TUSAL on time this month

yep..... I'm on time his month with my TUSAL posting.  Here is my little ort jar..... not much to see, but I have been busy.

So what you ask have I been doing?   I am wanting to start another rug hooking but need to add to my stash of woolly 'worms', so I have been dyeing some plaid wool fabric I bought on ebay. 
First I had to find a pot suitable for dyeing and not to be used for food ever.  I was lucky I found a bargain at Wilko's ... just £7.50 for this stock pot, with lid, brand new.  I had been looking for a second hand one but with no luck, appears they are now shabby chic and cost a bomb! 

 

 

 What a fun time I had,  first I dyed with 'koolaid' then a Dylon dye.  Never tried this before but it's magic to see the change in colours and you don't know what is going to happen.   Can't wait to try my hand at more colours.




Here is the result ......

on the left of the photo is the fabric before, and on the right the colour after dyeing.







 and here are a few woolly 'worms' I have already cut

I've also been trying to finish off some projects I have had on the go for a while....... first my small pillow with patchwork basket blocks.

and then tidying my craft room, I found these blocks I started in 2010, so about time I joined them together into a quilt.  Only got as far as laying them out, but you get the idea.

They were a SAL by Darlene on Snickerdoodles, and I really enjoyed stitching the monthly blocks but never finished the final centre one.  But watch this space ... it will get finished.

Also found some blocks I started last century..lol... yes that old....  1996 I think.  Certainly time to get that quilt finished.  May need to redo a few blocks... I have certainly got more accurate with my piecing!

Well a bit of an overload on photos this post.
Happy Stitching

TUSAL.... just a day behind

ok so I'm late again, but just by one day.  Can't seem to get it right, too many things on my mind, too many projects going on.  Need to take stock of what is priority and do a bit more time-management.  So here is my little orty jar.... filling up

The little quilt it is standing on is nearly finished.   Just hand quilting round the flowers and along the borders then binding to do, taken a while to get this far.  The hexies I did by hand while on holiday, so after they were made the blocks and borders went together quicker by machine.  Pattern is from Kathy Tracey's book The Civil War Sewing Circle. I have most of her books and have challenged myself to make all of the quilts in 'Prairie Children and Their Quilts'.  This is my fourth small quilt, they make great table toppers.  Here's a better view of my little Hexagon Flower Doll Quilt

Happy stitching 'til next time

Late again with TUSAL

Yes,   I've missed the deadline again,  it's that time of year when DH and I take off in our camper so we have been around the coast a while.  (without internet access for most of the time too..... not good!)   

Anyway, as the saying goes ' better late than never'  here is my ort jar for June..... filling up now.    The stitching is Dawn of Spring SAL by mouse of FS.  Nearly finished part four, just got the beads to add to the flower centres.  Only two more parts to go and then have to think about making it up, not my favourite part.


So now I'll show you where I've been these last few weeks...

Cromer pier, Norfolk coast

walking towards Cromer

Pentewan, Cornwall

Pentewan, Cornwall

Can you guess, I like to walk on the beach... lol...  Pentewan in Cornwall is my very favourite beach to visit, it's always so quiet and peaceful with great views.  Well it is in May/June and September when we visit..... probably crowded and noisy in July/August.  The blur in the photo is my finger, it was very windy and hard to keep still.

I did finish off my hooked rug which only needed backing, and made a pattern and plans for a neck pillow, which I have finished today. 


My son asked me to make it for his girlfriend's father, as for his birthday they gave him a garden lounger chair, and asked me to personalise it for him.  His favourite football team is Dortmund, so it had to be black and yellow.   This is on my chair so hope it fits his,  I'll find out next week as we are flying over to visit our son and grandsons. 

Got to go and pack now, did DH say I can only take 10kg ?   Fabric and thread don't take up much room, gotta take my stitching.   My poor garden  looks so unloved at the moment, will have to do some weeding before our trip.  Here is what is in flower this month.

Happy Stitching



 

Time for TUSAL again

Yes it's time to show my little ORT jar for May..... where does the time go?    Here it is..

Shall I ever see this jar full?   The pinky threads on the top are Dinky Dyes silk, lovely thread to stitch with. I'm using it on FS Dawn of Spring SAL designed by Mouse (see link to her blog at the side).  I've just finished part 3 which included some drawn thread work and bullion knots.  So I'm getting to do stitches I haven't tried before.  Can't wait for June and the next part to arrive.  Here's my progress so far..

I may have to take out the left hand side spider rose.... it's too high, didn't notice until I saw this photo, and some of the bullion knot leaves are a bit wayward.  I do hate it when I know its not right!!

Not much work done this month on my Mary Wigham sampler, because I have started something new.

  Rug hooking!!    Take a look at   http://gnomes-home.blogspot.co.uk/  for Barb's tutorials.

Here's my starting kit, isn't that wool a gorgeous colour.


and how far I have got..

 I'm just practising hooking straight lines at the moment.  I don't intend to make rugs for the floor, more wall hangings and table toppers.  I also want to dye my own wool, but can't seem to find a supplier in UK of wool fabric suitable for hooking.  Lots of  US sites which I may have to look into, but postage could be high.



I'll leave you with a photo of my Clivia,  it has 5 flower heads on which I haven't seen before, usually 2 or 3 at most.  It obviously likes being where it is, and had a good winter.  I think the secret is to keep them cool in winter, and it goes outside for the summer.

Happy stitching

TUSAL and a quick update!

My ORT jar is slowly filling up, not much stitching has been going on, or I have been very good with my threads and stitched til the last inch.  Fingers crossed, cos the frogs have kept away too.

I've nearly completed part 2 of Dawn of Spring sampler, and it's looking good.  But I made a huge mistake in measuring my fabric and have only a half inch at each side, will have to work something out when I finish stitching.  Maybe Mouse can advise me on options to overcome it.

I've also been working on my Mary Wigham sampler, progress is slow but I am determined to finish it one day.   At the moment I am randomly picking colours out of my stash of Crescent Colours floss and so far I like it.

 These photos are not very good sorry, as my camera battery was dead, I had to use my phone which I upgraded last week and so am still learning how to use it.  It's got a touch screen too which is taking me a while to get to grips with.  Still the screen is bigger and I can see more of it without getting my specs out.

The weather has been wet and windy for the past week so I didn't get into my garden, which now looks so overgrown ugh!! must try tomorrow to do some weeding.  I'll leave you with a view of what was flowering
 a couple of weeks ago.  The daffodils now need deadheading, I'll never have a tidy garden but it is used a lot by the birds.  The resident blackbird is at this moment sitting on her nest in the ivy on the fence just a few feet away from my kitchen window so I think I'm lucky to be able to watch her.  I want to try and get a photo but not if it means she is disturbed and leaves the nest.  We have baby blackbirds most years but last year I couldn't see where she built her nest.  So this year I'm on cat watch..... we have two that journey thru the garden, which is ok as long as they pass on and don't stop.  I love cats but also like to watch the birds

Happy stitching

Time for TUSAL again!

March 22nd

Yes its time to show my ORT jar,  not a lot has gone in this month.  Can you see the pinky, purple fuzzy silk floss near the top.... that was from some frogging of cushion stitch..  Could I get it right?, no sir, I had three attempts before I thought 'that's enough it will have to do'.  It's part 1 of a SAL, Dawn of Spring, designed by Mouse of FS.  The fabric is 28ct evenweave which I dyed with Dye-N-Flow and floss is Dinky Dyes silk Floral Lei, with Mill Hill sead beads.  Now waiting for the next part..... thank you Mouse, take a peek at the Mouse House (link on right).

Dawn of Spring SAL

Packages flew past each other across the pond this last week, my pincushion in IHS group Easter/Spring swap arrived the same morning my partner received hers.  Mary made the cutest little acorn with a real acorn top, and hand-stitched all.   This is what was in my package...

From Mary of IHS

and here's what I stitched for Mary...

IHS Spring pincushion swap

I added a few choccy bunnies, you know the ones in gold paper, to the bag and was pleased they arrived safe and in one piece.  What would I do without bubble wrap

Weather is finally looking good, just might get into the garden tomorrow and tidy up after a hard winter.  I know I have lost a few plants, but I'm pleased to see my daffs and tulips are in flower.  Will try and take a photo if the sun shines.

Happy stitching
 

Progress at last........ 3rd crazy finish

Finally got myself into gear with my stitching and finished another crazy, so that makes three so far this year.  They still need framing but the stitching is finished.  Not sure about the frame for my French Hen, think I may just paint it white or use a crackle glaze on it.  It's not fixed in yet so will leave for a while to see if any inspiration comes my way.

My third finish is LHN Coffee Menu, which I love.  Might have to take this to be framed as it's an odd size, but I need to find a local framer.

I'm now well into my Pagoda, fingers crossed I should finish that this week.  I changed the thread from the one I started with as it was a little dull on the fabric.  Now using a Dinky Dyes silk,  it's lovely.  First time I have used silk thread and it is beautiful to stitch with,  ok, so it costs a lot more than good old DMC or Anchor but oh, it is worth it.  Just know I shall be shopping for more.


Here is the lovely biscornu Tina sent me in our FS Spring exchange.  Thank you Tina, it's stitched beautifully and sits in my basket with my growing collection.

We have had a few days of great weather, lots of sunshine and birds chirping.  But now... its changing and getting colder, just when I thought Spring had arrived the weather presenter started talking of sleet and snow for the next couple of days brrrr. 
I'll leave you with some crocus I found enjoying the sunshine last week in my garden.

Happy stitching

I'm late..... I'm late....... for TUSAL

Oh dear......  I should have posted this yesterday, but I have been suffering with migraine attacks this week and spent most of yesterday in bed under the quilt.  No excuse I hear you cry.... ok so here is my ORT jar

Not a lot added this month, but do you see lots of brown?  I have been stitching LHN Coffee Menu and it has lots of lovely browns, hand-dyed ones too. It is nearly finished so if my head is up to it I may just get it done tomorrow.  

Here is the Spring biscornu I made for FS exchange, I know my partner has now received it so can show you.  I do enjoy making these and I'm sure I shall be starting another one soon.

I did manage to finish one of my crazy 15 this week,  it only needed a few buttons added.  It's filled with lavender from my garden and hangs from my bedroom door knob.  I also have  my French Hen stitched and waiting for framing, no pic yet sorry. 

Happy stitching

A date to remember ......

It is nearly the end of our special day,  yes......... our wedding anniversary.  I just can't believe it is 42 years ago DH and I signed that wedding register, and he's still the handsome, loveable, funny man I said yes to.  Where does the time go?   So on the theme of romance I've put together a collage of a few of the hearts I have made over the years, in time for next week and Valentines Day

On the stitching front, things have been very slow.  I seem to have lost my mojo, I did finish a spring biscornu for an exchange but otherwise nothing to show.  The crazy 15 challenge was hard work but I did manage to start a project each day ( have yet to add photos to the page to update).    Hopefully that mojo will be back with me this week.

Happy stitching

A Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long (TUSAL)

 I've joined in the TUSAL for 2012.  I had seen it on several blogs last year and wondered how it worked..... here is the link to explain 
http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/2011/11/totally-useless-stitch-long.html

So here is my jar........

As a reminder, I have added a tag with all the new moon dates for 2012.  Wonder how long it will take to fill it?  I'm planning on using all the scrap threads in some machine made fabric,  cos it sounds like fun.


happy stitching