WIPocolypse (3) - April 2019

Hello Dear Reader,

This is a fun SAL (Stitch-A-Long) to help us finish some of those neglected projects that may be lurking in some forgotten corner! You can read all about the SAL over at Measi's.

But before you disappear off to visit Measi, and maybe even join in?! let me show you what I've been up to since my last update: HERE

By the way, Measi, if you are looking in, I haven't been able to link up on your blog previously, but I will try again today, and hope I am successful this time.

See who is joining in this month : HERE (on Measi’s blog)

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These are two projects I started last year and finally finished last month, which I can now cross off my WIPocolyspse list.

Camper Van:

Pattern: CrossStitcher Issue No: 332

On a previous post I said I would make some buttons for this bag from Fimo, unfortunately that never happened, but I will make them one day! ..... I had to finish the bag without the buttons so that I could show it at my handicraft group's recent exhibition (sorry no photos).

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Name Badge

I was really pleased to finish my name badge ..... not bad, but maybe the name itself should have been slightly larger! It was a test piece really, and I was trying out reverse applique which I had never attempted before, after seeing Queenie's Mola reverse applique.

The binding was tricky! The first 3 sides were fine, then I had to think of a way to finsh the top ..... which was difficult because I had added a pocket on the back and the binding at the sides were in the way for binding the top. Still with a bit of tweaking it was done! Yay!

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Each month Measi asks us to answer a question and this time the question was:

“ Talk to us about your longest-running WIP or UFO.” 

This has to be my Cocoa Sampler, started: 5.4.2004, at a time when I really wanted to start blogging!

Hard to take a really good photo as it is quite large!

I found some nice photos here on my blog which show the sampler very clearly.

This is a project I never intended to finish quickly. I always thought I'd add a few stitches ..... as and when I felt like it. I have to admit it's taken longer than I imagined!

The next photo shows where I picked up again this week. Every time I look at this sampler I'm encouraged to add a few more stitches, but the frame it is in makes it so awkward to hold and makes my hands hurt after a while! So I start off each time with lots of enthusiasm but then my hands start hurting and back it goes into one of the "Dreaded Cupboards" (my husband says I'm taking over the whole house ..... well, yes, of course!)

The stitches on the left of the heading were stitched previously ..... and I'm working on the right side, err, right where the needle is sticking out!

Oops, sorry the photo is a bit dark

I 've also written about my Cocoa Sampler over at Kitten Stitching and the Friday Frolics: HERE.

I think its high time I finished this one so I'm determined now to try to finish this year. We'll see!


I don't suppose any of you have this pattern by any chance? I only have a photocopy ..... my sister had the original and I think it went out in one of her "clear outs" ..... trouble is the back stitch is in more than one colour but there is no way of telling from the photocopy where each colour should go!

I'm sure I can work something out but it would be interesting if I could use the right colours.

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Thank you for visiting today ..... it's always nice to hear from you! I'm off to visit a few blogs via Measi to see what everyone else is finishing off! Oh, and my old friends at The Endeavourers have just posted their interpretations of their latest project "Rain", so if you have a few minutes why not come and visit with me.

But, before you go I've got a little story on the subject of buttons! I have finally gotten round to making a jacket of DH's wearable again! Some years ago (and that must be at least five years)  I stole brass buttons from a jacket of his because I needed them on my own jacket to play bowls for the county and comply with their strict dress code! From time to time over the years DH said how nice it would be if his jacket had buttons and he could wear it again. This month, after further pleadings and finally threats to withdraw all labour in the kitchen, and shopping duties (not to mention cat poo duties ..... which he is very good at!) I finally succumbed to putting the buttons back on. Unfortunately the weather has now changed and he can't wear it until next year!

Hey ho, never mind eh, another job done!

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Look forward to seeing you again in a month ..... for another WIPocolypse, let's see if I can tick some more projects off the list then.

Polka Dot Lady has had a couple of visits, perhaps I can think of a few ideas how to finish her! Tee hee!

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But I do have another post almost ready to go, about a few new things I'm working on. So that should be here before the next WIPocolypse!

Have a great weekend!


See you soon!




Hugs,
Barbara xxx

Friday's Stitching Ground

This post was inspired by Astrid "(of Dragon Stitches & Stuff)".

Here's is my favorite stitching place ......

and this was what I was working on - for the Valentine's Blog Hop, ha! when I thought I'd write this post (I know, it's been a while! I've been making pincushions and trying to finish work for my handicraft group's exhibition) .

If you visit regularly you might know I didn't finish the above in time and instead showed this as my piece for my Secret Stitching Sweetheart (you can see the Blog Hop HERE )

and on my blog you will have seen:

belonging to Carla of Alaska Wolf Pack 

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But back to the present time, and here's "The Boss" keeping an eye on me ..... well, I think  he's giving me the evil eye actually

as he thinks I shouldn't be stitching and he should be sitting on my lap, NOW!!

Anyway, now you know where I'll be stitching this evening with my little "helper" and I'll be working on one of these projects:

Are you stitching tonight? And if "yes" what are you making?

I hope to be back soon with some finishes!

Until next time,

Hugs,

Barbara xxx

Yay! I have a finish! - Teeny tiny purse

Hello Dear Friend,

Today I am linking to Amanda’s “Crazy Mom Quilts” for “Finish it up Friday” with my first teeny tiny finish for 2018!

I was making this badge (that's the purple fabric on the right) and had just made a pocket to go on the back (the green check) when a necklace arrived through the post. It's a fox necklace for a friend. But I had the idea of making a teeny pouch similar to the green check pocket for my friend to keep the necklace in.

The fabrics used were Osnaburgh, cotton and flanelette for the lining.

I wanted to stitch this Mini Purse completely by hand, but there were a couple of parts that needed to be machine stitched so the purse won't fall apart with use. The flap was made separately and inserted in the back seam, along with the handles, before being machine stitched in place; and of course the hair elastic needed machining too.

The final measurements were:  3.5" width x 2.25" height x 1" depth

I hope my friend will like it. I did get just a little carried away, what with the embroidery, oh, and I almost forgot to mention, the most important part of it, the toggle was made from a piece of a branch from our own cherry tree, cut and polished by DH!




Hugs,
Barbara xxx

Gifted Gorgeousness - January 2018

"GIFTED GORGEOUSNESS" ..... a monthly link party run by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching. Link up runs from the 15th until the end of the month. If you would like to find out more and maybe join up go HERE!

I nearly forgot to say "Butterfly" and "Stitch by Stitch" were both gifts I've received ..... and, as such, they qualify for Gifted Gorgeousness - read all about who's joining in with GG this month HERE (on Jo's blog).

Some of you may have already seen the next two pictures, sorry about that but it is relative to my tale! 

There has been a little progress this month on "Stitch by Stitch" (a gift I received from Jacquie of My Journey) ....

I had just managed to stitch this "frame", there are two circles of stitches, one white and one grey, and then one of those "I can't put it down" projects appeared! 

And, in case you haven't seen my "TUSAL" post, this is how "Stitch by Stitch" looks now .....

"Stitch by Stitch"

The "I can't put it down" project is next to my badge and it's pocket under construction .....

This is to wrap a gift for a friend, and as “a gift for a friend” it qualifies for "Gifted Gorgeousness".

I know ..... it's not cross stitch, but most of it is hand stitched!

I'd been working on my name badge (see above) ..... and I thought I'd make a pocket on the back of the badge, and that's the green check you can see above on the right (of course when it is a pocket it will have the pattern on the inside, or it will never be seen again! Tee hee!); and then a necklace we had ordered on line for a friend's belated Christmas pressie was delivered. I decided the necklace just had to have a pouch to keep it safe, and you can see the start (top left).

I originally intended the gift pouch to be no more than a pocket like the one for my name badge ..... but then I thought the chain might catch on the seams inside the pocket ..... so, of course, it had to be lined ..... then it had to have a handle - makes it easier to pick up!

But, as often happens, it didn't work out as I'd planned ..... there were problems with the flap ..... which then had to be cut off, made separately, and then machine stitched into place.

I am really happy with the finish, just hope my friend likes it! (She's not a stitcher.) 

As it happens two of these cotton reels 
fit comfortably in this little purse!

Coming soon:

• Oh, oh, I think I really must make one of these for me! But it will have to wait a little while as I have so many other things I really must make first. I'll be back very soon to share a little more detail on my mini purse.
• and shortly I want to tell you about my new quilting adventure ..... I'm joining in with The Endeavourers ..... and I'll be back to tell you about that too very soon.

Bye for now,

Hugs,

Barbara xxxx