An enjoyable stitching week

It has finally stopped raining here long enough to be able to walk in the fields without getting the 'slurpy-slurp' of stuck-in-the-mud welly boots (gum-boots). 

The flowers in the garden are brightly bobbing their colourful heads at me, the plum trees in the orchard have that wonderful white blossom that looks amazing as I stand underneath and gaze dreamily skywards and catch the beautiful glimpse of blue sky as background to the white blossom.

I have to look for the tell-tale signs of newly scratched earth in the undergrowth to direct me to the nesting spots to collect the hidden chicken eggs.

Oh what a merry dance I perform on my daily rounds.

Spring has sprung.

And the stitching.................oh, the stitching.

First, here is the August Block final pic that I missed showing you last weekend ..........

And so onto the stitching done this week on the September block.

This drizzle stitched piece was actually stitched the previous week, but I attached it to the block this week and added all those lovely French Knots to 'embed' it in its new place.

Does it looks like a multi-layered cake or a flouncy ballerina's tutu to you?

Do you remember that 'string art' craze of your youth?

Or maybe you remember it as a required lesson in the math classroom.

It was created by hammering nails into a wooden board and then you had to wind string back and forth to create geometric patterns.

Or you started with a piece of card with perforated holes that you threaded string through.

Well.................

............. here is my free form stitched version. 

A happy accident that appeared while I was 'playing' on my block this week.  

And now for this weeks TAST stitch.

Week 39 

(at least I think it is week 39, I seem to have lost my memory track)

The Knotted Buttonhole Stitch

And I'm sure you know me well enough by now to know that this Knotted Buttonhole seam is going to get some extra 'Cy embellishing treatment'.

My crochet trim for this block has been created too, but just not added to the block yet, so pics of that one next week. Also, I have stitched most of the butterfly for the central patch, and a few more seams that are half-stitched so far.

This block is progressing nicely, but I'm not sure that I can complete it during this coming week as I have a couple of other project deadlines looming up fast. But at least it is mostly done now.

I'm happy.

Hope you all have a great week ahead.

Happy Stitching

Playing Catchup - TAST - CQJP

Playing Catchup with TAST & CQJP

This week we had Drizzle Stitch as the stitch of the week in TAST (Take-A-Stitch-Tuesday)

My piece has longer 'drizzles' in the centre, and ending with short 'drizzles' on the outside.

This gave a lovely domed effect to this item, which shall (eventually) be made into something like a Scissor Fob, a brooch, or a pendant. I'm not sure which yet, but I'll keep my options open for now.

Crazy Quilt Journal Project

CQJP August Block (yes I'm late with it)

I have (at last) finished my August block, but it looks like I forgot to take photos of the completed thing because I can't find them in my files (another of those senior moments).

I do have a few update photos of work I have done on this block through the week, so you will have to 'make do' with those, and just hope I remember to take  more photos before next weekend.

There seems to have been a strong Mandala Theme going on this week in my stitcheries, lol.'

CQJP September Block

Oh Yeah!!! 

Doing a happy dance that I actually managed to get my September Naked Block stitched before I run out of September days.

That does not mean that it will be completed in September, but at least it started was in September.

So that's me all stitched for this week's reveal of work.

I have been back at my art stuff too, but that's a whole 'nother story and a different blog.

Happy Stitching

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

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.