WIPocolypse - 2019 and a couple of finishes!!

Hello dear friends!

Oh dear, since my last WIPocolpse post I keep missing the link up date. And I've been dying to show you a few things I've been making. I haven't finished much from the list this year and I'll have to try harder next year!

WIPocolpse is an easygoing SAL to help us with some of those projects we want to finish before the end of the world (see my list at the end of the post), for more info about WIPocolpse go HERE.

This is the main cross stitch project I’m trying to finish, and this was where I was up to last time:

since then I've worked on .....

..... worked on the header band, adding more turquoise

and stitched lots of little motif's in the borders

I have taken my cross stitch along to my handicraft group a couple of times but somehow something always stops me actually stitching it! Like last time I forgot to take the threads along!!!! I found some thread in the cupboards there but when I got home I found the colour I'd used wasn't the same as the one I'd intended using, so I'll have to frog it!

I finally made some shoes for my doll Izzy (shoe pattern from Ann Woods)

Izzy says she would like a bag next! Funnily enough I've been wanting to make one for ages! (She'll have to wait a little though, but don't tell Izzy, tee hee!)

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One more reason why I haven't kept up with my cross stitch is that I keep finding books I just can't put down!!!!

First of all I'd just finished reading "Tombstone" by C J Sansom (I just love his books, they whisk you back in time and tell you all about an era you never knew about, well, I didn't anyway! ..... this one is set in 1549) and then I was at a loss as to what to read! 

I'd ordered my next book by Anne Perry from the library but I had to wait almost two months before the book became available!!!! In the meantime I was scouring the donated books at my local train station (books which have been donated for charity). We buy them for a £1 or two and the money goes to a cancer charity.

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First was: "A Noise Downstairs" by Linwood Barclay ..... I thought it would be good as I'd read other books by him, and I wasn't disappointed! It kept me guessing to the end.

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Then, after reading the flyleaf, I couldn't resist reading this book either:

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena 

"Why would you run scared from a happy home?

You're waiting for your beloved husband to get home from work.

You're making dinner, looking forward to hearing about his day.

That's the last thing you remember.

You wake up in hospital, with no idea how you got there.

They tell you that you were in an accident; you 

lost control of your car whilst driving in a dangerous

part of town.

The police suspect you were up to no good. But your

husband refuses to believe it. Your best friend is not

so sure. And even you don't know what to believe ...."

One of the reviews said "hard to put down" and I think this must be the first book I've ever read in two days! It wasn't my usual choice of book but I found I really wanted to find out whatever had happened!!!

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I ordered the next book on line as I'd already been introduced to this character by Vickie of  "A Stitcher's Story". This is the first of a series of books about Maisie.

"Maisie Dobbs" by Jacqueline Winspear

Which was introduced as:

 "The "British counterpart" to "Alexander McCall Smith's 

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" by The Associated Press.

The story starts in England in 1929 as Maisie 

has just opened her own detective agency.

but I don't want to spoil the story, so you'll have to get the book to read more, tee hee!

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I've been working on some new projects too. Last year I bought wool to make a hat, but I couldn't find a pattern I liked. I eventually found one and here is my "finished" hat.

This was my main reason for posting btw!

(might make a bobble for it) ..... for details of the pattern visit me on Ravely as "Knittybarbo".

This is how the bobble from the pattern looks, but I'm not sure it's what I want! I might make an  ordinary style bobble ..... what do you think?  But then, what size do I make it?

I've just finished making a door stop. Pattern from Mollie Makes. There were a couple of little niggles with the instructions - the measurement for the handle wasn't long enough and I had to add fabric at either end. The zip too really needs a little fabric at either end before attaching to bag to "sit" nicely when finished, but even so it looks quite nice.

Doorstop -
Tee hee, it doesn't live on the window sill!

Oooh, I'm a little bit excited ...... I've joined Instagram this week! I know, I said I never would, but have you noticed they are more or less forcing you to if you want to actually look around over there?!! So, I've taken the plunge and slipped in, tee hee! You'll find me as "Flashinscissors". I haven't a clue  how it works yet, so don't be surprised nothing is happening so far!! No photos yet! But I'll be trying to find all my friends there!

I aim to be back very soon with some more Christmas things, but you know how it is, it's so busy this time of year!

Hugs,

Barbara xxx

Anyhow, this is the list of projects I really, really want to finish, but each one is waiting for it's own reasons!

Updated WIP list:

Progress - blue ink
Other projects rediscovered since original list - orange
Finished - purple

Cross Stitch:

1. Camper Van - started last year -  finished 2019.
2. Bee needle case - started last year - still needs FFO.
3. Etoilé thread sampler - framing.
4. Easter cross stitch piece - framing.
5. Polka Dot Lady quilt - finishing.
6. "Stitches" - unfinished.
7. Night time - finishing.
8. Tatty Teddy - back stitching and framing.

Quilting:

1. Polka Dot lady
2. Dormouse
3. Laundry day
4. Name badge - finished 2019
5. Plus two others - block painting

Other Miscellaneous Projects:

1. Goldwork picture
2. Stitch sampler bag
3. Crewel Work - needs framing
4. Luna 
5. Izzy (doll) - who wants a bag and maybe a hat !!?!!