For want of a better title... A stitchy update....

I have quite a few different projects on the go, as I am sure you all well know by now.  So, I thought it was time for an update....

Let's start with my Mystery SAL ... as usual, and as I love to do, I am drawing a bit of a long bow with my next Tudor Tuesdays SAL project.

I have chosen to stitch the wonderful Nora Corbett Mystery SAL, "Wherefore art thou".

Now, the logic goes like this....

The design for "Wherefore art thou" is Romeo and Juliet, written by Shakespeare, who was an Elizabethan, Elizabeth I was a Tudor monarch - so voila! Tudor Tuesdays!

This is my before pic ...

and my progress pic...

The fabric colour is truer in the second pic.

The colours in this design are truly stunning, so I am really looking forward to working on this one ... and today is Tuesday again, so time to stitch on this again! Look out for an update tomorrow on my Tudor Tuesdays SAL blog.

Next up is my map of Westeros, which is what I am stitching on when I watch Game of Thrones Series 6 (which I first wrote about in this post, here). Each picture represents an episode from the current series.  As you can see, not a lot of progress each viewing - probably because each episode is so gripping that I get too engrossed to stitch - lol!

Still, it is all good fun to stitch on whilst I watch.

Speaking of watching TV my other TV related project is the Outlander Sampler, which you can read about in the same post as above. I am stitching on this as I watch Season 2.

Ist episode:

2nd episode:

I am collecting episodes, so that one of these nights I can have a marathon Outlander stitching session.

... and my last stitchy update for now, is my progress on my UFO, Thirteen Colonies (which I picked up again last Friday after four years!

It is moving along nicely now, I even have a couple of sheep!

So, that is all from me today.

hugs, 

Midweek stitchy update....

Just thought that I would update you with what else has been going on in my stitchy world....

1.  Outlander (and more....!)

The day after I purchased my two new samplers - Song of Solomon and the Skyros ship - see this post here (scroll down).

These goodies arrived in the mail:

Outlander Sampler by The Sampler Girl

and the first two designs in the To the Beach series by Hands on Design.

Now, as I had the first episode of Outlander all recorded and ready to go and TraderVic was out last evening!  I decided that I would stitch on the sampler every time I watched the show.

So far I have stitched the "F".

So, this is Season 2, Episode 1

28 ct overdyed linen

Floss: GAST Purple Iris

Then, I had a brainwave - Season 6 of Game of Thrones is about to start - wouldn't it be cool to stitch something for that while I watched?  

So, a quick internet search later, I was the proud owner of:

(See, that phrase "instant download" gets me every time!)

I have until April 24 to get my ducks in a row on this one.

2. America, Land that we love ...

Monday night was 'Merica Monday, so I stitched on my American Sampler for the Americana SAL blog.

I finished my second state - Alaska

... North to the future  (State motto) ....

49th State to join the Union - January 3rd, 1959.

I am so enjoying stitching on this every Monday, however  I would like to pick up the pace a little as it would be wonderful to finish this sampler by the end of the year.

"Alaska, northwest of Canada, is the largest and most sparsely populated U.S. state. It's known for its dramatic, diverse terrain of wide-open spaces, mountains and forests, with abundant wildlife and many small towns. It’s a destination for outdoor activities including skiing, mountain biking and kayaking. Massive Denali National Park, home to Denali (fka Mt. McKinley), North America’s highest peak, is a site of animal-viewing tours."

Capital: Juneau

Area: 1.718 million km²

Population: 736,732 (2014)

Stunning, isn't it?  One day I would like to go there to view the calving of the icebergs - I am sure it would be a majestic sight.

3. Lizzie and Lizzie's Dad....

Dear Lizzie has returned from the Framers and I am so pleased with how she turned out.

I chose a triple mount and I am so glad that I did - it came up beautifully!

... and my prediction two week's ago that Lizzie's Dad would be finished in one more evening of stitching was so wrong!  He is still a WIP but I am hopeful that next Tuesday will see him finished!  Fingers crossed.

So, that is it for me for today, have a good one!

hugs, 

A Happy Dance and Stash Empire Building

  

I would firstly like to say a big Aussie hello to my new followers - Welcome to my blog, I hope that your enjoy visiting me here in Eaglemont, Victoria.  It is so lovely to make new stitchy friends from around the world.  

I am getting excited - only 8 days to my first Blogoversary - who would have thought that I would still be going strong nearly a year later! Please don't forget to enter my Giveaway - I would love for you all to have a chance to win!

I have had a pretty good stitchy week this past week and long weekend (it was the Queen's Birthday Public holiday today).  I have a HAPPY DANCE.  I finished my second version of "here lie my needles".  I am really pleased with it - the variegated thread has turned out well, I think.  Sorry, the fabric is actually a dusty pink but it hasn't quite turned out like that -  not sure why.

"here lie my needles"
The Sampler Girl free pattern
28 count Dusty Pink Linen
Threads:
Cottage Garden Threads: Raisin
Olde Willow Stitcher Quaker Colours: Medallion Black

On Saturday, I went to visit my LNS, Lazy Daisy and, of course, I had to engage in some Stash Empire Building:

1. A kit for an Australian cushion  - I am going to do the Home Sweet Home version.  I do not normally like AIDA but on the stitched sample in the shop it looked fantastic.
                                      

                                         

2. Then I saw this sweet little French birth sampler - I couldn't resist as one of my friends at work is having a baby in about a month.  I am stitching it on 28 count Natural Quaker Cloth, which is gorgeous to stitch on, using Weeks Dye Works Garnet. It is stitching up really quickly, as you can see from the last photo in this set.  This is only three days stitching:

                                      

3. I had ordered this great design from Diane Arthurs, which I am going to stitch using Waterlilies variegated threads.

 4. I also picked up a Little House Needleworks Christmas Ornament and a Cottage Garden Needleworks May Cottage of the Month.

5. Then I couldn't resist this Needle book and Scissor Keep from the Stitching Girl - I am going to use the soft pastel colours.

6. This is the reason I went in the first place:  to kit up this cute design from a magazine - I have been planning to kit this up for ages.

 I have chosen a soft lilac fabric (sorry, I just do not seem to be able to get the fabric colours to show up right) and here is the floss toss.

7. Another impulse buy:  a kitty cat key ring to stitch.

8. Couldn't resist these cute scissors - a steal at $5.00!

9. Lastly, I bought some more Cottage Garden Threads - some for me and some to send to my stitchy friend Shirlee.

Noah's Ark is beckoning, so have a good evening everyone,

hugs,

12 Days of Christmas in Blogland - Day 12 - another Giveaway and THREE Happy Dances

..... so sorry about the very short post yesterday - I just ran out of time and I was pretty tired all day after all of the hard work (and little sleep) of the day and night of DS2's 19th birthday party.  It all went really well and he was really happy.  It was lovely to see all the gorgeous young men and women he and his friends have become.  Many of them I taught when they were 12 or so and just starting high school.  They have all grown up into confident, polite and articulate young adults - so lovely to see.

Anyway, I hope that you have come back to check out today's post as I have lots of stitching progress to show and a third and final giveaway, so read on....

UCJC Day 3 - Thirteen Colonies by LHN:

 UCJC Day 4 Believe by The Sampler Girl X 3! Yep, I stitched this design three times yesterday - all in different colourways using Cottage Garden Hand-dyed threads (the same ones I am using for my Mary Wigham sampler - I just love them)
This is a freebie design which can be found here.

Sorry, have to fly right now... my girlfriend is taking me to check out Costco - I have never been.  Don't forget to come back later as I still have to add to this post - I have promised you all another giveaway, so stay tuned....

... well, Costco was amazing!  Such good value - the bargains I bought!  Lots of yummy food and some other staples - so cheap!

Now, onto my Giveaway number 3 for Day 12 of 12 Days in Blogland ...

The winner of today's Giveaway will win  one of the three designs pictured below - the winner's choice.

The three designs are Angels, Christmas and Santa.  All three include the design and the charms (not fabric nor thread).  As this is a last minute Giveaway, I will keep this one only open until midnight on Sunday, 8th January.

You just need to comment on this post only and let me know which of the three designs takes your fancy.

If you are a non-stitcher and still want to enter, I will stitch the design of your choice for you (but not  frame it).  Please let me know if you are not a stitcher in your comment.

So, please comment on this post to win one of these designs and don't forget to comment on my other two 12 Days of Christmas in Blogland Giveaways which are listed on my sidebar.

Happy Stitching everyone,