Monday, October 09, 2006

Christmas Star & 5 Mini Challenge

In terms of stitching, it has been quite a productive weekend. It was payback time for the Cross N Patch, Christmas Star project! LOL! Yup! After spending 1 hour frogging last week, I decided I am going to minimize my time frogging by doing some ahead planning, and that is to do some running stitches to ensure that I don't miscount again, or rather, if I do miscount, I would realise it earlier, and not when I had already spent more than 30 minutes working on it! LOL!

So far, this is my progress. Still a lot more to go, actually. It does not look so much like a xmas star, does it? Even when completed, it looks more like red berries around a stained glass. But, whatever, I just like the design anyway! LOL!

For the 5 Mini Challenge currently being organised at MYS, I managed to start and complete two minis already.......well, in terms of stitching, that is! For the challenge, you need not only to finish stitching them, but also finish them into something, like pinkeep, pin cushions, things like that.

The 1st piece is a hardanger design by Mary Hickmott, taken from the Mary Hickmott's New Stitches magazine, Issue 52. It is a piece for a coaster. I haven't decided yet how to finish this piece since I do not have any coasters, and it is simply too expensive to buy one at Yee's or Haby's. But, who knows, if I can't think of how else to finish it, I just might drop by Haby's or Yee's before the challenge in up! *grin*

The 2nd piece I really like. It is a freebie design by The Victoria Sampler. It is designed for an altoid tin cover and had called for it to be stitched on 32ct linen. I did not have any 32 ct and I don't fancy stitching on 32ct either. Instead, I stitched it on 25ct evenweave - better on my young eyes! LOL! *wink* But, the downside to doing that is that it is bigger than the size of the altoid tin cover. Now, I dn't know what I am going to finish this piece into either! LOL! Hmmm....any suggestions?

I am a little fickle minded about what I should stitch the other 3 pieces eventhough I had earlier made my choices. There are so many designs to choose from, it is making me go bonkers trying to make up my mind! LOL!

I am going to go thru my choices again and decide later this week. Do look out for my next posting!! *wink*

BTW, did I tell you about some stash I ordered many months ago from Stonet Creek, but only just arrived 2 weeks ago? Well, they did not have stock of some of the things I ordered, and thus, only now have them. I bought some Needle Necessities threads and charms for my Nature's Alphabet project. I had completed stitching the piece some time back but could not complete it due to the missing charms. Now that the charms have arrived, I hope to stitch them onto my Nature's Alphabet and maybe mail it out to Penang for framing. I haven't actually decided yet. I will have to give it more thought since I won't be travelling to Penang just yet.

Barbara wrote: Oh my! Was this the stash you said you'd tell us about but never did? I love those threads! Are they perle?

And the Victoria Sampler freebie...wowee...beautiful colours you've got there, lovely just lovely. Finish it into a needle book Nik!! And this time use it ;)

My response: Thx, BJ, for dropping and thx, too 4 d compliments! *smile*

Yup! That's the stash I wanted to `show-off' some time back when they arrived. LOL! Yummy colours, huh? *wink* No, they are not perles, but just normal cotton overdyeds. When I took them home (it was mailed to my office addie), I was actually doing a yum yum sound like I was eating them, in the car on my way home! LOL! My hubby said that I simply never fail to amuse him! LOL! He asked if that is what all stitchers do! LOL!

The Victoria Sampler freebie is really nice, kan? Actually, the hardanger part had called for it to be stitched using white perle, but I changed it to Anchor multicolors. For a while after I started on it, I regreted changing the colour coz I thot it took away the elegance of the design. But once it was completed, it did not look too bad, huh? *wink*

I thot of turning it into a needlebook, but the piece is really small. It is only slightly less then 2" wide and about 3.5" long. Not ez to handle such a small piece to turn it into a needlebook, I think. But, I might still take upon ur idea and give it a try. Thx!

1 comment:

Barbara J said...

Oh my! Was this the stash you said you'd tell us about but never did? I love those threads! Are they perle?

And the Victoria Sampler freebie...wowee...beautiful colours you've got there, lovely just lovely. Finish it into a needle book Nik!! And this time use it ;)