Smalls SAL Check-in – May

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Heather

Welcome to the Smalls SAL check-in for May. What’s the Smalls SAL? Simple: stitch a small and share it with everyone on the last Wednesday of the month. Then, head over here to leave a link to your post.

This month I worked on Teresa Wentzler’s Cutwork Compass Rose. It isn’t quite done; I think I was just a little bit too ambitious. Still, it looks so good, and I can’t wait to finish it up. I need to add some satin stitches to the NE, SE, SW, NW points (I’ve run out of the silk), beads for the letters inside the circles, and all the cutwork.

Cutwork Compass Rose, designed by Teresa Wentzler (WIP)

I probably won’t tackle the hardanger sections until after we are settled in our new house because my hardanger scissors have been packed away (and, to be honest, my nerves are a bit shot right now so I don’t trust myself to cut properly!). My stitchy friend Christine has finished and framed her’s, and if you click here you can see how beautiful it is when it is complete.

Close up of a section of Cutwork Compass Rose (designed by Teresa Wentzler).

So, what did you work on this month? Please use the form below to leave a link to your post. And, I’d love it if you’d leave a comment here and/or visit some of the other participants and leave comments on their blogs. We all love to have visitors!

Next Check-in: The next check-in will be on June 25th. Hopefully I will be able to get something done in time, and I hope you do too.

13 Comments | Posted in Cross Stitch | Tagged Cross Stitch, Smalls SAL 2014, Teresa Wentzler, WIPs

Tatting Mess

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Heather

The other afternoon, while looking for something not to messy to do (keeping our condo ready for showings is a priority right now), I decided to get out my tatting supplies.

My little collection of tatting supplies.

I took a shuttle tatting class about fifteen years ago at my then-LNS Golden Threads in Hamilton, ON. I managed to pick it up okay, but I didn’t practice much because I got busy with school, etc. I tried a few times afterwards, both needle and shuttle tatting, but it has never worked right for me.

Shuttle tatting?

That’s my result after watching a couple of lessons of Craftsy’s Shuttle Tatting class. I just can’t manage the flip. Ugh.

Needle tatted rings, I think…

Then I got out my tatting needle and managed to accomplish the above. They are supposed to be a rings. At least I managed to make double stitches and picots! I found a series of tatting videos by RustiKati on YouTube, and they are fabulous and they got me that far. I still have many more to watch, so I will get better. (I hope.) I’m still not 100% sure that tatting is my thing (see “rings” above), but it sure is making much more sense to me now. One day, I’d love to be able to make something like this.

Old shuttle tatting

There is some hope. I found the bits and pieces above in the bottom of my tatting bag. Clearly, at some point I had some idea about what I was doing.

10 Comments | Posted in Tatting | Tagged Tatting

Cross Stitch Collection

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Heather

Guess who is in this month’s issue of Cross Stitch Collection.

That’s me! (If you want to read what I said, you need to buy the magazine.)

Me! Boy, was I surprised when they contacted me. And I’m still surprised they actually put me in. (Thanks to Jo for letting me know that the issue is out. We don’t get them very quickly here in the colonies. 😉 )

I’d also like to say “Hello!!” to anyone who is stopping by for the first time because of the piece in Cross Stitch Collection. I hope you will stick around. There are buttons to the right for subscribing and sending me an email. Thank you for visiting, and I look forward to hearing from you.

If you are interested in seeing the issue for yourself, it is issue #237 – July 2014 , which goes on sale in the UK on May 30th (subscribers should have theirs by now). As for when it will show up in the rest of the world, your guess is as good as mine.

15 Comments | Posted in Cross Stitch |

Crooked Cathedral

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Heather

This post isn’t about what you may think it is about. No old buildings here, just a pretty shawl.

Crooked Cathedral shawl (unblocked)

Well, it isn’t as pretty as is should be since I’m not able to block it. (My blocking wires are packed away). The pattern is called Crooked Cathedral, designed by Marisa Hernandez. I did the extended version, making both the body and the edging of the shawl longer. So, hopefully, when it is all blocked out, it should be a good size. And, goodness, that edging! It is so pretty, but I actually had to rip it all out and do it twice. I accidentally did one of the rows twice, which meant that the subsequent rows didn’t line up as they should. I tried very hard to rip back only to the mistake, but all the yarn overs meant that I couldn’t get the stitches back on the needle nicely, and so I can to rip back to plain row. Heartbreaking. 🙁

Unblocked edging for Crooked Cathedral shawl

I used Araucania Lonco Multy in colourway 4010, a 100% cotton fingering weight yarn. Araucania yarn is interesting because it is made in Chile by the Mapuche people. They spin and dye the yarn, and produce such beautiful colours. Since I am boring old me, all of the Araucania I have (and they make lots of different varieties, using cotton, llama, silk, alpaca, wool, etc.) are in my typical colours of purple, pink, grey, black and blue. Nothing like being predictable, eh?

Anyway, that is the second of the three shawls I had left unpacked completed. Which means I’m running out of projects. Thankfully, just the other day I realized that I didn’t send all my yarn bins to my in-laws. So, I have some yarn. Sadly, I did send all my needles and hooks. But, if you saw my post yesterday, you know I’ve already fixed that problem. 😉 So, I’m on track to make Old Bones, Boxy Lady, and maybe Longevity Shawl if I’m lucky.

4 Comments | Posted in Knitting | Tagged Finishes, Knitting

Stitch from Stash

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Heather

It is Stitch from Stash time!

The goal of Stitch from Stash is to spend no more than $25 a month on stitching supplies. Anything left unspent is carried over, and you get one month to go crazy. (Details here, but it is too late to join.) My total for the year was $28.49.

My May/November purchases

This month I picked up two charts that I ordered back in November (yes, it really took that long for them to come in), and a magazine that was over-priced, for a total of $37.85. That brings my yearly total to:

$66.34

I’m pretty happy about that. (I’m not happy about paying too much for stuff, though.)

Three crochet hooks and one knitting needle. And, I just realized one of the hooks is the wrong size…

I also had to pick up a couple crochet hooks and a knitting needle the other day, which brings my total spent on all crafts to around $205, plus another $20 spent on yarn for a partner exchange. That is an amazing improvement over last year. I had probably spent that much by the end of January.

My main Stitch from Stash project this month was La Pensée Positive. I’ve finally made it to part five. And, of course, my small for the month (which I will share on check-in day this coming Wednesday), is also all from my stash.

More progress on La Pensée Positive

I hope all of you who are taking part in Stitch from Stash are doing well and holding to your budgets! I’m so happy with how this is working out for me. I feel very focused on and thankful for all the stash I already have.

5 Comments | Posted in Cross Stitch | Tagged Cross Stitch, Stitch from Stash

Stitching News

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Heather

There is always so much going on in the wide world of knitting and embroidery. Here are a few interesting news stories I’ve come across in the past week.

Wooly Whale – a textile artist in Newfoundland is knitting a 8.5 metre whale as a final project for her textiles degree. It sure sounds a lot nicer than dismembering a real whale!
Faded Colours – The Daily Mail (I know, I know) shared some pictures from an abandoned Welsh textiles mill. The pictures are beautiful and haunting.
BristWool – A group of knitters in Bristol recreated their town in yarn. It is fabulous and fun, and from the Daily Mail again. Sorry. 😛
Old Ladies Stitching – The Sidney Daily News wrote about two sisters and their love of cross stitch. I love the enthusiasm in this article, and the fact that it got nearly everything right.
Yarn Bombing Controversy – Last Wednesday it was reported that 15 knitted pieces that were part of the Knit on the Corner display were removed by known persons and dropped in a dumpster. Well, it turns out that the festival that Knit on the Corner was associated it, Art on the Corner, had decided they didn’t want the display this year.
Ryan Gosling and Meryl Streep knit (See video below. I will also admit I’ve never read any of John Green’s books, but I do love his Mental Floss videos.)

Comments Off | Posted in Cross Stitch, Knitting, The Outside World |

Smalls from Elizabeth

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Heather

I’ve had a few ladies without blogs contact me about participating in the Smalls SAL. Like last year, I am more than happy to post your pictures on my blog. As I’ve said, the more the merrier! I’m happy to say that Elizabeth has taken me up on my offer. Her smalls for the past several months are below.

Have you entered your small for April’s check-in? If not, head over to this post and leave you like. If you would like me to post your pictures on my blog, just send me a note to let me know.