Oldies

I have some oldies to show, found them while clearing the cupboard. These alphabets were stitched on Aida years ago from a Kit I bought - The Rose Alphabets by Donna Vermillion. I just love these alphabets but not sure what to do with them ha ha! What was my plan years ago ???

Fabric: 14ct white Aida
Thread: DMC

Fabric: 14ct Cream Aida
Thread: DMC

A closer look at my initial, beautiful isn't it?

These days I stitch exclusively on linens and evenweaves, all Aida cloths were given away to friends.


An update on Sara's  SAL Sorpresa 3. We were given 2 parts to stitch during the summer holidays, here are my progress... I really love this SAL, love how the scenery unfolds itself!

More houses...

A Village Church and look at those two deer...adorable!

I am still stitching on these 2 parts, lots of evergreens to fill in ha ha!


Some small finishes to show - biscornu, scissors fobs and coaster.. This biscornu is a freebie from Casaerba. I love the needlelace in the centre!

Look at the back, isn't it lovely too? I stitched the biscornu on 28ct cream linen, so it is big ha ha! Casaerba stitched her pink biscornu on 38ct Italian linen. Thank you  for this beautiful design!

These cube scissors fobs are so cute and tiny. They are fast to stitch too! The design is a freebie by Palko, thank you. The purple fob is a gift for my friend!

A closer look at the cube fob! It's stitched on 32ct linen using Nina's thread! That red/purple one was also stitched using Nina's threads. Her threads are gorgeous and lovely to stitch with, thank you Nina!

One of my earlier smalls finished as a coaster, love it!

My two DD went for a backpack trip to Japan recently. They brought back these beautiful gifts for me, love them!

A closer look at the box, bag, scissors and button!

I really love this pair of scissors, thank you Hui and Qi!

They also came back with lot of sweets and chocolates for the family, friends and colleagues!

I will update Dorothy and Sara's Summer in my next post! Thank you for your visits and comments!

Happy Stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen

Stitchy Update

I am back with the promised stitchy update. Have been stitching diligently on Dorothy. She is such a joy to stitch with all the specialty stitches. I conquered my worries over the Queen Stitches and had my row done, hooray!

Just love these satin-stitch alphabets!

Just started on the 1 over 1 verse, the crosses are so tiny on 40 ct. I only have two letters done ha ha! This section is going to be slow moving!

I had a private exchange with Margaret recently. If you are familiar with her blog, you will know that Margaret stitches and sew beautifully! Look at this gorgeous set that Margaret made for me - a drawstring bag, a needlebook and a pincushion, in my favorite colors. I just love the PS designs that she chose for me, the other side of the back is a blackbird.

The needlebook opens up with 3 pockets and a charm, isn't it gorgeous? Margaret also included a chart by Heart In Hand and a piece of fabric.

Margaret's stitching and finishing are just perfect. Please visit her blog for more beautiful pictures! Thank you, Margaret, for a wonderful exchange!

This is what I stitched for Margaret. I forgot to take a picture of the goodies I put together for her, please visit her blog to see more. Margaret takes better pictures ha ha!

Remember this in my previous post? My friend had it sew into a beautiful pouch for me, thank you Sonia.

A gift from my friend, a biscornu with two different colors fabric. The design is from the same Japanese magazine as the pouch, Idees Volume 16. Thank you, Claudia!

My new year's start was this SAL by By The Bay Needleart.  The SAL was completed last year, you can visit her blog to see the stitchers' beautiful works. Here is my progess. The finish is to be a big pincushion on top of this box.

A closer look!

Design: Autumn SAL by By The Bay Needleart
Fabric: 36ct Dried Thyme by Nina
Threads: DMC, Anchor variations

 Here is my first finish for 2013, a Christmas ornie that did not made it for last year! This design is a freebie from Jura Point de Croix for Christmas Challenge 2012. The ornie is stitched on 30ct linen using DMC threads.

I have join Lainey's Christmas Ornament SAL 2013. Hopefully with this SAL, I will have a ornie a month which I failed the last few years! This month, I am continuing with my Fairytale Advent Calendar by The Little Stitcher. I only finished 5 out of 24 ornaments last year ha ha! Will post progress pictures soon!

Thank you everyone for your visits and participation in my New Year Giveaway! All your comments are greatly appreciated!

Happy Stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen

Updates and some small finishes

It's February and time for some updates. I wanted to post more regularly but some things always get in the way (is that a excuse for being lazy, lol).

Here are some updates on my quaker projects, Quakers & Quilts(Q &Q) and Beatrix Potter(BP). BP is a year old. I try to work on it every month. My goal is to finish it by this year, I have eight more motifs to go. I am enjoying Q&Q, it stitched on 40ct linen using one thread. I ready love quaker designs and actually started another quaker project, Jardin Prive's Eiffel Quaker. I promise some pictures in my next post.




In between the big projects, I had been stitching for exchanges and quick pieces. In the Holidays Exchange, I stitched for Cindy Mae two heart designs and finished them as a biscornu. These are freebies but I cannot the source, sorry. I included some goodies with this exchange, go to Cindy Mae's blog for more pictures.


Here are more biscornus. You can tell that I love making biscornus, lol.

The blue one is a freebie from Victoria Sampler. I modified the chart to add webbed roses. The hardanger biscornu's chart is found in the magazine - New Stitches. There are 4 designs to choose from.



I currently joint two SALs. I am now stitching Joei's Her Flower Garden Block 2, will post picture soon. The other SAL is the Month SAL 2010 on Oakhaven Designs' group. Here is a picture of January. This is a quick and fun SAL.


I love boxes and tins. Currently, I am taking cartonage lessons from a Japanese teacher. These are my project works so far, a photo frame, a spectacle box and a small green box. In the near future, I want to incorporate my cross stitch into this finishing technique. Look out for the next update, more fabric boxes to come.


Thank you, friends, for visiting my blog. I love all your comments. I will be away for a few days during the Chinese New Year period. For those who celebrate - Happy Chinese New Year!

And Happy Valentine to everyone! (February 14th happens to be the first day of Chinese New Year).

Take care and happy stitching till the next update.

Hugs,
Ellen

Fall Biscornu and an Update on Beatrix

Victoria Sampler Yahoo Group is having a Fall Contest. Thea Dueck (the host) has designed a fall biscornu for this contest. This design calls for a combination of hardanger, cross stitch and ribbon embroidery( if you like). Stitchers are free to use their choices of fabrics and threads. Other embellishments like beads, ribbons and buttons etc are allowed. Entries must be posted by 1st October and the winner will be voted by the members of this group. I had finished my version of the biscornu. I stitched the design on 32ct Belfast linen (light sand) using DMC and Anchor threads. The biscornu is small, barely 2 3/4 inches in size.

While I have my attention on hardanger, I decided to finish this Hardanger Runner. It has been an UFO for more than 2 years. I got tired of all the weavings and there were lots of other distractions like starting new hobbies and new designs. This design was stitched on 28ct light yellow Monaco. I hope to finish it soon, only five more of those circles to weave.

Here is another small hardanger project to show. I mounted this heart on a plastic box. The thread using is DMC varigated perle 8.

I got this Kit from Doris, she was finding new homes for her UFOs. It is an Emie Bishop's kit with hardanger and cross stitch. Doris had started with the hardanger and I continue from there. Here is a picture of the progress so far. Thank you, Doris, for this kit. I shall enjoy stitching it.



Here is an update on Beautrix. I have been adding two to three motifs monthly, progress is slow but steady. Pictures are posted to the BP SAL's blog faithfully every month. Posting encourages me to pick up and stitch on this sampler every month. I do not want this to be another UFO. This sampler is unlikely to be completed by end of this year as I originally planned.





Happy Dance! I had completed Joyful and Caring, it was a fun and quick stitch. This is the design I stitched for the LHN's Women SAL. This piece is destinated for my friend's birthday next month. I have not decided on the finishing.





Currently, I am busy stitching for swap and exchange. Thank you all friends for visiting my blog. I appreciate all the comments.

Happy stitching and take care!

Hugs,
Ellen

Hardanger and other stitching stuff

I have been stitching this hardanger bellpull for a while. I give hardanger lessons on a part time basis, so this is going to be a sample for my hardanger class. Here is the WIP. The charted piece was stitched on dark fabric and thread. I changed the fabric to a lighter cream Colmar 25ct and use DMC 801 & 435 perle 8 cotton for the threads. I tend to change the pattern also as I stitch along so this could end up very different from what is being charted.



The BBD needlebook is finally completed. I love Barb's instructions on finishing this needlebook, you will see more needlebooks soon. This is the first sewing accessory with the 2009 Loose Feather pattern. Next, I will be stitching the pincushion, the accessory that comes with Loose Feather #36.


My DS wanted a cross stitch coaster. I stitched part of "Luck" on vinyl using DMC 4050 and 319. I should had used a different color for the letter L, it got blended in with the clovers. You can find this freebie here.



Look at this cute Quaker pin cube. I saw this cube on Mylene's blog and could not resist stitching it. It's a Quaker. The pin cube was a mini SAL hosted by Stitch-Creations.



Gillie was my partner for the Summer Exchange on the wXSw Group. She stitched for me a lovely biscornu in my favourite color. Look at the goodies she sent me! Thank you, Gillie, for a lovely exchange.



I had completed my two free sewing lessons with Brother when I bought the sewing machine. I learned to handle the machine and the various functions, hope to use the machine for finishing jobs in the future.
I pick up patchwork recently and enjoy the many quilters' blogs I found. I had added Vicky's button on my blog, she has free BOM on her blog. Enjoy her blog and check out the BOM, they are gorgeous.


Carol R is having a giveaway with a twist, check out her blog for details.


Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate all the comments.
Take care and happy stitching till the next update!

Hugs,

Ellen