Dolphin Ruins - 40 hours

Hello all!

First of all a big thank you (I think!) to everybody who left comments about stitching on linen. I'm more confused than ever now as apparently linen is best stitched by hand, in a hoop, in q-snaps or on the Millennium frame! Looks like it'll just have to be trial and error to see which is best suited to me. Whatever the case, Sherlock will be started very soon.

In the meantime, I'm continuing to plod along on Dolphin Ruins, trying to fill in some of the gaps and complete the top of the arch.

After 30 hours

After 40 hours

I'm going to continue for another 10 hours and then put it away for a while as I desperately need a change from 10 different shades of blue!

Stitching-wise I've got lots of things planned for the New Year which will be revealed shortly - although the more eagle-eyed among you may have already noticed a new page tab at the top of my blog.....

I'll be back soon with more news.

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Dolphin Ruins - 30 hours

Good evening one and all!

Another 10 hours bites the dust so the next progress picture is due:

After 20 hours

After 30 hours

Not having specific little sections, like Autumnal Abstract, I didn't realize how much I'd stitched until I compared photos. This project is really relaxing to work on, even though the majority so far has been black and umpteen shades of dark blue!

My next post will be asking for luck and advice - I've set myself a daunting challenge and need opinions from those who have had experience in such matters. I'll say no more now!!

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Dolphin Ruins - 20 hours

Hello all!

First of all a massive THANK YOU to everyone who left such kind comments regarding my choice of frame and mounts for Autumnal Abstract. I'm overwhelmed by your kindness. You are such a fantastic bunch of virtual friends and I'm glad you enjoyed my updates and finished piece. I will get around to replying to you all but in the meantime, thank you again!

Dolphin Ruins is growing quite quickly at the moment due to it still being mostly black and dark blue. I've never been one for stitching methodically so keep jumping around the top row of four pages as the mood takes me.

Here's where I'm up to:

After 10 hours

After 20 hours

You can just make out the tops of the columns on the left and right and the roof arches above them.

I hate confetti stitching and really have to be in the mood for it so am leaving any colours where less than 10 stitches are required, hence the gaps. I get much more satisfaction out of stitching the big blocks of colours first!

My hoped-for champagne dinner over the weekend did not go quite according to plan. Instead hubby treated me to a Burger King whilst we were Christmas shopping in Basingstoke. Nice to know what I'm worth to him - I'll bear the value of the meal in mind when buying his present!!

Take care everyone.

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

PS As much as you liked watching my progress there are only two followers who wish to win the chart of Autumnal Abstract. There's still a week left if you want to enter the draw. See 19th November posting for details.

New Start - Dolphin Ruins by Rabnann

Good morning all!

With Autumnal Abstract finished (the frame is being delivered this morning) I am now free to work on something else which is - surprise surprise - Dolphin Ruins. I know I've got a lot of WIPs that desperately need attention but I just couldn't wait any longer to start this one:

Dolphin Ruins by Rabnann (ebay)

Stitched on 16ct Light Blue aida 2 over 1

Stitch count 223 wide by 288 high

Started - 16th November 2014

Stitching hours to date - 10

So far it's mostly black (310) and very dark blue (823) with a splash of lighter blues thrown in for variation (and sanity!)

Progress on this chart will be a bit slower than you have been witnessing lately - partly because I am having to use the old grey matter and count more and partly because it's a much bigger project. The blues are lovely to work with after the autumnal colours so I'll carry on until I feel like I need another colour-palette change.

Until next time,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

PS don't forget, you can still leave a comment indicating your interest in winning the Autumnal Abstract chart. I know it's not to everybody's taste, and I actually don't have that many followers, but there's only one entrant so far!!

New Stash - well, it is my birthday!

Hello fellow bloggers!

I've been a very naughty girl and, as the title states, received some new stash for my birthday. Note I said received, not bought, as these were presents from my mum, daughter and son (bless 'em!). So all of the following, which I just had to share with you, can be justified, can't they?? Of course they can!!

Lizzie Kate 

Monthly Flip-It Stamps (2005)
Stitch counts 47 wide by 47 high

I've noticed a lot of stitchers do Lizzie Kate projects so had to look at the website to find out what all the fuss was about. I'm not into samplers but fell in love with their 2005 Flip-It Stamps set. They will definitely be one of my 2015 WIPs. No offence to all American bloggers out there, but I am going to substitute the November Thanksgiving design for fireworks as that's much more English!

Satsuma Street (etsy)

Pretty Little London and Pretty Little Paris
Stitch counts 123 wide by 110 high and 111 wide by 104 high

All of Satsuma Street's city designs as on my wish list but as London and Paris are the most relevant to me those are the ones I decided to ask for first. The unusual colours should make them fun to stitch.

FluffyFuzzyPatterns (etsy)

Owls In Love
Stitch count 250 wide by 152 high

Oh my goodness... how cute is this??? There are only three shades of grey in the whole design and lots of unstitched areas so it should be really easy to do! Gorgeous.

EvasDesignsBg (etsy)

Dragon Eye
Stitch count 180 wide by 135 high 

This is a fantastic representation of a dragon's eye and I immediately knew that it was hypnotizing me to 'buy me or else'! So I did! There are only 11 colours in this design so would be easy to convert to a different hue if I wanted. Hmm... thinks firey reds/oranges perhaps?

Rabnann (ebay)

Dolphin Ruins
Stitch count 223 wide by 288 high

This design not only jumped out at me when I saw it but has also jumped to the very top of my to-do list. I don't know how long I will be able to resist the temptation of a new start but I doubt it will be long! I love the underwater mysterious lost City of Atlantis effect and the rippling on the dolphins' backs and marble columns. I hope the stitched picture is true to its mock up. Oooh, my fingers are itching already!!!


So that's 17 more projects to add to my to do lists - but in my justification, most of them are small. Anyway, aren't birthdays and Christmases specifically made as a reason/excuse to further increase our stash piles?? Good. I'm glad you all agree!!

As always,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x