Mystery X Part 2 update

Here's an update - still not done, but quite a radical improvement from the last one!

All the purple and metallic blue is done, and only two more of the silver things more to do. Otherwise, lots of the dark and light blue&green combinations, and so much honeydew (pale green fill) that I think Im going to go mad, lol. But I'll keep plugging along.

Anna - the cloudy mottled blue 32ct jobelan from silkweavers that you gave me looks like it is going to be perfect from my un-backgrounded periwinkle fae, and I've got her marked out on it so now I'm just waiting on the chart from Bob.

Otherwise, just the same old same old. I got the charts for JOB and CHG yesterday from Martina, and they are wonderful - I've printed out all of CHG, but JOB is giving me major headaches as far as trying to print is is concerned. I gave up last night, might have another go tonight or tomorrow sometime.

I want to get the chart and everything ready for next wednesday - Ive been wanting to get back into periwinkle, and she's the perfect thing to have for the QS SAL - see if I can get her done nice and quick this time. She's so pretty, can't wait to see her start to grow again.

Uh...oh...

I was bad. I was very bad. But I did have Troy's consent, so that's okay - right? *looks around worriedly*

I just bought a chatelaine. Actually, two.
...and the kits.

Japanese Octagon Box has been screaming at me for months seeing other's WIPs and so finally I caved. Paypal is being retarded, so I'll pay properly tomorrow for it all, but it's as good as done.

I've also always loved Convents Herbal Garden, so I got it as well. Neither of these are going into my rotation anytime soon, much as I'd love to, unless...anyway I'll get to that later. I just want to stash them, they're so beautiful.

I'm getting the cream fabric for the box, and thinking maybe antique white for the garden. Not completely sold on that one yet. I'm stashing lots, and I think maybe it's partly a stress thing and partly a wanting to buy things now so I have pretties to work on when we can't afford them later - stitch from my stash. Especially the silk-involving things. DMC I could probably justify and afford - not silks. So, yeah.

I am going to seriously need to organise my room so I can find a place for all of this now....

SBQ and trying to finish part 2!

well, first things first:

What is the smallest count fabric you have ever used? Did you stitch
over one? Conversely, what is the largest count fabric you have ever used?

32ct linen and jobelan - 32ct linen over 2, and the jobelan over 1.
I like small counts best, and my chatelaine over 2 is coming along beautifully.

As to large count...I have no idea, probably something in a kit. The largest I go for anything is 25ct over 1, so I guess that's the best answer I can give.

I've been slogging away at part 2 of Mystery X. I have finished the first corner completely, and everything but the pale green on the second. I've sorted out the colours into a rotation, and I work through it so I get some of every colour done - less easy to get bored this way.

This month seems to have gone as follows:
I have a rotation. I am going to follow it. I AM... ooh new Mystery part. Good, I can start that, its that part of the rotation. GAK IT'S HUGE! *stitch stitch stitch* oh...stuff it, rotation can start again next month. *stitch stitch stitch stitch stitch stitch....* Am I going to get this done in time? Argh... *whimper* *stitch stitch stitch...*

so, I'll get back to that. Wish me luck! I might post a picture later, when my hands get sore.

Photos and things like that

Here's a photo post, given I haven't posted photos in a while.

First, first day of school:

this is one version of school uniform - basically, that tshirt (or a white otherwise identical one) and pants, or the school skirt, or my school dress (which I don't have photos of yet) or a combination of the aforementioned. Yes, people wear tshirts over dresses - and dresses over pants ocassionally, but you don't often see that. We do have jumpers (sweatshirts) too, but it's mostly been too hot to wear them. They're green. The white long sleeved shirt technically isn't school uniform, but they don't really care - I was warm that way! Mornings are cold, but they warm up quickly, and long shirts under tshirts works well - I can always just take the undershirt off later in the day.

Next, Tumbles (fat cat) finding a comfortable bed...me:

He was heavy though, so I had to shove him off after a while. I was not popular, but my back didn't hurt.

And the stitchy photos.

From The Ashes after the challenge SAL:

I've beens struggling with this one - I don't feel that I'm achieving much, mostly because the stitches are so small. I think I need to set stitch count goals, and achieve them, and then I'll feel better. It's mostly confetti background at the moment, and slow going, but the effect is worth it.

And Mystery X -Part 2 WIP. This is a big part, and is taking me FOREVER, but Martina's promised us a smaller part next month *phew*

I'll catch up on the rotation next month!

SBQ

Do you like to buy "chartpacks" that include charms, buttons, and/or beads or do you prefer to gather all materials yourself?
I like to get all the materials myself. I have heard horror stories about kits and whatnot with fabric not cut to the right size, floss not the right colors, et cetera.

Unless it's something where the charms etc specifically match the chart, or a Chatelaine (where I order from ECC) I like to kit things myself.

I ask floss fairies to get my floss for me for my HAEDs though - the price of DMC in Australia is 4x (at least) the price in the states! Ouch.

Challenge #2

Well, weekend's over. I did get quite a bit done on her, though not nearly as much as I would have liked *sigh* everyone always seems to get more than me done!

I've also got about 1/4 done on my mystery. It's so big this month that it's taken me ages to do, and I might have to fudge my rotation this time. My goals were about the mystery and about the rotation and it seems that i'll have to sacrifice one to do the other! I think it will be the rotation that gets sacrificed, just until I catch up. Hopefully next month is a small part, so I can catch up the space that it would have taken up next month.

I'll post pics when bindi gets home and I can steal her camera :)

Goals for February

Stitching:

• keep up with Mystery X (even with that enormous part - eek!)
• stitch beads for part 1
• stick to rotation

Life:

• get all homework done, on time
• not miss meds AT ALL
• start taking my lunch to school
• get a bedtime, and stick to it
• clean my room
  

Rotation #3932489

Okay, this is how I'm going to try and work things.

Beginning of month to end of week 2 - Mystery X
if that's finished early, work on Hope or Noon Basking
2nd weekend - From the Ashes
Week 3 - continue
Week 4 - Frogs
Week 5 - catch up mystery, Noon Basking or Hope

Week 3 being From The Ashes may change - I might slot Hope in there for a guarenteed half a week. I'm not sure, it will all depend on how long the Mystery parts take me.

Photos and stuff

Lets see if blogger doesn't eat my photos this time?

I'm working on Mystery X at the moment, which I'm thoroughly enjoying - this part is all swirly! No photos of it as yet, I don't want to take one until I've finished the part. I've decided that I'm going to stitch the beads a part behind (so they don't get in the way) but add the crystals last, I don't want to lose any. There are these sort of flower shaped holes in this part, as well as some square ones and some odd shaped ones, and we haven't got any instructions for them - I guess we'll get them in the next part. I think they'll be flowers in beads and crystals, but I'm not sure yet - it'll be nice to find out! They look a bit weird at the moment though, big holes in my work.

Anyway, here's some pictures for you all - old ones, but blogger kept eating them.

Mystery X part 1 (without beads or crystals)


2x2 on 32ct Antique White linen, with recommended silks and metallics

Hope Angel Virtue:

2x1 on 25 ct Days Gone By linen, DMC and Kreinik #4 braid

Isn't she pretty? I've got a bit more done now, but she's been put down until I finish this part of my chatelaine, or until she comes up in my rotation, whichever comes first.

And finally my phoenix - From the Ashes


1x1 on 32ct white jobelan
I'm loving the shading, but it seems like it takes forever to get anywhere. It's beautiful, anyway. I'm still waiting on the threads for Georgie - she posted them but the post seems to have eaten them. I'll get them eventually, I know, just a bit irritating at the moment. I've got enough to do this month's SAL at least, and maybe a bit more if I keep going after the SAL. I thought about just stitching on it during the SAL, but I'd like to see more done on her, so I'll work on her other times too I think.

The pictures of the part 2 WIPs are beautiful, I can't wait to see this one finished! I'm liking how mine's stitching up too - of course! Especially the 'honeydew' silk - it's a new colour this part, and such a pretty green.

The losing and finding of stitching mojos and other randomness

Hello all, I am still alive.

Somewhere in the chaos of helping Troy move and starting school I've not had the motivation to stitch much, if at all, and blogger keeps eating my photos.

I've got the first part of the mystery done, and the second one was released today, so I'm going to work on that soon - about to put it on the frame and on my stand.

I'm not sure what to write about, except that I'm actually getting back into stitching. Now I'm going to have to look at my goals and go ACK but at least I can aim to do better next month!