I'm Back Again

It really was very silly of me to limit the days on which I blog. I felt bad on the days when I didn't manage to post and then I had to wait until my next blog day even if I did have something to write about. No more of that, I will just post when I have something of note to put down. Like today! Here is my finished Home Sweet Home . . .

I like this little sweet design, and will hopefully be stitching the companion piece in the magazine over the summer (she says). I think I will finish this piece like they do in the CrossStitcher magazine, a little cushion. When I have the time of course.
I have made a start on my next project. This one has a deadline since it is for a teacher who is leaving in the summer. She is going to Australia and I thought this would make a nice leaving/new home present. Here it is so far, For My Teacher . . .

I'm afraid my blog (and my stitching) was neglected a little bit recently since the Extended Project Qualification has begun. It's an extra qualification that we can do with the school that looks good on our applications for Universities. I'm going to write and direct a play for my project and I finished the first draft this evening! That's what has been eating into my stitching time, but it should get a bit more relaxed now.
Have a wonderful week,

Just A Quick Post

I'm afraid I was too engrossed in the football to write a blog, but I did get a lot of stitching done in the ninety minutes of very boring play. Come on England, you can do better! All the cross stitching is complete on Home Sweet Home and I've just started on the backstitching. It should be finished by this evening hopefully.



I'm back at school now and in the few days that I've been back, I've already had piles of work thrown at me. I seriously need to get organised if I'm going to have any hope at all this year.
I hope you've all had a lovely weekend,

New Projects in the Pipeline

Here I am again with my stitching progress report. Charlie hasn't been out so far this week, and I've only done a little bit on Home Sweet Home, as you can see.

This is a cute little pattern and a nice stitch, it's just finding the time at the moment to sit down and concentrate on stitching. My mum's been working a few more hours recently so I've been cooking dinner and helping round the house a lot more. Plus I went back to school today (but only for half day). Hopefully I can settle down to my needle this evening after my chores are done.
My threads have arrived for my other projects! http://www.country-designs.co.uk/ offers a very good service at good prices so I really recommend you have a look. They are also having a 3 for 2 on kits at the moment if you're interested. So, these are projects I will be working on before/during the summer . . .
1) Luck - the second free kit option in the magazine. I like the bold colours in it, they're so vibrant.

2) For My Teacher - One of my drama teachers is leaving at the end of the year to move to Australia so I thought this would make a nice Bon Voyage/ New Home gift.

And 3) is the All Our Yesterday's one I have shown previously. I've got all the supplies to start these designs, just need some free time when I'm not so busy!
My new plan is to blog Tuesday, Friday and Sunday because that way I can still update my blog regularly, as well as concentrating on other interests and work. Proper lessons start again on Thursday so I'll probably have a heavy workload this weekend. Now there's something to look forward to :)
I hope your week has started well,

I've finished my exams!

Thank goodness, all my exams are now over! British History was ok, and I'm just so pleased to have got them out of the way. Now I have to wait till August to know the results. On the stitching front, there has been some definite work on Charlie recently . . .



Sorry about the quality of the picture, it's got an awful lot of wrinkles in it because I'm using a hoop. I am hoping to get a frame of some sort soon to make it easier to handle my stitching. The only problem is I have limited space so would need something that could be packed away easily. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

I'm sure Charlie will be all finished by the start of summer - six weeks from now. Also, I've started work on the free gift with this month's CrossStitcher magazine . . .

I think I will make it up into the little hanger like the magazine suggests, but I've got to get it stitched first! There were two designs set as free gifts this month and since I liked the other one too, I ordered the threads needed. I've also ordered threads for the All Our Yesterday's design and another pattern from the magazine. That should keep me going for a while!
I bought my Summer Ball dress on Friday and I'm so pleased with it. I can't wait to wear it, but it's still three weeks away till the ball. Back to school on Tuesday, but until then, it's stitching time for me!
I hope everyone has a wonderful week,

All Good

My stitching has fitted in quite well with my schedule recently. I seem to be revising all day then stitching all evening! We'll have to wait till results day to see if this is a good method. So I've been working hard on Charlie, and there is definite improvement from my last blog about him.



I've also had time to stitch up another one of those free cover kits I mentioned the other day. I'm not quite sure who I would send this card to and for what occasion, but I thought it was cute and came with a free button so I stitched it up anyways. Still got a few more to go though before my cover kits drawer is empty.

Today I had English and Biology exams which both went well. But they are in similar in one respect as it's impossible to judge if you've passed or failed. You only have a rough idea about what the examiner is looking for and you're not entirely sure if what you put down was correct. But at least they're out the way now, no more biology revision! Hurrah! Now it's just British History on Thursday, then Friday I'm going out with my friends to find that all important Summer Ball dress. Very excited!
I hope you are all having a wonderful week,

I did it!

My darling dad took me out shopping this morning just so I could buy batting and some cording. Then I spent 2 and a half hours this afternoon making my very first pinkeep!

And this is the back of the design. My mum had some spare green fabric lying around so I decided to use that as a nice contrast to the red. It does make it look Christmassy though!

I know that it's a bit crooked and some of the whipstitching is dodgy, but I am very pleased with it. Thank you so much to Jen who pointed me in the right way to find finishing instructions. The blogs you suggested were exactly what I was looking for. I've never attempted anything like this before and although it's not perfect, I get a certain amount of satisfaction knowing that I made this all by myself. Now there will be no stopping me! I'm going to investigate making a pincushion soon, but I'd like to focus on Charlie for awhile. I took him with me babysitting last night and did get a fair amount done, but I simply forgot to take a photo.
My revision was put aside for crafts, so now I must return to my Biology books.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend,

A Finish!

I hoped this would be a quick stitch and that was exactly what it was. I have enjoyed my first piece of red work and will definitely do more stitching like this is the future.



But now, what to do with this piece? It is currently living in a sewing box I use to store all my finishes because I am unsure of what to do with it. I confess, I have not really used a sewing machine much, they don't teach finishing techniques in school. But I am thinking I will just bite the bullet, get some fabric and attempt to make up a proper finish. I love looking at all the beautiful ornaments that are completed on other blogs and would love to do some of my own. Even if my first time turns out rubbishy, at least I've started.
Another thing I've been working on this past week was the collection of old cover kits and mini kits I have stored away. I am working my way through them and this one happened to be first . . .

I have already started work on my second and since they are quite simple, I hope to have my kit drawer free by the beginning of summer. I am still in the midst of exams but am finding time in the evening to stitch. Work has progressed on Charlie, but he has been a little neglected since I was working on my first sampler. I am now off to find finishing instructions and will resume my stitching later on.

Happy Stitching!