IHSW April 2012

Well unfortunately I should have signed up as I have done no stitching whatsoever this last weekend. A project due in Friday has taken over my life ... so needless to say I am going now back to computing, calculating, coding, and typing.

Till next post. [when I have more time to show off all my last months progress]

April TUSAL 2012

Quick picture of my April jar ... an entire month of stitching worth. I have managed to create some cards and do a lot on the John Clayton's 'Big Ben' I have been working on as of recent. I was going to post all the updates of images etc. But a) not all the cards have been given yet and b) I still have 40-60 pages to type in the next 4 days in Latex. My own fault for wasting time on Gnuplot making beautiful diagrams. I should have picked quantity over quality... oh and stayed away from cross stitch.

The colours in the bottom are mainly from cards and the top shows the completed sky and river of the 'Big Ben' ... IHSW is not looking hopeful at this stage ... it might have to be an empty post.

John Clayton Calla Lily finish...

An exciting Wipocalypse update for April 2012... 

I have a finish of one of the works in progress (and increased the leftover bobbins in my box of thread ... a picture of which I promise for the next update). It is the 'Calla Lily' by John Clayton, which was a Heritage kit I bought from eBay. It was a small distraction from when I was working on the Lickle Ted stitching a few months ago, but somehow it has got completed first. Unfortunately, there is no progress to report on the Lickle Ted and bunny stitching. This is how the work looked a moon ago:

March 2012

 And now this is how it looks complete:

April 2012

I absolutely adore the design for several reasons. For one there is almost no backstitching (only one stitch!) The colours are gorgeous, and the image begging to be displayed. But before that can be done I will need to complete the other 7 flowers in the series, as I personally feel they should all go together and I love all 8 of them. Not certain on how yet. Maybe 2 frames of 4 flowers per frame. Once I stitch a few more it will be clear.

As a reward to this completion, and while still on the hype of John Clayton's beautiful images (paintings) I have decided to start one of the other kits I had on the Wipocalypse to do list - John Clayton's 'Big Ben'.

April 2012

I did not get far with stitching when a realisation hit me ... it is almost April. A month of all birthdays it seems. Not only mine (that is the birthday of the least worries for a stitcher) but of three friends and 2 coworkers (stitched cards is a new thing for me and I have not yet introduced them to the work aspect of my life - but having been invited to attend a birthday meal and knowing that it is rude to show up empty handed ... it is the perfect time to start). So far I have created only 4 birthday cards and now I need 5 for one month ... to stitch in less than a month. I thought I was off on a good start when I have competed a beautiful one of a rose (which has taken me days!) only to be pointed out that the person I have made it for is colour blind. 

My progress on this to follow ... as a hint I am working on some designs in the current issue of the World of Cross Stitching magazine, one back issue of the same magazine, and have completed the unfortunately rose on the problem of which I am still pondering.

Till soon,

Lija 

TUSAL march update and a Margaret Sherry card finish ...

To start off with this is February's finish ...

for which I have finally managed to get a picture.  I was in a bit of a rush to finish it and present it to a friend on his birthday that in my haste I have forgotten to take a digital imprint. Well he was so nice as to message it to me.

This card is of 'Cute kitty cat!', a kit by Margaret Sherry, that came free with the CrossStitch Card Shop issue 82.

And now to the jar ...

Not sure if it is a a very good picture, the amount of ends look more impressive in real life than in this parody. And one can definitely guess that I have been working on the lily from the shades. I do hope to get it finished by the next month.

Till later,

Lija

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

TUSAL update

The February has crept up and it is time to empty the jar and start again. Mine is no longer just beige from the Lickle Ted project, but full of various starts and continuations...

I have ordered my first Dimensions kit (or rather 2) ... an impulsive purchase, which I will come to regret come the time of moving, and I still own boxes and boxes of stuff. I have 2 folders of cross stitch magazines (not even going to try to count knitting), and I guess it is coming close to the time I will need to pass them on and sell on eBay. 

These are all the colours for my new project (I couldn't resist and put a few stitches in already):

Annoyingly I had to match the threads to colours myself, hole punch the card and attach them ... took a good few hours. Time that could have been spent stitching. Can you guess what it is going to be?

Till next time,

Lija

Lickle Ted further progress, a finish, and a new start ...

A quick note on the progress on the Wipocalypse:

(brief as I am a little busy)

The finish is the card I haven't mentioned before. It was done for my sister - a get well after her trip to hospital for an operation. 

 The progress on the Lickle Ted ... 

before ...

 I have finished the bear and the rabbit and have started on the green. I think it is shaping to be very pretty!

now ...

A new start to give me a bit of diversity in the stitching, but I have got slightly carried away with it... 

So till next time,

Lija