Advent Calendar Wall Hanging

This week I have another finish to share with you all……….. I’m extremely happy to report that I’ve finally finished the Advent Calendar Wall Hanging that I started working on in  July of last year. 

All the little pillows had been stitched and I was only left with the quilted backing to make but I run out of time before the start of December .  Luckily I hadn’t promised it to anyone, so with no great rush to get it finished I put it in a cupboard and forgot about it……..actually that’s not quite true……. I hadn’t forgotten, it was more like avoiding having to finish it,  because I’m useless at machining. 

But not wanting to have all those little pillows hanging around for yet another year, I finally dusted off the sewing machine and got it done.

True to form, I couldn’t sew a straight line and the top Right-hand corner is narrower than the other side but over all I’m pleased with the way it turned out, especially as it's the first time I'm attempted to sew anything like this.

As I mentioned before, I didn’t have anyone to give the wall hanging to, I  only made it because I loved the look of it when I saw it in the magazine.

After giving it some thought though I wondered if  Haven House,  our local children's hospice might like it, so I gave them a quick call and yesterday afternoon I took it to its new home…….in good time for the start of December!

Hopefully the kiddies will have fun turning the cushions over and seeing what’s on the other side.

 

 

 

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven – Final Update (Thank heavens I hear you say, Lol!)

15^th November  2013

Yah, Wings of Heaven is finally finished and in her frame!

 

I have to say, I’m really pleased that I made the colour change.

This is my effort

 

And this was the original one by Joan Elliott which is equally beautiful but I still prefer my colour combo.

 

So the challenge turned out to be 23 evenings Cross Stitching and 3 evenings backstitching and sewing beads and that all equates to somewhere  around 108 hours working on her.

Here's some of the detail

 

My next job is to finish the advent calendar that I started last year. 

 

The cross stitching is all done and the little cushions made up, I just need to be brave and dust off the sewing machine to stitch the back quilt and then contact the local children’s hospice to see if they would like it.

Fingers and legs are crossed that mine ends up looking a lovely as the one in the picture from the magazine.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Update - Joan Elliott herself has left me this lovely message on her blog, how wonderful.

Oh Sue I love her on blue with the blue ribbon! Well done indeed and such a treat to see her growing on your blog X Joan

Wings of Heaven (21, 22 & 23)

6^th November  2013

 I’m sure you’ll be pleased to hear that this will be my last update on Wings of Heaven for a while.

I finally finished all the actual cross stitch on evening 23, which was just 3 days passed my target.

Day 21

I filled in the rest of her wing and made a start on the shoulder of her cloak.

Day 22

I finished off her cloak, hair and halo.

Day 23

I stitched all the stars on the background and also filled in a few odd stitches here and there that were left when I run out of threads at the weekend.

Now I only have to do the backstitching, which I also made a start on last night and of course all the tiny Mill Hill beads need to be sewn on, so my next update will be her grand unveiling because I have a feeling this is going to take a while! 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven (19 & 20)

3^rd November  2013

Well, it’s pretty obvious that my target of 20 evenings to finish this project was a little optimistic, but to be fair it was a bit of a shot in the dark.   I hadn’t taken into account the amount of back stitching and all the beading that needs to be done but stitching wise, I wasn’t far off, as you’ll see in the photo of Saturday evenings progress.

This one is evening 19

 

And here’s where I was on the 20^th evening of stitching.

 

 

I’ve also managed to finish the two hearts for the Kids Company's   Heart Yard project.    this week.

The larger one is going to be made into a cushion and the smaller one with the bird on is to go on a card.

I just need to get them in the post and on their way to Switzerland now, where Nicki will make them up. 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven (18)

31st October 2013

I really was hoping (and trying very hard) to get this finished in the 20 evenings I’d set myself when I first started this, but it’s looking more and more like I won’t make it.

The night before last I hit a little problem and run out of one of the threads I was using and a couple of the others are looking as if there won’t be enough to finish the project. 

So yesterday I decided to make the 30 minute trip to Hobbycraft (my nearest thread supplier) to stock up on the ones I might need more of and of course the one I'd completley run out of, but much to my disappointment they were out of stock of some of them and now I’ve had to order them on line....should have done that in the first place.

I've no idea how long they will take to arrive but at least I was able to continue stitching in other places on the project.

This is where I left her last night.

 As it’s Halloween, I’m out on my broomstick this evening……..I’m actually going out for a home cooked meal with some friends, so there’ll be no stitching this evening.

I’ll be back with my next update on Saturday, after my Friday night fix.

Happy Stitching!

Sue
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Wings of Heaven (17)

29th October 2013

There was no progress on this over the weekend because I was battling the half term traffic and high winds to visit my auntie who lives down in Dorset.  I had completely forgotten that it was half term when my cousin and I decided to go down and what usually takes us about 2 ½ hours to get there, took 5 and 4 coming home, still, it was worth it to see my aunt.

I was back to the stitching last night and made a fair bit of progress, almost completing the lower part of her dress and the ribbons.

Tomorrow I need to go to Hobbycraft and pick up a couple of skeins of thread because I’m running low and I’m not sure there’s enough left to complete the project………..wonder what else might fall into my basket, Lol!

Anyway, that’s it for today’s little update, see you tomorrow.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven (16)

24rd October 2013

Evening 16 and her 1^st wing is complete. 

 

I think I'm still on track to finish all the stitching within the 20 evenings that I set myself but I think all the beading may take a little bit longer................... I hadn't realised there were so many of this design.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven (15)

23rd October 2013

The marathon still continues………I’m on evening 15 now and at last you can see that she’s an Angel because I’ve started on her wings.

I’m not only pleased with the way she’s looking but also extremely happy that I have confirmation in actual stitching that she fits on the fabric……what a relief that was

I also managed to do a little bit more to the heart I’m stitching for the Heart Yard Project. 

 

I hope to have this finished and ready to send to Nicki next week.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven 14

21st October 2013
 

I almost had a panic attack last night when I picked up my stitching. 

For one fleeting minute I thought I had started the project off centre and that I wasn’t going to have enough fabric at the top to finish her off.

Fortunately I quickly remembered that there was no waistline to the dress and that I was about to start on her head, so crisis over.

I ended up making good progress, compensating for the minute amount of stitching I did on Friday and complete lack of any at all on Saturday.

 

As you can see, she now has a hand and some nice leaves to carry.

Happy Stitching!

Sue
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Wings of Heaven Update 13

18^th October 2013

 

Friday evening was the 13th I'd been stitching for but wasn't very much progress made.

 

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven Update 12

17^th October 2013 

I’ve been stitching for twelve evenings now and I’m still going strong.

 

I also made a start on another panel for the Kids Company  Heart Yard project.

The chart is a Ria Lanser heart, the same designer that did the calendar panels that I’m stitching and I love the simplicity of her work.

This one will be for a cushion and the request was for Red and Turquoise, so I think it will have a  'Cath Kidston' look to it when it's done, and then I need to stitch a smaller heart  for a card to go with it.  

I have to say....It's nice to have something different to stitch in between stitching the Angel!

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven (11)

16^th October 2013 

So here I am after  evening 11 of stitching Wings of Heaven.

I’ve completely finished the lower half of her but still need to add the snowflakes which I will do when she’s finished, so now I’m working on the upper part of the chart….part 5 of 8.

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

Wings of Heaven - Joan Elliott

15^th October 2013

So, here we are at day 10 and I’m very nearly half way, just the ribbon to do.

 

Looks like I’m on track for my 20 evenings stitching prediction, but it’s going to be close I think.

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Travelling Chart & Wings of Heaven Update

14^th October 2013

Sadly I’ve still had no response from Denise about the travelling chart so yesterday I picked another name from the list. 

This time it’s definitely on the move because I’ve heard back from Kate   over at the Flying Needle Blog and the chart is  already on its way to Brisbane, Australia.

Wings of Heaven is still coming along nicely, although despite the  promise to myself that I would stitch on it every evening until it is finished, I didn’t quite manage it.

I didn’t pick it up at all on Friday because I was just too tied after spending the day walking around the Knit and Stitch Show at Alexandra Palace. 

It was the first time I’d been to a stitch show for around 30 years and I love all the exhibits from the  ‘guilds’ ….most inspiring I must say.  I think it also awoke a deep seated yearning to have a go at bobbin lace again sometime in the future.  Stash wise I was very restrained and only came home three fat quarters of evenweave in vintage colours, ready the samplers I have planned.

 

Anyway, back the Angel……

I did a little better on Saturday evening……hopefully making up for the missed evening of Friday. 

Day 8

 

Sunday evening was productive too and I’m now on the last part of the bottom half of her, if that makes sense. 

When I work on a largish chart I like to divide it into eight and I’m on the 4^th of eight.

 

Day  9

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven - Days 6 & 7

10^th October 2013

I didn't manage my blog update yesterday so I’ve two day progress to show you this morning.

This is how it was looking after my Tuesday evening stitch-a-thon 


and here it is after last nights effort.

As you can see, the folds of her dress are taking shape nicely and you can see clearly where all the tiny Mill Hill beads need to be sewn when all the cross stitching is finished. ……..I hadn’t realised there were quite so many!

As yet, Denise, over at  the  Country Stitcher blog still hasn't  been in touch regarding her being the next recipient of the travelling chart despite the message that I left on her blog.

I’ll give it a day or two more and leave another message in the hope she sees it but if she’ll still not come back to me by Monday I’ll pick someone else to send it to, because I don’t want to hold it up from its travels for too long.

 

So that's it for another day, I'll be back tomorrow with yet another progress report but in the mean time.............

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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The ‘Traveling Chart’ is on the move again

8^th October 2013

The beautiful Little House Needlework’s  ‘Summer Splendor’ chart

is about to be off on it’s travels again because this morning, with the help of a random number generator, I picked the next stitcher to receive the chart.

I had 15 comments, 2 had already stitched it and 1 didn't have an active blog, so 12 went in the drawing and the  winner was........

 

 Lucky No. 7

So Denise, ( Country Stitcher )   

 

get that needle and threads at the ready because the chart will be winging its way to South Dakota in the United States next.

I know you’re going to have fun stitching it, so if you Email Me  with your details I’ll get the chart in the post to you as soon as possible.

 

Before I leave you, here’s my progress after day five of stitching  Wings of Heaven.

  I think that stitching five days in a row is a first for me but I’m determined to stitch every day until this project is finished.

So far it's taken me 5 evenings to stitch a quarter of the chart, so I estimate that the whole project should take about 20 in all, so we'll see.

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven (4) – Joan Elliott

7^th October 2013

So here I am at day four of working on this latest project and I’ve almost finished the first quarter of the chart.

 

Don’t forget to check by tomorrow as I’ll be picking the lucky next recipient of the travelling chart.

Thanks for stopping by and ……….

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven (3) – Joan Elliott

6^th October 2013

Day 3

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven (2) – Joan Elliott

5^th October 2013

I managed to get in about three hours of stitching last night while sat in front of the TV catching up on the last series of Homeland before the new one starts this week.

Day 2

Progress was good and you can now see the folds of the cloak emerging.

All the little Blue dots are where the Mill Hill beads will be sewn when the stitching is finished.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Wings of Heaven – Joan Elliott

 4th October 2013

 

I had been looking for an angel to stitch for a friend of mine for some time and when I came across ‘Wings of Heaven’ (sometimes referred to as Angle in White) designed  by  Joan Elliott, I knew I had found the perfect project.

She’s actually a Christmas Angel but as I wanted to stitch her to go in my friends bedroom, I’ve changed some of the threads to shades of Blue, Silver Metallic instead of Gold and the Aida to dark Blue, so she will fit in with her colour scheme.


I  made a start on her last night and thought it would be fun to take a picture of my progress each night after I finish stitching,  to chart my progress……..can’t see me doing it for every project but I thought it would be fun to do for this one.

Not only that, I’ll be able to count up how many days at the end that I worked on it, so without further ado, here’s my first evenings progress.

 

Day 1

At some point I’m going to have to give some thought to the holly that she’s carrying, as mine is no longer a Christmas Angel.

I’ve already brought Blue Mill Hill beads but I’m not sure how they will look with the Holly leaves, so I may need to change that part in some way, I’m not sure yet.

Happy Stitching!

Sue
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