< iStitch
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Followers giveaway! *Edited*





A few posts ago *here* I said that something exciting was about to happen on my blog and that was that my followers were about to reach 200 (well spotted Susan). That number has now reached 206! To celebrate this I am having an iStitch Designs giveaway as a thank you to all my followers. There will be 3 winners and the prize will be your choice of any one iStitch Design (except for Sew Seasons). Existing followers need not enter as you will be entered automatically. If you are a follower of both iStitch and iStitch Designs you will entered twice. This giveaway will end on Friday, April 1st - it's not an April Fool's joke - I picked Friday and it just happened to be April 1st! Good luck everyone.

Thanks for visiting
Take care

*Edited* Please note you have to be an 'official follower' to be entered into the draw.


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 11:45 | Permalink | 16 comments Photobucket
Friday, 25 March 2011
Frogs and scissors!


When I posted a picture of the beautiful French glass flower/scissor frog *here* which I had been given on my recent trip to France, Caroline from my Stitch-n-Bitch group emailed me to say that she didn't realise that I didn't have enough pairs of scissors to fill the holes. I then had to admit that this frog was not the only one I have. I also have these:


Click on the picture for a closeup view

And these:


Click on picture for a closeup view


And, I also have a few empty ones but I need to search out the rest of my scissors which are hiding in their boxes amongst my stash and I think I may even have to treat myself to another pair or two. Oh dear, I'm not only 'scissor' obsessed I think I may be 'frog' obsessed too! Valie has a beautiful oval one so I am on the lookout for something similiar.

On the stitching front, I have been working on Jane Rees. I need to take a WIP picture but as I'm working this one on a small hoop which I am moving around, it's a little creased so I will take a picture once it's been ironed.

It's a beautiful sunny Spring day here today so I may go outside with my stitching.

Thanks for visiting; have a lovely weekend
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 12:10 | Permalink | 16 comments Photobucket
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Sew a Brown Bunny *EDITED*




Here is my Spring chart - Sew a Brown Bunny! Stitched on 40ct Newcastle Raw linen with AVAS Soie d'alger 2125 and 4115.

You can find this chart *here* or by clicking on the CHARTS button on the sidebar.

Please note I am taking a short break from designing so this will be the last chart for a little while. There has been a real lack of interest of late and I feel that maybe I am wasting my time which could be otherwise utilized. I purposely kept the cost of my charts low (please bear in mind that Paypal take a cut) so as to make them available to most people and I have tried to give a good service. A big thank you to my regular customers for their interest in my designs.

Thanks for visiting
Take care


*Edited* Thank you for all the encouraging emails and comments received. I will only be taking a short hiatus so please rest assured that I will be back as I have a lots of charts already charted and many more ideas still in my head. For those enquiring as to the availability of my existing charts these will still be available during this time.




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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 15:31 | Permalink | 16 comments Photobucket
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Anna Millet 1895 - finish!




This is my finish of Ann Millet 1895 - my SAL with Yuko. It is stitched on 48ct walnut ink dyed Gander linen with HDF OMG Red. I really enjoyed stitching this one and I have already lined up my next little red sampler - L.V. Paris.




Here is a closeup of the speciality stitches - click on the picture for an even closer look!




HDF silk threads now come on micro spools which I have placed in a pretty jar. I think they look like little sweets but without any calories!



The daffodils in my garden are now in full bloom. Can you see Tommy hiding behind the primroses?

Sew a Brown Bunny is stitched and almost ready for release - I just need to 'finish' it. There is also a freebie Easter chart over on my charts blog *here* or click on the CHARTS button on the sidebar.

And now to put a few stitches in Jane Rees who has been sadly neglected of late. I will post an update picture shortly.

Thank for visiting
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 14:30 | Permalink | 19 comments Photobucket
Monday, 14 March 2011
Biscornus *Edited*


Click on the picture for a closeup view



I think I am safe is posting a picture of my recent finishes of two tiny biscornus as I am almost sure that the recipients do not read my blog. Both of these are stitched on 35ct white Brussels linen with AVAS Soie d'alger 2243 (gold), 1714 (blue) and DMC white perle cotton 12. Now I must package them up and send them to their new homes.

And now to stitch ...

Thanks for visiting
Take care

*Edited*
Thank you for all the lovely comments.
Shay and Clare: The pattern used for these biscornus is my adaption of Indigo Rose's 'Pretty in Pink' 2006 Breast Cancer pattern.
Berit: I used CA Wells' exclusive binding stitch 'Sam & Bertha' to finish these biscornus.




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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 11:50 | Permalink | 22 comments Photobucket
Megan



Happy 16th birthday Megan!



 
Photobucket posted by Carol R at 10:57 | Permalink | 1 comments Photobucket
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Beaded scissor fobs



Click on the picture for a closeup view


A few days ago I felt like beading so out came my beading box and charms and I made these fobs which are now either with their new owners or on their way. The bottom one has rose quartz beads and a fleur-de-lys charm, the next one up is made from purple Swaroski crystals and has an Eiffel Tower charm. Next is turquoise beads and a heart charm which will be going across the ocean to live with the daughter of a friend and last, but by no means least, pink and clear Swaroski crystal beads form a diamond. I hope the recipients enjoy their fobs.

I have also been stitching a couple of gift for two dear ladies. The stitching is completed so only the 'finishing' remains to be done. Once this is done I will get back to Anna Millet.

Something exciting is happening on my blog. Can you see what it is? I think it will call for a celebration!


*********************************


Take a moment to think of the people in Japan whose country has been devastated by the earthquake/tsunami. I am happy that my sweet friend Yuko, her mother and her darling little Sweetie are all safe and that Noriko, another friend who is visiting her family in Japan, is also unharmed. These disasters are far too common in this day and age - is this the result of man's misuse of our fragile world? Let us keep these people in our thoughts and be thankful for those who are safe.

Thanks for visiting
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 22:23 | Permalink | 7 comments Photobucket
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
Spring!




At last Spring is here - the sun is shining, the Spring bulbs have flowered but best of all ...




... dear sweet Tommy is stirring in his box. He's not quite awake so he will remain in his box until there's actually some warmth in the sunshine. I do miss him during the Winter months and worry that he won't survive but here he is.

I've been stitching some more on Anna Millet 1895 SAL with Yuko and will take a picture in the next day or two. Thank you for all the lovely comments on this one - much appreciated!

Thanks for visiting
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 11:34 | Permalink | 10 comments Photobucket
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Giveaway!



Irlik is holding a great giveaway over on her blog *here* of not only the above goodies but a beautiful stitched box too! You have until March 29 to enter.

Thanks for visiting
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 09:23 | Permalink | 0 comments Photobucket
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Anna Millet 1895 - WIP update


Click on the picture for a closeup view


Now that Yuko has re-started our Anna Millet 1895 SAL, I decided to put a few more stitches into my Anna. I am really enjoying this SAL although I am starting to worry slightly that I will not have enough thread to finish it! It is stitched with HDF OMG Red 1149; I thought I had 4 skeins which I had wound onto micro spools but I have now discovered that one spool is not OMG Red but Perfect Red 6217 which is an almost identical red. I have a mini on its way here but if anyone has a skein/micro/mini of 6SR OMG Red 1149 (08.08.10) that they are willing to part with, I would love to hear from you - my email address is on my profile. I have posted on the HDF forum but as yet no-one has offered one with that particular date. In the meantime, I will continue to stitch and be even more frugal than usual. I shall jump around too so if I have to use a different dyelot it won't all be in one place.

Thanks for visiting
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 12:22 | Permalink | 12 comments Photobucket
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Sew le coeur de Paris





To celebrate my recent trip to Paris, I designed Sew le coeur de Paris. The Eiffel Tower is, of course, the heart of Paris so I surrounded this with an alphabet in the shape of a heart and finished it as a heart ornament! This will be given to Kirby as a reminder of our trip. It is stitched on C'mon monde dusky pink 36ct linen with HDF silk threads in ebony, dark mauve and pink pearls and finished as a heart ornament.

You can find this chart *here* or by clicking on the CHARTS button on the sidebar.

Thanks for visiting
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 12:20 | Permalink | 9 comments Photobucket
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Oh dear - I live here!




Deal is a most villainous place. It is full of filthy-looking people. Great desolation of abomination has been going on here; tremendous barracks, partly pulled down and partly tumbling down, and partly occupied by soldiers. Everything seems upon the perish. I was glad to hurry along through it, and to leave its inns and public-houses to be occupied by the tarred, and trowsered, and blue-and-buff crew whose very vicinage I always detest.

William Cobbett - 1823

Thanks for visiting
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 12:43 | Permalink | 7 comments Photobucket
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