I'm back!!!

 Wow, nearly 2 years since I last posted.   Because I've been really just knitting, I've found ravelry and Instagram to be good ways to document my work, so havent felt the need to blog.

However, I've recently got back into my first love,  cross stitching.  I had the urge to start.  In my chart stash was mini Minervas Melody . I bought it in 2019.   I've always loved this so decided to start. 

Artwork is by Josephine Wall and charted by HAED 

I'd like to finish this in 3 years.  Since knitting is still my main craft, I'll need to stitching 2400 per month.  I'm not including October in that, as that is Mystery knitalong month which takes all my crafting time. 

My progress so far

I'm stitching on 16ct Aida easy count from Stitch NZ.  So far I've done 2633 out of 80115, 3.29%

November update

I had quite a successful month, completing another page of Spirit of Winter a Josephine Wall design by Heaven and Earth, I completed all the tissue holders for Christmas gifts, completed the CQ block I started last month and made it into a bag and have almost completed a CQ block for my mother.  The CQ block will be made into a Christmas cracker with a gift inside.  I hope to finish this today so will post more pictures when that is done.

This is the CQ block made into a bag.  I put a Sunbonnet Sue with a little dog and cat and bluebird looking on.  Cute little basket of flowers at the left.  The lace on the bottom right I painted to match the orange tints of the fabrics.  The fabric of the bag is actually curtain material, which was leftovers that were in the bargain bin at Spotlight.  It looks purple here but is actually a maroonish colour (hard to describe) but is a good match for the colours of the block.

   Below are the completed tissue holders.

W

D

 

 

 M

 V

 

 

E.  I redid this as I didn't think it looked enough like an E, so took out some of the daisies at the bottom and extended the orange bottom bar and extended the orange middle bar.



J

Front of the tissue holders

This is the CQ block I've made for my mother.  It is a small block at just 6 inches square.
Full block

The Crinoline lady is appliqued. She is made out of scraps of sari fabric that I picked up cheap at a quilt show.  The flowers at top right an in the red velvet patch are made from cast on stitch.

A little hedgehog in the bottom right corner.  A bit hard to see on this fabric but I ran out of room to put him anywhere else.

Suffolk puff flowers at top left

 

Spirit of Winter another page completed.

More finishes

I've had some more finishes since my last post.  I made this tissue holder for my mother.  The back is embroidered with an R for her initial.

 

The colour in the photo looks grey, but is actually a pale green.

 

 

 

I finished the remaining 2 panels for the 5 sided box.  Wild strawberry

 

 

 



 

And clematis and bee.  The bee was tricky to stitch as was stitched onto wired petals.



   I was worried after all the stitching the assembly of the box wouldn't work out.  However it was pretty easy to put together.  The pieces of embroidery were mounted on cardboard (cereal packets), inner lining also mounted on cardboard then an outer and inner piece whip stitched together.  These were then sewn down the side seams, before the last side seam was sewn they were sewn to the base, then the final side sewn.  While the stitching on the sides wasn't too bad it definitely needed something to tidy it up, so I glued ric-rac down the side seams.   I was disappointed with the top, as I mounted the top embroidery on an inner piece made from the lining fabric.  This lining fabric just didn't look right with the rest of the outer box, so I added ricrac around the embroidery to conceal the lining fabric.

If anyone is interested in more information, I got the idea from Janet Grangers blog

A further update on HAED cross stitch Mini Intermission. Page 6 completed.

I bought a cheap "lucky dip" packet from my local fabric store.  It had lots of wonderful material and a huge piece of purple polka dots.  Luckily purple is my favourite colour.  As I'm setting up a craft room I'm using this purple fabric to decorate with.  I made this cute little owl and pincushion jar.  She has a little yellow apron on in front with pockets for storing sewing bits and bobs.  I stitched the wings together to create extra storage space.  She now sits on my sewing desk holding pens, scissors, etc.  I made a pincushion on top of an old coffee jar, trimmed with matching purple ribbon.

The pattern for the owl is here

I also made a sewing machine cover.  The front has an embellished picture that I found on the internet and printed.  A frame was made using a silver fabric covered in silver sequins from my mothers sewing box.  Its been in there for as long as I can remember.  I added a few silk ribbon flowers and a piece of green tulle in the top left corner.

 

 

The reverse of the sewing machine cover has an appliqued sewing machine in contrasting green fabric. When sewing this on I've sewn across the top horizontal part of the sewing machine but left the top open so it can be used as a pocket. The side panels are in the same green fabric.  The applique design is available here

I had an old corkboard.  To brighten it up I painted the frame in yellow and glued some of the polka dot fabric to it.  I added a trim of a thin purple ribbon.  I'm very pleased with it, it definitely brightens the room, instead of the drab old corkboard.  I forgot to take a photo.  Maybe next time.

Sewing finishes

After my visit to the craft fair the sewing bug seems to have hit me.  I got a new Brother sewing machine. A basic model but it can still do a lot more than the old one of my mothers that I was using.
In the post below I had started my first crazy quilting.  Here is the finished result - a cellphone pouch.  I've picked the gold of the fan with gold braid and added gold beads, added  a bead fan and a cute ladybird

This is the other side

I've been intent  on doing more accessories for my handbag.  A coin purse

A card case to hold loyalty cards etc.  It has slots for 38 cards.

Inside the card holder

 

Middle page of the card holder

Back page

 

 

This is the bag I made from the kit I bought at the fair.  The cover can be changed so you can change the mood.  I used the fabric in the kit, but then found this lovely fan fabric and made another cover.  I also used the fan fabric to make all the accessories.   Since this photo I decided I don't really like a "hand"bag and would prefer a shoulder bag and wanted to be able to close the top, so I have added long handles and a button closure, covering the button with the fan fabric.    I haven't taken a photo yet though.

I wanted a wallet that will hold coins, notes and cards, so made this.

I also made a tissue holder.  Below is a photo of the tissue holder and the wallet

 

I also had a go at making a cat. I fancy trying to make a crazy quilt cat, but wanted to test the pattern first.  I think this should work well for crazy quilting.  I have some purple and bright green fabric to try.

 

Apart from the bag, all the other pieces are from free patterns and tutorials found on the internet.  Many thanks to the talented ladies who make these available.

I am still working on the 5sided box. Here is what is done so far

3 needlepainted flowers from Trish Burr's Needlepainting for Beginners book.

Stumpwork nasturtium from Sachiko Morimoto's Stumpwork flowers book.  Side view and front view.







 

Progress on Rajmahal Goldwork kit.  If the pineapple in the top left appears unfinished, its because it is!   I still have to finish the lattice work.

 

Another page is finished on Heaven and Earth Design of Spirit of Winter by Josphine Wall



July progress - Hussif completed

My hussif is finished.  This is what it looks like when it is rolled up.  Its secured with two pieces of  gauzy ribbon.  Unfortunately the photo makes it look purple, its actually a burgundy colour and is the same colour as the inner fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the inside.

 

 



 

 

 

I tried to get a clearer photo of the silk ribbon embroidered pincushion.  It still hasn't come out very clearly though.

Photos showing embroidery on the two left hand pockets.  The left pocket is a hidden pocket - a pocket at the top, and a second pocket opening on the right hand side.

 

An attempt to show the embroidery on the needlebook, not showing very well.

And finally, I've completed a row of Mini Moonlight, HAED design.