Autumnal Abstract - 70 hour update

Hello again!

Oh boy, am I whizzing through this design or what? I was very naughty on Sunday, putting housework on the back-burner in order to stitch. Coupled with the late nights, this 10 hour stint went very quickly! And I don't feel too guilty as it doesn't happen very often!

So, here are the progress pictures:

 After 60 hours

After 70 hours

The fact that most of this design is in blocks makes progress very obvious. I love it!

Some of you have commented on my sleep-limiting pattern so, to update you, I have to say that I am feeling full of energy, very refreshed and raring to go. If I compare this to the last five years, when daytime sleeps and early nights were often a necessity, I realize what a totally different person I am! How bizarre does that seem!!!

Right, back to housework..... I've got a bit of catching up to do!

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Autumnal Abstract - 60 hour update

Hello all!

I hope you are all well in stitchy-blog land and getting along with your various projects and SALs etc. I have been reading but not commenting on blogs recently so apologise and will try to catch up soon.

My progress on Autumnal Abstract has been very quick so far. This is due to a lifestyle change which now involves me limiting my sleep to under 6 hours per night and therefore having more stitching time in the late evenings. I have moved my daylight lamp and frame into our snug lounge and can now lock myself away and stitch until the small hours with just the guinea pigs and DVDs for company. This is the "me time" that I have been craving for years and has dampened the bitterness I have been feeling for a long time about caring for everybody else and not feeling as if I receive any care in return - ahhh! So, looking forward to stitching from 10pm to 1am (ish) every day, along with limiting my sleep, has given me a whole new lease of life. Rock on!!

Anyway, back to Autumnal Abstract. Here's where I left it back in July 2006:

After 52 hours

And this is where I am now:

After 60 hours

I love the blocks of colours and the colours themselves so plan to stay with this project for quite some time! If my new regime continues to work I should find myself updating this blog much more often!

Take care everyone!

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Star Trek TNG - finished and framed!

Hello fellow stitchers!

It may have taken another two weeks to finish the last character but, yes, it's finally happy dance time again! Star Trek The Next Generation is finished and framed and looks like this:

Pixel Power
Stitched on 16ct Navy Blue Aida 2 over 1

Stitch count 115 wide by 89 high

Started - 26th August 2014

Finished - 9th October 2014

Total stitching time - 25 hours

The black frame is just a standard 10 x 8 from Wilkinsons. It isn't perfect but as I didn't want to spend a lot framing this piece it'll do for now, although, as the photo proves, it does need non-reflective glass!

Now (and I'm aware I also said this after finishing Hang in There) I MUST return to my big projects and try to reach some more targets for 2014. But... I'm still not in the mood for starting Mini Space Traveler (or any other new project for that matter) nor in returning to my current WIPs. So I have pulled out Autumnal Abstract, one of my Suspended Works in Progress which hasn't been stitched on since I stopped going to my Cross Stitch Club back in July 2006! The colours are perfect for this time of year and I can see myself not putting it down for quite some time.

Until next time then,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

PS Happy 13th birthday to my daughter Heather. You're extra special and I love you loads!

Star Trek TNG - 6/7 completed

Hello all!

Sorry for the absence again - nearly two weeks to do 3.25 hours of stitching- disgraceful!

But I have a fairly good excuse - I have been busy de-mossing, pressure washing and re-grouting our drive and patios. This has put strain on my hands, right elbow and back, which has made sitting and stitching very uncomfortable. Obviously I'm not used to manual labour!!! But it's all finished now and looks fantastic even if I do say so myself! It's very satisfying seeing the paving look like new.

Anyway, the discomfort has now gone so I was finally able to finish Dr. Crusher. Here are the latest progress pictures of The Next Generation crew:

 After 21.75 hours

If it wasn't for the ginger hair you probably wouldn't know who this was supposed to be, but I like her anyway!

I'm really excited as I've only got one more pixel person to stitch and then this will be my fourth (yes, fourth) finish of the year!! OK, they've all been fairly small projects, but a finish is a finish. Yippee!!

Last up is Troi. I'm going to change her outfit from the season 1 boring grey ensemble to her blue season 7 uniform to be in keeping with the other characters. Should look good.

Until next time... and a finish...

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Star Trek TNG - 5/7 completed

Hello again everyone!

Well, the title of the post says it all really, so here are the progress pictures:

 After 18.5 hours

Next up is Dr. Crusher to the bottom right of Data.

Both children are away this weekend with their Scout Troop so I may be able to squeeze in a bit more stitching time - although that depends on what hubby finds me to do! No rest for the wicked, eh?? ;)

Also, I'm sorry if you're finding these little updates a bit boring, but bear with me - there's only two more characters to go and then I've got something much more exciting planned!

Be back soon...

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Star Trek TNG - 4/7 completed

Hello all!

Yes, that's another Star Trek crew member eventually completed. I say eventually because it's taken me 6 days to do 3.5 hours of stitching in basically half hour slots. That's BAD!

So here's La Forge and how the project is looking now:

 After 15 hours

Next up is Data to the bottom left of Picard.

Hopefully with the children now back at school and into their weekly routines I will be able to settle into my own stitching routine too.

Until next time then,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Star Trek TNG - 3/7 completed

Hi all!

Wow! Three posts in three days - it's almost as if I've got nothing better to do!

I stayed up late last night to finish the third member of the crew. So here is Picard and the project so far:

 After 11.5 hours

The fun of stitching these characters continues so next up is La Forge to the bottom right of Riker.

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x