Autumnal Abstract - 110 hour update

Hello all!

I love being able to do regular postings on this piece and thank you again for all your kind comments, including how quickly I stitch. But I'm not actually that fast a stitcher. This pattern has blocks of colours throughout with very little confetti stitching, so it's very easy and quick to follow as the needle isn't jumping around all over the place and only a small amount of counting is required. Couple that with the fact that I now stitch for a good 2-3 hours each night (and possibly sneak in some stitching at the weekend) and... hey presto... progress looks quick. Once I return to more complicated designs you will see my progress rate drop quite rapidly!!!

So, onto the usual pictures:

After 100 hours

After 110 hours

No doubt I'll be back within the week with another progress report! It's half term for the children but as we've got nothing definite planned I might be able to do some additional stitching whilst they relax on their computers.

For those interested, the sleep limiting is still working well. I'm regularly on 5.5 hours per night but ask hubby to leave me to wake up naturally at the weekend when I tend to have about 7-8 hours. I may have the odd snooze during the day but only for 10 minutes or so, so it's nowhere near as bad as the heavy sleeps I used to need to keep me going. I'm much more awake and so happy at being able to stitch regularly. Yippee!!

Big hugs to all,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Autumnal Abstract - 100 hour update

Hello fellow stitchers!

Yes, that's now 100 hours completed on this design and I'm still going strong. I'm averaging 2-3 hours per night and love being able to see visible daily progress. I've made a lot more progress in the last 50 hours at home than I did during the 50 hours at the Cross Stitch Club (more stitching less chatting!) and estimate about another 80 hours to go.

So, here are the usual pictures:

After 90 hours

After 100 hours

I've reached the bottom right hand corner and have been able to stitch all of the design without having to roll any of the actual stitching, which I'm really happy about.

A few people have asked when/where I purchased this kit as they having been looking for it. Well, I bought it about 10 years ago from an internet shop and know that it has not been available for quite some time. So..... when I have finished stitching the whole design I shall be giving away the original chart to one lucky blog follower. If you're interested then just watch this space for a final post and instructions on how to win!

Until next time then,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

PS Forgot to wish my son, Toby, a very happy 11th birthday for Sunday. Love you loads!

Autumnal Abstract - 90 hour update

Hello all!

My stint on Autumnal Abstract continues to go at lightning speed and I'm still loving it!

So, without further ado, here are the usual pictures:

After 80 hours

After 90 hours

I'm continuing to stay with this project and have even put the thought into my mind that there's a possibility it could be completed by the end of the year! However, with Christmas getting in the way I am not setting my hopes too high.

I'm still receiving lovely comments about this piece, so thank you all very much. It's a joy to stitch and I'm thinking that in the future I may stitch it in a different colourways - there are only 24 colours so converting them into, for example, blues, lilacs and purples, would not be difficult.

In the meantime, work continues behind the scenes for something I will share with you at the beginning of December - aren't I a meanie?

So until next time,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Autumnal Abstract - 80 hour update

Hello fellow stitchers!

Thank you for all the lovely comments you have been leaving recently. I still haven't caught up with commenting on your blogs, but am enjoying reading your progress reports and snippets about life.

Another ten hours stitching Autumnal Abstract have rapidly passed by so here are the latest progress pictures:

After 70 hours

After 80 hours

I'm still enjoying this project and putting in the unsociable hours. All this and staying on top of housework and looking after a house full of family and animals too! Fab!

For those who are following me and/or experimenting with sleep-limiting, keep in touch about your status. Obviously we are all wired differently and what works for one person might not work for others. But as one stitcher commented, anything that allows more stitching time has to be tried, hasn't it??!!

See you soon.

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

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!