And the winner is...

A wall hanging!

The owls are finally finished.  I've used the same fabric for the backing and binding, so it was all very simple to finish.  I've added two hanging triangles on the back and it's all ready to go.

 

I don't think Jonathan's cross stitch will be completed as quickly, it hasn't been out for almost a fortnight.  I should rectify that this week, and work on it at least one day.

Granny Squares

These granny squares just keep coming.

This is the perfect project for relaxing.  I've now been able to empty the carrier bag, and have about half a dozen little balls of yarn left.  Now I can see the end, I'm hoping to get all the squares done this weekend so I can think about putting them altogether.  It's surprising how much room these squares take up.

Finally

I tried very hard to get this done last week, but no matter how many times I tried, it just wasn't going to play.  I was of by one tiny thread!

This week was a new, relatively stress free week, and in one day, the next two borders were done.  Not only did they get done, but I did the two rounds first time, and they met up perfectly.  What a difference a week makes! 

 

The relief won't last long, the next instalment is due out this weekend, and the fun will start all over again.

Bits and Pieces

Last week was definitely one of "those weeks" in our house.  It was a week of anticipation and expectation which, combined with a general feeling of being under the weather, wasn't conducive to much productivity.  What I did try, ended up going wrong, so I was undoing much of what I did.

 

In the end, it was worth it.  On Saturday, myself and Number 1 son were on the train down to Bristol to pick up a car!  You can't believe how much difference it makes to be mobile again after four and a half years!  Monday was spent ferrying the boys to and from college.  After working out it took up three hours of the day, they are back to getting the bus, there is a limit to this taxi service!

 

Anyway, now that's settled, I can get back to a routine.  First, here is the round up of the few bits and pieces that did get done.

Another crumb block to add to the collection,

four more granny blocks for my blanket,

and the white work is mounted onto a canvas.  I like the texture of this canvas, it has a linen look to it.

 

All being well, the brain will be back in gear this week, and I can catch up on a few more loose ends.

Second Time Around

I was looking forward to a simple installment this time round on the hardanger SAL.  I started happily enough, but then spotted a problem.

All but one group of eyelets had been stitched in the wrong place.  It was so obvious, I can't believe I missed it the first time.

 

Instead of starting to stitch, I had to undo all those tiny eyelets and then restitch them.  NOW they're done properly, and I can go on to do the next border. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge-Orange

I'm off to a slow start with this one, but I've got there eventually.

I just about had enough for one string block,  

 

and I've got two blocks to add to my collection for the end of the year.

 

I had some fat quarters of orange fabric, but I decided to make something from them, rather than cut up for the scrap blocks.  Hopefully, you should see those in the next week.

 

Peacocks

The peacocks haven't been seen for a little while, but you may remember, these were the trigger for one of my ledger pages.  I quite like the style of these peacocks, they remind me of Assissi work.

I've  finished the cross stitching, but that's only the first stage.  I need to look at fabric now, and make this up into a smal wall hanging.  I'm hoping to find some with peacocks on, for the backing.

Decisions, Decisions

The fabric arrived, and I had some time to make progress on the owls.  They've been trimmed and fabric added.

I had thought I'd make a cushion cover.  It would be a large cushion, but that doesn't matter.  We like large cushions, but then I had an idea.

What about a wall hanging?

 

Now, I don't know what to do, a cushion, or a wall hanging?  I have until the batting comes to decide.

September Quilt

This month, Kathy has given us a new pattern to work with.

I've gone through the fabric I had to make up the top.  I've had to order fabric for the back and some more batting before I can go any further. 

 

All the details can be found at Kathy's yahoo group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smallquilttalk/

Cross Stitch Update

At last, we are making progress.

Some of the area that was taken out last week has been restitched, so now it's all coming on so much quicker.  It's not the easiest thing to stitch, but seeing progress makes it worth while.  Not sure if I'll get as much time this week to work on it.  I am going to work across the top next

Arch Complete

It has been a slow process, but I am now finished with the arch.  Well, almost.  I am waiting for a canvas to arrive, so I can mount it.

I just love the frilly edges. 

As intended, this is quite a textural piece, using stitch, silk paper, and scrim lace. 

I've really enjoy this piece from start to finish.  Now to try and complete another page.

Old Skills Remembered

 

A long time ago, or at least, it feels a long time ago, I learned to do picture framing.  I had a lovely teacher, who continued to give help and advice long after the classes finished.  As sometimes happens, life gets in the way, and what with one thing and another, I haven't done any picture framing for a long time.  So long in fact, I was really nervous to start again.

 

However, a couple of weeks ago a neighbour came over with two photos she wanted me to frame.  This meant I had to bite the bullet.

 

Bit by bit, I began to put them together.  One of the favourite bits was waxing the natural wood frames.  I just love the smell of bees wax.

I even cut the mounts without cutting the bevels the wrong way.  That felt really good.

The frames are completed, and delivered, and now I want some more pictures to frame.  I remember now,  how enjoyable the whole process is.  Jonathan just wants me to find more wood to wax!

Cross Stitch Update

I found the reason why I was going to restart this, but, as so many more stitches when in, I've decided to get friendly with the seam ripper, and take out the offending block of stitches.  I'm doing  bit by bit, so it doesn't get too disheartening.

At the same time, work on the hands has been going on.  It's really a weird sensation to walk past and see the hands appearing like this.  All the confetti stitches and the bad chart seem to be a small price to pay.

 

It'll be interesting to see what changes there will be after another week.

Finished

It's difficult to believe that the starting point for this project was a card.  Thanks to Karen's class, it's developed from a study in colour, until I've come to this point,

a completed cushion. 

The flowers have been hand painted, as well as the "stitched" border.  I've added the purple fabric, and then done some basic quilting.

The back is a simple envelope style.  Once that had been sewn on, I then went around the whole cushion with another quilting row, just inside the outer edge.  This forms a bound edge.

 

This is a very large cushion, and as I'm pleased with the way it turned out, I may do some more, but smaller, and maybe develop some of the ideas further.

Confetti of Hardanger-Part Three

There was quite a bit more to do in this instalment, so took a little longer to complete.

This is how it looks after three instalments.  I wonder what part four will bring.

Keep it Simple

The intention was always to keep this design simple and summery.

The stitch embellishment is comprised of clusters of french knots.  I've used colours that match the petals and flower centres.

 

At the moment, I'm contemplating the different options for finishing this.  Once I've decided, you'll be the first to know.

October Star Blocks

Terry was ahead of me this month with her blocks, but it's still only the first week of the month, so not too bad.

I'm using up the scraps, so these have a couple of four patch units in them leftover from a previous project. 

 

All the details of the block and everyone else who is participating can be found on Terry's blog, but I'm ready for October.

Odd Socks

Over the last few weeks, both the boys rooms have been emptied, cleaned, and everything put back in.  The washing machine was working overtime to keep up with all the dirty washing that came out, and at the end, I had a pile of odd socks.

 

Being one that doesn't like seeing things go to waste, I had to find something to do with them, and we came up with...

doggy toys!  These are made from socks plaited together and secured at the ends.  I did have three of them, but Finley has already run off with one.

 

Each one used five socks(although it can be done with four), so you can work out how many odd socks there were, and yes, there are more where these came from.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Now the owls are finished, it's time to do a secret project for Jonathan.  In fact, I started this one almost thirteen years ago.

 

My mum died two days before Daniel was one, so Jonathan was a toddler.  A month or so  before she died, we went to stay with her and we went out for a picnic.  It was a typically British spring day, blowing a gale and freezing cold.  This was never a good photo, but it was the last I had of mum and her "bestie boy".

I had it converted to cross stitch, it was always going to be done for Jonathan.  I even made a start.  For some reason, I put it down, and was going to restart it on new fabric. 

I've finally picked it up again, and couldn't work out why I was going to restart.  Having started stitching, I think I may have got some of the symbols mixed up as they are so similar.  I don't think it will make much difference in the bigger scheme of things, so I am going to continue.

 

The pattern goes over six pages, the first one might take a little while to do, but little and often will get me to the end.

Progression

I'm still progressing on from work done in my Ledger.  This is taken from the first page.

I've used some white cotton, and have painted a "stitched" outline and flowers in the centre. 

 

The next stage is to add some hand stitched embellishments, but so far, I am enjoying looking at it draped over my airer.

Canvas

I have a few little embroidery pieces, and I've been wondering what to do with them, so I thought I'd see what they would look like mounted onto canvas.

It's done very simply, I've tied it on with a few tiny stitched in strategic places, and they've ended up being almost invisible.

 

It probably won't suite everything, but for this piece, I like it.

More Playing with Photos

We've played with some more of Daniel's photos, and we've made some more cards.

The photos of the parrots and the butterfly were taken on a day out, but the plant is one of Daniel's.  Carnivorous plants are his speciality, and over the last few years, he's taken some lovely photos of them.   He has taken hundreds of photos over the years, so it will take some time to go through them to find the gems.

To-whit, to-whoo

The cross stitching, and the back stitching are done.

These are all four owls, seen in all their glory.  It's the first time since the beginning that I've been able to see the whole picture.  I am going to miss stitching on these.

 

Now the fun begins, shopping for fabric to finish this into a cushion.