Stitch one, knit one

Liebster Award

2012-03-26T18:47:00.002+01:00

Well - I feel like a bit of a cheat to be honest being awarded this - but my sister awarded it to me to try and encourage me back to my blog - the least I can do is give it a go right! So an explanation about what its all about below (copied from Nicola's blog)

Liebster is a German word meaning favourite, dearest or beloved. The Liebster Blog Award is awarded by bloggers to other new bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers, to help spread the word about their blogs and to help them gain wider recognition.

The Liebster award comes with four conditions that each receipient must satisfy when accepting.

Choose 5 up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers to award the Liebster to.
Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their sites. Leave comments on their blogs so they know about the award.
Share 5 random facts about yourself that people don't know about you.

Sorry - unable to choose 5 blogs to nominate - the blogs I get round to are all such a good read, and it would take me all of my stitching time to choose five of them!

A massive thanks to Nicola from obsessivecrossstitcher for nominating me!!

Random facts about myself.......

1. I have a degree in Environmental Health although do not use it as work in a hospital (possibly two facts there)

2. I struggle to follow a recipe when cooking as like to change ingredients - and can never get it right

3. I don't like to waste time so try and fill every minute doing something, reading, knitting, sewing etc

4. I love going to the theatre although don't go often enough

5. Tea is my favourite drink

So there you have it!

I hope I have done this right!

And just to finish I'd like to share a finish I had whilst I was taking a break from blogging -

Little Meg

Linda Ravenscroft

Copyright HAED

stitched 2 over 1 25 count evenweave tent stitch.

Happy crafting everyone!

March Hare

2011-06-29T09:58:00.000+01:00

I seem to have lost my stitching bug and haven't done any stitching for ages now, hence why no blog update.
I been doing some knitting though and managed to get a finish (as well as about 15 new starts - really must start finishing things before I start new projects!)

And here he is......Alan Dart's March Hare

This is the rear view - I just love his tail!

A friend gave me the magazine as she knew I loved these patterns so I promised that I'd make him for her. Anyway, she's been off sick from work so I decided that I should get him finished and sent to her to cheer her up - well I think it worked as she loved him!

His head isn't quite right on this photo as I hadn't stuffed his neck enough, but I re-stuffed it before giving him away and he looked super!

I really want to find my stiching bug and some energy too as I seem to be so tired all the time just now.

I have started Ice Wind the latest HAED SAL, but not enough progress to share, and I think the next page of Terra will be out soon so I could do with getting on with them.

Oh and before I go - I have a little more news.......I passed my ACC exam which I was studying for leading up to March. I am so happy to have passed it! So all that hard work paid off, and it also means a little more money in my wages! Woo Hoo!!

anyway, thats all for now,

Happy crafting everyone!

Lou

Little Meg - Page 6 complete!

2011-05-23T20:42:00.000+01:00

I have found it a real struggle getting pages 5 and 6 finished on Little Meg. I finished page 4 in August last year, so maybe its because I haven't worked on her for such a long time. One of my HAED 12 month goals was to finish this one, so hopefully I'll make it - only 2 full pages and 4 part pages to get her finshed, and I know my daughter would love it if I could get her finished for her for christmas! Little Meg is a HAED QS and is by an artist called Linda Ravenscroft - I love her work!

And carrying on the christmas theme, I managed to get Alan Dart's Father Christmas knitted and made up ready for my sister's birthday present which I gave her yesterday although her birthday is today "Happy Birthday Nicola xxxx" I know its a bit random to give her a knitted Father Christmas for her birthday in May - but hey - I'm sure it was a surprise.

Still been having the dreaded migraines but rested lots and manged to get back to work, so therefore able to get some craft time for me!

Thanks for looking!

Happy crafting

Lou

Terra progress Page 3 complete

2011-05-11T19:06:00.001+01:00

This week is the HAED freebie SAL and I was taking part with Terra. When this SAL started I couldn't decide which chart to choose so I asked my hubby to choose and he chose Terra. I wasn't sure at first but now I love the colours and I love how she is turning out.

I also did some work on Little Meg and a little on Chesteron - but for this entry Terra is taking the lime light!

It's also sign up time for the 6 month SK SAL starting in June - half way through the year already?!? - and I wasn't going to participate as I'm itching to get back to Noah's Ark but then when I saw the choices I had to join in.

Headaches have still been a problem this week, but the 2 migraines that I've had haven't been any where near as bad as usual so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my medication is working! Also since I well and truly have my stitching bug right now the knitting needles haven't been used.....although my sister has just bought 2 new patterns which I'm also now itching to knit for her son, they are Postman Pat and Bob the Builder.

Happy crafting everyone

Lou

Chesterton Progress, Little Meg and Caterpillers

2011-05-02T08:17:00.000+01:00

I've finished page 1 on Chesterton, one of the freebie SK given for participating in the freebie SK SAL. I'm not a fan of cats, as I'm allergic, but a very good friend at work likes cats so I decided to stitch her this for her birthday, which was in March, so I'm a bit late!! I've told her I'm making something for her but she doesn't know what yet! I need to decide what I'm going to make it into once finished - Any suggestions?? Anyway here is my progress........

Every time I stitch a HAED I'm amazed at how the detail is kept within the stitching! And I simply LOVE the eyes! Maybe I'll be converted into a cat lover (pictures only) by the end of this stitching!!

On completing Page 1 of Chesteron, I decided I'd have a change and was itching to get back to my HAED Noah's Ark by Barbara Brown http://heavenandearthdesigns.com/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=3038' (which i've completed almost 3 pages now) But asked my 5 year old what I should work on next, and she chose Little Meg by Linda Ravenscroft http://heavenandearthdesigns.com/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=5835' Which I am stitching for her, so no surprises really that she chose that. Here is my progress so far.......

And I must say that I'm glad she chose her as I'm really enjoying stitching her again. I love that I have so many projects on the go as it gives such variety, I just wish I could visulise finishing them all, as some are so large and I have charts in my stash which I'm itching to start! Determined not to start any more until I have a finish! Will update my progress with Little Meg next week (that is if the dreaded headaches stay away and let me stitch to my heart's content!)

I've also been busy knitting for my first order. I was asked whether I could make a caterpiller like 'The very hungry caterpiller' the children's story - well I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, and after finding a free pattern on the web, learning to knit with double pointed needles (with lots of thanks to my mum for teaching me) and figuring out how to crochet eyes, antanea and legs, then making 3 (as the first one didn't turn out quite right) here are the finished products (and I must say I'm very proud of them!)

As always many thanks for stopping by!

Lou

Holiday, knitting and stitching

2011-04-22T09:29:00.000+01:00

It seems like such a long time since I've written, doesn't time fly! We've had a little break away in Wales which was lovely! I had challenged myself to knit the side of Alan Dart's Noah's ark as I had already done one side and it took me so long that I didn't want to start the next side - however after discovering that I could knit in the car, not only did the journey go quicked than usual, but I got the side I wanted to finish done and some other sections of the ark (not all in the car).
My cousin had asked me to knit some animals for her for some story sacks she uses with the children she childminds so I have started another chick in an egg for her. She also wants an elephant and a caterpiller. I found a pattern for caterpiller which uses double pointed needles, I found this technique of knitting really difficult so think I need a master class from my mum on how to use them (hopefully some time this weekend)
I also started knitting Alan Dart's March Hare and have added his pattern for chess pieces onto my todo list. Why are there not more hours in the day!
My headache hasn't been as bad this week either so I have managed to make some progress on Chesterton.

I'm really pleased with this, and glad I seem to have my stitching bug back!
Hopefully I'll get his head finished this week, as well as soom of the knitting I've got on the go.

Chicks finally finished!

2011-04-11T20:30:00.001+01:00

I made it one of my goals to finish the easter chicks. There wasn't a lot of work needed to finish them but I just couldn't motivate myself to finish them. I finally got that motivation to get those chicks finished!! Hooray!!

Here they are waiting to hatch

Here they are peeping out of their eggs

And here is the first chick to jump out of its shell

I'm so pleased with these, although can't take all of the credit as my mum did the knitting, I just stitched them up.

Terra progress

2011-04-09T15:10:00.000+01:00

I've been working on Terra for this past week during the HAED freebie SAL which ended on Thursday night (I think).

I'm really pleased with my progress on this one and am not rotating off it yet as I want to get this page finished. Going away for a few days so will probably take some knitting away.

Cowbow completed - Happy dance!

2011-03-31T21:26:00.004+01:00

Hooray - I complete the cowboy tonight! He is a knitted cowboy made from a pattern by Alan Dart (who's patterns I adore!) I'm soooooo pleased with him, although the hat could be better. The pattern tells me to coat the hat with hairspray, mould into shape then leave to dry, but as this toy is for a 3 year old (who I'm sure won't care what the hat looks like) I don't think covering it with hairspray is appropriate. I want to make another one of these already to keep! So one of my challenges for the week is complete! Yet again the easter chicks have escaped my clutches, the weeks not over but I'm desperate to get back to Chesterton now. The chicks will keep!

Would love to hear what you think about him!

Thanks for reading - happy crafting

Lou

Exam is over!

2011-03-30T06:30:00.001+01:00

Huge big sigh of relief! I took my ACC exam yesterday, it was by far the hardest exam I have ever taken, coupled with the fact that I had my usual migraine hangover. The practical started ok, but I find vascular extremely difficult, compared a few answers over lunch with a friend and it seems we both answered them in a similar way, so we're either both brilliant and have passed, or we'll be re-sitting together!
The afternoon theory paper was ok, but the temperature in the room had increased and I thought I was going to pass out at one point - luckily I didn't phew! Before the exam I had learnt all my diagrams and I just knew the one diagram that I couldn't get my head around (muscles of the eye) would turn up - guess what......it was there! Oh well - that's life I guess. I think I've passed that one, but you never can tell can you! Only have to wait 3 months to get the results!

On a positive note, now I don't have to spend every evening revising I can get back to stitching! Hooray! I've finished the cowboy knitting now and started to stitch him up last night, but was exhausted so left him to hopefully finish tonight! Progress pics soon!

Thanks for reading x

Chesterton Progress

2011-03-27T14:15:00.004+01:00

This past week has just flown by! I only completed half of last weeks goals but I was also busy revising for my exam which is on Tuesday (scream!). Then disaster struck yesterday and mid revision I get a migraine - it normally takes me a couple of weeks to recover.......however, I'm feeling much better today, which I'm hoping means the preventative medication I've been put on is helping reduce the ferocity of the awful things! Anyway, I've managed a small amount on Chesterton this week.......

I've made a start on knitting the cowboy as knitting is less stressful on my eyes than stitching.

My goals for this week are :

To finish the cowboy
To finish the easter chicks and eggs (didn't finish this last week)
Carry on with Chesterton.

Thanks for reading - happy crafting

Lou
x

First challenge for the week complete

2011-03-19T22:07:00.000Z

Well, I only set my self these challenges this morning, and have already completed one! Just goes to show what I can achieve when I put my mind to it!

I had already knitted the whole thing and I'd assembled the body and head previously, so tonight I finished sewing up the whole monkey. I'm very pleased with him, I just hope Becky likes it! So the rest of this weeks craft time will be taken up by finishing the easter chicks.

Mackintosh Rose Design Cushion Cover

2011-03-19T08:41:00.000Z

Not had much chance for stitching this week as I have my ACC exam at the end of March so I've been trying to revise and when I've finished revising my eyes are too tired to be able to stitch HAED so I started a new project on 18 count to give my eyes a bit of a rest. I have already made a mistake but have corrected it by altering my other stitching, I could not be bothered unpicking it! Ignore the red lines, they were for another project which I abandoned for the cushion cover!

I've also treated my self to Alan Dart's Knitted Cowboy pattern which I'm knitting for a collegue's son. I've made a monkey (which I haven't finished just yet) for her new baby and couldn't leave her son out could I! I really need to motivate myself to get a project finished instead of starting any more new ones.
So this week my challenge is to complete the easter chickens and the monkey for Becky's baby. Not a very large challenge but I do still have to get lots and lots of revision done! Hopefully I'll have some challenge complete soon!

Alan Dart's Pudding Pixie

2011-03-12T10:56:00.000Z

This is "Plum Pudding Pixie" knitted from Alan Dart's pattern from Simply Knitting magazine. I altered the colours as I just used wool from my stash and I didn't knit the sixpence. But I am so very proud of him! He's now packed away in the loft awaiting next christmas - could really do with getting some more christmas things ready to keep him company!

I've recently knitted over 40 fairy mice (with a lot of knitting help from my fab mum) again an Alan Dart pattern which I have sold to help a collegue raise money for NDCS. We raised over £60 selling those so I'm very pleased with that, and also still have about 6 left so they will go nicely on our christmas tree!

This is the first blog I've ever written so if your reading this, firstly thanks for reading, and secondly please bear with me while I find my blogging feet! Also feel free to leave comments - always happy to read!