~ Winter's Accomplishments Abound ~

The very best bit about winter and the shorter, wetter and colder days is that you just get so much more stitching done. Thank goodness for the inventors of electric light and bright bulbs though cos without their contribution to the world it would be ~ less stitching ~ not more!

The year is just flying by and here we are half way through it already. Better pick up my needle's pace or Spring will catch me out ~ but, having said that I have achieved a wee bit in the last little while since I sat down to write a post.

I am really enjoying stitching along on the Cabinet of Curiosities project for to cover my double casket. It is simple tent stitch at the end of the day and there is a pattern but when you are time and idea strapped it makes for much quicker progress. The Soie deParis silk thread makes for the most  lovely shiny finish. 

I have completed my fourth panel and made a good start on my fifth panel which is much bigger so will be a longer finish. I am a month behind currently on the guideline but expect that to rise as the panels get a bit bigger but it's still motivating me to stitch along merrily ~ 

~ The fourth panel of the lid is complete ~

~ Love that cute little bunny rabbit ~

~ So satisfying knocking another off ~one closer to the end goal ~

I have also been busy picking away at my beaded Mirror Case project a little bit of time here and a little bit there ~ well all that here and there has resulted in the finishing of another panel and I love, love, LOVE IT ~

~ Two down ~ A top and a bottom ~

~ Such a riot of colour ~

 ~ The olde style of needleworke (beadworke)  is SO very Me ~

~ Just adore how my wee stripy beads look in the flower centres ~

~ And the bright , beautiful red of these apples on the tree ~

~ Wot a gorgeous and handsome bugly bug ~

~ That little worm is hanging on tight to natures bounty ~

~ Beautiful Iris petals and leaves ~

 So, what I am working on now is a few things as always but primarily it's the double casket of which I am just a wee ways along on the lid ~ could be a while on this bit though! ~

~ Eve's tempting someone? ~

I am also working on a couple of Sue Spargo projects. One is last year's BOM called Cuppa which has now been released as a pattern. I'm so far far behind and only up to May 2016 as spending most of my time on the Thistle Threads projects. The other is the roadrunner needle roll so I can have another stash of Sue's needles to hand ~ 

~ Love the bright and vibrant shades and heavy threads
as a contrast to the fine linen and silk of my other projects ~

~ That thread embellishment sure does make that wool pop ~

Well, thats it from me for now ~ back to the stitching!! ~

~ May Your Days Be Filled With Salubrious Stitching ~

A Duo Of Completed Panels

This week see's the completion of two pieces for two different projects however both reside firmly in the 17th century genre. Two fabulous finishes this week how awesome is that ~ man my favourite season of Autumn is producing some results ~ gotta love it!!

I've been 'beavering' away a little each night on the third panel of my double casket and bit by bit that means that panel three is complete. I am still behind the schedule but I am maybe a quarter of the way through panel four but you'll have to wait for a peak of that one for a little while ~

~ And I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky ~ i'll 'Get' there ~ 

The other panel I have been working on is progresssing more 'Galapagos Tortoise' like  ~ I have been working only occasionally on this over the past couple of years so the first panel completed on this project is so fantastic ~ my motivation has been upwards on the beads though as they are fun to work with, the project is always out and about and calling to me now and things grow super quick when you stick at it ~ you'll be proud of me Rachael Kinnison I finally got to first base on your beautiful mirror case ~

~ A Pretty Boy Butterfly and a Bug ~

~ Another Pretty Girly Butterfly and her Bugly Friends ~

~ And Here It Is ~ The First Panel Completed ~

So since it is Mother's Day here in NZ tomorrow my daughters have promised me some quiet time to do as I please ~ no need to ask what that will be right !! I'm gonna make a start on the top panel with the little caterpillar under that old oak tree ~ woo hoo!

This week I also met for the first time with a local group of like minded ladies who get together once a week for a couple of hours in the evening. I have been living in this area for so long and had no idea until just recently that they were here as they do not advertise and so it's super nice to have been invited to attend ~ nice to meet you and see you again 'Bombay Ladies' ~

~ May Your Days Be Filled With Salubrious Stitching ~

Number Two's Done ~

It's been finished for a little while but number two panel is done and dusted. It's taken me longer to write this blog!! This is the left hand frieze for the lid on my double casket. I gave the snail some 'beady' eyes just for an extra lift and some fun.

It's not the fastest process this over one tent stitch and i'm following a graph too for this project so being extra cautious. Also using two threads of Soie de Paris in the needle means you need to be a little bit fussier that it's all laying right on the front and the back. But overall it's not bad going because the montrose linen ,although a tighter weave, is only 28 count so I can see it with glasses and no extra magnification needed which makes it easier to hover over the slate frame of an evening. 

I moved onto panel three a while ago now and it was supposed to be finished at the end of March but I'm nearly nearly there. Only a month behind ~ at this stage!!! I'll post when it's done as it's so close now. At least winter is coming and much more indoors time ~ YES!!

~ loving the historical look of the colours
and the shading ~

~ There's the line drawing on the top left of the lid ~

~ And to give you and idea of the immensity of the project ~

I have also been dribbling along on my beaded mirror case. Well I actually picked up the pace a few weeks back but now I've not touched it for a couple so that equates to dribbling along ~ riiiight!! Two iris, a worm, and a snail completed. That just leaves two butterflies and a bug on this panel ~ I am soooo nearly there with my first panel completion after starting this in 2014!! ~ but one doesn't need to rush these things!!

~ Left side iris ~ sooooo pretty ~

~ Right side iris, worm and snail ~ sooooo adorable ~

~ Getting there ~

LOVE my crafty stitching hobby to the moon and back ~ it's the best ~

~ May Your Days Be Filled With Salubrious Stitching ~

I'm Late!, I'm Late! For A Very Important Date! ~

Historical embroidery be it with silks or beads is 'Top of the Pops' in my workspace at the moment. I am loving being able to put aside a little time to work on my favourite things!

The first and teeniest panel is complete for the lid of my double casket. I am behind schedule on this one but not bad considering so little time spent in the past two months. 

It's the first day of Autumn here today so the seasons are leaning towards more time to spend indoors on my very favourite activities ~ yes ~ Autumn ~ the best time of the year and the season I LOVE!

~ The shading of the Soie de Paris is just sublime as
is my pretty little butterfly ~

I have also managed to sneak a few beads into my beaded mirror case project ~ beads are so easy to just pick up and put down and sneak a few in here and there ~ as long as you leave the project out and available of course ~ 

~ A Colourful Caterpillar is born ~

~ A cloud is forming ~

~ The black and white lines are slowly slowly starting to fill ~

~ May Your Days Be Filled With Salubrious Stitching ~

Putting My Necessaries To Good Use ~

I am on my way with another project. One that has been evolving since I joined the Thistle Threads Cabinet of Curiosities course several years ago. But it is a 'BIG' project and one that will take at least two years. I am joining the stitch along and have chosen to do the mostly tent stitch version but with some twists along the way maybe! I am for the most part following along with Tricia's graphs but will vary and change some things in and out. I really want to do my own design on one of my caskets but feel if I don't get started with this one I will never get past the designing phase so will tweak it as I please and utilise the basic design. I have decided to do the double casket which is the most involved with the most panels to complete. This I hope will be a catalyst to designing on my flat top casket and a stump work version...when I am closer to retirement maybe and have more time on my hands ~ !!!

Sooooo ~ I have pulled out my beautifully painted slate frames by the ever so talented and lovey Rachael from Diamond K Folkart, laced up my linen of choice and traced my design. So so so happy I am getting to finally utilise these lovelies on this gorgeous and oh so well suited project ~ not so easy to trace on this linen even with the light box but for the most part I can refer to Tricia's charts for shading and colours etc...just have to think about is a little more when altering the design...I do like having the traced outline on the linen tho rather than a blank canvas ~ 

~ the two friezes on either side of the lid  ~

~ the front and back panels of the lid ~

~ threads sorted and ready to start ~

I did get a little distracted the other day when passing by the frame holding my padded mirror case ~ little by little I might get there in my available lifetime ~

~ bright and pretty & feels good to get a few more beads in ~

~ May Your Days Be Filled With Salubrious Stitching ~