A Stitcher's Prayer - A start

I was inspired by Vonna because she was stitching The Needleworker by LHN. And I thought I better get a start on A Stitcher's Prayer also by LHN. However I am not as adventurous as Vonna is, changing the words and all :)

I just love stitching this project, it moves so quickly. Can't put in down at the moment. The red blotches that you see on the fabric are actually flower prints of my table cloth beneath :p

Comment Notes: Thank you all for dropping by and your comments are so appreciated.

Thank you Rosa

I got my tatted bookmark exchange today from Rosa. It was the first exchange organised on SnN. Rosa tatted with peach variegated DMC 80. It's perfect and so delicate. She wrote to say that the thread is very old. It's a lovely colour and that I've not seen this colour around.

Thank you Rosa.

Sara Hathorne Sampler - Band 1

Finally some miniscule progress on the SHS sampler. Completed Band 1 and now on to Band 2. Band 2 should be a fairly easy strip of geometric stitching.

A total of 13 bands, so it's gonna be a loooong journey.

WIPs and FOs

The weeks just seem to fly! You'll hear me say that every forthnight when it comes to WIP Report Week on NNC :)

I've got a couple of FOs namely the LHN 2 sheep and the LHN & CCN Bee Sachet. Pretty pleased with those two done. As for my flatfold, after all that frogging, I've put it aside till I want to see it again and finish off the last part of the border. As for the Sara Hathorne Sampler, I've not touched it for 2 weeks now. Only if I did not like smalls too much... ;)

Here's a request from Jess. She wanted to see how my basket of smalls is filling up. It's growing alright, with a little help from my friends ;)



Comment Notes: Thank you everyone for dropping by. Very inspiring to hear such wonderful comments. BTW Eileen, SR = Self-Raising.

Bee Sachet

Since my thistle motif finished into an ornament, I thought I'd finish this into a sachet instead. It was quite easy and I've left the top open with just a simple press button for closure. That way I can change the fragrance sachets once they expire, instead of ripping off the stitches.

The backing fabric was a VSE gift from Radha and it was perfect for this design. I've embellised the inner lace square with coral Mill Hill beads. For a sparkly effect and because I've stitched white on almost white fabric, the lace pattern wasn't too obvious.

Little House Needleworks & Country Cottage Needleworks
Design from The Gift of Stiching (Jan 2007 issue) online Magazine
Stitched on 28ct Lugana with DMC threads, 2/2

Jess's Banana Loaf

I love it! LOL!!

I whipped it up pretty quickly seing I had 3 medium sized bananas left from the comb I bought from the night market on Monday. It's a hit with mom. It was a little crumbly but that's because I couldn't wait till it cooled ;) I haven't had dinner yet! I hope Jess wouldn't mind if I list the recipe here to share. The recipe is going into the NNC files :)

Straight from the oven

Jess's Banana Loaf

125g butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2 large mashed ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups SR flour
1 tsp soda bic
1/4 cup milk

Beat butter and sugar, add eggs, add banana. Stir in half sifted dry
ingreds. Add remaining flour and milk. Stir until smooth. Bake for 30
mins at 180 degrees.

Optional extras, roughly chopped walnuts or lots of choc chips!

Now on the stitching front, I've finished the LHN Freebie titled 2 Sheep. I framed it myself. Bought the frame a couple of months ago from the Cheshire Home. Will need to take it to the framers to fix a small decorative hook, but that will be after the Chinese New Year holidays.

Little House Needleworks
2 Sheep (Freebie)
Stitched on Vintage Belfast with DMC threads, 2/2

Valentine Suprise

Got a package this afternoon and suprise, suprise! My first thought, can mooncake be kept so long? Then when I opened the tin, wonder or wonders. A small coin purse aka tatting purse ;) A ball of DMC thread - the kind I like Cordonnet Special (where in the world did you get that?) And that colour, a lovely burgundy. A clover shuttle and a petite heart shaped wired container. This is the best part an early ang pow!! I feeeeeel gooooood!


Thank you dearest Emily. You have been attentive to my postings on the group, I really appreciate that so. Thank you so much dear friend.

Crochet...nay. Tatting...yay!!

I have requested earlier on as a favour if someone in my amazing group NNC would teach me crochet when we met. Yes we met alright, yes Emily and Faizon taught me alright but sadly nada... I think I'll never crochet again. Mind you it's not my teachers, it's just me :s I don't think I quite dig crochet afterall. I'll hang up my hooks up right this moment!

This is so awful, was supposed to be a pot holder, who am I kidding!

Now for the yay part. Faizon came over and sat next to me and she said "Would you like to learn the split ring?". I did not have a chance to answer ;) So armed with shuttles in her hand she showed me how. She made it look so darn easy. I should think she was actually saying "Come one get to the deep end, get off your comfort zone". And guess what, a split ring I did!! Yes!! You see what some words of encouragement can do. Thanks a mil Faizon. Here's the proof:

After every stitch of the split I had to check if the ring was still alive (tat talk)!

Also I had help from Jane. My fingers are now doing the itsy-weensy-spider! ;) Their well and alive! She's a super tatter and have recently adopted a family. A riot I assure you! :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Boxy Lady Project - FO

This is right from the oven ;) I was having those let's get this done with moments this weekend. I cut up some cardboard, yes this box is from assembled from scratch! Wrap them up with gingham, got my inner wrapping paper ready and felt and ribbons and most importantly my stitched piece and off I go.

A word of warning about using any gingham fabric, they don't align too well (at least the ones that I got), so it can get rather frustrating. Kinda think it turned out quite big, not too happy about that. 4" in height and the width, 7 3/4", length, 6 1/4". Should have scaled it down a little.

The tassle was made with DMC rayon (the one Radha gave me for the VSE) and bound with gold metallic thread. There's a good tutorial here and here (click Bricotruc)

Pardon the pics folks, it's actually red, my darn camera just can't pick the reds as well anymore.

Boxy Lady Project on NNC
Front

Back

Inside

Comment Notes: Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments and thank you all for dropping by. The welcome mat is always out! :)

Scissors Keep

I finished this yesterday, rather interesting and I quite like it.

Scissors Keep
Variety of Pulled Fabric Work stitches
Stitched on Linda 27ct using DMC Pearl Threads No. 5 and No. 8
Inner pocket lined with brown silk fabric and corded with twisted floss

Valentine Stash Exchange 2007

I received my package just now. The world kinda stopped for 10 mins while I rip up the brown wrapper and to find a most wonderful box, with all those bears. Within it loads of treasures I assure you. Buttons and fabrics and flosses and more buttons, a lovely bear card and a bookmark. Absolutely lovely, lovely stash. And I have to thank dear Radha for this wonderful package! Thank you Radha!

Some WIPs

It's WIP week again at NNC. How the weeks fly? Couple of things happening this week, there's Valentine Stash Exchange which I am expecting a package any day now and our inaugural meet intentionally arranged to coincide with Shanny's home coming.

For my WIPs:

Sara Hathorne Sampler, slow but moving, if only I don't get distracted by some smalls ;)

Flatfold quaterly SAL on NNC. The colours look fushia here but really it's far from it, it's of a deep rich red. Somehow my camera's not capturing reds too well lately...

LHN (freebie) 2 sheeps, slow progress :(

And finally an actual finish but not a proper finish. I am thinking along the lines of a scissors keep...we'll see :)

There you have it another round-up on what's stitching. Have a great week everyone.

Pulled Fabric Work

I have been rather antsy to start on some sampling of pulled fabric work this past week. Seing that I have all the requisite materials, I started a little after lunch today. It's interesting and not too difficult. Just so you don't miscount, you're on the way.

I bought this book titled The Encylopedia of Stitches by Karen Hemmingway for a steal. So many stitches apart from the good old cross-stitch. I should widen my horizons a little, maybe I'll try bargello next ;)

Hot Cross Buns

One a penny two a penny hot cross buns! :) The fragrant smell of freshly baked buns permeates the kitchen and since my room is next to the kitchen (such luck) ;) whiffs fills my nostrils, calling out to me :D

Coincidentally Nik baked a loaf of bread this morning too!

Comment Notes: Thank you everyone for the lovely comments about my sis's wedding sampler. Appreciate it all. It's all wrapped up now and hidden away safely :)

For Sis with Love

I just walked back from the framers just now holding a treasure beyond words.

Wedding Sampler
Designed by Joan Elliot from her book Sentiments & Sayings
Stitched on Jubilee 28ct with DMC threads

With this comes the best of wishes to the couple and happy life together.

Small finish

I did the finishing for the thistle motif yesterday. Got the inspiration from Mary's finishing tutorial, minus the fragrant pellets and the cording. Just regular ribbons for mine.

I'd like to make more of these finishes as their quite quick and has an understated simple elegance to it.

Comment Notes: Thank you all for dropping by my humble nook. It's really nice to hear comments from people who really dig this craft/stitching thingy. All well informed comments ;) Thank you my peers!

Inspirations Galore

I thought I'd do up the finishing for the cover of my 'inspirations' book. Decided that I won't go with the thistle motif afterall. Instead, I've appliqued some tatted motives that I've been doing up for the 25 Motif Challenge.

Rather interesting concept these book covers, but I suppose it's gotta to be a customised project rather than a 'fit-all'.

Amazing Faizon

Got a suprise from my postman just now. But when I saw who it was from and how the enveloped bulged, I thought Faizon sent me a ball of thread, sure looked and felt like it.

I was wrong, it's a crocheted pin cushion which will never see pins in it!! Just lovely and the sweetest blue. She said in her note "to add in your basket of smalls". Ah...such thoughtfulness, hard to come by, hard to come by. It's made by joining 6 granny squares to make a cube, at least that much I know about crochet. Maybe Faizon's trying to pull me into the world of crochet? As she's trying to tat her spell with Nik, who knows? ;)

Faizon also sent me her first publication on tatting, can you believe that?? And I had special mention on the preface...wowee! I am going to be famous!!

What can I say but a humble thank you. Thank you Faizon.

Tower Topper Tutorial

Since Rose and Nik is gonna SAL on this real soon, I thought I'd up the tutorial real quick :)

Gather the following:

1. Your stitching on a fabric the zie of 5" x 5 1/2" (inclusive of seam allowance)
2. Backing fabric of the same size
3. Interface, 2 pieces of the same size
4. Bias binding, colour that you wish about 20" strip
5. Cord, thickness that you wish about 22" strip
6. Ribbon, colour that you wish about 14"

Iron the interface to the back of the stitched piece and the backing piece

Use the zipper footer and sew the cord against the centre of the binding, effectively wrapping the cord with binding. You could hand stitch if you prefer.

Bevel/Trim the top corners of both the stitched piece and the backing piece

Sew or hand stitched the corded binding, on to 3 sides of the right side of the stitching. Then turn up the bottom side and stich the binding neatly behind the stitched piece. Turn up and stitch the backing piece also.

Then sew or hand stitched the backing piece with right sides facing. Omit sewing a short strip of 1/2" at the top centre of the backing piece. This is for the ribbon to pull through.

Turn the piece inside out.

Tie the ribbon to a loop and pull through the opening at the top.

Towel Topper
Design by Prarie Schooler - Cornucopia (freebie)
Stitched on 14ct Rustico with DMC Threads

Bunch the towel through the ribbon and stuff it into the topper to fill it up. And that's it, you have a towel topper!

Sorry about the quality of some pics, if you have any questions please comment and I'll get back to you in the comments section itself.

Comment Notes: WRT to the wedding sampler, I've decided to unpick and stitch it again, not too much trouble. June is right, it's an optical illusion. I thought I'd get it right. Thanks everyone for your opinions, appreciate every one of them.

One month and one day

I've been stitching Joan Elliot's Wedding Sampler from her book Sentiments and Sayings, almost every night for an hour plus since 16/12/2006. I finished it on 17/01/2007, just before midnight :)

Towards the end I was stitching till 2 am! But as Nik correctly puts it, it must be a labour of LOVE. And yes it was. It's a wedding gift for my sis. The date's not been fixed yet, so that's the only stitching I need to do once the date's been confirmed and before I send it off to the framers.

The colours are quite sweet and demure, and the backstitching was troublesome! The borders were rather monotonous and not too quick a stitch that I imagined it to be.

Wedding Sampler by Joan Elliot

Stitched on 28ct Jubilee with DMC threads
16/12/2006 - 17/01/2007

Note: Need to ask you good folks an opinion. Do you think my sis's name is a little to the right? Should I unpick and just shift it to the left by one square? Unpicking is not a problem, I want to this perfectly.

To another finish...ah yes I am already skipping :) The Thistle Motif, a quick stitch in fact, lovely mottled colours and little fancy basketweave stitching going there. That's destined for my scrap book cover :) Lock on right here for updates! :)

Thistle Motif by Martha Schmidt of Needlemaid (freebie).
Stitched on 32ct Vintage Belfast with DMC threads
8/01/2007 - 16/01/2007

And now I go back to my regularly scheduled program i.e. the Sara Hathorne Sampler. Can't wait, she's a beauty just waiting to be stitched.