Charming or Tedious

My thought for the day is:

“It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious” Oscar Wilde.

Some days my stitching is in the same frame. It is neither good nor bad, but I am charmed by the development and thoughts that happen as I stitch (currently on the ANZEG mystery sampler which is having a lot of stitch development in my case) or I find that the pattern or colour is tedious and I want to get this out of the way.

I have just finished a hardanger scissor case and needlebook and I realised why I have not done large scale hardanger projects. The buttonhole edge drove me nuts and I could only do one thread at a time. This for me was some tedious stitching but others find it charming. How are you viewing your stitching this month?

I will find time later this month to post pictures of the completed stitching and also the Wessex needlebook that our guild is creating. I am slightly behind but getting there.

Quarterly Update

 Its been a busy few months and I have taken to working with felt for some of the time. A friend made the most delightful bookmark with a ladybird for me so I have taken this to a whole new level and created several for sale. These are at Percy's Place in Stratford or Eltham Honey as well.

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These crosses were created for a friend who is visiting South Africa and wants small gifts to take with her. I am sure the recipients will be delighted and will use them every day.

Unicorn - created for a granddaughters birthday 

 Bumblebees - did you know they are in short supply and one of my best friends has a honey business "Eltham Honey". These are for her to sell or keep, whichever she wants.

Mickey Mouse, the Owl, Cup of tea and hearts have all been done as presents for friends and family so I have the patterns and can create more as I go.

I have found a new way of stitching on felt and it is really neat and makes a nice edge. I also put a stiff lining so they should keep their shape for a while.

Next finish after 18 months is the Laura Perin Christmas Wreath. This is stitched using my stash threads and it has been loads of fun. I am hoping to mount it in a circle as a wreath that I can bring out each year. Hoping to get it finished in time for the November Art Society exhibition.

Latest starts. We have collected a number of these small bags from Air New Zealand over the years and I have been using them as small project bags. I saw a bigger one decorated in the style of Sue Spargo, so thought I would have a go. Here is the first bird one with pieces stitched and pinned ready to go. I am now ready to finish this one and will post it when done.

Stash deprevation: after a month

It has been a while since I have written and things seem to have been a bit crazy. The holiday break is over with a few activities to keep me entertained. Mum and I went on a coach trip to Pirongia Art and Craft Market which was fun. Would go again but possibly take the car so a later start could be made. While we were there we caught up with my cousin and her husband so that was nice. Our next outing was to take institute ladies for a day to teach them how to macrame. It was amazing how easy it was and the little group made it worthwhile. I think all the ladies enjoyed themselves and hopefully we get a few entries into the competition next year.

At the start of October mum and I went to Wellington to catch up with an old friend, Jennifer who has moved into a rest home in Johnsonville. While there Jenny gave me a number of her books, threads and other bits she is downsizing. I also was the recipient of the chair that she needlepointed a number of years ago and this is now in my sewing room as my sewing chair. She says it’s uncomfortable but it will make me stitch faster. While in Wellington we took David out for dinner on two nights at great restaurants, shopped at Nespresso, Pandora and Swarovski with a quick stop at the Christmas shop in Kirkcaldies. Lunch was had at Charley Noble’s which was lovely. Very nice, relaxed place to while away a couple of hours and drink champagne. Mum and I then walked along the waterfront to have a look at the "Scale of Our War" exhibition in Te Papa, an ice cream and the lonely purchase of a postcard at the gift shop. On our way home the following day we stopped to visit with Alice and took her to lunch in Palmerston North at the Joseph Street Kitchen. This was a wonderful place and a real find.

On the stitching front I have been busy with my stash wreath and although I did not get as much completed as I wanted I did get a few other things done or started. I have nearly completed another parcel and trying to stitch some of the surrounds so I don't leave the basketweave to the finish.

Projects I have started are my doll knitting (pink) so I will be able to return the pattern to its owner at some stage. I made these little brooches and also am making a few small gifts for my night class ladies if they all get completed. I also managed to knit another two coat hanger covers and make one up with two still to be made. This is a great project for institute nights as I can knit during the meetings. I have finished the bag insert stitching only in blue which I am hoping to give away as a gift (so now to make up the bag this weekend).

Blog award and latest needlepoint piece.

It has been a long while since I have written but recently I was nominated on Lee’s blog for the award below. I would like to thank her and hope that you have time to visit her blog Notes from under the mountain.

I understand the rules of this award is as follows-

The purpose of this award is for bloggers to nominate fellow, mostly newer, bloggers that they wish to recognise. The goal is to bring attention to blogs that we think are "lovely" and enjoy reading. We hope others will enjoy reading these blogs also.

In order to accept the award, the nominated blogger must follow these rules::

Thank the person who nominated you & link back to them in your post.

Share seven facts about yourself

Nominate 10 other bloggers for the award

Seven Facts about myself.

·         I grew up in the Stratford, have lived overseas for 12 years and came back to Stratford. When I moved home from Melbourne I went the long way around which took nearly six months.

·         I work in the place that I attended secondary school – Stratford High School.

·         I started embroidery as a child but knitted and crocheted mostly. I have the first piece of embroidery I made – a linen tea towel with a chef on it. Still used in my kitchen.

·         My favourite type of embroidery is canvas work or needlepoint and I would live to be able to design pieces.

·         I started beading in 1991 while in Melbourne and since about 2007 I have designed a beaded Christmas decoration for my night class ladies. My aim is to one day write down and graph out the patterns. Perhaps I will have to give up work to have enough time.

·         I have decided that none of my work needs to be kept. My three nieces will have far too much stuff to keep all the pieces so in future years I am going to look at selling them.

·         My stash is never organised but often in a state of organisation. I can usually find what I am looking for but occasionally a surprise comes out and I think I must finish this.

The 10 Blogs that I nominate in no special order are-

I am not certain if any of these people will carry this forward but I hope that they might. These are the blogs that I read for inspiration and encouragement.

Sharon B – Pintangle blog; an excellent Australian blogger who took a stitch sampler to new heights.

Robin Atkins – Beadlust   http://beadlust.blogspot.co.nz/ a wonderful beader who does the most amazing work.

Ruth Schmuff – Not your grandmothers needlepoint. My favourite site for exploring needlepoint ideas

LizArt - http://lizartblog.blogspot.co.nz/   fabulous work on bargello pieces.

GayAnn Rogers: www.gayannrogers.com

Orna Willis – ADORN http://ornadesign.blogspot.co.nz/

Zentangle blog: http://zentangle.blogspot.co.nz/

Going to pieces blog - http://www.goingtopieces.blogspot.co.nz/

Jo Dixey – dixeysoul.blogspot.com

Tricia Wilson Nguyen – Thistle threads blog http://thistle-threads.blogspot.co.nz/

Latest update on shady colours.

This has been a pleasure to stitch and I am looking forward to stitching the next one (green and purple). In the first picture I have nearly completed the Amadeus stitches on the big triangle and in the next picture I have started on the last pair of triangles. 

Odyssey commencement

This is the first finished corner of the outer stitching on odyssey. I purchased this pattern in1996 or 1997 in Oregon, and started later that year. I stitched for one weekend a year on it at our annual retreat for our embroidery guild but stopped when we changed venues and I started doing the project. This year I have decided that this is my winter piece and I am hoping to get most of the outside area done this term then to buy the beads for the finishing.this was about three hours work as all these threads need to be laid neatly and not twisted.

Well this is the start of the finishing process. Another week on and I have finished another side section here. 

Also this past week has been very exciting as we had a visit from Sarah. She decided that she needed a break for her university holiday, so she came to visit her grandparents and was in time for a big family weekend. David also arrived home from Germany, Alice came home from Masterton and lots of Terry's family were visiting. I had time at the weekend to make an iPad case, so thinking of making another one for my etsy shop. 

All posted

Over the past ten months mum and I have been stitching for ANY Auction. These are the pieces that have been sent back for this years auction in Chicago.

Egg stitched by me.

Xmas Deco beaded and stitched by Mum

 

Christmas deco stitched by Mum

Elf boot stitched by me.

The other piece that we have finished was on my last blog post. It is a cone which was loads of fun to stitch and showed me how much the choice of stitch affects the finished look.

I am hoping that they will be made up beautifully and sell for good prices at the auction. It has been fun stitching and I now have brought one of my canvases out with some inspiration for stitching.

The next project that we are making for our night class is going to be some of the projects from the Needlepoint Now magazine.


This picture below shows the display table from our recent embroidery guild meeting. We also had all the pieces for our guild challenge finished and on display. It will be exciting to see it made up by Lee for the conference in New Plymouth in July. Notice under the display my table runner that Marilyn helped me make. It is the french braid pattern and now lives on the TV cabinet in my lounge. The small rooster piece was another piece stitched by Liz Bartley and I have made into a snappy bag.

May 2014 Guild Display of finished pieces.

ANG Auction piece finished

Another auction piece has been stitched and one more to go. Hoping this weekend will see the elf shoe completed. This fuchsia piece is made up into a cone to hang on the Christmas tree. 

Another finish

I was so excited last night that I stayed up to put the last beads in. This piece has history. It was started by a member of our embroidery guild (Central Taranaki) who died at the start of 2010. Last year her husband gifted me with her stitch bags and supplies and this was in it. My night class had been stitching Laura Perins Floral Ribbons and Victorian Ribbons and I was about to start one of them. I decided that I would finish this piece and make it up.

At the weekend we had our regional embroidery retreat and I decided that I would take this piece and stitch everything that needed to be done except the beads. That would be my stitching for Monday night class and this piece would be done. It worked but after a lengthy discussion on the colour of the beads, opal disappeared, the greens were wrong, the pink was too wishy washy, we decided on silver pearl and raspberry. I did most of it during the class time but after all left I sat on the couch, watched my favourite programme “Person of Interest” and sewed on the final beads. It was 10.45 pm when I took out the pins holding it on and took the photo.

My decision now is what type of bag. I have been making snappy bags and don’t really need any more for myself so think I would like to make this into a pocket for a bigger bag that will hold a 14 inch frame. This may be the go but now to find material (is there any in the stash) and a pattern (I have a book).

The next exciting thing that has happened is my dad had his birthday yesterday and the birthday surprise was my brother arriving home at 9pm last night. Very exciting.

Another finish

A week of  highs and lows in this country. The week started optimistically with NZ poised to win the Americas Cup. I finished twisted stitcher and completed the piece above Harmony -Earth by Thursday which was also the day we lost the Americas Cup. It was a valiant effort by our team but in the end it was money talking and extra millions we did not have. I am so proud of Grant, Dean and the whole team including NZ media who did such a wonderful job. It shows that we as a nation are supporters of all and we don't need to win at all costs. I will continue to wear my shirt with pride.

I have stitched more on amazing grays, as well as my small floral ribbons piece. Also started is the next beaded piece a red heart so I hope to finish that this week and post to Lynn for Creative Stitchers. 

The term has finished and I made an trip to Auckland to see the musical "Wicked". Stephanie and I saw this in New York in January 2012 and really loved it. I was inspired by the story once again and will listen to the CD with fresh ears. Getting to Auckland was a trip this time, first time flight has been cancelled but I was lucky enough to get a lift with a young man Phil who hired a car as he needed to be in akl for business. Arrived at the international terminal four hours after leaving np airport. Hoping that the flight home tomorrow is fine. 

School finished well with a cultural afternoon for the students and a quiz afternoon for the staff. We were once again the worst team but we only had five members so a disadvantage before we started. 

A very busy time

It has been nearly a month since I last wrote and things have been really busy.



My Soduku - very halloween ish.

I have finished Sudoku and here are the finished pieces from my Monday night ladies. This has been one of our most successful projects for a couple of years with five of us completing it within the same year we started. It is doing projects like this that I miss Liz and how much she would have enjoyed doing this work.

Judy's piece - same colours as Sue

Jills piece used the colours as stated in the pattern.

Mum used a monotone palete which looks great.

Sue used the same colours as judy but quite different results

Mum and I went to Dunedin to visit Alice and while there I completed a mill Hill Christmas kit plus finished the Mill Hill Scissor case 9without the long neck cord) as well as completed the outside row for my Lativan work. I have also started the May piece for BJP 4 and am back onto walk on the wild side with canvas #1 finished and number 2 underway. Mum has finished one and two so she is racing ahead of me.
My Colourific piece has been received and the exhibition opens at the end of this month in Arrowtown so it will interesting to see if Skadi comes home afterwards.