When I Dream of Autumn – Puntini Puntini

The last couple of days here in the UK have been beautiful and I’ve been making the most of them in my garden, because it’s unusual to have temperatures of 22 degrees this late in October.

And speaking of Autumn, it was a good time to finish and fully finish ‘When I Dream of Autumn’ from  Puntini Puntini, 

I love Paola’s designs for this set of seasons and how they come with two buttons for finishing and a matching set of pins to purchase that go with each of them.

I finished the edge of my little pillow with a crocheted picot edge, that I made using a skein of DMC cotton pearl.

While I had my sewing machine out I decided to get a couple other bits FFO’d that have been sitting around waiting to be done.

The first was stitched in November last year, but because Halloween had already been and gone, it was put in the unfinished box of doom.

This is ‘Smell My Feet’ from La-D-Da.

The other thing I pulled out was ‘Black Sampler 2021, from Whilst Iris Naps.

Originally I had planned to put this on a spool but because I didn’t have one, I decided to make a little bolster pillow instead and pinned the sampler along the top.

Then it was time for a new start, and I pulled out Log Cabin Christmas from Little House Needleworks.

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

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 Project Details

Chart – When I Dream of Autumn

Designer – Puntini Puntini

Fabric – 14ct – Mystery Aida

Threads – Some called for DMC and various threads from stash

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Chart – Smell My Feet

Designer – La-D-Da

Fabric – 36ct One of a kind linen – Roxy Floss Co

Threads – Silky (Black) & DMC’s

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Chart – Black Sampler 2021

Designer – Whilst Iris Naps

Fabric – 36ct Millstone Linen  - Lagacy Fiber Artz

Threads – Silky (Black)  Roxy Floss Co, The Gentle Art & Classic Colorworks

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Chart – Log Cabin Bunnies (part 2 of Log Cabin Christmas)

Designer – Little House Needleworks

Fabric – 32ct ‘Raw’ Belfast Linen

Threads – Classic ColorWorks

Gingerbread House Globe Charmed Ornament – Mill Hill (MH16-1932) and some much needed finishing!

 Stitching has been a little sparse this week but I did manage a little finish.

We are exactly half way through the 12 in 24 Christmas Ornament Sal, hosted by Carol, over at Stitching Dream Blogspot and my JUne ornament is the cute Gingerbread House Globe, Charmed Ornament from MIll Hill.

For once I was a good girl and FFO’d it straight away, but that’s not surprising when you consider it was just a case of adding some sticky backed velvet to the reverse. Then I made a small start on the next one, for July, 'Angel Globe'

Still in the mood for finishing,  I pulled out a couple of things from my ‘Finishing Box of Doom’.  There are several things in there, one of which is the Time & Season sampler from Bothy Threads,

that I finished in 2013   (imagine embarrassed face here)

The first thing I pulled out hasn’t been languishing in there for that long, only since April this year and it’s the ‘Sampler Bunny’ from La-D-Da.

It’s my first ever attempt at a stand-up and I decided it might be easier to hand sew it, especially as it’s quite small.

Next, I had a couple of pieces to frame.

The first was the Golden Wedding Anniversary piece I stitched for my friend’s Dad and Stepmum. 

  The frame came from Picture Frames Express where I get most of my custom frames.

The second piece was the ‘With Love’ sampler from Modern Folk Embroidery, that I stitched and framed back in February.  I didn’t make a very good job of it then, so decided to take it out of its frame and have another go. 

I’m much happier with it second time around.

The final thing I pulled out was ‘Hello Winter’, from Plum Street.

I couldn’t decide how to finish this one but in the end I decided to make a flat fold.

So, that ‘s  4 new FFO’s to add to my tally of  18 for the  #ffochallenge2024 with @jenquilter and @pennysdaughtershares

 over on Instagram.

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

Sampler Hare – La-D-Da

Well April is here and our clocks have gone forward, giving us lighter evenings, so it really feels like Spring has arrived at last.

The garden is looking a bit of a mess at the moment because I’m going to have the lawn re-laid in the next few weeks and the gardeners have put down weed killer before the new turf goes down.   There are signs of new growth though and my Perris is the star of the show for the time being, until I can get some bedding plants in.

On Easter Sunday,  I  managed to get in one last new start for the month of March and I’m feeling pretty proud of myself because it’s my 40^th start for the challenge   #celebrate50startalong    This is the challenge that Michelle from Pennys Daughter Shares  started on Instagram to celebrate her 50^th birthday back at the end of September, with the aim to start 50 new projects before the end of September this year.       

The good news…….I have just 10 more to go……yah!

(see the tab above for a list of the projects I’ve started so far)

So, on to project 40.

I’ve had ‘Sampler Hare from La-D-Da sitting here for some time,

I've just never got around to starting it, so Easter weekend seemed the perfect time to get me needle into my fabric.

I’m still trying to stash bust, so I pulled out a piece of 32ct Soft Cream Evenweave and the  threads are a mixture of the called for DMC’s that I had, and then I substituted the ones I didn’t for other DMC and Anchor threads.

Once the outline was stitched, the rest as really fast and I finished it on the 1^st April.

I loved working on this so much, I think I’m going to track down some of the others in the series.

 Updated to show FFO - 30/6/24

Happy Stitching!

Sue x

Samper Hare

Designer - La-D-Da – Lori Markovic  

Fabric – 32ct Zweigart  Murano Evenweave – Soft Cream

Threads – DMC 612 & 3799 (called for)

Substituted DMC 3768 &3864

Anchor 856 & 1007

 

Smell My Feet – La-D-Da

 Since my brother moved to West Mersea, near Colchester a couple of years back, I don’t get to see him as often as I used to but this past weekend we were able to get together.  

My cousin Jane and I drove up to the island for a family party to celebrate the 40^th birthday of a second cousin.

It was wonderful seeing everyone but there was no time to get any stitching in, although I did manage to get some in during the week.

I finished  ‘Smell My Feet’ from La-D-Da.

The only change I made was to give mine Mauve and Green stripy stockings.

Chart – Smell My Feet

Designer – La-D-Da

Fabric – 36ct Ooak – Roxy  Floss Co

Threads – Silky (Black)  & DMC

Stitched – 1 floss thread over 2 linen threads.

That was the extent of my stitching, but the good news is that my hand held out.  It’s feeling much better now, despite still getting some twinges in it, so resting it had definitely helped.

I’m undecided what to stitch next.

Part of me still wants to stitch Autumn, but I’m also itching to get started on my Christmas stitching and have a pile of charts kitted and ready to go.

19th October 2024 - Finishing Update

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

Vanilla Socks

 

This week has been mostly about finishing my socks and just the tiniest amount of stitching.

First off, I wanted to complete my 2^nd pair Vanilla socks, pattern from Kay Litton on Raverly.  I only the feet and toes left to knit, so I knew they wouldn’t take too long finish.

They were knitted 2 at a time on a 2.50mm circular needle, using West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4 ply in the colourway Wildflower.

I’m so happy with the way they came out and I’ve definitely caught the bug for sock knitting because I’m already looking for more yarn.  I want to do a pair in Christmas colours next I think!

Then it was on to trying a bit of stitching but as I’m still resting my  hand as much as possible and only managed a little new start.

 This is  ‘Smell My Feet’ from La-D-Da and it’s a free chart on her site.

For this, I’ve used a scrap of 28ct Ooak  (Roxy  Floss Co) that was left over from Which Witch and Silky and DMC threads from my thread collection.

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

Chart – Smell My Feet

Designer – La-D-Da

Fabric – 28ct Ooak – Roxy  Floss Co

Threads – Silky (Black) DMC 9Mauve & Green)

Stitched – 1 floss thread over 2 linen threads.

Finishing

 Unfortunately, I think I’ve damaged a tendon in my right hand, meaning, I’ve been unable to stitch for the past week, and it’s been so frustrating because I have so many things I wanted to work on.

I think it happened about two weeks ago when I was trying to undo a tight lid on a bottle of water, because the pain started the day after. At the time, I still managed to stitch a little bit but it gradually got worse as the week went on and I’ve ended up not being able pick things up or grip anything with that hand because of the shooting pains.

Cold compresses, strapping it up and rest are apparently the only things that will heal it, so no stitching for me for a little while, at least.

The small bit of stitching I did manage to get done was to finish my second piece from the Winds of Autumn Book, by Blackbird Designs, 'October 31'.

I was going to finish it the same as in the book but then decided to do it as a flat. I edged it with some beaded trim and attached it to a black metal spiders web with a magnet.

That was it as far as the stitching went, but this morning while fully finishing that piece, I finished and framed three more pieces.

The first was ‘Which Witch’ from La-D-Da.

And  Autumn Dream from Cottage Garden Samplings.

Then it was on to ‘Spell of the Moon’ from Blackbird Designs. 

 I was undecided if I wanted to make it into a small pillow and in the end decided against that.  What I ended up doing was making it into a flat.  I covered the backing board of the frame with a piece of wool fabric, added a strip on black lace and then mounted it onto that……..and there you have it!

Before I gave up on creating completely, I decided to give a little bit of knitting a go, thinking that the knitting needles would be easier on my hand than the sewing needle.  

That didn’t turn out to be the case, but I did manage to get a good start on a pair of socks.

This is my first time trying two at time with magic loop and it’s not going too badly, although I did tangle the yarn a few times.  I’m knitting the ‘Vanilla Socks’ pattern by Kay Litton, using West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4 Ply, in Wildflower (872)

So that’s it!

I’m not expecting to have anything to share with you next week, so until our sewing needles cross paths again,  

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

X

Before I leave you, here's a quick photo of my dresser, all ready for Autumn and Halloween.

Which Witch- La-D-Da

 Ding Dong the Witch is Dead………….well not dead exactly, just finished!

I had hoped to have her completed by the last day of September but things got in the way and she didn’t cross the finishing line until yesterday, but every stitch was a joy.

My only changes were to the date which I altered to the UK format and adding my own initials.

Thank you to Evertote for putting such a great kit together. Everything from the chart to the project bag were just perfect.

This is my second project using the Roxy Floss Co threads and I’m really looking forward to starting my Christmas Countdown on the 1^st December.

I’ve ordered a frame from Picture Frames Express and hopefully that won’t be too long in arriving, but while I’m waiting  I’ve stitched a little bit more on Blackbird Designs, Mighty Acorn.

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

X

Chart – Which Witch?

Designer – La D Da

Fabric – 28ct Linen – Ooak

Dyer – Roxy Floss Co

Floss – Roxy Floss Co – Vampish

Stitched  - 2 floss threads over 2 linen threads