Stash, stash and more stash!

It is so difficult to look at cross stitch web sites without thinking I ‘d like that and so.... these last few days it lead me to ebay. Wahooooo and we all know where that will lead..STASH !!

I found some cross stitch and hand dyed fabric all advertised by Sandra and so the bidding started I really wanted a DMC kit, ‘Lavender in a Pot’ and Just Nan, ‘Catnip Tea’ I haven't ever stitched a Just Nan design before and SS are having a Just Nan SAL  so I might just join in the fun.
With the Just Nan chart, which had the beads needed, Sandra had generously included the two HD floss' that are needed for the design. The hand dyed 28c linen is gorgeous (or lush in Stacy's words, I do miss that programme!) One is a  pale lemony colour and the other a sort of Lavender shade.

Of course when you have a lot of  charts, which I now have, (although not as many as some!!) you need the fabric and this 10 lots of fat quarters even weave

was a real bargain so how could I resist. Aren't the colours fab!!

I didn’t get the DMC kit which I really, really, really wanted.. so I just thought I ‘d look around and wow I found the very same kit and I got it for a fraction of the price it should be. Such excitement I rushed home today from my Writing Group session just to make sure my highest bid hadn’t been topped, and I am now waiting for its delivery!

And to go with the fabric are some DMC threads from my trusted seller Kat who's prices and  service is second to none.

I have had such a busy few days buying all this, that I have had to sit quietly and stitch to recover!

ROUND ROBIN

This is the start of my Round Robin and Jaclyn has received it, so I can show my bit now.. It is all going to be tea time things and there are 6 of us in this one. I am going to make it into a cushion when it is all done. the finishing date is September 2010. I am thrilled to be doing this as I haven't done anything like it before.  I wonder what each member of the group will want stitched? I am using some aida as I  thought it would be stronger than linen.  All the my charts are out of The Cross Stitcher magazine.
If it looks a bit lop sided its because I have cropped the photo (in GIMP !!) because it has my name and address stitched on the side, just incase, as Clare suggested it might get lost in the post!

You might notice I have started a new blog to chart my progress using GIMP which is a photo imaging program, my efforts shown here are paultry compared to others but my latest ones are much better and I am quite proud that this last one took less than 30 minutes.

Also my book arrived today on How to Knit Lacy shawls by Evelyn A Clark, so as soon as I have stitched my bit on my two sals I shall be starting to knit a fine lacy shawl or scarf!!

And I have nearly finished my fifth pair of socks, so I am well pleased!

There are not enough hours in the day!!!

I have been introduced to gimp by Esther and it it a program that allows you to mix photos.

This has taken me hours of playing around but omgosh I am so pleased with it.

It is no where as good as Esther's which are wonderful but its only my second attempt with pics off my computer and I am going to try to do lots more.

Not spectacular but I loved doing it, now I know why I only sleep 6 to 7 hours, if that,  I have to get up to read, write stories, stitch, knit, quilt, blog, run my ladies group and now this... wahoooooo I love it all

Kidsilk yarn for a lacy wrap!

Don't you just love this colour, its 'Night' with a lovely silver thread in it and it is going to knit up beautifully, if I can knit it.

Its one of those patterns with a chart so shouldn't be too bad, However I have sent off for Evelyn A Clark's knitting book on how to knit triangular lacy shawls and wraps.

I really just want a scarf so watch this space!

I think I have had snow time blues this week as I really struggled to stitch my SALs and for goodness sake, the Travelling Stitcher was my own !

The garden looks a mess, you know how it is after snow,  a bit drab and dull and  the grass gets smothered and flattened and where the dog has pounded up and down it looks muddy in places. We did put down more grass seed last autumn to thicken it up so hopefully once the sun shines it will grow!

I hope my tulip bulbs have survived and the squirrels haven't eaten them!

We shall have to wait and see.

Hope everyone else is now snow free I never ever thought I'd say Thank goodness for rain!

I am hoping for a good stitchy week although I am knitting just one more pair of socks for a friend so when I have finished those I shall start my wrap and get on with my SALs.

Happy Stitching or knitting or crafting this week

What do you do when it is snowy outside???

What do you do when its like this outside and its too cold to go out?

I did not take this photo in case you're wondering, but isn't it beautiful?

So what to do in the snow?

I turned this into.....

..... into warm socks for my grand daughter. It is such a lovely yarn and so soft.

I do hope she likes them as I have really enjoyed knitting them.

I got the yarn from Modern Knitting

And because it is so cold and wintery

I bought yellow tulips.

The little blue jug they are in is a hot water jug to go with a tea pot which were my grand mother's.She was born 1887 and died 1980, so that little pot is old!

I don't have the tea pot, I think that was broken long before my time, but I have this and have always used it for flowers. It is part of my collection of blue china bits.

The hearts hanging in front of the window have come from all over the place, one that is made of beads came from Australia last year.

It seems such a long time ago we were getting excited because it was less than a month before we were to go. We would love to go again. While we are freezing here Melbourne had its hottest night,37˚C at 12 midnight a couple of nights ago, can you imagine that???

And I planted spring bulbs to flower inside.

Have a nice day inside or out!

Bests

What did you do this week?

I knitted another pair of socks I think I have the sock knitting bug!! These are mine so a change to knit something for me! Yvonne loved hers and so did her Mum so Yvonne is knitting her some

My Travelling Stitcher SAL:- I have only stitched a small part as I am not rushing to finish this.  I am going to take the five weeks to enable me to fit in all my other stitching and knitting!

And heres a bit more stitched of my Blue Ribbon design, the rabbit!

And this is my Lavender and Lace, Celtic Lady, 'Summer. 'I have stitched the three lower motifs and I so love this I could stitch it all the time. I have stitched some of the beads at the top and it makes it look fantastic. (Or 'lush' as Stacy would say!! I am really going to miss 'Gavin and Stacey' !)

So that's my week, it doesn't seem a lot done but I have stitched or knitted most evenings.
Hope if you're in snow like us you're keeping warm and have enough stash so you won't worry that you'll run out of things to stitch while you're holed up inside!!  LOL
I am not doing so many exchanges this year and want to press on with my WIPs and perhaps peep at my UFOs!! Dare I???  LOL
Happy Stitching all
Chris x

Another SAL???

I came across this design called the Grand Marquoir, and its a free down load.. done in 6 sections so each one can be done over 2 months This is the link, to get the pic to open you have to sign into the site but gosh isn't it worth?   http://www.edisaxe.com/modeles.php?cPath=15&osCsid=48afb58d38b5504e3ee83a68bdb6cba6
And then down load. The photos are finished ones as this was a 2009 sal but as I have finished Beatrix I thought this would fill the gap as it were.
Anyone care to join me?
I won't be starting till February so anyone wanting to join will have time to get kitted up
Its going to be a busy 2010!

Happy New Year to all.

A new year and this is the year I actually do lose all those extra pounds!


I hope everyone's dreams all come true in 2010 and health and happiness are yours in abundance. I thank all my stitching blogging friends for the lovely comments I have received throughout the past year. Some of it was really hard for me but I weathered the storm and am now looking forward to calmer waters.. I can't wait to go home to Essex!
And I am looking forward to new stitching challenges and a reduction in my stash as I am steadlily working through my WIPs.
So in this new year, I wish you Health and Happiness and Wealth
A crisp new sunny day out of that window so I am off for that walk.