Why does life get so busy - or why can't I find time to stitch

I have too many other things to do, and have hardly touched my stitching in the last 3 weeks.  I am now going on  holiday for the remainder of November - and it is unlikely that much stitching will occur.  There will also be no easy internet access, so no posts or comments from me for a little while.

I look forward to seeing what everyone has achieved when I get back - I am sure everyone will have done lots of beautiful stitching.

So, Happy Stitching for November and I will reappear eventually (and apologies for the persisting Halloween theme of my blog - no time to change that either)

A giveaway

Here is a gorgeous giveaway to check out especially if you like Brooke's Books designs - click here

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend - my mother is still here so not a lot of stitching happening for me at the moment

IHSW, no stitching and a giveaway

It was IHSW and I did not even manage a single stitch.  My mother has arrived for a visit and we were busy doing other things so no progress photos for me!

The lack of stitching time  has also turned into lack of commenting time - I have seen most people's progress and it all looks fantastic - I just may not get around to leaving a comment for a while.

There is a lovely giveaway from Kathy of A Stitcher's Heirloom  to be found here , if you are interested.

Happy stitching - I may even get some done!

Framed on Thursday and IHSW

No stitching achieved since last blog!

A new framed finish this time, 4 Calling Birds from Nora Corbett's 12 Day's of Christmas.

It is also IHSW this weekend - see Hermie in the sidebar if you want to find out all about it.  My mother will be here this weekend so I am not sure if I will get much stitching done.

Happy stitching 

Framed on Thursday and a WIP

It is Thursday again and that was quick!

An older framed project again this week.  I would have stitched this one in the mid-late 90's.  It is petit point or tent stitch on linen.  The scene is Gold Hill in Shaftesbury (Dorset, UK).  I eventually got to visit Shaftesbury when I lived in Dorset and it was lovely to see the street I had stitched.

And the original

The WIP refers to Baroque Garden and my never-ending quest to catch up.  I have started Part 16 and 17 has just been become available.   Here is my Part 15 and overall progress 

I have not done much in the last week - too many other things to do!

Happy stitching

Framed on Thursday

From an old to a new finish - this is the Tree of Stitches framed.  I have just got it back from the framer.
I am going to hang it in my bedroom for a splash of spring.  My inspiration was a blossom tree on a clear blue spring day

The design is by Abi Gurden from The Stitch Specialists Yahoo Group.  It is a lovely way of doing a sampler of lots of different specialty stitches

Happy stitching

The Goose is Cooked!

Just a quick post

I finished the 6th in Nora Corbett's 12 Days of Christmas series.  I will have an even number of days for Christmas now even if I don't get the others done by then.  I am working now on having 12 days for 2012 Christmas.

Here is 6 Geese a Laying - love the sparkle and a goose that wears necklaces and a crown.

Happy stitching

Framed on Thursday

Hi to everyone, and a special welcome to new followers.

I have decided to have a little thursday segment to post recently framed projects and also some older works that I haven't yet shown here.  I will post a picture each week until I run out (won't take too long!)

So here is my first offering - a Paula Vaughan that I did probably about 20 years ago.  I loved these designs at the time and still have a number in my stash.  I will keep them although I am unlikely to ever stitch another one.  It was stitched on linen and was one of my first projects stitched on linen.

Happy stitching

End of the Weekend

My IHSW unfortunately did not involve a large amount of hermiting or stitching.  Too many other things that needed to be done, and I am not sure I got many of those things done either!

I did finish Part 14 of Baroque - onwards to Part 15 (and 16)

I stitched a little bit more of 6 geese a laying - must get this one finished!

And I made a start on Herbularius

Well - it is better than nothing!

I have loved seeing what everyone has been doing this weekend!

Have a good week

IHSW and New Stash

I have been away for a conference for the last week or so - I haven't done any stitching and have not had very much time to view or comment on everyone's posts.

It is the weekend for being a hermit and stitching.  I hope to spend a reasonable amount of time doing this.    
I am going to work on Baroque this weekend, and here is my progress on the next part as of now

I am going to do some of the 6th day of christmas as well.

If you wish to participate in IHSW click on Hermie (side button).  The weekend is co-ordinated by Joyce at Random Ramblings.

I have now also got most of my kit for Herbularius (cause I really really need to start another Chatelaine!)  The fabric is Celtic 32 count linen from Stitches and Spice.

Have a good stitching weekend!

Pomegranates, Topiary and Rosemary

Hello

I have waited to do this progress post until I had finished the panel on Baroque Garden.  I finished the over one stitching last night and finished the frame and backstitching tonight.  Still behind by 2 months, but the next two pieces are smaller and over 2.  Here is my pomegranate panel and the botanical plate that inspired it.

 

I also made a new start on a Drawn Thread design - Cloister Garden.  This chart was hiding in my stash, having been purchased probably 7-8 years ago.  I was inspired to start it as an SAL with the Stitch Specialists sister yahoo group for The Drawn Thread designs.  I was almost convinced the parcel containing my fabric was well and truly lost, but it arrived a couple of days before I was going to contact the place I ordered it from.  It did take almost 4 weeks to get to Australia from the USA (usually only about 2 weeks).  The fabric is 32 count belfast linen in the colour Baby Lotion.  The threads came with the chart.  I am already loving all the specialty stitches in this design.

The colour of the fabric does not show up well in the photo.

I love seeing all the progress on everyone's blogs, even if I don't always get to comment on every post.  

Happy stitching

IHSW Progress Report

I am a bit late in posting my progress report for the hermit weekend, but better late than never.  The IHSW was very popular this weekend and I hope everyone had a nice time stitching.  I am just catching up with everyones blogs.  Welcome to new followers of my blog too.

I worked on Baroque Garden (Chatelaine) this weekend, and it has been all over-one stitching so it did not grow much in size.  This panel is so much fun! to stitch.  Let's just say I hate frogging over one and there is a counting boo-boo in there that I could not find to rectify.  I have worked around it!  My aim is to do one of the eight over-one panels in this design without a mistake!

Progress before IHSW

and progress after IHSW

I will keep working at it

I also picked up my Jim Wurth ornament from the framers.  The series were designed as ornaments but I have decided to frame them.  I can't find a great spot to photograph it without getting reflections

For Julie (Julie and yes dear) you asked about the size and it is 5" (12.5cm) in diameter.

As always Happy Stitching

An exchange and a goose

I received a parcel from Canada - I was sent a gorgeous biscornu by Leona as part of the Chatelaine Smalls Exchange.  I love getting parcels and it also contained a DMC skein.  This was the first time I had taken part in an exchange and I enjoyed the whole process.

Here is my biscornu (I have never made one).  The design comes from Hummingbird Garden and a free violet design.  I love it

My exchange piece went on a long plane flight across the Pacific Ocean to its new home.  It can be seen here.  It is a needlebook using the free strawberry design from Martina.

The goose refers to Day 6 of Christmas (Nora Corbett) and is now looking a bit like a goose.  Stitching time has been a bit lacking in the last couple of weeks.

It is the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend this weekend.  If you want a good excuse to sit and stitch and ignore everything else join in - it is co-ordinated by Joyce at Random Ramblings, just click on the link and join the fun!

You stitch and post your progress piccies at the end of the weekend for the rest of us to admire.  

Baroque Garden here I come!

Happy Stitching

Horace and Lester join me for a Happy Dance

Hello to everyone

I have been away this weekend and so there was hardly any stitching.  The last part of Tree of Stitches was released on Friday, and I had to wait until tonight until I could finish it.  I only got home late on Sunday night.

The last part was the addition of  Horace the rabbit and Lester the owl (and a flower).  My critters are done and it is time for a happy dance!!!

I am going to get this framed and have a little bit of spring in my bedroom.  I loved stitching this with all the different stitches.

Tree of Stitches - Part 15

The Tree of Stitches is designed by Abi Gurden and can be found at this Yahoo Group The Stitch Specialists.  A new SAL has just been previewed.

Hopefully I will get a little bit more stitching time this week.

Happy stitching everyone

Hearts and Flowers and some Tomatoes

Hello and another week has passed by.

I got a bit distracted by some needlepoint this week.  I loved the different threads with their different textures and I loved the different stitches and how they covered the canvas.  The design is Jim Wurth's Hearts and Flowers (one of the dodecagon ornament series).   I also like the fact that it is rather sparkly and the beading gives a very dimensional aspect to it.

I have also finished off one of the floral panels on Baroque Garden - the tomato panel.  One day I might stitch something over one and not find my counting is a little bit off in one area (but only I know where the mistakes are and then I forget).   I still love how the floral panels end up looking like the original botanical plates (Gottorfer Codex).

I also have some things back from the framer but will post piccies of these later.  

I also mailed my Chatelaine smalls exchange to my exchange partner - it should arrive this week and then I can post some photos of that too

Happy stitching - there has been some lovely stitching on everyone's blogs in the last week

A tree and some flowers

Hello

Hope everyone has had a nice weekend.  I survived the course I was involved in organising and the participants seemed to find it worthwhile.  I was very pleased with the feedback and I will keep working to improve it next year (annual course).  It did, however, mean that I haven't really had any stitching time and I like my stitching time at the weekend.

I have come home this evening and completed Part 14 of Tree of Stitches (Abi Gurden (The Stitch Specialists Yahoo Group). Only Part 15 to do and I will have another finish (should be in 2 weeks time)

Tree of Stitches - Part 14 Leaf Stitch

I have also made a start on the Birds of a Feather (now semi) mystery sampler from With Thy Needle and Thread.  It had been nice to stitch thus far

Hope everyone has a good week this week

Giveaway's

Hello to everyone (and welcome new followers)

I have not had the opportunity to stitch much this week.  I have been organising a course which is running this weekend and this has been using up my time.

Gabi is having a giveaway for her blogoversary and is giving away a very nice prize.

Measi is also having a lovely summer giveaway and I could do with some summer after yesterday morning here in Adelaide.  It was 1 degree and I had to find my car under a layer of ice (liking being back in the UK in winter)

I will post some pictures when I have something to show

I love a mystery (and a finish)

Hello and welcome to the new followers of my blog.  I appreciate that you spend a little bit of your precious time to look at what I have been up to.  I love checking to see what everyone else has been doing - everyone is so inspiring with their beautiful stitching and quilting.

I have to admit I have trouble resisting a mystery project and so I had to join the With Thy Needle and Thread mystery Sampler - Birds of a Feather.  Suffice to say, with a postal strike (I ordered my supplies from Canada) and the need for the supplies to have a long plane flight and the "rapidity" of Australia Post I received my first part the day the last part of the mystery was revealed.  I may like a mystery, but I have no will-power when it comes to not-peeking!

I am using the Weeks Dye Works floss as charted and the WDW confederate grey linen (35 count).  This is going to give it a very antique feel to it.  I am still waiting for a couple of flosses but they will appear with my next package.

Here is my floss toss

I could not resist doing a little bit of it, and will post a piccie soon.

I have done some other stitching this weekend as well, and as it was the third weekend in the month it was IHSW (International Hermit and Stitching Weekend).  It is organised by Joyce at Random Ramblings, and over 30 people have joined this weekend.

I finished 5 Golden Rings (Nora Corbett - 12 days of Christmas) on Saturday and was so excited I dropped it in at the framer.  Several hours later I realised I had missed an isolated bead - oops!  I will call tomorrow as I am sure they haven't done anything yet and will drop in to fix my forgetful boo-boo.  If it is too late it is very difficult to see where it should be.

It is very sparkly again!

I only have a couple of leaves to do on the tomato panel of Baroque Gardens - the tomatoes are all stitched.  I will post a photo when it is finished - the over one takes time and does not grow very quickly.

Hope everyone has had a good stitching weekend (IHSW or otherwise) and I look forward to seeing what everyone has done

Take care