Another Harrogate Purchase

Is it still Sunday? Maybe not

Much of the past couple of weeks was spent searching for my needlework scissors and half an embroidery hoop - big mistake tidyng up and putting them somewhere so safe that I couldn't fnd them! As a result not much stitching has been done so here is another purchase from the Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate last November. Burnt orange wool to knit a lacy scarf. I can't wait to start this but there are rules you know and I am not allowed to start another project until one is finished, so watch ths space .....

Who said I'm not a finisher????

I admit I am not very good at starting things but I am a 'strong finisher' - yes I have some sort of team building quiz/analysis to prove it too! So when it was said of me a couple of weeks ago that I didn't finish things, there was a part of me that said "I'll show them".
So here is my second finished project of the year - not bad one per month I say. These are the fingerless gloves from my earlier post (hmm tried to put a link there and it didn't work but as there aren't many posts yet I don't think it will be too hard to find). These gloves are the first project I have sewn up using mattress stitch, which gives a nice flat seam. A lovely lady at knitting group taught me this recently so many thanks to M.
Another project is ready washed and awaiting finishing but I need a second pair of hands to help with that - wonder if hubby can be persuaded????

Blackwork Penguins

I first started cross-stitch back in 1990 and it wasn't until last year that I completed this first picture for myself. Although mostly blackwork, this picture does have a little bit of cross-stitch - I think just on the baby penguin. I bought this kit to try something a little different and because I liked the baby penguin. 

Now unless I find the most wonderful picture in the world, I don't think I will ever do blackwork again - having said that I am pleased with the end result.

Progress will have to be made with something this week and find the battery charger found, so that I can take photographs otherwise I have no idea what will be on here next week!

Continuity Project

A friend of mine has the idea that you are allowed one continuity project - something that can be on-going for a while alongside other projects - well here is my continuity project.

It must have been on the go now for about 5years! Oh dear. The original idea was to do this in secret as a present for my husband, but the progress was so slow that it was unlikely that it would ever have been done! So I had to own up and show him a part finished present.

It is a picture made up of lots of smaller pictures of scenes alongside the Nile. Anyway this year it is my mission to finish it. By trying to complete one of the small pictures per month means it should be done in October or November.

I think it stalled for a long time as the frst picture - top left, Hapshepsut's Temple - seemed really difficult with lots of colour changes. I thought sandstone was all one colour - not so, this kit has at least five shades of sand!

I suppose I ought to go and do some more but the lure of the Winter Olympics is proving  too much.

Padded Sewing Box

Back in December I had a part-time job working as one of Father Christmas's helpers and this was the box that I made and my niece was lucky enough to be the recipient. I am afraid the photo isn't brilliant but I think you can see the fabric is covered in ladybirds, but I am not sure the ladybird button is that clear. Just love this fabric. The inside is lined with the same fabric as the tab.

Something for Everyone

So am I really organised for next Christmas or just a little disorganised for last Christmas?
Well the wool was purchased before but some of the items not bought until after Christmas!

Anyway here is the a snowman tea cosy - I love him. And alongside him some Christmas cake - only decorated a week or two ago but I think this is reasonable - deocroated when all the other Christmas goodies have gone and it has had more time for feeding right? And ahead of schedule compared to one year when I decorated the cake in February!

"The Sofa is so last year" - or maybe not!

Earlier this week a dear friend said to me "The sofa is so last year" - puzzled I thought it must be the latest in home stlye - you know like open plan living (yuck!) and hence the sofa was out and armchairs or something worse was in! Anyway puzzled I had to ask, only to find out he was referring to my blog - cheeky! :-( I should have known - he isn't a friend I often have conversations with about home decor! Ok so I apologise for the lack of posts - I never intended to fall by the wayside so soon but the run up to Christmas was even more hectic last year and other things have had to (or should have) taken priority for myself and a number of friends since New Year, but here I am with the first post of this year, so a rather belated but Happy New Year to you all.

I had hoped to show you a finshed article today but that has clearly not happened. I have numerous articles nearing completion and I am sure someone is going to get me to finish a few of them off! It was so tempting the other night to start a new project at craft evening as there would have been no-one to stop me and I had an excuse of having  been a little fed-up of the year so far, but no I resisted, well not exactly - I couldn't find the equipment to start said new project!

Enough waffle and on to the photo above - can you tell what it is yet? This is a scissor keeper from a kit by Sue Hawkins - her patterns are a pleasure to follow - so clearly explained and use colour. I bought this a number of years ago at a craft show - Birmingham at a guess - and since then I have bought and finished a second scissor keeper - a post for another day perhaps. Well my intentions are good and I plan to finish the above in the not too distant future - note, not promising it for next week.

Well that is all for now - I have projects to finish and many more exciting ones to start.