin - is *cue drum roll* The Basket.

This is the account of what happened when I inadvertantly stumbled across said woven object back in April last year.

Now the last time I trundled off to have a little looksie, I ended up coming home with ten of the twelve Blackbird Designs: Anniversaries of the Heart charts!  Now seriously, I had NO intention of spending money that day.  But they were in very close proximity to The Basket (They're too big to fit in there, so they were in a bin close by...) and they were SO cheap!

*sigh*

I'd love to take a jaunt out there right now but it's currently our school summer holidays.  This translates as  "No $$$ to spend on anything that isn't rent or food."  I'm really, really looking forward to February and regular income... which translates as spending a whole lot of $$$ on stash once all the bills and kids school fees are caught up!  Yay!

Actually, I'm pretty thrifty.  The majority of my stash purchases come from 123stitch.  It's much cheaper to buy from the US, particularly with the AUD so strong against the USD.  Means I often get double or even triple the amount of floss or fabric that I would get at any store in Australia.  I try to support the LNS's here but it's hard when typically a Mirabilia chart that is say $13 at 123 could be anywhere between $22 and $40.  My Titania chart cost $35.00 - she was my first Mira purchase long before I discovered the joys of on-line shopping overseas.

Ooops... I've really wandered off on a tangent tonight!  Sorry about that folks.  We will now return to our regular programming!

Day Ten heralded the arrival of Randal Spangler's "Train of Dreams" from HAED.  I've put in a couple of hours during the day and a lot of hours tonight.  I think I stitched a total of six hours on this one and managed to get in just over 700 stitches... that's a lot really...

The thing is, it doesn't look like anywhere near that amount of work and typically, you can't see the colour changes yet, 'cause there's not enough of it done.

Day Ten
Photobucket
Randal Spangler: Train of Dreams
HAED
1 over 1 on 25ct antique white Jobelan
DMC floss


Yes, that really is 700-odd stitches.  Doesn't look like it though.

I thought I'd show you a snapshot of my chart - just to prove it.  LOL.


Photobucket


Night night all.  It's way past my bedtime... see you all tomorrow.

xxx

K

8 comments:

  1. You must have special eyes, all of those 1 over 1 projects. Bud would have to become my seeing eye dog.

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  2. Wow very lovely and great progress..
    Happy stitching xxx
    Love cucki

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  3. Being a HAED lover myself, I definitely knew that you had stitched 700+ stitches! :) Great progress so far and just wait til you get to the colors. Yum. I started ToD early last year and boy do you make me want to get it back out. Bad, bad Kirstin! ;)

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  4. ohhh wow on the stash getting from that basket and I agree you have to make some sacrifices as if it is cheaper to get on line then so be it .. well done on the TOD need to get my afternoon tea out sooon :) love mouse xxxx

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  5. Great start! Ahhh the joy of HAED's. I don't how many times my DH will look at my HAED's and say it doesn't look like you done much tonight.

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  6. Great new start. Although I love HAED's I don't dare to start another one. The sheer amount of stitches is too daunting for my sanity. But the design you chose is a real beauty. I will enjoy watching it growing
    Thanks for the info about your basket. Funny enough I found the Crewel Gobelin shortly ago and am VERY impressed with their customer service. Became my favorite Australian online shop immediately. It's too far for me to drop in, living in Vic here. Although I buy the bulk from the US, your basket has become for me too the place to be when I need something fast.

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  7. 700 is a lot but unfortunately with HAEDs it's not a lot :( Baskets are so dangerous! That's why I don't visit my LNS very often. That and it's 30 miles away.

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  8. great progress. I know what you mean about prices! everything here is so expensive! I wish they could work out some way to make it less expensive!

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