Stitch from Stash #4

Hello, just a quick update before I have to rush/run to work. There is lots of stash in this update ... and I am still in budget! Thank you to my lovely family who got me lots of stitchy things for my 25th birthday. "Quarter of a Century makes a girl think" (from 'Some Like it Hot')

First up I have some photos of that job lot I bought last time with threads.

sorted into 3 bundles

24 dmc

163 anchor

190 other companies

And I spent £35 if you can remember. So it is not too bad. Mind now I need something to use all those random threads on. And I am not 100% certain about the anchor ones as some are really old and have somebody else instead of Coats listed on the labels. But the logo is the same.

Stash wise mum got me the following kit:

It is  'Victorian Roses' by Candamar Designs. I can't wait to start stitching it ... look at all the gorgeous threads:

My sister gifted me four lovely charts by Little House Needleworks with buttons:

I have already sorted the fabric and threads for all 12 designs ... even though I only have charts and buttons for 6. I think I am going to start on 'Love' next month.

What did I actually buy then ... a magazine:

£4.25

It was a huge disappointment. The cover design is nice, and one other, but as magazine was packed up I did not realise that was all that would interest me in it. I don't think I will be buying this one again any time soon.

I also bought the Fizzy Moon kit exclusive from the World of Cross Stitching for £19.99. But it still hasn't arrived (almost a month now). And I am worried as they have put the price up to £24.99 now ... I will have to wait and see. But I would have felt a lot better if it was in my stash draw!

Okay I carried forward $/£15.06 + this month's allowance of $/£25 which is $/£40.06 I could have spent. I only spent £24.24. So I have $/£15.82 to carry forward. But the scary part next month is May ... and for some reason May and June are the worst for my cross stitching shopping sprees. Good luck to me!

And just a quick note on the projects from stash that I started this month:

Ember II

QS Poisonous Beauties

Till soon,

TUSAL #4 & Wipocalypse #4 ... some progress and new starts

Hello all,

and here is finally me with a stitchy update. I finished work early this afternoon and came home with a full intention if sitting down and posting. Instead as it was nice weather I have repotted three orchids. I have separated mum and baby (one of my orchids had a baby, or keiki), last time I potted them together, but I thought maybe they want their own pots. I could have left them for longer before repotting but the mum had two new roots one of which was growing straight into the cable tie support. I also finally braved cutting off flowers from the third and repotting it (it got left out last time). Since one of my others is in bloom (3 huge purple flowers) I am not as upset with the repotted one. I recently bought a sixth orchid to my collection cheaply thinking I could save it. But I do not know. It is very different to my others and I found 4 spiders on it so far. So at the moment it is in quarantine in the bathtub. I will try repotting it the next time.

orchid that lost its flowers and a biscornu (I might have forgot to share this finish with you)

But I promised cross stitch, so ...

Tusal:

2014 and 4th lot

2014 so far

I definitely need a bigger jar. Though I must admit some of the threads were not from stitching but the sort of my thread shopping from a charity shop (I mentioned it a while back) ... so finally got to it. But more on it in the next Stitch from Stash update.

Wipocalypse:

Christmas Candle:

March 2014

April 2014

Alright this actually looks like no progress whatsoever hmmm. I promise you I did do a few night of stitching on it.

QS Literate Dragon:

March 2014

April 2014

Slightly more progress than on the previous piece. Need to get this one out again soon. I have missed it.

Lean on Me:

March 2014

April 2014

A bit more backstitching done.

Okay now onto real progress. I have started two new projects. The kit was from stash, and the HAED was started using stashed threads and chart, fabric bought last month, and the frame my mum got me for Christmas.

So the new starts are:

QS Poisonous Beauties by Jasmine Becket-Griffith (9 pages)

April 2014

and

Ember II by Maia

April 2014

One flower is almost fully stitched.

closeup

That's all for now. I need a small finish for next week's update ... and I am at a loss. I have completed the kit my sister gifted to me on Christmas ... but as I stitched the grass in columns of 6 crosses using hand dyed floss ... it looks slightly wrong. So I do not know whether I should unpick and start that area again.

Till soon,

P.S. Almost forgot to answer ... how do I keep my stash organised? [edited to include photos]

in the cupboard on the right ...

1 shelf full of progress in individual folders/pockets (and a box of winded thread)

1 shelf full of stashed kits, free kits from magazine in the purple box, and bits and bobs including needles in the yellow one

In the centre set of drawers:

1 drawer of fabric and hand dyed floss

a bit ruffled

Then ...

1 drawer (this one in my desk) of current haeds as in box of winded threads and printed charts

the bottom box with umbrellas has buttons, needles, etc, transparent box on top has all my finishes, and behind the picture ...

2 boxes with a total of 4 drawers full of dmc threads

1 cardboard box of anchor threads under bed (top one)

2 frames next to drawers with stitching

and under drawers 5 bags of threads and some fabric ... you can see one of the bags here

and 3 boxes of cross stitch magazines:

the one in the centre ... the rest is some of the knitting ones ... I have more of those

half the box on the bottom

Mind, there is also a binder with magazines, which I forgot to photograph.

Art Dolls and other things

Dear all,

I am still here. Some of you might have noticed I had fallen behind in my emails, and blogging. Well here is the reason... We have been pretty busy in the last few weeks. There was a craft fair (as per usual I spent more than I have earned ... oh well) last Saturday which coincided with my sister's visit. She came for a week. So we were very busy crafting and creating. Very little cross stitch on my part, sadly. But in other words the two dolls we have been working on are now finished!

Some photos:

What do you think? 

I was in such a buzz after the fair that even our Etsy store got some love ... and is updated with more stock. Check the link on the right hand side bar.

The third doll that is still under construction has most of her body parts attached, and I am ready to start the long labour on the hair ... the only component that is missing is the thread. The hair is bright red and we do not have anything that is colour matching. Today, I returned some library books, went to the post office to post something I sold on eBay (probably another 11p profit!), and got on the wrong bus! It took twice as long to get to town and then it was too late and the shop was closed. Never mind, I will cross stitch tonight instead. I have started a new project from stash! (more on it soon).

Will try to post a belated (yet again) TUSAL update tomorrow... and see what I have been missing in the world of correspondence.

Till soon,

Smalls #3 & Stitch from Stash #3

I cannot believe this ... I am actually posting a few days in advance, go me! I just thought if I get these two updates out of the way I might get a chance to write that promised update on hand dyed fabric (if you don't remember the promise that was probably because it was made many many moons ago).

First up is Smalls SAL (for more info check the tab).

I have finished:

biscornu #229

Well, this was meant to be a Valentine's style biscornu (for a case I had booked in February) hence in shiny pink ... but as you can tell I finished it a little late. Oh well, it is still a finish (which list I am not doing as well on as last year).

Biscornu #229

Stitched on 14 count aida

Threads: DMC E967

by The Floss Box

You have also probably guessed that I have done this design previously, and I have ... back in July 2013.


And onto my spending with Stitch from Stash (again check the tab for more info):

First up (this is not part of the official report) is the purchase I made last month from Cross Stitch Heaven which has finally arrived:

99 dmc colours

embroidery thread storage box

pre-gridded fabric

2 metal craft rings

This was the first time I shopped from Donna and I still haven't made up my mind about the experience.  The prices are good, but I guess one has to take it with a pinch of salt. I was very excited to get the package and it was very well wrapped and packaged, neat as well! Fabric with threads and the rings between the fabric folds. My first mood damper was to discover one of the rings being a bit rusty. Oh well, not a big deal, I can live with that. The other issue was one of my skeins was the wrong shade. I have emailed Donna today, and am awaiting the reply ... but it is making me feel petty and rather silly. It is only one skein worth 39p after all. And I can probably use it in the future. But this means that one of the projects is missing a colour ... I have not checked which one yet and for me to order that colour I need to pay postage again, and well probably buy more items to make it more worth while. 

See, I told you you'd think I am petty. After all she done pretty well to get the 98 out of 99 right. And I love my new fabric. I have rolled it onto my new frame (the one my mum got me for Christmas) for the new start heading this way. I just hate feeling guilty! What to do? Well one of my reasons posting early, I guess, is to start on the next month's spending. So maybe if I buy just that right shade and more fabric... and then there is that exclusive Fizzy Moon kit by World of Cross Stitching ... but I am saving for that printer so I should think twice. Like Scarlett O'Hara said 'I will think about it tomorrow'. I will! I will sit down and properly budget. I haven't been getting many additional hours, so my last two pays were a little tight ... and my guess the next one will be similar. It might be even time to drop another magazine subscription. And definitely more ebay listing. Although with an average selling price in the vicinity of 50p how much time can I dedicate to listing and going to the post office?  

Anyhow onto the proper update. I have carried forward $/£25.06 and added to this month's allowance that makes the budget of $/£50.06. Remember I left you on the cliff hanger of going to the charity shop ... well I spent quite a bit. More than I have intended to! I picked out a pile of Anchor and DMC (quite a few repeats) and at £1 per 5 skeins it all added up to £28. With about same amount still in basket though not Anchor or DMC ... the lady offered me the whole lot for £35! I am not certain whether this was worth it. As the rest I would have probably not bought on its own. I will aim to separate and catalogue my purchase for the next update ... and see whether it was a bargain or not. To put this sum in perspective ... my mum bought a large set of wooden drawers (gorgeous!) with delivery for about £20 from the same charity shop. We crafters are insane!

This then means I have $/£15.06 to carry forward.

Incidentally this is also happens to be my 100th post ... woohoo who would have thought that I'd be here blogging just over two and a half years later. When I started blogging I wanted to document my completions ... I thought how would I have anything to write about if I stitch a particularly large design. Who would have thought that SALs and Wips would take over.

Till soon,

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.