QS Hang in There - finished and framed!

Hello fellow stitch-a-holics!

I'm back sooner than anticipated with a finish! I worked on Millie during Bank Holiday Monday, promising myself that I would stitch her until she was finished. I achieved this at 12.10am this morning! She has now been washed, ironed, thoroughly dried and framed. I am so happy with the result and guess what?..... yes, my mum has claimed her for her room!!!!

The "green" peg is a little bizarre as it contains blues, greys, golds and mauves. I had anticipated altering it to all greens, but there were so many colour changes that I decided to leave it. Also, some of the blue sky effect faded in the wash. At first I was annoyed but I still like the paler colour. She was not easy to frame either as the fabric at the top and bottom stretched a little during washing. I have put wadding behind her which helps hide the pucker marks from where I had to straighten the fabric. You wouldn't notice if I hadn't told you though!

So, here she is completed before framing:

And after framing, with her details:

QS Hang in There (aka Millie) by Karen Middleton

Heaven and Earth Designs

Stitched on 16ct hand-dyed Sky Aida 2 over 1 (no background)
Stitch count 150 wide by 173 high

Started - 6th May 2013
Finished - 26th August 2014

Total stitching time - 85 hours 30 minutes

The frame is, as I have mentioned before, from ezeframe.co.uk. It's a 20mm mahogany frame with a 40mm royal blue top mount, a 6mm terracotta bottom mount and anti reflective acrylic glazing. Perfect in my opinion!

I have sent pictures off to HAED showing her progress and framed. I can't enter their reward programme as I haven't stitched the whole project but I thought it would be nice for them to see a finished piece of work - MY finished piece of work!!!

With Millie completed I am officially down to 8 WIPs or 7 if I discount the one I am going to re-start (but more about that when the time is right!)

The whole point of finishing Millie was so that I could commence Mini Space Traveler, but at the moment *shock, horror* I don't actually feel like starting a new project! Which means I shall be carrying on with a current WIP - Mini The Owrd Lord. I just love the autumnal colours in this picture and very much feel in a browny-terracotta type mood.

See you soon then!

All the best and
Happy Stitching :)
Rachel x

QS Hang In There - 80 hour update

Hi all!

The end is getting nearer and the light at the end of the tunnel is definitely getting brighter!

I'm really enjoying Millie now that I know the end is so close. I can see a noticeable difference every few stitches as the gaps are being filled in. This is only possible due to constantly changing colours (which is getting to be really quite monotonous - 1 stitch here, 2 stitches there... oh look, there's actually a block of 5 over there!) You don't want to see how bulky the reverse is with all the fastening off and a few cheekily carried threads!!!

But enough whinging, here are the usual pictures:

After 70 hours

After 80 hours

Millie herself is actually completely totally utterly finished (yay!) leaving me with just the green peg and a bit of shadowing around it to stitch (although her left eye looks a bit weird so that may need a bit of adjusting). The task of trying to discern the background from the cat has not always been easy but I think I have done a fairly good job.

I have already ordered and received the frame for Millie from good old ezeframe.co.uk! I uploaded the 60 hour picture and worked with that to find the right colour mounts, frame and overall size. The choice was actually very easy and it cost just £25. I reckon the shop I used to use would have charged over £60 so that's a bargain in my book. OK, I have to stretch and mount it myself but I don't mind that at all. In fact, it gives me the satisfaction of truly finishing off my own piece of work.

The remainder of the summer holiday with the children is planned to be busy, busy, busy so I doubt there will be another post for a fortnight or so. But when there is, I can almost guarantee it will be of a completed project and you can all join me in yet another happy dance!

Until then,

All the best and
Happy stitching! :)
Rachel x

QS Hang In There - 70 hour update

Good afternoon one and all!

First of all, I'd like to welcome my new followers, so hello to The Crafty Princess, Lynda, Pull the other thread, spiritedsummer, Heidi82, Rai Rai's Stitches, SoCal Debbie, joyfuljenilee and Lynda H. I hope you all enjoy my stitching antics.

With Start Trek TNG and Voyager (or Wimbledon) playing in the background, this stint of Hang In There has not been too bad. As Annie commented, take some advice from the project title and "hang in there" so that is exactly what I have done! Thanks Annie! And as the end is getting nearer I'm getting more excited and itching to complete it.

So without further ado here are the usual pictures:

After 60 hours

After 70 hours

The tail and bottom are now complete and I am working upwards filling in the gaps. I usually work the other way round, but want to stitch the green peg last because I am not happy with the colours and will probably change them. This means frogging the golden-browns that have already been stitched but at least there aren't that many and I know I'll be happier with the result.

One of my sisters is visiting for the coming week so I doubt I'll get much stitching done. She has ME and fibromyalgia and finds it hard to move around much, so will be sitting in my comfy stitching chair most of the time. At least mum and Julie have active brains and mouths so can yap to their hearts content while I wait on them!!! Perhaps this will be a good time to try to complete the second Taste of Tuscany smalls whilst watching Wimbledon.

So until next time,

All the best and

Happy stitching :)

Rachel x

QS Hang In There - 60 hour update

Hello again!

Well, my next ten hours is up on this project and I have to confess I'm struggling and not really enjoying it much. But I know I need to stick with it so that I can reach a goal, do a happy dance and, more importantly, start Mini Space Traveler!

According to my time-scale I'm about 72% of the way through but I'm sure it's more than that. I'm now just left with confetti stitching which I aim to tackle one colour at a time. As you can see, the gaps are slowly being filled in which is actually quite satisfying.

Here are the pictures then:

After 50 hours

After 60 hours

The 60 hour photo truly resembles the colours of the fabric and threads and I think she looks great against the sky. Her name's Millie by the way. Isn't it sad how I have to give my characters names?!!!!

So, here's to the next ten hours. I think Star Trek TNG (an addiction of mine) will have to be on in the background to encourage me along!

Take care everyone.

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Mini One - 30 hour update

Hello everyone!

Good grief! I've just noticed it's nearly three weeks since my last post. My stitching pace seems to be varying so much at the moment. Yes, I have a busy life looking after the house and its menagerie of humans and pets, but (touch wood) it's not hectic or problematic so I don't really understand why it's so erratic. Hmmm, needs looking into...

Anyway, as usual, the posting title gives away what I've been working on and for how long, so without further ado here are the 20 and 30 hour pictures:

After 20 hours

After 30 hours

I've finished the first colour across all three pages in the top row and have made a start on the second colour. The two are quite similar but there is enough of a difference to see the subtle shading. I love it! But Mini One is going away for a while because...

I've now received and sorted all the threads I need for HAED's Mini Space Traveler. However, as I promised myself I would not start it until I have finished QS Hang in There, that is what I am moving on to next. I haven't worked on HIT since the beginning of February because I lost my enthusiasm for it, as you do when you get close to the end. But the itch to finish it is back now and the little kitty is on the frame ready and waiting to go.

It's also confession time - I was a very (x lots) naughty girl as, at the same time I ordered the threads for Space Traveler, I ordered the fabric and black threads for HAED's QS April Fairy. I've been following Pull The Other Thread as she colours in Clara and this nudged me into wanting to stitch the black outline of QS April Fairy, another chart which I just HAVE to stitch! So, with 16ct Light Pink Aida and 13 skeins of black 310, she is also ready to go (but not for some time yet - cough, cough!). No, honestly, I must have another finish before she is started. Trust me!

I hope you are all well and enjoying the World Cup! I'm definitely not a football fan but my son is, so when it comes to a tournament like this, if you can't beat them, join them! Actually, it's not that bad and it means I get lots of long cuddles!

I'll be back soon with an update on Hang In There so until then,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Mini One - 20 hour update and Bar Covers

Hello dear things!

I'm back very quickly with another update. It's school half term, so a couple of late nights and - hey presto - this stint was quickly finished.

So, here's the update of the 10 and 20 hour pictures. It's pretty boring to look at as it's still only one colour but at least progress is obvious!

 After 10 hours

After 20 hours

I'm staying with Mini One to finish off this colour on the left, then start a second colour top right until my 30 hours is up, by which time I'll probably want a change of project anyway.

I'm still waiting for some threads before I make a start in Mini Space Traveler but am now fairly certain I will complete QS Hang in There before starting it. This way I can keep to 10 WIPs and achieve a finish this year. Sorry, Crafty Princess, but this time temptation has not got the better of me and I am going to remain true to my targets! Stitching wise, there isn't actually a lot left to do on Hang in There but I was getting bored with the colours and trying to discern the cat from the background. However, wanting to start Space Traveler has now given me the impetus to finish it, so it's all worked out for the best.


I've had some fabric lying in the cupboard for many months with the intention of making something specific. However, having not got round to it and with my daughter being a dab hand with her sewing machine she did it instead and this is what she made:

Not much to look at until you see this:

She made me some bar covers for my 27" (pictured) and 30" bars.

On the Millennium Frame my fabric is always rolled inwards so that any rubbing or touching around the bars is on the underside. But I was still cautious of the transfer of dirt or grease from skin or clothing so after seeing many Q-snap covers decided these were the best idea. I feel much more comfortable stitching now that these are on, knowing that my fabric is staying really clean. I just need Heather to make a couple more pairs for my other sizes of bars (for a fee, of course!) Perhaps she ought to start a production line!

The children are away cub/scout camping this weekend (yippee!) so I hope to be back with another update shortly. Until then,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

New Start - Mini One by Heaven and Earth Designs

Hi everyone! Long time no see!

This last ten hour stint has taken ages to complete as I had two weeks with no stitching at all. My fingers were itching but I was so tired in the evenings that I just couldn't concentrate. Hopefully I'll be back to regular stitching soon...

This is my latest new start - Mini One by Heaven and Earth Designs. She reminds me of my time spent in Swansea as a University student where I would regularly walk along or sit on the beach and watch the tide come in. I started in the top right and in ten hours have stitched just one colour using exactly one skein of thread. This is not boring at all as progress is fast and I can stitch without having to concentrate too much! I am going to work left and down, stitching the sky colour by colour before descending below the horizon.

Here's the first picture then:

Mini One by Heaven and Earth Designs

Stitched on 16ct Cream Aida 2 over 1
Stitch count 225 wide by 318 high

Started - 1st May 2014

Stitching hours to date - 10

I hate to admit it, but I have (not too badly as yet) been bitten by the "Crafty Princess" bug. For those of you who follow her blog you will know what I mean!! She is responsible for potentially throwing my "only ten WIPs" out of the window! You see, she very kindly RAKd me two charts from my wish list and I would consider myself very rude if I were not to start at least one of them in appreciation!! I love her philosophy on life about doing what makes you happy (i.e. collecting charts and starting new projects) but must remember the necessity of actually keeping this realistic for me (or am I already too late for that?)

My RAKd charts from Heaven and Earth Designs were:

Mini Space Traveler by David Hoffrichter

Stitch count 337 wide by 198 high

 Mini Waiting by Selina Fenech

Stitch count 229 wide by 325 high

I have been gathering the threads and fabric ready to start Mini Space Traveler but don't know quite when it will get its first outing. I should make myself finish a project (probably QS Hang in There) before starting this but whether temptation will get the better of me is another matter. Watch this space (no pun intended!)


And as HAED were having a 50% off sale, I also treated myself to:

Faces of Faery 117 by Jasmine Beckett-Griffith

Stitch count 200 wide by 198 high

Love the steampunk theme and gorgeous turquoise eyes.

Mini Storykeeper by Selena Fenech

Stitch count 300 wide by 433 high

My daughter is a budding author and is currently writing a rather gruesome book about a race whose children have long black hair. So this picture was calling me. However, when (if) I ever start this project it will get cropped to about 225 x 350.

So, that's my stitching news for the last three weeks. Not much to show but hopefully I will be back quicker next time with another progress report. Until then,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x