TUSAL, Gifted Gorgeousness and Blogger update - June 2018

Hello everyone,

I am very late for both TUSAL and Gifted Gorgeousness!

TUSAL caught me out ..... last month TUSAL was the 19th and this month everyone else was posting on the 13th June! Eeeek! (It all depends on the date of the New Moon) Anyway, I'm here now, and taking the opportunity of linking to Jo's Gifted Gorgeousness at the same time.




Without further ado here are my ORTs: the little cotton pile you can see in the picture below, is from both of these cross stitch projects; the fabric ORTs are from making up the phone case, plus a few from a quilt I'm making for The Endeavourers. Now the little cotton pile is going to join the rest of my ORTs in this year's jar.

Not sure where the fabric ones are going yet.

Note to self.....  must get round to making a label for jar!

The beach hut picture is from CrossStitcher, Issue 332, and the Flamingo was issue 331. The beach view is another project I was really excited to stitch ..... I know, I'm easily pleased! ..... but this is the one with a "button" depicting a VW van. I'm just a little disappointed that it is a cardboard button! However, CrossStitcher also included a pattern of a VW van which can be added to the stitched piece in the button's place and beads (which was a surprise) for flowers ..... so they're OK guys after all!

Yet again I was trying to be the first to finish stitching the beach hut ..... but alas, yet again, I'm not finished, and the next issue of the magazine is out now. This kit came with a card frame, but I'd like to make  a pouch with it.

There were two free gifts in Issue 332 and I like the second gift too ..... so I've got plenty of cross stitch to keep me busy now!

And here is the Flamingo phone case I was stitching last month, actually “Fully Finished”, Yay!

I added black ribbon around the edge of the Flamingo as my phone case is slightly smaller than the one in the magazine and I was a little worried that the edge of the "evenweave" fabric might catch on things in my handbag. The wrist strap was also my idea .... makes it easier to grab quickly from whichever bag I'm using.

This was a great gift from CrossStitcher, and really "on trend" too as I've seen all sorts of  merchandise sporting Flamingos, from pyjamas to dresses in local stores, and Flamingos on other blogs too. Well done CrossStitcher!

Stop Press.  Guess what, I've just bought the next issue of CrossStitcher and hope shortly to start on the next project - a needlecase. Yes, I know, haven't I got enough needlecases already?!! Yes, but they are all small cases and I've decided I really need to label my needles to be able to track down all the different ones when I need them and I think this will be a good sized case to keep them in.

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Come with me now over to Daffycat's post if you would like to see how Sharon (aka Daffycat) and our other stitching buddies are doing with their TUSALs this month!

And if you pop over to see Jo at Serendipitous Stitching ..... here she has an update on the current blogger problem. I've followed her lead and updated my blog accordingly so I'll be interested to see if your comment emails flood in! Can't wait to see 'em again!

Now I'm off to catch up on my blog reading. See you soon!

Hugs,
Barbara xxx

Next TUSAL July 13.

Next Gifted Gorgeousness July 15

Finish It Off Friday / DrEAMi! and Easy way to reply to Blogger Comments

Hello Dear Friend,

Today I am linking to Amanda’s “Crazy Mom Quilts” for “Finish it up Friday” and Sandra Walker's "DrEAMi!" party as this is a project I just had to Drop Everything And Make It!

Firstly, I was planning on linking this finish next week and then I realised Amanda will be on holiday, so I hope you will forgive me for linking with an "almost finish".

And secondly, this was a DrEAMi! project I just couldn't put down! Sandra, forgive me, I know it isn't strictly quilting, but I did use patchwork fabric so I hope you don't mind if I shoehorn this in as it has quite a few 1/4" seams? and lots of stitches, albeit cross stitches.

The magazine provided the pattern, cottons, evenweave fabric, felt and spotty pink fabric. I have added a lining and will add a strap handle before I'm finished (which is why I'm not quite finished).

Here you can see some of my scrap fabric, cut, ready to make the strap.

My phone is smaller than most, so I was able to cut off a strip of the spotty fabric which I will use to bind the top.

We had visitors today so I haven't been able to FFO (Fully Finish Off) but I intend to stitch the Flamingo onto the phone case using hem stitch, either in pink, or green to match the grass. The pattern said to use a white running stitch to add the Flamingo, but as my case is smaller I think I either need to hem stitch it in place or use some bias binding .... not sure which, because the evenweave is a little rough and I don't want it catching on things in my bag.

Not sure which colour to go with, what do you think?

I couldn't resist stitching this pattern when I saw it in Cross Stitcher. Then, once I had started I wanted to try to be the first to finish! They have a competition where the person to send in the first photograph of their completed project wins a nice pack of embroidery flosses. Well I never really thought I'd be first to finish ..... and, of course, I wasn't ..... but once I started I just had to finish! So, hence this has been my squirrel which I just couldn't drop for any other project!

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While writing I felt I just had to mention an easier way to respond to Blogger comments!!



I do wonder if Blogger will be able to give us back the facility for emails advising when we receive
new comments? Or is the lack of emails caused by GDPR? Either way, Blogger certainly do seem to
be having a few problems at the moment. (Edited: I just read on Jo’s blog that emails should be back
within a week)

Jo of Serendipitous Stitching tells us that after “publishing” your latest post if you comment on your own post and tick “notify” in due course you will then receive notification of any future comments on that blog post, albeit those emails will be “no reply”,  but you can use that email notification to reply to the “commentor”, assuming you already know their email address.


But take it one step further! If you reply to comments on your blog:

1. You keep everyone in the loop, and
2. You get an email to send to the “commentor” with that reply at the same time!
3. Although you will need to reply by using “Forward” as the email you receive will again be “no reply” (Edited 6.6.18)

Seems easy enough to me. What do you think? Does it help you?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the matter!

Hugs, Barbara xxx

Linking to: “Finish it up Friday”

and              DrEAMi