Cut Thru update

Hello friends and welcome to new followers.

Just a quick update on my Cut Thru North Pole House. This is part of a SAL with Debbie, Linda and many others. Check out our progress here.

Here's mine as of tonight...

I have finally finished the green and white striped wallpaper in Santa's bedroom. Yay! Now I'm back to some colour.

You can see I've just started Santa's dark green bedside table.

I really just want to work on this at the moment but will have to go back to the Tall Ship tomorrow night as there is a deadline on it.

My boys are so excited about Halloween! It's becoming more popular in the UK. They are dressing up as mini Draculas with the cutest masks. I will definitely have to stitch some decorations for next year!

Hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween.

Until next time

Justine

To frog or not to frog?

After finishing the Mystery Inc figures (see my last post) for elder son, younger son is now pestering me for his Star Wars one.

I haven't enjoyed these projects. Something to do with the dark blue aida which is stiff to work with. But I decided I would put everything else to one side and get this done. I thought there were just two or three evenings work left.

Imagine my horror last night as I was packing needle and thread away and saw this:

Can you tell what I did wrong? Clue: I had already stitched Luke Skywalker and C3PO a few weeks ago.

Yep, I've switched from 3 strands to 2.

I really don't want to frog but I think R2D2 looks kind of washed out next to the others.

What do you think?

I have finally decided to get my DMC threads in order so have bought some plastic bobbins. At the moment they look like this:

Can't wait to get winding! I love being organised. I hope they will fit in my little wooden box (which still needs a project for the lid *sigh*)

Until next time, hope your stitching is frog-free,

Justine

A little finish

Here's my latest finish hot off my needle...

Mystery Inc

By weelittlestitches

18 count navy aida

Started 1/9/13

Finished 23/10/13

For some reason I didn't find this an easy stitch. Probably the fabric which was quite stiff and very dark. I stitched with a cream tea towel over my knees which helped a bit. I'm pleased with how it turned out though and can't wait to see eldest son's face in the morning! I now have to finish the Star Wars one for youngest son then it's back to the Tall Ship for Dad.

I am starting to feel a bit panicky that I will be taking too much on with the Crazy January Challenge...I like finishing a project before starting any more!

Until next time

Justine

Not much progress...

Hello to all readers old and new

Not much stitching has happened this weekend. I had a lovely relaxing time at the amazing Crewe Hall on Friday night. Much wine and laughter and good company. A relaxing back massage and mini facial on Saturday. Bliss!

I treated myself today to a gorgeous little cupboard which I fell in love with. I thought it might hold all my stash.

It doesn't. In fact it only holds about half. The other half is now living in the bottom of a wardrobe in a big box.

How do you store your stash?

I did a magazine exchange with Wagapapa fromWagapapa Creations and received this Spanish sewing magazine in return.

It's very different from most magazines in the UK as it includes many types of crafts - knitting, crochet, appliqué and of course cross stitch. There are a few projects I will probably try. This one is my favourite.

And look at all the threads that came with it! 80 metres of DMC in lovely colours. Thanks Wagapapa. Your copy of Cross Stitcher is on its way.

One last thing to share...this cute poppy made by the ladies of our church craft group and sold of course in aid of ex-servicemen and women for Remembrance Sunday on 11th November.

No stitching to share tonight. I am working on Scooby Doo and the mystery gang for eldest son and I think if I took a photo now it would scare him. Velma has no head and Daphne has no body! Hoping to finish both before bed tonight.

Hope you all have a lovely stitchy evening.

Until next time

Justine

A new start....

Here they are....the headless ballerinas!

I thought they would look good for Halloween!

This is going to be a door hanger for our niece Fabienne who will be 6 just after Christmas. I may stitch it again for another niece Amelia who is 7 in April. I don't usually like to stitch the same thing twice but this is a very cute pattern and a quick stitch.

It's Harvest Festival at my sons' school today. Eldest son (age 5) has been chosen to speak. He has to say "Please think about what you have seen and heard" at the end of the assembly. He is quite quiet so it's a big challenge for him but he has been practising projecting his voice all week! Little son, age 4, is taking part in a Bean Dance. Apparently he is so good at remembering the steps and song that he is on the front row of his class! He is a natural show-off so I'm sure he will love the attention. I am going to be one proud Mum this morning.

Tonight I'm off to a local hotel for a night of relaxation and chat with my friend Katy, followed by a trip to the spa tomorrow. We try to do this every year around the same time. Even if we have been too busy to see much of each other all year, it's good to have something fixed in our diaries. DH and the boys are having a "men's day" on Saturday. All I know is that it involves films, sweets and shopping for Halloween costumes!

Hope you all have a lovely relaxing weekend. I will be taking my iPad so I can keep up with your blogs!

Until next time

Justine

Happy Dancing!

May I present a finish?

Lizzie*Kate

27 count Northern Cross linen

Mix of Sampler, WDW and DMC threads

Started 23rd September 2013

Finished 16th October 2013

I am really pleased with how this turned out. I'm thinking of finishing bell-pull style. It's going to be a present for my mum but I might stitch it again for myself!

A little progress on the Tall Ship Niagara...

More brown than blue...

I was really struggling with this one until a fellow stitcher (Jan from the Thread Garden) asked me why and got me thinking. I decided the problem was that the chart was hard to follow and it was difficult to see which bit I was working on. I've now highlighted the parts I've stitched and am going much quicker. Thanks Jan!

No progress on anything else I'm afraid. Two very long days with travelling for work have put paid to that!

Until next time

Justine

Cut Thru SAL Monday

Dear friends

It is the night of the Cut Thru SAL, and I am already in bed on the iPad at 9.30pm!

A quote from one of my all-time favourite books: "The needle was just too heavy" tonight. Hopefully I won't suffer the same fate as the speaker though!

Do you ever have those evenings? All day at work I have been day dreaming about stitching tonight, and by the time I sat down I wasn't in the mood to stitch more than a few lengths.

So a little bit of progress on the Bothy Threads Cut Thru NPH...

Green stripy wallpaper anyone?

I've just started the white background

And an almost finish on We're Not Gossiping. I think I will be happy dancing this week!

Definitely needs a date with the iron!

I booked my tickets last week for the Harrogate Needlecraft fair in November. I went for the first time last year and it was fantastic. So inspiring! I have booked a workshop "Machine Stitch a Seasonal Placemat" as I am thinking of asking Santa for a sewing machine for Christmas. I would love to be able to make ornaments as I have seen lots of bloggers do.

Until next time, hope the stitchy bug is with you all.

Justine

Crazy January Challenge 2014

Hello friends

Not much stitching done this weekend I'm afraid as it has been a busy one for us. A gorgeous day today for our friends' son's christening. I love this time of year. As a child I always loved the promise of a new school year, new stationery, files and books.  To me this seems a more natural time to start new projects and resolutions.

So I have signed up for Crazy January Challenge 2014!

The challenge goes like this...for the first 15 days of January you start a new project each day and then try to finish them by December 31st.

Crazy, right?

I probably already have 15 "unstarted" projects in my stash, but have decided to buy a really large Scarlet quince or HAED to start on January 1st. Maybe cheating slightly as I know it won't be finished by the end of the year, but it seems an auspicious day to start.

I will post a list and photos of my planned projects for Crazy January Challenge 2014 as soon as I've decided which ones to stitch!

Hope you have all had a good stitchy weekend.

Until next time

Justine

Lost in a maze...

Hello all and thanks for visiting. Not much stitching done this week as I have been ill with labyrinthitis. I'd never even heard of it before the doctor diagnosed it! It's not serious but makes me feel nauseous and a few early nights have been in order!

There has been a little progress on We're Not Gossiping, but I might have to frog some of it as even though I'm using the recommended threads I don't think there's enough contrast between the blues on the W. What do you think?

 We're networking!

I realised that my dad will be 70 on 27th January next year. He is really interested in boats and has just bought a little boat of his own. I was lucky enough to pick this up cheaply on eBay and have started it this week. It's coming out more brown than the picture suggests but the fabric is beautiful - 28 count Zweigart Quaker linen.

Not as easy as it looks as it includes horizontal and vertical half cross stitch, and some blending.  I think it will be stunning when finished.

Not much progress made on the Cut Thru North Pole House, though I actually joined in the SAL and stitched on Monday evening!

I really think I need to find some smaller projects for next year!

Hope you will join me again soon.

Until next time

Justine

And the travelling chart goes to.....

...Debbie of Debbie's Cross Stitch!

Debbie please send me your address to justinesxstitch@btinternet.com and I will send your chart on its way!

Stay tuned for a stitchy update soon.

Justine