I have a new strategy

I've been finding it hard to get my Mystery parts done, and they seem to eat into my stitching time because I procrastinate against them rather than being excited.

So, here's the latest strategy:

• Work each day on one corner/quarter of the design, when it's done stitch something else for the rest of the day
• take a break (stitching something else) the next day if a break is needed
• the something else works on a 10 hr rotation which is Froggy Frog World, Hope, From the Ashes, one of my other SAL pieces

Im not a perfect little rotationer, I'll get odd and let pieces that are in my rotation scream at me so I'll pull another project out when I'm supposed to be working on one occasionally, but it keeps me happy.

This is as close to a rotation as I think I will be able to manage this year with two SALs going - I love these designs, but I don't think I'll do the big Mystery next year. Maybe one of her other designs (a sampler mystery, or a box, or a quilt or something) but not the massive one, I want to be able to stitch for myself on rotation again. Or else I'll stitch it (if it really calls to me after a couple months worth of WIPs) but stitch it on a rotation like everything else. I've got so many BAPs that I already have, that it seems silly to start yet another Chatelaine. I've still got Convent's Herbal Garden (MII)'s kit packaged up sitting on my shelf waiting to be started! Deary me...I'm hopeless arent I!

Updatingness

Firstly, and most importantly:

it is RAINING! PROPERLY! for someone in the middle of the worst drought australia has seen EVER, this is absolutely wonderful.

ahem.


Okay, stitching. I've finally finished page 2 of the Tranquility Sampler, and here it is:

YAY all that red thing is done - at least for that page.

Also stitched on JOB for my SAL with Tash, though I forgot it was Monday (oops) and stitched it on Tuesday instead:

I've finished all the cross stitching for the panel, and have started adding the details. The bird is incredible, and the picture does not in any way do it justice, amd the pine cones and everything are pretty awesome too. This whole piece is so awesome - Martina is a genius. It's going to be so great to have it done and displayed!

And stitched on my lovely Periwinkle too, and gave her part of a wing - there are sparklies, but they're not very obvious.



Now that it's raining and it's a lazy day (I woke up at 12.30) I'm going to settle back with some Strawberry Rooitea and stitch on the sampler a bit. I like all of the motifs on this page, except the last bit of red which I am in the process of finishing up, so it should be fairly quick and enjoyable.

Part 3 is DONE!

Look! Look!

All that beading!

SBQ and today's to do list

Are you on "The Wagon?" If so, how long have you been on and how
"serious" are you about it? If not, have you considered it?

Yes, I am. Troy put me there, and won't let me off until either I finish a BAP or he gets to buy a sword...yes, I'm marrying a geek. And yes I said sword. At least he has decent taste in them, some of the ones he likes are really pretty. They're just expensive - $500ish US!!

How serious? Well, I'm determined to get a few things FINISHED, and I really need to stop buying stash. So my exemptions are that I can use birthday money, and that I can buy gifts or things necessary for completion of already owned projects. So I can buy floss for current projects, and it also means I can kit up/buy fabric for charts I already own, but Troy's the failsafe - I have to ask him first! It saves me a lot of money...goodness knows I have enough charts kitted up and I haven't got anywhere near starting them. It is fun to kit though. At least I have Periwinkle Fae who will be done soon-ish given how fast she's stitching up, and a QS to stitch for my friend Meg (QS Cat Nap Fae - awesome, means I get to stitch that adorable chart twice since I want it too, and she picked the chart) and QS Red Witch already kitted up so it will keep me busy, and allow new starts periodically.

I need to make a To-Do list for today, a few things really need doing. This way I can post my progress! Hey, it works for stitching (and some of this is stitching related)

• finish the beading on part 3 of mystery X (#$*&#*#*$ lol) - done!
  
• enjoy finally starting part 4
• stitch something on Tranquility Mystery
• stitchbow-ify the last few threads for periwinkle fae QS
• organise my projects into little bags of their own
• raid the house for calico bags for ^
• spend at least some time in my room consolidating the chaos (I cant walk in there at this point in time)
• go through clothes with Troy and get rid of anything that doesnt fit/I wont wear
• ditto shoes
  

QS Periwinkle Fae

I haven't got a decent photo :( but oh well. It doesnt want to play nice.



Yay she has hair now! And the beginning of a wing. I've figured out that one strand of the DMC light effects works beautifully over one on 32ct, so she's got a little bit of sparkle in her eye but you can't really tell. There's lots of sparkle in the wing though, so it will be easier to see then.

I really should post more often

Sorry, I know its been more than a week!

I'll list the projects I've worked on, and comment on each of them, since I can't think of any other way to do it!

Mystery X:
I got thoroughly fed up with the beading, and haven't really stitched much on it this week - bad Kyrie! I'm so close to finishing part 3, but I have other pretties to distract myself with and I haven't worked on it since that picture until today. now another of those beaded borders is almost done, and I've half frogged the one that I wasn't happy with. Frustrating, but worth it. If I work at it this afternoon and tonight, I might even get it done today! Part 4 is gorgeous and not big - mostly backstitching, with some corners in the same beading pattern as these borders, and a little bit of cross stitch. Shouldn't be hard, and will look great. I'm very curious as to what part 5 will be - Troy's mum and I reckon it will be a hedge between the corners and above the borders, but we'll have to see!

From the Ashes:

I worked on her for the SAL, which was most enjoyable until I finished the top 30 rows and discovered I didn't have a lot of the threads I needed for her wing - *sigh*. I did do a lot of the background confetti though, and filled in some of the solid colour background as well, and stitched most of the wing that I could leaving the gaps to be filled when I get the floss. This new method I've discovered for stitching her seems to be working really well, which I'm very glad of! It's sad to put her away for the time being, but hopefully I'll get a chance to work on her again before the next SAL, if when I get my threads.

Tranquility Mystery:
I've got almost all of page 2 done, except for some of that massive red thing - I like the design, I hate stitching it. I am going to have to grit my teeth and get it done too! I really need to catch up on this... the yellow motif is my favourite of all of them so far, and I love the yellow colour too!


Japanese Octagon Box:
I got my finishing kit from Judy the other day, which was very very fun, and I got the old key from Martina as well which meant that I could stitch on the grass this monday. I frogged all the incorrect stitching, and added some more, and it looks wonderful. Photos really do not do justice, but I will try.


apart from all this, I also did lots of fabric dyeing for prac 1 for craft this year too - with Peta (future MIL) and was MUCH FUN! We got dye everywhere and the acid ate the foil off her reflector thing that she puts in her car....but it was worth it, even the clean up! See?


Also, I've discovered somewhere that sells 100% cotton sheeting...white, 2.5m wide, for about $7/m which is GREAT, and I bought 4m. 2m of that got used for the dyeing, and 2m I have kept because I will use it to make the mockup of my dress, the patterns for which should be sent today by the people I ordered them from - I sent them an email inquiring and they're sending them *now*, about 3 weeks later!!! grr. Oh well. I will get them and then have fun making the dress. What Peta and I have decided is that I'll make a proper mockup, with long sleeves, then cut the sleeves short, make an underdress, and dye both. I want the underdress a solid colour, but the overdress dark at the bottom shading up to light at the top, thinking a turquois-y blue with a dark blue underdress or a deep pink with a purple underdress, and then stitch cutwork dragonflies all over it. Sounds like fun! I can't see the point of making a dress, even a mockup, that I wouldn't be able to wear, so I'll get a nice summer dress out of it too. And dyes mean that if I buy some nice ribbon we can dye the ribbon too to match the dress...*grins*

I also want to use the sheeting to make underthings for the doll I've been meaning to dress for years. It's cotton, so it should be good! It's also good for petticoats, which I may have to do something about. I love the rustle and feel of petticoats, and they look good under full skirts.

Oh, and if you're wondering what I look like while stitching, here I am:


I was putting a hoop on the aida for the samurai that Troy has just started stitching. He's almost finished something else too (just needs to finish the backstitching) and when he does I'll post it :) it looks really good!


EDITED: to add photos

Beading! Gak! And other things.

I've been working on my mystery X wip...and the beading keeps going and going and going...
See? This has the beading a little more than half done...


I stitched the beads in the outside borders all in the same direction, but even when I sacrificed four beads on each side it still buckles, so I'm thinking about unstitching them and restitching them.

I also did some more work on Japanese Octagon Box for my SAL with Tash and got some more border and some more grass done - but the colours looked strange, and I went on the board only to discover that there are two colour keys and I was using the wrong one - didnt have the first one - and the group has been deleted! Ack. I think I will be begging Martina soon... Anyway I went from there to working on the border a little bit, but I didn't get as much done this week as I would have liked.


Tranquility Mystery has the first part done now too:



I've started the next page, but no photos of that yet - I want to try and get it finished on time this time!

From the Ashes is on the frame this weekend coming too, for the Challenge SAL - it will be good to get into it again.

Oh and I got the fabric for my restart of Froggy Frog World too - 32ct Carol's Meadow Jobelan by Silkweavers. Should be fun, it's gorgeous fabric.

And I got a birthday present too...from Peta (Troy's mum) who is an excellent future MIL :) she has a beautiful needlecase that she made and I've been envious of it since I first saw it, all beaded crazy patchwork with pockets.

Imagine my surprise to open an early birthday present that was this:

Weekend & Japanese Octagon Box

Well, this was a fun weekend. Two new mystery parts, and a new start. How could I not enjoy it?

I didn't get as much done on the tranquility mystery as I'd like, but I did get about 1/3 of the purple motif done. This is my carry around project, so I'm not working on it at home (chatelaine mystery takes priority, then one of my other BAPs - hope currently) but hopefully I'll get page 1 done this week. I'll work on it Thursday night if I have to to get it done before Friday night when page 2 will be released.



and I had my SAL with Tash on Japanese Octagon Box yesterday. I finished the tree and got some more done on the black border, and started the green. The bottom green - such a pretty one, called renaissance green, is all done and I started the next one. It stitches up wonderfully quick, which is a relief - I tend to think of chatelaines as being long-slog but worth it projects instead!
Here's this week's picture:

What I've been up to

Well, got the tranquility mystery printed out and started, with one of those elements of the purple motif done. I need to get stuck back into and get the rest done, but I really really need to get the chatelaine done so the tranquility mystery can wait and get done sometime this weekend.

Martina released Part 4 of Mystery X early this month, and it's gorgeous - another small part, which I am glad of, because I'll be able to get caught up and get something done on my poor neglected other projects. More crystals for this part too, which is fun - even though I don't put mine on until the end I can put them on the fabric and enjoy the sparkliness.

Part 3 is almost done - I might get it finished this afternoon, we'll see. I would like to get the stitching done this weekend anyway, even if not the beading - beading can be done while watching tv this week. And then those gates - yay!

JOB will be out on monday again as well, which will be fun, I'm enjoying that tree.
I'm looking forward to seeing Tash's progress too.

Goals for April

Right. I'm very not good at this goals thing, I think. I'm going to try and be reasonable this time, though I do have the holidays - two weeks of stitching, yay!

Last Month:

Stitching:

• catch up the Mystery, with part 3 done - almost. Pretty much just need the beading done, now, and I might attack that today.
  
• stick to the new rotation - eh, heh! I think I'm rotation impaired.
  
• stitch along with Tash when I get my JOB stuff - yes! Once, because that's the only chance I've got to do so.
  
• not start anything new except JOB - nope, started the tranquility mystery, but no new starts now for a long time.
  
• stitch in the HAED QS SAL with periwinkle at least twice this month - yes, second and fourth weeks
  
• stitch in the 2nd weekend SAL with From the Ashes - yep, and achieved more than I expected.
  
• experiment with cross country on From the Ashes - yep - great! I'll continue this way.
  
• think about getting new fabric for frogs...anna and waychie (who have actually seen them), do you think they're worth starting over on jobelan with white silk? Or should I just stick with them as they are? - ordered, a pearly grey. It's in the mail.
  
• not buy ANYTHING else! - fail. mystery. but at least it wasn't expensive...
  

Life:

• keep my room relatively clean - lol. um.
  
• actually pray my rosary at least once each week - nope, which annoys me.
  
• get fabric together for quilt for school (find it all!) - still planning, so we'll see.
  
• get fabric for quilt that's still needed (solid colour fabrics) - see above
  
• keep up to date with school - yep, all up to date.
  
• try to get to bed at a reasonable hour each night - yes and no. No 3am crashes at least.
  

This Month:

Stitching:

• catch up part 3 (almost done) and part 4 (small) of mystery X
• get stuck into hope and try to get at least something done!
• stitch on from the ashes during the SAL
• participate in at least 2 QS SALs
• keep up to date with the tranquility mystery
• get everything set up for taking my dragon to school and working on him there

Life:

• clean and archive my room
• get blankets and sheets for my birthday present - yay for practical presents, and yay for my parents!
• enjoy my and Troy's birthdays
• get everything together for Troy's present by his birthday!
• try and stitch every day
• enjoy the holidays
  

Two Chatelaine updates

I've got two pictures this time!

One is my Japanese Octagon Box which I am SAL-ing with Tash on, and this is my progress over the weekend - my first tree, with all its branches:




And here is Mystery X, almost half done, except for the beading. I will do that at the end - I just did one section to see what it will look like! I couldnt get a good close-up picture though, sorry about that. They just turn up blurry due to the amount of glitz. The beaded flowers look like butterscotch - its all a bit easter egg coloured isn't it!



I'm thoroughly enjoying it, and happily adding flowers. Now to get it done before the 1st so I'm up to date!

Having fun with part 3

No photos, though they might be fun - maybe tomorrow.

Because part 2 ended up being so monotonous near the end, I've been having fun with the largely detail-stitched part 3. Its basically an overlay over what I've already stitched, with some detail on the corners and little rectangles of beads as borders around this central swirly design. Finally it's starting to look properly victorian, and it's gorgeous! Martina is so clever.

So far I have:

• two of the corners done (a little tiny bit more green - 3 stitches per corner, six silver algerian eyelets and some purple on the outside)
• one of the four purple boxes done - the top one, and the second one started
  
• six beads in the purple box just to see how they looks - the two coloured beads arent the same size and it creates an interesting effect
• the pink tulips in the top right hand corner complete with stems and leaves
  
• the stems and leaves for most of the inner section in the TR corner done (3 big and 3 small to do)
• 3 tiny tiny Jessica stitch flowers in the same section

Generally, I'm just playing. But its fun. Its a quick part to stitch up, I give it a week at most to get done.

...next time I take this in to school, I am going to blow my craft teacher's socks off. FUN!

Part 2 Finally Finished!

It's DONE! That neverending green is DONE!

See?



The photo doesnt in any way do it justice though, it's so sparkly and beautiful, but it gives you some idea. The holes in the green create a lacy effect, and they'll all get filled in with beads to make flowers this part. Four kinds of flowers this time: jessica stitches, beads, satin stitch-type things and ones done in backstitch. Sounds like fun!

I'm so glad to get this done, it's beautiful but it's been hanging over my head and getting in the way of my doing any other stitching, pretty much. Now it's done and I can get part 3 done (much smaller part) and I'll be up to date and stitching on something else!

Muffins!

The weather today looks something like this:

And I had no meds last night, so had to pick some up today and didnt think it safe to go to school given that.

So, I made these:

Kiwi, lime and coconut muffins.

...actually that's only half. The other six vanished hot out of the oven!

Im keeping these 6 for dessert tonight, but they taste too good to leave alone.

Not stitching related, but mm...good.

Now back to my regularly scheduled Chatelaine!

Mystery X WIP again

Here we are, almost 3 weeks since the last update. I love, love, love update photos - this green is driving me NUTS! Its so good to see that I've actually made progress.

When I get this bit of green on the left done, I'll be 3/4 done as far as the green is concerned, yay yay yay! All the colours are done except the green, and the beading for part 1 is done (all the pearl coloured beading in the centre) and I'm using the gold beads as incentive - I get to bead 10 beads for every length of thread that I use. My beading needle is bent though - what does everyone reccomend for beading needles? I'm just using a 28 petite at the moment, but its a bit short.

Anyway, I love it but it's frustrating. Can't wait to do part 3, with all the specialty stitches and beads - and what's more, NO MORE GREEN!

From the Ashes after Challenge SAL #3

I did a few stitches on periwinkle yesterday, but my mood was very very down and it was hard to focus on anything. Mostly yesterday I read, which was the only thing I could focus to do. I'm much better today though - not 100%, but better.

Helped Troy out with iambic pentameter for a creative writing lecture he has today last night - that stuff is confusing! Finally we sorted it out and he wrote his prescribed piece of 2 stanzas, 8 lines. His was about an eagle.

Anyway, I realised that I hadn't posted a picture of my weekend's progress on From the Ashes. I tried a cross country method this time, except for the wing in which I used my usual method - it's confetti so it made sense. Basically, I filled in all the secondary colours - all the random dots that there weren't much of any colour of, and then started filling in the background. I didn't get to finish filling in the background this time, but at least that will be an easy bit to start with next time I pick her up. I think I'm going to learn to hate that one colour of browny-yellow...there's so much of it!

So here she is:


From The Ashes - (c) HAED and Teri Rosario
Stats:
Started: 12th January 2007
Total Stitches: 166,600
Stitches Done:

• 12/3/07 - 2613
  

2 Dresses in Potentia...

Okay, so I went to spotlight.

And spent way too much money.

I don't use spotlight usually, except for dress fabric - I like to support LNS's but where on earth do you buy dress fabric other than spotlight!?!

So, I bought that black flannel. And it looks like this:
(a little washed out, thanks to the flash)

And after much calculation, we got 3 metres of it, and measured it so I can cut the sleeves with the edge of the detail for the cuffs. Going to look gorgeous. Here's the detail:
(a little blurry - no flash!)

And I also bought another dress...inspired by the photo I posted in the last entry. Here are my colour choices - this one was much cheaper! 2m-ish total between the two fabrics, but the fabric is much wider, and it's a heavy calico. The pale colour is for the hem and cuffs.


I also bought zips, flannelette for a petticoat (pale purple) and thread, but it's the boring kind of thread so I'm not taking photos of all that. You can see it when I post pictures of the in progress - or finished! dresses.

My grandmother's coming over soon, so fingers crossed I get my pattern soon, and can make them!

Wheee stitching!

Okay, I did a lot today.

Basically, I've had a basket in the corner of our living room with in progress projects that aren't cross stitch in it for years. This has included clothes that need altering, most of a quilt that just needs the blocks sewn up and borders added, varying small cross stitch projects/pre-discovering linen projects, doll clothes, etc etc.

We're getting a floating floor to replace the carpet that the mould ate. It's going to look beautiful. But we had to take the skirting boards off so that they can put the floating floor in, because they wouldn't do it for us. So that's what dad did today, while Troy knocked the nails out of them once he'd prised them off. And I organised this 'basket' - really a basket, a large box, and the surrounding floor.

Here's what I got done today:

• Put cloak (made, needs hem stitched - on panne velvet (both sides) so will take a while) away in room to be done later
• Decided that beautiful full white skirt with gold leaf design on it that rats got to is not ruined, even though i thought it was 12 months ago when i first put it in the basket. Hung it back in wardrobe, to be worn soon - I LOVE this skirt! It has a few holes, a bit moth eaten, but it's *so* full that you can't see them unless you look.
  
• Ripped a ragged hem on blue dress that got eaten by the rats about 5cm from the bottom because mum moved my rat cage over near the wardrobe - I'd never worn the dress, and she was so apologetic that she went out and bought me a new one - different though. Ripped a ragged hem on the underskirt too, to match. It looks great over jeans (a little short for me to wear it otherwise, comfortably) and I will take photos.
• Finally gave up on altering the bodice on a white tiered dress with bands of crochered lace between the tiers with drawstring at neck and waist. Basically, it looked like a nice skirt that fit my waist well, and a sack up top. Pinned and pinned and pinned and finally decided there was no way of altering it, so cut the bodice off and am now wearing it as a beautiful white skirt. Will also take photos.
  
• Dug up a beautiful Australian sampler that I stitched on 14ct aida back a couple years ago - beautiful, but I never finished stitching the backstitched border. It's 3/4 done! However, I can't find the thread so I'll go to cherubs tomorrow and pick up a skein of 988 to finish it with, then wash it and show it as a happy dance *grin* It really is gorgeous, even if I *did* have to unpick and restitch those parrots and trees a thousand times...
• Folded and repacked large amounts of fabric that I've collected - silly things, like a large rectangle of bright blue panne velvet that I was given but have no use for, and a huge (like 3m) piece of sheer mottled blue fabric - originally curtain fabric, that I bought at spotlight a couple years ago for $1/m and I always meant to use it as overlay on a dress but never got around to it.
• Fit everything left over into my basket and threw out the extra box!

So now what is left in my basket is:

• The aforementioned fabric
• All the pieces cut for a victorian dress for a doll I made forever ago *except* the bodice and a sleeve, which are currently somewhere - location unknown. Last I knew it had been washed because someone got pie on it - dont ask, but after that I havent seen it in a while. It will turn up. Or I will buy new fabric. One of the above.
• The blocks, and a few rows sewn up of a quilt called Moonshadow that I started two and a bit years ago, all grey and black fabric but with jewel tones that leap out. Looks stunning, just needs some dedicated space to lay it out in and a couple spare days to sew it together in. Maybe in the holidays after easter? Might be able to ring in a few family members to help me!
• Random felt that is there for goodness knows what reason
• Stencils of bugs that I bought a couple years ago for a specific project and am keeping, for reasons unknown - I guess in the off chance that I might want to use them again.
  
• A pair of harem pants that are missing the bells that tied one of the cords - mum found them when washing but they've since disappeared and I'm not throwing them out until it's been a year since they were lost.

The sampler that I did ages ago (the year on it says 2005) is hanging up to try and hang the creases out, and I'll wash it with orvus very carefully when I've finished the border. It's white, but it got carted around a fair amount and so it's grubby. I nicknamed it my teatowel while I was working on it, since the dimensions are about the same! It's actually part of a pair of samplers - they were supposed to be stitched on the same piece of fabric but it would have looked horrible, and I started the matching one but never finished it. I dug it out too. I might try and finish it - make it a requirement to work on it for five hours every time I finish a milestone on one of my other projects maybe or something. I'm getting the first one framed anyway, since it looks fine on its own, and when I finish the other one it will be framed to match. It's all cross and back stitch, but the charting is magnificent - especially in this one section that has four trees in it, all different kinds - one looks like red autumn lace! Beautiful, even on aida.

I went to spotlight the other day looking for fabric for a dress pattern that I ordered - I wanted to make a simple, old style dress - long skirt, fitted waist with ties at the back, button/zip down the back, square neckline and long sleeves but moderned-ed up a bit. But do you know how hard it is to find dress fabric these days? Out of everything in that store, there was *one* bolt of fabric that would be warm enough for a dress, that wasn't hideous or obviously designed to be mens pants fabric. And it was on a rack that said $7.70/m which isn't too bad. Black flannel, with an embroidered detail around the hem about 30-40cm wide in autumn variegated colours, and plenty more in the plain black above where I'd have to cut it for the skirt to make the bodice and sleeves out of.

...get to the counter and ask for 3m of it, which should be plenty, and the assistant said 'you do realise that this is $27/m' don't you?

$27/m!!!!

*dies*

needless to say, I didnt buy the fabric.

*but* on the radio I heard that they have a sale on on tuesday, so I might go back if they still have the fabric. They should. I hope anyway...

It still ends up being $64.8 for the fabric, but I guess I could live with that. I've bought dresses for that amount before, and they were summer, cotton ones. It's just so frustrating that there is no decent dressmaking fabric around anymore, and when you find it it's so expensive.

Here's one version of the dress, though I won't have the contrasting colours on cuffs and hem:




I plan to make it with the black fabric, and ask Troy's mum to dye me some ribbon to match the colours in the embroidery to use on the cuffs and waistband, and maybe the collar if it needs it, to break up the black.

Seeing it done in the calico makes me want to do one in a lighter fabric too, with a flannelette petticoat underneath to keep warm with or something. It's gorgeous!
I just realised that this post was enormous, so I should probably shut up now.

Periwinkle Fae - week 1

Look! Periwinkle :) She's back. And now on a hand-dyed 32ct jobelan which I *love* from silkweavers, thanks to Anna.

I love her eyes - that one eye took me 3 straight hours of stitching and has about 20 colours but it's worth it.



Periwinkle Fae QS (no background) - (c) HAED and Nadia Tate
Stats:
Started: 1st March 2007
Total Stitches: 20872
Stitches Done:

• 8/3/07 - 1078
  

Look at this!

I have a lovely pile of floss...


and here's a side view:


that's everything I need for Sara Butcher's Truth, Temptation and Autumn. And now my fingers are itching to start them, but I'm going to have to be good - at least I don't have fabric, or I might have!

EDIT: silly me, I forgot to say - that's thanks to the lovely Nicole, who picked it all up for me :) Floss fairies are wonderful. Thankyou Nicole!

In other fun news, Tash and I are starting a Japanese Octagon Box SAL on Mondays as soon as I get my kit. Can't wait - more silks! Mmmmmm....