August CQJP block progress

I think I am finally getting back to some sort of normality here. 

It has definitely been a busy couple of months. 

My projects for the Arts Festival made the deadline

 (see my Rock Pool in a Fish Bowl post here) 

I have caught up with the TAST stitches, but I have not yet completed my August CQJP, but progress on that block is coming along nicely. Just a few more beads to add, and one more seam needs embellishing.

So the end is in sight. Hopefully will have it finished by next weekend.

So here are the photos of my TAST catch-up stitches. All these are on the August CQJP block.

This one is Pistil Stitch around a Shisha mirror.

Pistil Stitch to couch a ribbon embellishment.

And here is the Sheaf Stitch.

The following pics are varying seam treatments on the August CQJP.

I'm looking forward to another stitching busy week ahead.

Happy Stitching

A Rock Pool in a Fish Bowl

Warning - photo intensive post

..A Rock Pool in a Fish Bowl..

The Rock Pool Colony consists of heavily encrusted embroidery, hyperbolic crochet, and plenty of bead-work, on a very textured surface.

The actual stitched work is almost 12 inches across. The fish bowl is 17 inches wide.

It took over 270 hours to complete.

Here are some photos from many different angles.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Please leave a comment below as I would love to know what part, or parts, of my Rock Pool you enjoyed most.

Happy Stitching

TAST 33 & 34 - CQJP August block

I didn't get to post last weeks TAST - Pekinese stitch (week 33)

so here it is.

Two rows, mirror image.

And this week is TAST week 34 - Linked Double Chain

I tried three variations on my stitch journal cloth.

CQJP August block

I am a little bit behind on this block as I have given stitching priority to another major project again this month.

The deadline for that project is tomorrow, so I shall be able to get back on track with this block again soon.

But I did get the crochet trim done.

Always happy when crocheting.

Happy Stitching

TAST Week 32 - Cast On Stitch + other stitching

..TAST Week 32 - Cast On Stitch..

I must have had a premonition about this stitch because I actually looked up how to do it on Monday and started practicing it even before Sharon announced it as the TAST stitch for this week.

Sometimes I just amaze myself, lol.........

Cast-On Stitch - freeform style.

I like this stitch.

And a little cluster of Cast-On's

And I have also stitched some more Algerian Eye which was last weeks featured stitch.

CQJP August - The Naked Block

I also managed to get my naked block for August stitched together.

I actually like the large scroll fabric wedge towards the bottom, and I am half way through stitching a very nice crochet piece for that long seam.

While I was crocheting I was thinking how lovely it would be to create a whole Crazy Quilt with only crochet trims and doily's that I make myself (I love to crochet). That sounds like a BIG project. I wonder if I should start planning it for next year's main project. Crocheting small trims etc. is an excellent project that can be done while touring with the caravan (which is planned for late next year too).

So that was my week of stitching.

Hope you had a great week too.

Happy Stitching

Inspiration Photography Therapy

Inspiration Photography Therapy

I've decided to start a photography section on this blog, hopefully once a week I shall post my inspirational photos.

I find photographs very inspiring for my creative projects and I am always grateful for the photographs that I see when I'm browsing around this Internetical Whizzy Thing.

So I'm going to add my own pics to the WWW and hope to inspire other people, and as my way of thanking others for the photos that they share with me.

This weekend we had a little break in the weather. Enough for me to wander the garden and admire the hardy flora and fauna that survived our winter (I'm in New Zealand and we are just getting to the end of our winter in August).

This year I've noticed that the Bumbles who visit our garden are bigger.

Bee heaven, lol.

The flowers are bright.

The succulents are thriving well next to the house, where they enjoy the heat that the bricks retain.

Lichen is not to every-bodies liking, but I love the stark growth on these branches.

Remember the break in the weather that I mentioned above .... well this is what it looked like towards the end of the day ..

  The Lewis Cloud Appreciation Society  

has it's headquarters at our house.

Hope you enjoyed the photography tour.