Is it really Wipocalypse time again? - post #5 - a month later I manage to finish this post

Is it really that time again? It seems I have posted my progress only yesterday.

Oh well the blogging feed says what it says so be it. [please note I wrote this bit a long while ago, its seems it along with photos has been in drafts forever]

Let start with a biggie ... I have a finish wooohooo (I was going to share it in a separate post in advance, but the time has run out it seems).


I recently had this finishing mode. Where I had one finish after another. This, the Snowflower Diaries' one, I also completed my input on the latest doll in progress. Hair sewn, and body stuffed. She is looking gorgeous. Then I picked up my knitting (a project being stored for a year or two). It is a jumper that I almost finished and only had half the sleeves to go. It has a mildly complicated pattern so once you put it down picking up and figuring out what line of pattern you are on amidst what to increase what to decrease. Anyhow it isn't done yet, but getting close. I am now beginning slowly to decrease the sleeves, just above the armpits essentially. The confusing part is that I think the pattern is telling me to decrease too slowly, and judging by my tension I will have a rather long shoulder. I need to find my original tension sample. I have decreased the amount of stitches according to this, but as most of pattern tells you how much to knit in length rather than rows I don't remember paying too much attention to that.

Christmas Candle

you saw this progress a few days ago in the Tuesday post:

April 2014

May 2014

But I am actively stitching on this project at the moment. Getting through all that confetti hair. It isn't too bad to be honest I imagine the golden leaves to the right will be a lot harder if the first leaf that I had on page #1 is anything to judge by. Threading just for one stitch! common this is just plain cruel. I think I'll leave for last that way I can start gridding next page and move on the threads to next page.

Ember II

After a large input in April, May saw little stitching:

April 2014

May 2014

I have finished the first flower and started working on the next one.

QS Poisonous Beauties

April 2014

May 2014

Since the photo has been taken back in May, there is actually a little bit more stitched on this one.

And for the big finale ...

Lean on Me:

April 2014

May 2014

It is finished!!! Mind this was meant to be mentioned in the promised 'finishing mode' post, but that was back when I was ahead. And now I am a little more that behind.

Anyhow till soon. There is still TUSAL update from last month to go ... and almost time to begin afresh with this month's updates.

P.S. The questions of the month were: what designs or themes do you really wish you could find? What do you think is missing among stitching designs?

Well to answer I'd have to say I wish I could find Judy Rossouw work easier. They either cost a fortune and then a fortune in postage, or just nowhere. 

I wish I could buy kits for cards. The sort with pre-printed card blank. I am including 2 examples. One was a free kit with World of Cross Stitching. And the other I have created myself around the design. There is only a few I came across in this style.

TUSAL #3 and Wipocalypse #3 ...

Just sat down to do a belated (yet again) post and realised how long it has been. I am sorry for the lack of posting, but I am back now. Just had a few crazy weeks, so did not get much time to update anything (not just my blog). Sadly, I also have been stitching less and less. I blame the doll making personally.

Dolls you ask, it is a small project mum and I have been working on. She is in charge of the cutting and sewing them up, I am in charge of needle sculpting, face drawing, and hair at the moment. I am currently sewing hair on strand by strand, which I am estimating is taking me 15-30 hours per doll. I am almost finished the second. I will definitely time when I begin on the third to get a better number. Hopefully, I will feel confident to share some photos in my next post.

Anyhow, onto the updates, TUSAL:

last month

last month next to year so far 

2014 including last month

And Wipocalypse update seen me stitching:

Christmas Candle:

January 2014

March 2014

Oh dear, I felt I was doing great progress until I put these two pictures next to each other. Quite a few nights went into this one!

Lean on Me

February 2014

March 2014

It is not very noticeable but I have completed all the backstitching in light grey. Onto dark grey next.

QS Literate Dragon

February 2014

March 2014

March 2014

The project that has seen the most of the stitchy hours input. 

I am participating in a 2014 HAED goal challenge over at their official forum board. The goals I set myself for the year are:

• Complete page 4 on Christmas Candle
• Stitch approximately a page on QS Literate Dragon
• Start and stitch 1 page on QS Poisonous Beauties

QS Poisonous Beauties will hopefully be my next start. I had the needed threads back since I purchased DMC for the dragon, but I decided to try some pregridded fabric for the project, which has recently arrived. More on that in the Stash update later in the month. 

Speaking of the delivery ... I have also bought the needed threads for some other projects, including the Margaret Sherry SAL I am participating in this year. The bigger question is: why do I sign up to so many things?

Also I solemnly swear that I will limit my spending on cross stitch and other craft supplies even further, as I am beginning to save up for a new printer. I know, there is nothing technically wrong with my current one. But once you spend about £160 in ink cartridges (and that is just the last 2 months or so and I do search for online bargains and rarely buy them full price) you realise that an inkjet printer is only suited for those that print less than I do. Laserjet is the way forward and although costs 5 times more to get, and ink cartridges same, it prints about 10 times more according to google. So not only I think this will be a great investment ... it will also be good to the environment (less cartridges and packaging material wasted). The problem is I need somewhere between £100 - £300 to get one, and then I'd guess about £200 for ink. The total comes higher than my standard monthly salary, most of which goes to pay bills, food, student loan ... So onto saving, and I do hope it will take less than a year to come up with this money. 

Anyhow till soon,

P.S. Thank you for all your lovely comments, sorry if I did not get around to personally responding to all of them.
P.P.S. To be updated with the photos of where I like to stitch.

Reports, reports, reports ... Wipocalypse #2 and Stitch from Stash #2

Dear all,

I am as always being busy, busy, busy ... apologies for a belated (as per usual) update on Wipocalypse, but for one I really wanted to have some progress to show ... and not just a fabric with two extra crosses.

First up is QS 'Literate Dragon':

December 2013

February 2014

page done!!!

Well it doesn't look like much, but this progress took me about 4 nights. I have finally finished off the bottom right page properly (so many colours for so little! Each colour seemed to only have one cross or so). Yuppy! And started on the bottom left next.

My other progress is on the 'Lean on Me' that I started as part of Stitch from Stash last month:

January 2014

February 2014

I wanted to have this one done, but didn't quite make it before posting. Just the backstitching left. I was also going to start another piece from stash, but didn't get around. I have started the prep and all:

all colours for QS Literate Dragon and Christmas Candle

with those additional skeins and kreinik

I know this is for my current major projects, but now I do not have to be frustrated when I go search for some colour. Hence I was able to finish that page on the 'QS Literate Dragon'. I also now started to gather the threads for the next few projects I am going to start. I already bought threads awhile back for 'QS Poisonous Beauties', then I am starting a Margaret Sherry Sal as mentioned previously so I got the list of threads, put it together with that of 'Alice Enchanted' (gifted to me last year), and the list of LHN small projects. Then I got together all of the skeins I already had into a bag (well actually two, as half of them stink of cigarettes from when I bought them so continuing to get rid of smell through putting cloths for tumble drier in there). And ordered the rest ... so naturally time for my buying report:

Margaret Sherry had half price on her website (click here). The kits are no longer on sale, but the hen one is ridiculously cheap now ... as in 75% off! Wish I waited.

£9.47

£11.97

So that is a total of £21.44 spent.

Full report:

£/$21.50 was brought forward, then this moth's allowance is £/$25. This lets me carry forward £/$25.06! Go me.

But wait you'd say that I mentioned that I bought some threads too.

Well yes, I have. I bought 99 skeins of dmc, large bobbin storage box, 2 metal craft rings, 18 count aida (magic guide) for 'QS Poisonous Beauties', all for a total of £48.96. This was all bought from Cross Stitch Heaven. I was putting this massive order off for the next month, but that exemption/splurge weekend came in handy. Especially since I am planning a trip to a charity shop (I hear they have cheap floss at the moment).

And just before I go I will answer Measi's Wipocalypse question:

Topic: How many projects do you generally feel comfortable having in progress at a time?  Tell us about your one-at-a-time or rotation habits!

A very hard question indeed. I have as you know 11 official wips and increasing, but then there are the smalls I no longer count towards wipocalypse too. I get a little panicky when I think about 'the number', but they are better being stitched on than waiting in the stash pile ... right? I do not do rotations per se, but I choose whatever I feel like stitching (sometimes I ask mum if I can't decide) and stitch till I get bored with it and then move on. Having said that if I have some SAL/exchange etc commitments, that would take priority over my random picks. I have also started making jewellery and art dolls, so that takes some time away from cross stitching too. 

Wipocalypse - post #1 and my new Etsy shop ...

Dear all,

Before I get into the whole Wipocalypse update I would like to mention my new Etsy shop opening:

Click here

Here you can find some of the handcrafted (including cross stitched) items that mum, my sister and I make and sell through craft fairs and display cases here in the North East of England. I thought it is time to expand to a new market.

The selling info on the few items you have seen me create last year (they are not the only items on Etsy): 

Makeup bag. £9.99. Coming soon to Etsy.

Makeup bag. £9.99. Sold.

Makeup bag. £9.99. Available on Etsy.

Makeup bag. £9.99. Available on Etsy.

Biscornu. £5.00. Available on Etsy.

Biscornu. £5.00. Available on Etsy.

Biscornu. £8.00. Available on Etsy.

Biscornu. £8.00. Sold.

Hope you check my new shop out, and let me know what you think of it. There are also some handmade little angels, teaspoon ladies, and birds that I haven't shared the photos of here that my mum made. I am also working on adding more and more items. 

ILiNidesigns Etsy shop

Onto Wipocalypse ...

If you want to join in this SAL in 2014 click on:

This month I am meant to introduce myself, my projects, and any goals that I have for this year.

I think I might skip the intro and refer you back to the last years post:

Welcome to Stitching in Crosses and More ...

it was for the blog party and is still pretty accurate. Although I am now a member of 2 reading groups, rather than one, participated in another 2 exhibitions, graduated from Newcastle University, and now opened an Etsy shop (as can be seen from the start of the post).

Speaking of which if you would like to know more about it (although unfortunately the deadline for sign up has passed this year) click on:

Projects/Goals

Ongoing:

1) Good Heavens by Margaret Sherry [Goal: Complete]

This used to be a UFO till recently, so I am very proud for working on it in December.

December 2013

2) Christmas Candle - HAED [Goal: Complete another 5 3 pages]

So far 0/5 3 (goal) and 3/36 (total)

I decided to keep the same goal that I did not manage to meet last year. Lets hope I will be better this year.

December 2013

January 2014

January 2014 - closeup

3) Yiota's Xstitch: Field of Poppies [Goal: Complete]
Based on Van Gogh's painting

December 2013

January 2014

4) 'Picture of elegance'. [Goal: Complete]

Sara Moon from The World of Cross Stitching issue 181. This is my mum's birthday present from almost a year ago ... oh dear I am very late.

December 2013

5) Literate Dragon - HAED [Goal: complete the full SAL]

So far 0/4. 

December 2013

UFOs:

6) Xmas Chums [Goal: Complete by next Christmas ... as if]

I have begun it as a present for christmas 2 3 4 summers ago ... managed to stitch the entire face before realising I have stitched it 10 squares lower than the centre. How silly! I then started unpicking and got up to:

June 2012

7)  'Tending the Flock' [Goal: Pick up and work on even if just a little]

from Cherished Teddies and Friends. A matching pillow hopefully to one in my earlier  prehistoric posts.

Before 2012

8) Making Lickle Wishes [Goal: turn to a WIP]

April 2012

9) Cabin Fever by Dimensions (Gold Collection) [Goal: turn into a WIP]

September 2012

10) John Clayton: Venice [Goal: complete]

December 2012

New Starts:

As part of the Stitch from Stash initiative I will be starting from my huge stash list and the first up is 'Lean on Me'. My january start. 

11) JR01 Lean on Me by Judy Rossouw (anchor) [Goal: complete]

January 2014

Obviously I will be starting some more wips including another HAED (after all I have a new frame - a Christmas gift). 

And some giveaways to check out:

• Blogoversary Giveaway @ Sarah in Stitches:

Click here to enter.

• A Chart Giveaway of your choice @ Stitchers Anon

Click here to enter.

Until soon,