Lack of Maths ...

I have now written my last ever exam, so that calls for the update on all the projects I have not listed here in the past two months.

That's almost true. Even though I have now completed my maths degree (I hope - still need to keep my little fingers crossed for the results which come out next month) I have an offer for a graduate 9 month course starting in September. If I get the grade [sigh]. Next lie was the total update of the last 2 months of cross stitch. I will exclude two finishes for now; they were on the Wipocalypse list, and the next update is in just over a week. So I might wait till then. But even so there is quite a bit to admire...

I have mentioned a few cards for friends' birthdays. The first up I haven't made up into a card yet ... it is the dreaded rose:

You can see where I have run out of yellow and green. After I have stitched it someone pointed out that the person I have stitched it for was colour blind. It is hard for him to see a clear difference between red and green. So I have put it in the box of completed embroidery (it bound to come in handy some time in the future) and made my friend a replacement: 

 One can't go wrong with a black and white image, right? The design was from the World of Cross Stitching issue 164, from a selection of the 'Blackwork Garden' by Liz Almond. For my two colleagues at work I have done another 2 quick stitches from there:

... and the second ...

They were surprisingly very fast to stitch. And for my other two friends, who's birthdays also came in the month of all birthdays I have made two cards from the World of Cross Stitching issue 189, 'Current Classics' designed by Rhona Norrie:

Rhona does beautiful designs, that appear in the current issues of cross stitching magazines, and also on her website. I have a few designs on my list of things to purchase. Her blog is Tangled Threads if you are intrigued.

Ok that's it ... me done on my little update on all but two finishes. What's next you'd ask. I have an entire summer before me. I'm still in the process of getting a list (and it is huge already). For starters I have a part time job, so that cuts the free time down. Then last year I have started my own little business of handmade bags and accessories. The plan is to sell online ... but my website is still at the design stage. So eBay it is for now. My latest project is this amazing (even if I say so myself) silk scarf covered in oranges:

Each orange was individually drawn out in gutta and then painted. I am now adding on bits of felt to make it even more special. It is almost done and I am already planning the next one. Do note one of my oil paintings in the background. Art has been neglected in the extreme in the past year or two, so sketching by the river, and painting in the studio, is definitely on the list. Speaking of art I need to start up the Life Drawing sessions again, which I lead here at Durham. Complete the long distance course for my certificate in Life Drawing, maybe dig up that long distance course on creative writing that has been hiding in the bottom draw. There is over 40 books I need to read and return to the library. Tax returns to fill, invoices to do... downgrade my belongings to two car loads before I need to move (at the moment there is a total of three!)...there is also that summer exchange to stitch for. I might stop listing now ... and actually do something... 

But before I go I have another announcement to make. The Summer Extravaganza. After some time in the blogging world I had come across something called HAED. It confused me to great deal. But with time I came to realise I want to stitch one of those. One of my motivators for typing 60 odd pages on the WKB approximation in April was to glance at a picture of my chosen design. And now it is almost reward time. The Summer Extravaganza, since it is summer, and the start is the 1st of June, will consist of my sister (who decided to join me on this little adventure) stitching our chosen designs, and posting each week to note the progress on our blogs. Still need to think of a prize ... since most SALs here have one available.

This is all the dmc thread that I will need for mine

In reality to make it a little more fair we have decided to stitch the same amount of stitches as each other, so my sister has 3 projects, and I one large, plus will need to make up a few thousand stitches somewhere else. Do check out Snoopy's blog. 

More updates on the excitement of a maths free life to follow.

Lija

P.S. Thank you for all those well wishes for my exams. They did help me in the motivation for the horrendous revision.

WIPocalypse March 2012 update

There is not much progress to report this month. Mainly due to several deadlines, and me forbidding myself to cross stitch.

Firstly a finish:

This is one of the two cards I have made this month in relation to birthdays. Surprisingly it took much longer than expected to do. But it is done and posted ... slightly belated.

A new start ... so I guess a new WIP since it will take a while to do this one. This is the Dimension's project I was unable to resist buying and starting ...

The progress on current projects:

First the lilies. You can see a tiny bit of progress in the bottom part:

before

after

The Lickle Ted has very small progress on the grass:

before

after

 Well I hope I will do better for next month. No distracting with knitting ...

Till then,

Lija

Oh dear ... I have missed some out

I have been tidying up ... and managed to find more unfinished projects .... how is it possible that they keep appearing in the most unlikeliest places.

So the updated list:

1) Handpicked by Fizzy

2) Country Trio

3) Lickle Ted with a daffodil - I have found the unfinished project

4) Xmas Chums

5) Good Heavens

6) Making Lickle Wishes

7) John Clayton: Big Ben

8) John Clayton: Venice

9) John Clayton: Calla Lily

10) does my bum look big in this?

11) A "secret" card

12) The Snowman Card

[and now the added ones]:

13) 'Meet Baby Newton' from The World of Cross Stitching issue 128. I have definitely forgotten this one.

14) Fizzy Moon card kit. Again my backstitching is lacking.

15) 'Tending the Flock' from Cherished Teddies and Friends. A matching pillow hopefully to one in my earlier posts.

16) 'Picture of elegance'. I have started Sara Moon from The World of Cross Stitching issue 181. 

Oh well, I now have a 16 instead of a 12 list ... I guess there is a bigger choice for me to crack on with.

Thank you for the lovely comments on the previous post. Yes, I tend to stitch an entire colour before going onto next, unless they are broken up. Start in the middle and unless there is a massive gap continue with one colour. I guess it will be different with huge pieces that require many many chart pages. That way I can see progress, and will not get annoyed with finding more and more missed crosses of colour.

Progress on the Lickle Ted project

My progress on one of the project for Wipocalypse has ended up being more that I expected. The cross stitch I have been doing for the past week colour by colour is looking more and more like the final picture. One can even guess what the shapes emerging are.

4th January 2012

I have completed 3 colours and half way through the fourth. I would say I am almost 1/6 of the way through this project. I can't wait to do the greens - they look so energetic, and definitely not looking forward to the white (there seems to be so much of it).

9th January 2012

9th January 2012

So overall, the beginning of the year is looking promising for cross stitch. Maybe it will be possible to complete the 12 projects in the 12 months of the year, although I will definitely not be able to dedicate the same amount of time this bear got from me in the last week.

Until the next post,

Lija