Day 7 of Alzheimer's Research UK challenge

 and all ready for day 8 backstitching.

I am rather late posting and yup its going to show up as the early hours of day 8.

I started the morning of the 7th and got the cross stitching done on my additional project.

 

Has anyone recognised it ? Its not that easy as there are issues which I will explain in detail once it is all done.

Made progress on kit number four. 

Then put it aside to do "stuff" with the intention of picking it up during BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. Which I did, I stitch during everything but the dancing.

Then I forgot about posting! 
 

Day six and a Fantastic Finish a start and a continuation

 firstly the finish of Fantastic Fox, a cross stich based on Lee Holland's illustration and converted to cross stitch by Fiona Baker and in this instance stitched by me!

This shaped frame works much better than the one for the cat and might get used. As I am not sure you can tell from this picture where the gold blending filament is...here is a close up.

yup in the butterfly wings.

so six days, three kits completed 

 

kit number four started and a little update on the other stitch which had a few stitches added today.

I had not made the kit selection on the basis of which could easily have some gold added, but as the thought has now occurred to me as you may have noticed I will see if I can add a bit of sparkle to each challenge project.

Remember, remember the 5th of November

 to stitch for day 5 of the Alzheimer's Research UK crafting challenge. CLICK HERE for details of the challenge and links to the donations options. It all makes a difference. 

The kit project is ready to backstitch.

some progress on the other project, including adding a bit of the gold filament. It is overpowering the subtle tones at the moment but I think that it will be OK once the magic backstitch happens.

 

I hope to see you here again tomorrow, there may be reduced progress and or a late posting as I am going to be a Lady wot Lunches with my BFF tomorrow.

Fourth of November and Day Four of

 the Alzheimer's Research UK crafting challenge which I am approaching with cross stitch.

I did a bit more on the new kit after yesterdays update so this was todays starting point. 

this was already stitching up fast and the outlining with the darker orange made filling in with the lighter shade a lot of fun.

I had reached the blue half stitching just before the BFF SAL session with my friend and the pause to backstitch that project. The I went back to blue half stitches and reached this point at the end of that session.

 

The blue is not that easy to see but it is leaving space for some further cross stitching, this is going to be another pattern where the backstitching makes all the difference. It has been a very productive day four.

oh and the other project, it has had some added stitching post BFF session, and I may have got a bit carried away with doing that and lost track of time, hence a rather late update.  Just before that picture a reminder that if you want to support the charity links for making donations can be found by choosing the Donation Link  label at the bottom of this page.

BFF SAL 26 a stitching finish

 cross stitching finished last week, this week for the back stitch in two shades. 

Black and cream and cat all done

I did wonder with the cat being less busy ( we left off additional leaves and stuff  at the top of the pattern) if the busy shaped frame that came in the kit would be OK afterall.

An audition of the frame and 

Nope, I don't like them together the curve of the frame does not echo the shape of the cross stitch sufficiently for my taste. I expect I will find something I do like for that frame at some point as it is nice, just not with the cat.

I am giving this a separate post to the challenge update because it is a thing of its own.

I did use some of this evenings session on the current challenge kit, I will let Roni explain that perhaps.

We did settle on what we would be starting next session. 

Click HERE to pop to my BFF's blog for her update.

Third of November, Day three and a start and finish and a start

First kit as finished as it is going to be for now I dipped back into the bag for the next kit.  A small kit from Cross Stitcher that I am quite sure I bought in a charity shop. Probably for 50p. Crafting stuff for 50p is pretty much irresistible.

I have had it for some time and I think it was an older kit to start with because a) it came with a needle and recent ones don't to help keep costs down I expect and b) it did not come with a pattern, recent ones have the pattern in the kit and in the magazine, older ones just in the magazine.

Lack of pattern not that much of an issue as there is a picture and it is geometric.

It is for a pin cushion so also came with a bit of material and a lot less wadding that I consider to be required for a pin cushion.  The Aida is 18 count, so smaller than the last project.

Made a start and recalled there is a progress chart in with my charity pack. Which acts as s reminder this challenge is to raise both awareness of and hopefully funds for Alzheimer's Research UK. 

first two colours in and a touch of orange 

Three colours in and so far following the picture 

That would not last. As I added the next colour I started thinking about changes. Leaving off some elements and adding others. Well adding a bit of gold blending filament ( I have a little bit of that to use up) as I had managed a couple of stitches with it in the heart in the first project.

I quite like how it turned out, I have not as yet finished it into a pin cushion, I might not do that at all, perhaps it might become a scissor keeper or I could do it again and make it a  biscornue

you can see how I changed the pattern  in this picture.

So onto the next one which I expect will span the rest of day three sewing time and into day four and possibly day five as part of four will be BFF SAL and backstitching a cat.

If you want to make a donation at this point then you can do so via the links on the First Day Post any amount is appreciated. 

2 November, day two

 of the challenge. 

I did do a little bit more on each project yesterday so my starting points were

and

today I focused on the kit, initially I was not all that keen on this and was just stitching it out of my stash. However, as things progressed I started to like the flower edging.

it was even better as the backstitching went on 

Now this is where I am stopping with this, The original had words in the middle and came with a pink hoop to frame it. I am going to leave it like this and at some point in the future it may get something in the middle, perhaps it will be on hand should I need a wedding sampler or something of that sort.

So then I still had a bit of time, you will see I am posting this a bit later today so some light brown stitches in the linen project.  

Links to the donation pages can be found under the donations label at the bottom of the page. I won't be adding to every post just occasional ones as I go.

1st of November and the sew every day for Alzheimer's Research UK begins

 Wow that was a long heading.  Back in October I posted about signing up for this challenge and noted that I would be doing the sew option and most probably little kits. I grabbed myself a little bag and filled it up with none BFF SAL appropriate kits.  I did add something a bit larger just in case I felt the need. 

And then I waited to begin. Waiting time is dangerous, it allows Deborization of my original simple plan.

So I began thinking that perhaps I would double up on the stitching. Work on both a series of small kits and on something bigger that might take the whole month, or perhaps even longer.

The challenge project bag arrived and those collected kits were moved to it. And more waiting which today is over.

This is the cover kit started today. It is going quite well so far.

This is the other project I started before the challenge got underway and which is going to get worked on as well as the desire hits. it has an issue due to the material choice but I am persisting curious as to how it is going to turn out. The blue part filled in very quickly compared to the white and grey sections.

And together with the bag from the challenge.

And as for a larger project , not just yet. I might well do some more on both of theses this evening but I did not want to wait too late to post todays update. 

Here is a reminder of the options for donating if you would like to

Via Just Giving 

Via Alzheimer's Research UK page

or via Facebook

Thank you for popping by, I hope to see you here again tomorrow.

Half BFF SAL 26 and half RAL

 As my BFF notes HERE she was unable to utilize her dispensation for off screen catch up stitching. She did let me know in time before our stitching session that was the case and therefore I would need something to work on until she was in a position to backstitch the SAL.

As per my previous post I did have something I could be working on.

This is as far as I got by the end of the joint online session.

Some progress since I last shared a picture of it,  but not all tonight, I had added the inner pale gold, green and mauve before tonight's hour and three quarters. There is also also some unpicking of that innermost white bit as it was a stitch out which adding the grey clarified.

Of course the good part is its a RAL so no dispensation required to keep going after the sessions end and every reason to get it to a better stopping point.

Well one stitch lead to another as these things do and I got my white fixed plus a bit.

I wonder if the subtle colours give a clue to the designer? 

The link to my BFF's blog is at the top this week just in case you missed it.

and a link to a different version of the musical clue.

A discovery, a change and a start

 I found my shinny thread, the thread I was waiting on to start a new project intended for my wooden thread box top that was the alternant after I got the size wrong so the castles and Wyverns did not fit.

It was exactly where I thought it was and had looked there twice already, but not in the floral paper bag it used to be, it was in a white plastic one!

Now I needed red and two shades of blue. The red was there but there was not the right shades of blue.  And I realised I was not that disappointed?  Oh, take another look at the pattern and decide I don't feel like doing that anymore.

Put away in my main storage bag all the threads pulled for that and then?

Get out threads for something completely different, had this free pattern for an age, not that sure I even wanted to do it but it was free.

So making a start now, it probably won't be finished before the 1st of November so I may just include it in to the stitching options for the challenge.

Progress so far stitching with one strand over two on linen 

Not much to show so far, would you like a clue?

Sunday Stitchings 25.10.2026

 Forty nine stitches in white, on most other projects that would be an average sort of stitching session.

On this area of this project it is a very satisfying amount and feels like real progress.

There are still a lot of stitches to go even if this is a very small space on the pattern, however I feel a bit more hopeful about getting this bit done now.

And a suitable Forestella link 

A little closer

to the Alzheimer's Research UK fundraising challenge  for November.

My project bag and progress chart have arrived. 

I have pictured it with my initial choices of kits to sew during November, Not sure if I will get them all done or if I might need to add to it.  It can be hard to tell how fast something will stitch up. And whilst I am sure I can manage to sew something every day some days may get more time than others. 

CLICK HERE  for a reminder of what I will be doing and why and links to the face book and Just Giving pages if you want to make a donation before the start date. 

I will be posting updates each day both here, on the Charity Facebook page , and on the Just Giving Page.  If you are able and want to donate please note that the Facebook link will apparently show all donations including those made via Just Giving, but the Just giving will only show donations made there, so there will be a difference on the totals between the two.

BFF SAL 26 feeling very Autumnal

 the nights are arriving sooner, it is no longer an option to sew with the light from the window the light needs to be on.

Its not far away now turning the clocks back an hour for daylight saving. 

Some things even though they happen every year still come as a sad surprise. Ah and I wish we could turn the clock back at times.

So new shades that will be, once the backstitch is added, fallen leaves. I was noticing little drifts of them on my walk today. 

I did contemplate changing the green from the eyes, I find it a little neon and strange. I was however feeling lazy and could just not be bothered to look for something else so the kit shade they remain.

We should have the backstitching done next week and be ready to start BFF SAL 27 if not next week then the week after and it will get to be one of the stitches for my fundraising endeavour in November.

To see my BFF's progress click here .

Gifted Gorgeousness October 2026

 I had these things back in July and in September but as noted stuff happened.

So firstly retirement gift from my former boss's daughter.

some wool for felting, not feeling the felting at the moment but this might get me back in the grove.

Then  the gift for having a letter make Star Letter in the WOX

A fox kit and a printed  piece of Aida. I have thoughts about that but I need to check the size and the recommended thread count. 

Now regular visitors will know that the 15th of the month GG posts were started by Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching. She has had to pause some of her regular link ups and hops. However, a few are keeping up the traditions as we can. So Click Here to pop to another blog trying, and so far managing better than I, to keep posting GG on 15th.

BFF SAL 26, Shades of grey.

 It was time for the second shade of grey, started with the left ear. 

But it looked wrong to me, too close to the shade already used.

It looked different on the card but not the cat.

So I changed it, to an Anchor thread that was in reach.

Finished the grey and therefore the cat. Started on the next shade.

It was a nice steady normality that was much appreciated today. Small anniversaries of  things, a week, a month are by their nature odd. It will get less so over time I expect, the anniversaries will become counted in larger chunks, years, decades, time moves at a strange pace all of its own.

Anyway my BFF had a somewhat frustrating night however, the rules of the SAL allows for off camera stitching to put a project back into the position it would have been had a mistake not happened.

CLICK HERE to see her update for this evening.

BFF SAL 26

 and as the black was all completed last time it was onto the dark grey.  I started at the top, got so far and my stitching was suddenly wearing a balaclava!

Roni agreed and felt I should take a picture before further sewing removed the effect. So here it is.

I did manage to finish all of the  dark grey and it is certainly looking like , well you can see what it is now and the balaclava effect is much diminished.

Pop over to my BFF's blog..CLICK HERE to see her progress.

A little tweak to

a previous finish. Scotty dog key ring . Whilst still looking for my missing thread I came across some little charms and felt inspired to think again about a dog collar for the Scotty dog.

I had some chain, and jewellery plyers and this is the result.

Doggy has a bone. Still not sure what will happen to him but quite pleased with my modification.

General Conference stitching

 replaces what would have been my Sunday Stitching restart of sorts.

It was slow going, and I was feeling a bit down about it, but plodded away and managed to finally finish  The Earth.

Just that comet to complete and the middle section will be done. Just the vines and lettering in the top and bottom banners and the backstitch to do then. LOL Just! Thats almost funny.

One think into another

 the simple small project that had an unexpected link to a new album release generated contemplation about making that link a lot closer.

That resulted in the realisation the small size would not allow for the style of the lettering in cross stitch and backstitch.  Did that put an end to matters?

No, of course it did not. I got the album title to a suitable size, transferred it to the Aida using  an iron transfer pencil in a pink shade and then embroidered it on. Mostly stem stitch with a little satin stitch and a few French Knots. Oh I finished off the stamens on the flower first.

I would like to say that I intentionally positioned the album title so it became steam rising from the spout of the tea pot however, any positioning with that result was subconscious.  I only realised when I was half way through stitching it! 

There is a nice space to do so under the cup. His name is Romanised on the other images I have seen, which might make it easier to do as cross stitch perhaps. Then again perhaps not as there are no circles to navigate in his name in Hangul.

I still have a little bit of time to decide before the album is officially released. 

Adding this link as I was listening to it whilst  drafting this blog, and it is of the artist concerned.

I have the album on pre order  via Amazon. Used them this time as  I had  some vouchers for there from signing up to the Bing/ Microsoft reward scheme which generates points as you complete searches and daily tasks like doing a quiz or  a picture search.  How fast the points build up depends on how much you use the search bar. 

You can do a search on it to see if it is OK for you.

I am attaching a link which would refer you to it. I note that if you use the link for joining up I get  one point each time you get three for a search.  That would be nice, if you do thank you.

Oh you are not limited to Amazon, there are lots of different options with lots of different redemption points, or you can donate your points to a charity,

So here is the link.  microsoft, bing rewards link

Here is an update, album arrived, and it was in part paid for  with Amazon vouchers from the reward scheme noted above.

It comes in a blue tin, and the CD is decorated to look like a strawberry cake.

underneath, a poster, photo cards, a photo booklet , a slide style photo and a napkin / bandana.