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

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.

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

xxx

K

Show and Tell

I thought it was time for a "Stash" post.

I've just been reading Jo from Serendipitous Stitching's latest blog post and it got me thinking about just how many charts, magazines, books and kits I've got hanging around.

I'm a lover of Fantasy Fiction and my stitching tastes often tend in the same directions as my reading tastes.  I'm yet to stitch any of her designs but Teresa Wentzler has long been one of my favorite designers.

One of my earliest chart purchases was the beautiful pair of English Samplers - the English Garden Sampler and the English Cottage Sampler.  They begged me to buy them even though, at the time, I was nowhere near skilled enough to even consider tackling them.  I admit to being scared of them for a long time, although, that fear in no way stopped me from buy more TW charts!



Next up, I fell in love with the Four Seasons Carousel Horses and the Four Seasons Fairies.  They are simply stunning.  The incredibly intricate work in the borders alone was enough to compel me to spend money once again on something that would languish for many a year in my "one day" pile.

Somewhere along the line, I discovered the wealth of on-line cross stitch freebies.  This set me off on a search for any freebie TW's that might be out there... if you're a Teresa Wentzler fan, you would, I'm certain, know of her TWdesignworks website and the long list of complimentary charts she has posted there for her loyal fans.

Sadly, as of a couple of years ago, Ms Wentzler is no longer designing.  She has generously left her freebies available for those who wish them and many of her charts are now available at Patterns Online.

One day, browsing in my (not so local) LNS, I stumbled upon The Fortunate Traveller and it was love at first sight!  I love the text in this one.   It will most likely be my first TW stitch...I hope one day in the not too distant future - I'll definitely be putting a TW on my 2012 "to do" list.

Lastly, I have two of the four collections:  Christmas Collection and Fantasy Collection.

Given the amount of work in just one of these charts, how likely is it that I will complete them all?  Slim chance, I'd have to say, but oh how lovely they are to look at!  Would any of you begrudge your fellow addict the pleasure of these "pretties"?

No, I didn't think so.

Hmm, I've just remembered I've also got the set of six Rocking Horses waiting in my shopping cart at Patterns Online... They are very pretty and much smaller that most of these other pieces...  Now see, I can control my addiction when I want to!  Those Rocking Horses have been in my shopping cart for a good two years now!

LOL.

So... Confession time, my fellow addicts!  Who's your favourite designer?  What have you got stashed away - awaiting that elusive "one day"?