April Showers...

....bring Puddles Of Love.

This is a new start I had this month. I just couldn't resist it when I saw it up on the wall of a needlework shop. It was so glittery and pretty and my dd will just love it. It isn't my usual thing but it is nice to do something different for a change. 

By way of other news, I spent a lovely weekend away with stitchy friends the other week. I went to their LNS and spent a few pennies....

I bought, 

Robin's Song - LHN Needleworks with the called for threads.

School of Needlework - LHN

And the Charlotte Bronte Sampler which I had to have after seeing the original at Hawarth.

I also had a few new starts. Hmmmmmm how did that happen? This is supposed to be a finishing year. No new starts!!! Ahhh well. I figured I have been doing so well on my goals each month that I could afford a few new starts. 

So, I started:

Peace - My Big Toe designs.

 I am stitching this on Cream Cashel and using Victorian Mottos threads (always a pleasure to work with)

I started:

January Anniversaries of the Heart - Blackbird Designs. I am stitching this on Vintage Country Mocha and using the called for threads.

'Scuse the dodgy fingers!

I started:

In the Meadow with Jane Austen - The Sampler Girl. I have had this kitted up ready for a while and so here it is. It is being stitched on a pale blue fabric but not sure which one it is. Very pretty though.

As for my April goals....

All met!

A Quaker Christmas - 2 pages done

CCN ornie - done. 

Tranquility - Loopylou Designs - Finished!!!!!! Happy dancing indeed. 

This project was started way back in 2008 as part of a Jane's Attic weekend away where the dear Lynda did a drawn thread workshop. I made a mistake on the Kloister blocks and never picked it up again. Well I decided last month to have another go at it and I am so glad I did. I wanted to get the rows complete for this month's goals but I decided I was enjoying it that much I just wanted to carry it on to completion. The pictures really don't do it justice as the beads and Kreinik give it much more sparkle than it is showing. I am now looking at other Louplou designs to begin. 

I would like to gift this chart to somebody who likes drawn thread work. It does require some concentration so would be suited to an intermediate stitcher. I can include the rest of the Dink Dyes Ocean Grove and Silk Serica for the Kloister blocks that I have left. There should be enough of it left. The rest of what is needed is a 3 DMC colours, Perle 12, beads and Kreinik. If you would like this chart, please say so in a post below. I would like it to go to one of my dear followers who would get some pleasure out of it. If there is more than one then I will do a drawing at the end of the month. 

Julie said my stitching mojo had definitely returned. I think I agree! I haven't decided on next months goals yet. I might have a goal free month. 

Although I began this post with April Showers, it has indeed been rather sunny here in the Peak District. I decided to go for a walk around our estate. It is so pretty in the sunshine. Hope you enjoy some pics of my hometown.

Another lovely thing this month is enjoying a Gingerbread Latte - Nescafe. Thank you Tina for introducing these to me. 

So that is the end of my Easter Hols. It is back to work and school tomorrow and so I might be quiet for a while. Take care all and happy stitching/crafting. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

April 1st and the start of the hols!

Hello dear readers. No this is not an April Fool; I really am blogging!! Goodness me, another month has flown by and I still haven't updated my little blog space. You must think I am hiding away in shame for not having completed my March goals??? Well, not at all. On the contrary, I have completed them all and also finished off the blanket goal from February too. Big pat on the back for meeeee. Ho hum. 

So here we go....

March goals were to stitch up the next ornie in the CCN series.

I must admit, being the truly honest type that I am, I'm really not enjoying these ornies very much. They were advertised as Classic ornies done in classic colours of red, white and green. These ornies do not shout to me as being very "classic" with the exception of the first one that was of three angels. I guess I was expecting them all to be along a similar vein of hymnals and Christian imagery. Elves, cookies, snowmen and Santas speak of a more modern view of Christmas. However, I will press on and continue. I am just kicking myself that I didn't wait and go for the LHN sampler ones that are now out as they are much more my style. Oh well, you live and learn they say. 

Next goal was to complete the Elisabeth Lillie sampler by MacIntosh Designs. Huge Ta-aaaa here. Goodness, I started her a long time ago, somewhere in 2012 and she got picked up and ignored constantly. I am so glad I decided to finally crack on and finish her. She was a joy to work on even though I made a huge mistake with one of the colours - (blue/brown confusion with similar symbols). I stitched her on 34 count Legacy Linen in Oaten Scone and used the called for DMCs.

My next goal was to finish the Love Quilts charity square I started at the end of last year. It was a Nibbles and Tibs design from a cross stitch magazine stitched on 14 count aida.

 It felt a little weird and strange working on aida after stitching on linen for so long but it was a refreshingly easy change until the dreaded backstitch arrived. Oh let me just work on samplers for the rest of my stitching life! The backstitch was so awful that I decided to miss a fair bit of the grass out. They were all fractional and part fractional through the aida weave. Yack! Anyway, I missed the Tibs out - I am presuming this is a little bird and just stitched the cat. Cute. Just need to add initials and location and this will be sent off to Love Quilts for an Any Child square. Please do take a look at this wonderful charity and think about stitching a square or two for it. They have this charity in several countries now I think.

And finally....... I finished the joining and the border for my Woodland Blanket which I have since given to my husband as a gift. He actually really loves it! 

Just a reminder about the colours I used..... plus black for the joining. I did a double V border around it. Nothing frilly. It's a man's blanket. 

What do you think? Starting with the gold colour at the bottom and going clockwise we have the following:

Gold

Mocha

Camel

Teal

Petrol

Grey

Parchment

Cream

Stone

Copper

Spice

And as if that wasn't enough this month, I even made myself an Artfully Simple Infinity Cowl which you can find on the Moogly blog. Wow this was a treat to make and wear. I wore it all day yesterday and I think the little button tie finishes it off perfectly. Instructions for both the cowl and tie can be found on the blog with links to Youtube tutes. I used King Cole Riot DK for mine using a 6mm hook. I am thinking of making another one with some lovely hand dyed yarn I bought a while back.

I also tried my hand at some paper cutting this month as well. My dear friend bought me a beginners set from Paper Panda and I had a go at it. It is quite hard and my hand hurt after a while. I managed to do the hedgehog quite well but then I tried to do this swirly design and it doesn't look quite so good. I guess there is a knack to getting those curved lines right. 

I also pulled out an older design called Tranquility which I got from my very first stitching meet up back in the old days of Jane's Attic. What fun memories this brought back. This design is by LoopyLou designs and I decided it was time to get this baby finished so this is going to form part of my April goals. I think I started it in 2008. Shame on me. It looks much more stunning in real life as usual. 

I don't think my dove's eyes are right. I think I need to pull them out and do them again. Doh! 

Speaking of which...

April Goals:

 Get one page finished on A Quaker Christmas

Get the rows finished on Tranquility

Stitch up the next CCN ornie

Quite a crafty month I think. I do believe these monthly goals are working out quite well for me. 

Seeing as it is April, I thought I would end with a happy April the cat picture. Have you ever seen a happier cat? Look at that smile!

Have a good Easter folks. I'll be back soon.