Monday 31 October 2022

Halloween Trick or Treat Blog Hopp 2022

Halloween, yes already, that is not a trick time does fly. And the Treat? Seeing lots of spooky stitches as you hop around.

Pop over to serendipitous Stitching (Click Here) for a full explanation and the starting point if you have not come here from there or another hop participant.

This is my themed stitch for this year, completed on material I coloured myself using T Shirt Dye pens.


it did come with red eyed bats on the original pattern, but I was not fond of the bats (don't mistake me I like bats (proof I like bats) just not the ones on this pattern. Oddly at first glance I thought oh lot of black, yet it felt when stitching it there was more grey than black.

They don't have your letter; your letter is here with a former Halloween Hop star Ollie the Owl and his friend Itsy Bitsy.


In this case they are sewn on white, and I just applied a filter to the picture so it co-ordinated with the cats.

And now you have your letter from me follow this link to the next blog and enjoy your hopping. Oh and it would be nice if you left a comment on each hop as you go.. 

Link to marysthread your next blog


Thursday 27 October 2022

A bit of an experiment

 You may recall my needing some blue Aida and using my fabric dye pens to do that ICE BLUE

I came across a pattern that I quite liked the look of and at first glance thought it was full coverage and I did not feel like doing that much stitching at that time.

Then my BFF who had also taken an interest in the pattern pointed out it was not full coverage but on a specially dyed piece of material.

That set me thinking, and some more experimenting followed.


This is the Aida with the dye pens colouring it in but not ironed to fix the colour.

Then soaked in water to let the colours run and blend, softening the edges. 


Thak helped and it looked a little better. It certainly made the Aida soft. 

The thing I still find funny is how differently it looks as I start to sew and in contrast to the stitching.


you would think I had added a lot more colour here, but then the next stage, still just with the black is looking lighter again.


I think if the head of the right cat had been more "there" at this point I might have decided to stop there I rather liked that effect. But if you look at my Halloween post for this year you will see I just kept going.

Wednesday 26 October 2022

BFF QAL , tha'ts new

 I like the name my BFF has given to our shared sewing experience of tonight, a Quilt along.

Took a little while to get in a comfortable position for quilting as the Skype space is not my usual quilting space.

Managed it eventually and worked on the Dresden plate block in my sampler quilt. I completed the blue floral section which was quite good going. There were a few knots to detangle, but they all cooperated and came out.


It might become something we do more of, the QAL as we did both enjoy it. It does need a bit of forward planning as moving the hoop can be a bit tricky and needs more floor space that our Skype spaces. We therefore we need to be in a position of having just moved the hoop and with enough to sew for the night without moving it again.

We did not discuss next week as yet but I expect we will be back to the cross stitch.

Pop on over to my BFF's blog to see what was in her extra-large hoop this evening CLICK HERE

Sunday 23 October 2022

Sunday Stitchings almost done

 on this pattern.

I am not normally much fussed with "word" patterns, but I have rather enjoyed this one, and I can see that the words and the grey squiggles on this one would leave nice spaces for different additions to those on the pattern and alternate colour ways.




Two colours as a little bit of backstitching to go, I may need to take a new start piece as well as this one next week.


Wednesday 19 October 2022

Ohps I did it again!

 What you may ask well have I done again, not read the pattern in a kit properly until I was questioning the amount of thread supplied. The first time was yellow thread the second time it was turquoise, and I decided to just go with it both times.

In this instance it is the grey the white, the pink and both shades of teal and I have not noticed until I started the backside foremost bit and realised, I would run out of white. Oddly I think I would have enough of the other colours.

At first, I thought the mistake in counting strands was just in relation to those backside foremost bits and I was happy enough to leave the sections done soe far as the leading edge with the thought that being a bit heavier and getting lighter to the tips through the more obviously feathered bits would work.  So I started with the full stitches in one strand on the wing and although it was a tad annoying, the thread slips out of the needle the appearance was OK, thin but OK.

It is about the point it dawned on me it should have been single strand for the gown as well.

Hmm, actually looking at the coverage in the wings on the single strand I am glad I messed up on the gown and used double.


Regardless of the decision that two was good for the bit done I feel that this project and I need a bit of a time out. My BFF is going to give me that and next week we are going to have a quilting week.

CLICK HERE to see how my BFF is doing 

 

Saturday 15 October 2022

Spoons

 Baking competition at Church and spoons for the prizes so back out with the pyrography tool.

Which was fun.


almost as much fun as eating the cakes.

Wednesday 12 October 2022

BFF SAL Ood in a wig?

 On to the yellow and I was half expecting to wave farewell to the Ood. But it still lingers, wearing a wig but still there in spirit.

And the on to the back side foremost stitching. This could be interesting.


I noticed when I took the picture, I have a few white stitches on the bottom left still to do. First job next week there.

CLICK HERE to see how my BFF is doing on her on a theme stitch.

Sunday 9 October 2022

Sunday Stitching's a new start and progress

 Now I started this two Sundays ago and forgot to post it. Another cover kit from awhile back.



I expect you can guess the theme here even with the little bit done, and if you can't well todays progress will leave you in no doubt.


even if there are a few stitches to complete the greeting. 


Wednesday 5 October 2022

BFF SAL 10 all change?

 erm no, not even all white, although white is all I have stitched it is not all done there is still more to go.


But that is alright, I think I needed the restfulness of the white filling even more this week than last.

I may even be disappointed next week when the white is done, and I have to think as I stitch.

My BFF had a less soothing stitch CLICK HERE to pop over and see her update.