IHSW and Finish number Eight!

Woah, hold me up!  Two blog posts in a row!

So, I just realised that I've come back just in time for the last hermitting weekend of the year - yay!

I stitched for several hours both nights of the weekend and as a result have now completed crazy number eight.

Here is "Holly and Ivy" from Shepherd's Bush.  It came in kit form with gorgeous silks and linen provided.  I've never used such a beautiful piece of linen.  It's so soft - it's a 30ct R&R, I believe and I think I will be saving my pennies to invest in a few pieces.  It's hot off the hoop, please excuse the "un-ironed-ness."



 

 

The words are stitched one over one.  The crosses in the top part are one over two...except for the moment I realised I had stitched the centre motif using two threads!  Aaargh!  It was a moment of panic and then a realisation that my stinginess with thread really is a blessing in cases like these!  I had plenty of silk to spare and am already planning on using these leftovers to substitute in a LHN piece next year...

IHSW?

Ummm... ok, so I think I stitched myself out over December and January.  I've done nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Nothing.  The mojo has left the building.  I sat on the couch next to my stitching and didn't even open the bag.  I did take said stitching to work on Friday, I did open the bag.  But I realised upon opening the bag that it didn't contain my hoop.  Can't stitch this one without my hoop.  D'oh!

Ah well.

I must confess that although I haven't been stitching, I have still managed to add to my stash! 

My name is Kirstin and I am an addict.  A cross stitch addict.  It's been 18 hours since my last purchase...
I finally, finally made a decision on a piece of fabric for Winter White Santa (Mirabilia) - so I have made my very first Polstitches purchase.  It's a 32ct Opal Belfast - Blue Moon. 

I bought the Evening in the Park PDF - but I think I might have told you that already.

I visited my favourite (Not So Local) LNS - they who have The Basket and I once again just had to have the contents of said basket. I got a heap of Mill Hill charms for 50c each - I think 11 different packets. That's a fortune's worth in Aussie Dollars for just $5.50! I also ended up with a couple of Little House Needleworks charts that had been reduced to $2 each - can't leave those just sitting there feeling lonely and rejected...and whoops - a couple, well three, actually, Shepherd's Bush charts just kind of fell into my hands too... I have to confess they were not in The Basket.

Oh, and I stopped off at my other (NSL) LNS and picked up two pieces of fabric - This (NSL) LNS don't have a "Basket" so I have to be very well behaved when I visit.  I bought a little piece of 32ct lambswool linen and a piece of ...oh no!  The name has escaped me.... aargh!  Brain fart!  Um... it's ... oh help, I'll go grab it...    .... *phew* it's 28ct "Sambuca".

I now have two largish pieces of this Sambuca stuff.  I've got lots of ideas but so far none of the charts I've had "a-ha!" moments for have actually fit the squares.  They are 47 x 47 if you stitch over 2 and 94 x 94 stitching over 1.  Everything is either too big or too small!

I'm going to stalk all your IHSW posts tonight.  I'll use this as an excuse for not stitching myself and just keep my fingers crossed that you can all motivate me to kick start my mojo :)

Ooo, and as a little Off Topic snippet, I just got back from visiting the Harry Potter Exhibiton which is currently in Sydney.  It's moving along in three weeks or so but DH and I had a very rare morning off together and decided to go.  It was fabulous.  If you're a Harry Potter fan and you get the opportunity to go - DO!

Right, back to work now, there's no rest for the wicked.  Seven music lessons to teach back to back this afternoon.

Happy stitching everyone!

xxx
K

Nutty Nine and the WiPocalypse Begins!

I started my first ever Shepherd's Bush sampler today.

I'm in love.

I fell in love with the SB designs mid last year.  I was extremely lucky to pick up several kits, ummm... five...yes, five... at an utterly ridiculous price at my (not so local) LNS - you know, the one with The Basket that has trapped me more than once this past year... They were discounted down to $10. Uh-huh, yes, I said $10, each, for the chart, fabric, silk and embellishments. Actually, one of them may have been $30 but it's original price was $55.  One just cannot leave that sort of thing in The Basket now, can one?

So today I decided to start "Holly and Ivy."

It is the loveliest piece to work on.  The fabric is soft, the silks even softer! They are a mixture of Gloriana, Belle Soie, Thread Gatherer and another that escapes me right now.  The chart is so much fun - one over two on 30ct linen for the crosses.  I also got to do some Rhodes stitches for the holly berries.

The frogs came to visit yet again but I think they're getting the message (finally) that they are not welcome here.

Day Nine

Shepherd's Bush "Holly and Ivy"
30ct Parchment Linen, Mixed Silks.

Ok, so now I'm checking in for the WiPocalypse:

Before I got stuck into the 15, I managed to stitch bit on my Lizzie Kate ABC.  I really love this piece and I'm hoping to have it finished by the middle of the year.  It stitches up fast and is one I'm able to take to work.  It's surprising how much I can get done in the odd three minute window three or four  times a day.

January WiPocalypse

Lizzie Kate 

Progress from the Tent

Lizzie*Kate "ABC for Parents"
28ct linen.  Crescent Colours floss.

I'll head over to Measi's Blog now to post my check in - if you haven't signed up for the WiPocalypse yet or somehow you've completely missed what WiPocalypse is all about, then I strongly suggest you hit that link I just added and scoot over there yourself!

Even if it's just to drool over all the WiP's people are checking in!

LOL

Happy Stitching!

xxx

K