01 Saturday Dec 2012
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", Cross-Stitch
This has been completed for a while now, and was put in the framers about a month ago. It was picked up late last week, and here is the result (it’s HUGE! 41×25 inches). It’s bigger than other pieces in the same line, and I think it’s because I did it in 14ct instead of 16 (or 16 instead of 18 count or some such)
19 Monday Nov 2012
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", crafts, Cross-Stitch, knitting, wip
I really dont know what happened. I’ve had to abandon Maskerade, at least for the moment, as all I seem to be doing is frogging. I cant tell where I keep going wrong and need to step away and try and work out what happened later. Unfortunately it’s one of those patterns where being even a stitch out/wrong has a knock on effect and means that it is very noticable later, as all things have to match up.
Meanwhile I have started another, this time really rather large piece (why oh why?), more of which later.
In entirely unrelated news I managed to buy some 4 headed bobbins as Christmas presents. Of course I had to buy one for myself so that I could remind myself how to do it! Once again I’ve found videos on the internet (oh what did we do before Youtube?!) and need to practise before Christmas, both casting on and off.
07 Wednesday Nov 2012
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", Cross-Stitch, wip
Well, still progressing on my current wip and it’s been slow going. I’m getting more frustrated with it and the amount of frogging that I’m finding that I am doing. Had to sit down and check where i’d gone wrong last night, and thankfully had only done a smallish couple of rows wrong, so it didnt take too long to remove. I was worried that I had actually gone wrong a lot earlier and hadnt noticed so dreaded the thought of having to frog out a whole panel. If it was that much rework, I would have chucked it and started again! Sometimes starting afresh is a lot less stressful (and painful on the hands) than trying to rip out several hours or even days worth of work.
Meanwhile I have about another 2 panels to stitch and then I will be done. It’ll need to be washed and ironed and then be framed up at some point. Which reminds me, I have another couple still down in the framers, and they should be ready soon.
I have my next two projects all ready to go (both of which I suspect I will also have frogging issues with!), so have plenty to do to take me well into next year.
29 Monday Oct 2012
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", Cross-Stitch, wip
Gah! I’m so annoyed – and I was doing so well too!
Currently working the My Big Toe design Masquerade (which I brought here). I’ve got most of the way round with little or no trouble, got to the bottom right hand square – and have found that I’ve got to frog most of that one square out! I found out, because it wasn’t going to meet up in the middle, and you know what? It’s out by ONE STITCH! ONE POXY STITCH!
02 Tuesday Oct 2012
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", crafts, Cross-Stitch
It’s coming into Autumn, and the nights are getting dark early and the rain keeps coming. This is the time of hibernation for me which means I regularly go to bed early, especially when there’s nothing on the television. Therefore both my reading and sewing has taken a hit, so I’m doing not much on either.
I’ve gone back to doing some cross stitch and have picked up a new My Big Toe design, which I am doing in two colours – a grey and a deep red.
I’m about a third of the way through it, and will post pictures up when there’s more to show.
I’ve also found samplers that I have completed a while ago that still need to be framed up and need to get those into the shop
17 Saturday Dec 2011
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", Completions, crafts, Cross-Stitch, Jane Greenoff, patchwork, quilt, websites
It’s December, and therefore we’re slowly coming to the end of the year – yes, I know, there’s a while to go yet but bear with me! It comes round faster than you think! Traditionally it’s a time of looking both backwards and forwards, and today I’ll be looking backwards with these questions about your chosen craft(s):
As for me – I’ve completed three pieces. Two large pieces are by My Big Toe designs (here and here), and one decent sized piece by Jane Greenoff. I got one of the My Big Toe designs framed up in a local framers I found last year , and need to get the other two framed up when I have the money (essentially!).
After doing several large pieces one after another, I’ve learnt that I’m pretty much cross-stitched out for the minute and need to pick something else up. First thing would be to get the sewing machine back out and running!
Websites
I bought a chart from a French company I found a few years ago on the net – of course I now cant find their address can I?. I was quite proud of myself in that I managed to complete the transaction even though the whole thing was in French. I put it down more to knowing how to buy things off the internet rather than anything more than a very old O-level (1986!) in French.
Sewandso have also upgraded their website, so that you don’t have to re-enter your details every time you place an order – you can now have an account! I find them quick, cheaper than other sites – e.g. 39x43in 16ct Aida is £18.95, whilst £20.29 on willowfabrics, who also appear to have overhauled their site recently).
Podcasts
I continue to listen to Craftlit, where Heather is really coming into her own. We are currently listening to Dracula, and Heather has managed to pull a few readers together that make it less of a reading and more of a dramatisation of the full book.
Craftsanity seems to have (almost) disappeared off the podcast radar, as Jennifer continues to try making a living in the craft world, and taking Craftsanity into the magazine world.
CastOn with Brenda Dayne, has been quiet for a while, but she’s back for a weekly podcast.
10 Thursday Nov 2011
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", Completions, Cross-Stitch
Well I finished “The Beatitudes” late-ish last night, and packed it almost immediately away, tidying up after myself. Just glad that it’s now finished as I got bored with it.
I still have to do the final little bits: check that i havent missed off the odd stitch here and there; tidy up the back, removing any excess threads; then wash and iron it. At that point I’ll do a photo and post up here.
Now I’ll take a break from doing things crafty for a short while. Time to start thinking about Christmas decorations eh?!
24 Monday Oct 2011
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", crafts, Cross-Stitch, wip
I still continue working on “The Beatitudes” from My Big Toe Designs and have at least reached the bottom. I am safe in the knowledge that I have reached the bottom without running out of fabric. I am however running low on one of the colours – this is the second time on this piece that I’ve had to order a “top-up” as I have misjudged how much I needed.
The problem is in part the fact that I am working in DMC threads. For some reason I have still yet to understand, DMC doesnt sell through Bricks and Mortar shops – you can only buy it online. This means that when I run low or out of a shade, rather than nipping down the shops like I can with Anchor threads I need to order online, pay P&P…..and wait.
So I ordered some more skeins this morning. Hopefully they will turn up before I run out completely. I have perhaps a line of heavy lettering in this one colour, plus finishing off the border.
And I was proud of myself – I didnt order anything else off the site! I already have at least 2 other charts (and 5 wips) sitting there ready to go, and I really need to be trying something different out!
07 Friday Oct 2011
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", Cross-Stitch
And this is what has been keeping me busy. As with the other “My Big Toe” designs, it’s massive! I’ve still got some work to do, but as usual am getting a little bored of it, so each day I keep trying to press on with it in order to complete it before I give up on it!
17 Sunday Apr 2011
Posted in "My Big Toe Designs", Completions, Cross-Stitch
Cant remember if I posted a framed up version of this, so on the chance I haven’t, here’s what it looks like framed! Again, it’s a design from My Big Toe Designs. It took slightly less time than the Reflections piece I did earlier, and involved less frogging.
It was done on 14ct Aida, with red and green DMC thread. The Aida is a different count than suggested, which makes it bigger than probably expected by the designers, but it means that I get to see the holes and find it more enjoyable to complete.
And i’m looking to keep this one for once!
