BFF Sal A Baker's Dozen

 we thought it would be fun to do a SAL here that reflected the number we have reached. And most serendipitously Durene  Jones brought out a Friday Freebie that fit the bill (well almost there does need to be a bit of modifying, which you will see as we go along). The fist set of amendments required counting, and we may have counted slightly differently to each other and the pattern. That's fine unique it is!

I am using the natural shade of 14 count Aida available from Home Bargins, it looks lighter in this picture than it did as I was working on it.

I am dipping into my box of randoms for the thread. The blues here are from a card that states it is for Derwent Water Designs (DMC) Pine Tree Bay. I mentioned this to my BFF and ? where it came from, had I bought it in a bag of oddments from a charity shop.

My BFF said it sounded familiar, looked it up and said she had sewn it some time ago and we deem she must have given it to me!

She may blog that stitch at some point..

Back to the SAL and CLICK HERE to see how my BFF's take on this is looking.

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Felted cat

 I did decide to add the other shade of grey to the cat, and the eyes which were creepy.

I added the ball of wool and then went back to the eyes, and well tweaked things here and there a bit.

It looks a bit less creepy I think

Bit sad but the best view is this one from the back.

Been interesting.

I started..a Cat

 Another felting kit and I have gone to start it and then not several times. This afternoon I made a start and got further than I had anticipated.

Not finished yet, needs eyes and whiskers and 

a little character in that tail., and the paws need work and whatever else I feel like when I come back to it.

It is supposed to have a darker grey stripe  but not sure if that it going to be added or not.

This the kit picture

This was still fun getting this far even if it has not produced the exclamation marks of joy the bunny did. But then this was a little less magical just because I had tried it before.

Sunday Stitchings

 Some new shades in place .

and the middle of this becomes clearer. 

Still noe got around to colour matching for the missing greens.

BFF SAL 12 Time to rest

 Cat is all done, well the stitching that is, there were only the whiskers left to do.

It is not quite the finishing touch. We have a thought about the finish which needs more thought so we are leaving this project until that thought crystalises for both of us, each in our own same but different way.

CLICK HERE to see how her backstitching and be-whiskering went.

Just a reminder of the book the cat came from.

So whilst Roni worked on her backstitching I had a little dig through the collection of cover kits or charity shop purchases. It was fun seeing what I had checking foe duplicates with Roni (stitched or otherwise by each of us)

One a little 75p charity shop purchase (from the beginning of this year) was whispering open me. So I did.

Oh, this one has been started. And stopped mid backstitch (on a backstitch as you go basis) with the thread in the needle and the needle in the middle of the stitching. Now I do leave needles in projects but on the edge outside the design area.  I went to take it out and it was not cooperating. Sadly it has been there long enough for the needle to rust and stick. A bit of back and forth tugging and it came free. And off to the bin it went.

After a look at the pattern and the picture I think I see the problem, a mix up in the grey to use for the roof tiles meant the previous sewer had run out. at first I thought I would just frame off the sheep and use it that way. But well there was still sal time so I thought I would finish it off.

I completed the backstitch and outlines the roof so I could just fill it without counting. I used a lighter blend and then white to give a snow effect (and our online session came to an end) added a little white under the sheep  to even out the snow effect. Popped in the red window frames  and was all finished before the Sewing Bee came to an end. 

It came with a little aperture card and envelope so I know how it is getting finished and I guess it will be a Christmas card.

Sunday stitchings

 well sort of, I did this little bit after the meeting while contemplating the meeting itself. Why well we are a small branch so we are always pleased to have visitors ( last week we had some film makers from Utah, not to film us they were just in the area) this week it was Elder Suarez, of the quorum of the Twelve, and Apostle of the Lord a Witness of Christ. He like the film makers was not with us on official assignment to visit us, it was a surprise stop whilst he, his wife and friends are having a little look around England.

We were fortunate to have them with us this Fast Sunday and to hear their testimonies , anyway if none of that means much to you and you are curious then click here for a link to a church page with much more information.

So here is todays progress, still missing that last little bit of green!

I may have to colour match if I don't find the lost bits soon. 

BFF Looking the cats whiskers

 without having any whiskers yet.

The black backstitch has made a lot of difference, it went in very smoothly and quickly. I just have the whiskers to go.

Which will wait for next week, the rest of the time will be contemplating the finish for this and maybe what comes next.

CLICK HERE to pop over to my BFF's blog for an update on her cat.

Sunday Stitchings

 and where has the green gone? I am sure I had a strand each of dark and light green left, enough to do the last bit of each, and as you can see that's not a lot.

But there is no green in the little project bag? 

So till I find it, or indeed as random thread sometimes does, it finds me on to the red and orange.

wish me luck with the green.

BFF SAL 12 Are we sitting comfortably?

 well almost, the cushion is growing (even if at the moment it looks more like grass close up)  and a the backstitching is going to make so much difference.

We did talk about what next, and I did think perhaps another design from the World of Cross Stitching (we have both subscribed/subscribe) with a new to us stitch to try. But checking afterwards it was not in the gold zone of our magazine ownership. 

 So that idea has been abandoned. A bit more thought an we may end up with a new twist on our BFF theme of Same but Different.

However, until the last stitch is sewn in this project nothing is quite set.

If you have not visited her directly pop on over to my BFF's blog  Click here to see how she is progressing.

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Two peas in a Pod

 

That's what my work friend said about the way our minds operate when trying to sort through work related issues. Or how we react to words and phrases and how much we like a nice cup of hot chocolate (different brands but still) even if we have never shared one in person given our team, developed mid CV19 is geographically all over the place.

That in person cup of hot chocolate has become even more unlikely as Other Pea has happily been promoted but sadly that has required a change of team. Whilst we still have tech to keep in touch I made this little card for her ( the peas in pod fit just nice into this aperture card which is just a perfect size to use as a bookmark should she wish) to giver her a smile or two should she need it in her new job.

I modified a little stamp I have, covering one of the words (literally the word one) so it would not pick up any ink, allowing me to replace it with a word more appropriate to the image on the front of the card.

I had not though of trying that before. And having that thought I also covered the heart, then after the green had been applied removed it and inked the heart in red. It worked reasonably well and is now something I might apply to other stamps in future.

Oh the Peas in pod design comes from Cross-Stich Designs for the Young at Heart published by Sterling Publishing  (ISBN 0-8069-7188-6) although the original had a third very small pea which I have omitted and there were no laughing faces in the original I added them as my friend and I laughing at the same thing, well that was part of the pea vibe.

I can share it today as it has safely reached her in the post.