DUCJC 2015 - Day 5

Hello all!

So much for schools starting back Monday - daughter's school was closed because of heating issues! But I didn't let that interfere with my stitching!

This was the new start of the day. The original was stitched using Anchor threads. Obviously the chart I used to convert Anchor to DMC was rubbish as the browns are not even close to the Anchor colours! Maybe I should have used my own eyes and converted them myself. But I suppose I don't really mind. (S)he's still really cute!

I squeezed in 3.5 hours of stitching again..... naughty me! I might hang my head in shame, but there's still a big smile on my face!

Trouble and Squeaks - Loves Me... Loves Me Not...

Featured in Cross Stitcher August 2009
Stitched on 32ct Antique White Opalescent Evenweave by Fabric Flair 2 over 2

I had to choose an evenweave for this project as there are so many fractionals. I can't say I'm looking forward to stitching the circle of daisies but I know that it's needed to enhance the central design and I'm sure I'll be pleased and proud once it's done.

I'm really enjoying watching all of your new starts too. It's great to see so many people have taken up the challenge.

More Margaret Sherry tomorrow!

Love and hugs

Rachel x

DUCJC 2015 - Day 4

Good morning!

I'm afraid to say that (after packing away all the Christmas things) a second Top Gear Challenges DVD went on yesterday afternoon which meant another three hours of solid stitching in the company of my son. Oh dear, what a shame! This brought the stitching total for this project to 3.5 hours.

Solo the Cat is charted by Anchor so I converted the threads to DMC. This has resulted in him (apparently it is a male cat) being a little more yellow than cream. But I still love him and hopefully the rest of the colours will look more natural once added. If not, I don't really care!!!!

Feline Groovy (not stitching flowerpot)

Featured in Cross Stitch Crazy
Stitched on 16ct Clay over-dyed Aida by Fabric Flair 2 over 1

Everything now returns to normal with hubby back at work and the children back at school. It would be nice to think I could continue to stitch for 3 hours every day but that is unlikely.

Next up is my first ever Margaret Sherry design. I'm very excited as (s)he is just sooooo adorable!

Until then,

Love and hugs,

Rachel x

DUCJC 2015 - Day 3

Good morning again!

I am very ashamed of myself for yesterday's progress. You see, this is the smallest of my 31 starts and I love it to pieces so I just kept on stitching... and stitching... and stitching! I did a bit early morning, more in the afternoon (whilst my son and I watched a Top Gear Challenges DVD) and even more in the evening, amounting to just over 5 hours in total. Oooops! When it comes to it I'll be stitching the tummy and swirls in DMC rather than the recommended Kreinik but adding some blending filament to the white clouds for a little bit of sparkle.

Dragon of Air

Free chart from Dragon Dreams Inc.

Stitched on 16ct Nebula hand-dyed Aida by The Crafty Kitten 2 over 1

Tomorrow's start will definitely not be as productive as we will be taking down the Christmas decorations and preparing for school on Monday.

See you in the morning!

Love and hugs,
Rachel x

DUCJC 2015 - Day 2

Good morning!

Yesterday I managed to stitch for a total of 2.5 hours on this little cutie. The duck's very similar to my daughter's "Snuggle Chum" which has been (and... shhhh.... still is) her constant companion since she was 7 months old.

I decided to stitch the snowball first and get the white-on-white out of the way. To my credit, it's also the first time I've EVER stitched on evenweave! This fabric is particularly soft so it took a bit of time for me to get the tension right, but here's the result. Hope you like it.

Christmas Quacker!

Featured in Cross Stitch Crazy

Stitched on 32ct Antique White Opalescent Evenweave by Fabric Flair 2 over 2

See you tomorrow!

Love and hugs
Rachel x

DUCJC 2015 - Day 1

Good morning all!

I was so excited to finally make a start on my first project, managing just over 3 hours on and off during the day. Although I stitched some sky and part of the dog it looks like a load of brown and blue splodges! But that's the joy of cross stitch - watching it all come together.

Friends For Life

Featured in Cross Stitcher July 2009

Stitched on 16ct Tumbleweed over-dyed Aida by Fabric Flair 2 over 1

Until tomorrow.

Love and hugs
Rachel x

2015 Stitching Plans

Good morning everybody and welcome to 2015!

I hope you all had a good night's sleep and are ready for the first day of action.

Here's what I have planned for this year...

I didn't do that well on meeting my targets in 2014, probably because they were too specific and my stitching tastes changed during the year. So in 2015 I am going to have more open-ended plans.

I am decreasing the number of large WIPs as they have become a burden more than a joy, especially those with a lot of confetti-stitching. I need smaller projects which grow quicker and give me the satisfaction of a finish. It doesn't mean I won't finish the larger projects, just put them aside for the moment.

So in 2015 my stitching plans are:

1)  STITCH FROM STASH

Run by Mel of Epic Stitching. I spent quite a lot on charts, fabric and threads in 2014 so should have plenty to keep me going! For ease, the $25 monthly budget will be converted to £16. Let's see if I can stick to it!

2)  DEBBIE'S ULTIMATE CRAZY JANUARY CHALLENGE

I had planned to join this just a couple of weeks before Debbie sadly passed away so am glad it is continuing in her memory. It took me a good couple of months to whittle the number of charts down to 31 (maybe I should have done the January/February challenge?) and pull together all the charts, threads and fabrics I needed. I will begin stitching a new piece every day during January and then work on them when the mood takes me. I genuinely have no idea how many I will be able to finish during the year so have set 6 (20%) as a rough guesstimate.

3)  LIZZIE KATE MONTHLY FLIP-IT STAMPS (2005)

These stamps will be stitched at regular intervals during the year, starting each new one on the 1st of the month. As they are relatively quick to stitch there should be 12 finishes for the year!

4)  A NEW STITCHY START 2015
Run by Tammy. As I had planned to restart Scarlet Macaw Preening in 2015 I decided to join this SAL in order for me to try to make at least some progress on this project each month. It's going to take a very long time to stitch (I estimate 700 hours) so any progress at all will be a step in the right direction. It'll also be at first for me as I'll be updating monthly as opposed to 10 hourly (panic attack building!) This has it's own page within my blog.

5)  CONTINUE WITH
a)  Mini The Owrd Lord
b)  Dolphin Ruins
c)  OMG Tigger Is Out

6)  PROBABLY START

a)  Owls In Love

b)  Dragon Eye
c)  some of the Small Charts in my stash eg DMC Sepia Kittens, DMC Woodland Folk, Gloria and Pat's Young'uns, Heritage Little Black Cats, Heritage Silhouettes, Pixel People and Satsuma Street Pretty Little Cities (although this very much depends on how many DUCJC pieces I finish as I do not want to become a massive serial starter!)

7)  POSSIBLY, BUT PROBABLY NOT, STITCH ON

a)  QS Come Softly

b)  Mini Bookworm Fairy
c)  Mini One

8)  CONSIGN TO UFOs

a)  QS Emerald Dragon

b)  SK The History of Chocolate
c)  QS Fairy With Butterfly Mask

There seem to be an awful lot of ideas, but there are 365 days to fill!!!

If you are working out plans or targets good luck in setting and keeping to them!

Love and hugs :)
Rachel x

Happy New Year!

Hello everyone!

Just a quick post to say.....

I hope that you all have a happy and healthy 2015 full of love, warmth and thousands of little stitches!

Please allow me to also take this opportunity to thank everyone who looks at and comments on my blog. It's a very humbling experience and never ceases to amaze me how people all over the world can follow my stitching progress and yet feel so close (I'd better stop there before I start blubbing!)

You are a lovely bunch who are very friendly, generous, warm, caring..... and a million more similar adjectives.

Boy, am I really looking forward to following you all through 2015!

Sleep well tonight - lots of SALs start tomorrow and your fingers need to be well rested!

Love and hugs,

Rachel x