WIPocalypse November 2017 Update

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

WIPocalypse is run by Melissa over at Measi's Musings and is now in it's 6th year (amazing!).  The object of the WIPocalypse is to stitch on projects that you want to complete before the end of the world! 

At the beginning of January I picked out 17 WIPocalypse projects to work on in 2017.  The full list of my 17 projects can be found on my WIPocalypse 2017 page.

This update is going to be a pretty good update as I have managed to stitch on a number of my pieces over the month of November.  So here we go for the November show and tell!

12 Days of Christmas (Plum Street Samplers)

Fabric: 28ct Jobelan "Gold Digger" - Colour Cascade Fabrics
Threads: Jodyri Designs (Wuthering Heights, Sense & Sensibility, The Olde Curiousity Shoppe, Midnight Hour)

Day 10 has finally been started

I really need to catch up on this one if I am going to be finished by the end of December!!

Christmas Eve Couriers - Comet (Nora Corbett)

Fabric: 32ct Belfast "Arabian Nights" - Stitches and Spice
Threads: DMC as charted

This is what "Comet" looked like in my last update:

He now looks like this:

The border has been started... so we are really on the home stretch now!

Deer & Grapes Mystery Sampler (Jean Farish)
Fabric: 32ct Lugana "Autumn Glade" - Stitches and Spice
Threads: DMC as charted

August/September 2017 update

November 2017

The deer is now done... still a bit more to do on this one - I am not sure if it will be done before the end of the year now!  I have been a bit bogged down by it again....

Dog House Sampler - Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 28ct plain linen
Threads: DMC as charted

The last time I showed this one was back in October 2016... and this month was the first time I picked it up again since then!

September 2016

November 2017

Mini Mandala II - C (Chatelaine)
Fabric: 32ct cream linen
Threads: NPI Silks as charted

March 2017

November 2017

Little bit more progress... the square has increased by one more row of stitches

Fashionista Cat - Design Works
Kit - 14 ct Aida fabric / DMC threads

June 2015

November 2017

I had a good stitching session on this one during November and it's nice to see some progress at last!

and last but not least... this is also a GG WIP....

Moutons de Saisons - été (Collection Tra La La)
Fabric: 28ct Cashel Linen "Fairy Forest" - Stitches and Spice
Threads: DMC as charted

June 2017

November 2017

That border is slowly coming together and then this little cutie will be done and dusted!!

This month's question is: What finishing style have you never tried but would love to do?
Interesting question given I don't do a lot of final finishing.... I have done pillows/cushions and a couple of flat folds for those pieces that I have managed to finally finish, but one of the finishes that I haven't tried yet is a cube finish.  Maybe that is something I will try one day!!

So that's it for this update! The next check in is on Sunday 31st December 2017. That will be the last one for the year... Can you believe it? If you want to see what everyone else has posted for November drop into Measi's blog and check out the November link up page.

Til next time, happy stitching!

Hugs xx

Smalls Update November 2017

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Stitching Lotus

It's time for a catch up on my Smalls stitching for the month of November.  My last Smalls post was only a little mention last month in the joint update post... so this month I am giving it it's own post!!

I do have a couple of small finishes to show you this month which I am very pleased about!!

Peekaboo Pals Zodiac - Scorpio / November
Designer: Deborah Flynn
Started: 25 October 2017
Finished: 17 November 2017
Fabric: 28ct Brittney "Dawn of Spring" - Jodyri Designs
Threads: DMC
Chart: World of Cross Stitching magazine, issue 142

"Winter Wonderland"
Designer: Andree Langhorn
Started: 20 November 2017
Finished: 25 November 2017
Free Gift - Cross Stitcher Magazine (Issue 207 December 2008)

This little cutie comes with a illustrated mount so that it can be framed.  Not sure yet if that is what I will do... but for now this little cutie is done!

To see everyone else's Smalls posts for November pop over to Heather's blog and check out the link up post. 

Next Month – The next Smalls SAL check-in will take place on Friday, 29th December 2017.

Til next time, happy stitching!
Hugs xx

October Update / November Plans

Image from Princess Sassy Pants website/blog

Oh that is so true... slow progress is my only progress...  I have been stitching and getting some good progress on a couple of projects but my posting/blogging progress is almost no existent!!

So in an effort to fix that... here is an update on everything that I haven't shown you for October and a little bit about of info what I am going to try and do in November.

Gifted Gorgeousness Stitching
I completely missed posting for GG during October.  I managed to stitch on two pieces that could fit in the GG brief during the month - I will show them here as I have something up my sleeve for the November GG post.

Happy Howloween - Brooke's Books
(Freebie chart) the link to the freebie page is here
The last time I showed this was back in July 2015... and that was the last I stitched on it.... I can't believe that, but it must be true as this is what it looked like when I started stitching on it in October.

Happy Howloween - July 2015

It now looks like this:

October 2017

Dream Big - Country Cottage Needleworks
(Gift from Tiff)
The last time I showed you "Dream Big" was back in August 2017.  The gorgeous design is a gift from Tiff and I am almost done...

August 2017

This cute little bunny now looks like:

October 2017

So that's it for GG stitching.... now onto Smalls stitching (such that it is!)

October Smalls Stitching
The only "small" that I stitched/finished during October was my Peek-a-Boo Pals - Libra, which you have already seen for the Zodiac SAL.

Finished 8 October 2017

I did however have a couple of new Smalls starts... 

Hocus Pocus Trilogy - Muriel
Mill Hill kit
Started 13 October 2017

Peekaboo Pals Zodiac - Scorpio / November (Deborah Flynn)
Started: 25 October 2017
Fabric: 28ct Brittney "Dawn of Spring" - Jodyri Designs
Threads: DMC
Chart: World of Cross Stitching magazine, issue 142

My little Scorpio girl is not quite finished... but I will try and get her done by the end of the week!

So that's it for Smalls... no new finishes but hopefully by the end of November that will change!

WIPocalypse Check In
Woeful progress on my WIPocalypse projects during October.  The only pieces I worked on you have already seen... I finished Halloween Happiness on 1st October and 12 Days of Christmas Day 9 was finished on 15th October.  I haven't even started Day 10 on 12 Days!!  Now I am going to be in trouble with my plans to finish that one this year if I don't get a move on!!

Halloween Happiness - Sandra Cozzolino

12 Days of Christmas Day 9 - Plum Street Samplers

This month Mel has posed a second question... I will answer that one first and then answer the monthly question.

Do you have any plans or instructions for your stitching projects and stash for after you’re gone?
I don't have any plans for any of my stitching projects or stash for after I go.  No one in my family stitches... it is something that I have jokingly talked to Hubby about and his solution is to get 2 coffins - one for me and some stash and a second one for the rest of the stash - after all I am going to need to take something with me when I go!! 😄

How did you begin stitching?
I started stitching way back in the early 80's when I was 20-something.  My mum used to buy a craft/home magazine (Better Homes & Gardens I think it was called) and they used to occasionally have embroidery or cross stitch patterns in them.  You could also buy some kits that you could embroider aprons, pillow cases or table cloths with and I bought a couple of those to try.  But my first introduction into embroidery was by my Mum's mum.  She used to hand embroider doiley's and she got me to try some when I was about 10 or 12... I didn't enjoy the embroidery but when I found the stamped cross stitch versions I decided that I could do this!  From humble beginnings as they say!

OK... so that's the missing October stitching progress done and dusted.... how about some other stitching pics?

New Start
Shimmering Mermaid - Mirabilia (Nora Corbett)
Started: 6 October 2017
Fabric: 32ct Opal Belfast "Oceans" Colour Cascade Fabrics
Threads: as per chart - DMC

October 2017

Pumpkins 4 Sale - Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 28ct Jobelan "Silver Springs" Colour Cascade Fabrics
Threads: as per chart - DMC, Classic Colourworks (Crescent Colours)

I last showed you this back in September.  I had hoped to stitch this for the SAL that Vonna was running over on the CCN/LHN facebook page but alas that was not to be!  But I will keep stitching on this over the next few months and it will be finished eventually!  This month Stitch Maynia's Designer SAL is Little House Needleworks so I will put in a couple of stitches during November for that SAL.

September 2017

It now looks like this after stitching on this a number of days during the last few weeks including trying to stitch on it last weekend at the Colour Cascade Fabrics stitching retreat (more talking than stitching being done on Day 1!!):

October 2017

During the month of October I also stitched on the following:

Castles in the Air - Long Dog Samplers
Fabric: 32ct Belfast "At Last" Colour Cascade Fabrics
Thread: DMC White (accents will be in gold or silver)

August 2017

I spent a Sunday stitching on this during October and it now looks like this:

October 2017

Queen of Peace - Mirabilia (Nora Corbett)
Fabric: 32ct Opal Belfast Linen "Hole in the Sky" - Colour Cascade Fabric
Threads: DMC, Kreinik
I hadn't since on this beauty since April 2017... so I took her to the Colour Cascade Fabrics stitching retreat last weekend and spent a number of hours stitching on her on Day 2....

April 2017

I carried on stitching on her when I got home on Sunday night and she now looks like this:

Ok... that's my October stitching update.  I have been thinking about what I want to do in November and have come up with a plan!  I have 15 WIPocalypse projects left for 2017 - I know I won't finish them all but there are some that I haven't touched all year, so my plan is to stitch at least 50 mins on each one in November.  Stitch Maynia is having a SAL relating to 50... it's a spin-off of a writing challenge so I thought I could use that to touch all of my other projects and who knows there may be another finish before the end of the year!

So that's it for today... 
Sorry it's such a long one!
Til next time, happy stitching!
Hugs xx

Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2017

Graphic from Princess Sassy Pants & Co website

Today is 31st October... and it's Halloween..... 
As you know (or may not know), Jo (Serendipitous Stitching) is hosting her annual Hallowe'en Blog Hop!

This blog hop is no different to any of the others that Jo does - all you need to do is visit each of the participating blogs in order (full list is on Jo's blog), jot down the letter displayed, then return to Jo's blog post at the end of the blog hop and leave a comment telling Jo the mystery word/phrase.

Now for my part of the blog hop.....  I need to show you something that I have stitched for Halloween (either new or old) and leave you with my letter of the mystery phrase.  So here goes!

This year my only Halloween stitching has been on Halloween Happiness, so you probably don't want to see that one again! Here's something I prepared earlier!!

"Eek" Lizzie Kate - stitched in 2015

"Trick or Treat" Pickle Barrel Designs - stitched in 2016

and now for my letter....

Ok.... its all up to you now - write down the letter "N" and hop on over to the next stop.... and say hi to Tiff. 👀😃

That's it from me..... til next time...
Happy Spooky Stitching
Hugs xx

Finishes Update for October

Graphic from Princess Sassy Pants & Co blog/website

Well hello there.... I thought it was time I got myself organised and posted an update on some of my recent stitching especially as I have a mini finish, a unexpected finish and one big finish earlier than originally planned!! Yee hah!! Happy Dances all round...

Ok.. so I guess I'd best get started!

First up... I didn't end up doing a Smalls post last month as I didn't really have anything new to show - I showed my only "smalls" finish for my GG post earlier in the month - link is here to the September GG post.  Note... yesterday should have been my posting for October's GG post but I forgot to take the photo yesterday of what I bought and started for my birthday (love getting money for my birthday - more stash enhancement!)  I will take a photo tonight and post it tomorrow - I promise!!

So... what can I show you today....

Halloween Happiness (Sandra Cozzolino)
Fabric: 28ct plain purple fabric
Threads: all DMC
Started: 1 January 2017
Finished: 1 October 2017

Yep! You are reading correctly... I have finished "Halloween Happiness"!  I had planned to finish this on Halloween night (ie put the very last stitch in / attach pumpkin button on the 31st October) but I was so close at the end of September that I just had to keep stitching....

I still need to work out if I am going to frame it or finish it as a flat fold... but I am happy to say it's done!  I really enjoyed stitching this piece and love so many different elements of it - the witch is still my favourite character though!

My next finish for October was a design that I started for the Zodiac SAL that is being hosted by Jo (Serendipitous Stitching).  Again I missed that posting date... the Zodiac SAL will follow the same posting regime as the Alphabet Club - ie the first Saturday of the month.  But I can never get myself organised these days to get the laptop out and post on time...

This design is one that I have wanted to stitch for a very long time... A number of years ago the Peekaboo Pals Zodiac series was published in the World of Cross Stitching magazine and I collected them all and filed them away with the plan to one day stitch them!  Jo's Zodiac SAL is the perfect excuse to start them... 😁

Peekaboo Pals Zodiac - Libra / October (Deborah Flynn)
Started: 25 Sept 2017
Finished: 8 Oct 2017
Fabric: 32ct Belfast "Fairy Tale" Colour Cascade Fabrics
Threads: DMC
Chart: World of Cross Stitching magazine, issue 141

Timing is also perfect for starting with Libra as I am a Libran... so it was really great fun stitching this during the astrological month of Libra.

I have no idea how I will finish all of them but they are cute... I now need to start the next one so that I can have another finish before the next posting date rolls around!

12 Days of Christmas (Plum Street Samplers)
Fabric: 28ct Jobelan "Gold Digger" - Colour Cascade Fabrics
Threads: Jodyri Designs (Wuthering Heights, Sense & Sensibility, The Olde Curiousity Shoppe, Midnight Hour)

Ninth Day
Started: 2 January 2017
Finish: 15 October 2017

Another one bites the dust!  Day 9 is late... but is now finished!  Can't believe that there are only three more squares left to go with this one now!  I am going to a stitching retreat at the end of the month so plan to take this WIP with me in an attempt to try and get Day 10 finished!

That's all the finishes up to date for now... I have a couple of starts that I haven't shown you so I will try and come back over the next couple of days to update you on them.

Til next time, happy stitching
Hugs xx