New Stash!

Well, since I haven't posted for awhile, I thought I'd better tell you what I've been doing with my stitching - nothing! How lazy have I been? No new pics to show, but I have added a few items to my SB stash. They are: Come Tarry, The Stockings, and Busy kits.

Merry Christmas to all!

Off on my holiday!

Hi there, sorry I haven't posted for a while. To tell you the truth, I haven't been doing any stitching since my last post. I feel really bad that my craft is being neglected, but I have been busy on other things lately, which I won't go into.

Just thought I'd post before I head off to Queensland tomorrow for a 12 day break. Escaping the cold Victorian weather, and enjoying the warmer climate up north. I look forward to it!

One sad thing I had to do was to drop my two cats off at the cattery. There's no one to look after them while I'm away, so this was the next best alternative. My one year old, Sasha, is taking it all in her stride. My four year old, Sophie, being more timid, doesn't think much of the ordeal at all. It's their first time away from home, but at least they'll be looked after. I'll be excited to pick them up when I get back. It sure is quieter at home without them.

Well, this is bye for now. Hope to write some more when I arrive home.

Little Witch HD

Finally got her finished today. Another Shepherd's Bush one too. This piece would only take about a week of solid stitching, but I managed to stretch it out over about 4 1/2 months! I've done very little stitching of late, so I'm very pleased to have this one completed.

Loved the fabric, and the colours of the threads with this piece. I moved the pumpkin button from the top of the vine to the ground, and put a rose button in its place. The witch is one stitch shorter in her legs, because I made a mistake with the vine, and had that one thread shorter. Not to worry though, because I know what it's like being short:)

A fun one to do, so any SB fans out there, get this one for your stash.

Now... what will I start next? That's right, I was going to do Little House Needleworks: Colonial Dry Goods. A non SB for a change.

My SB Stash

I am absolutely hooked on SB, and to prove it, here is a list of their items I have in my stash. I've been collecting since 1994 (approx.), with my first SB purchase being Shepherd's Earth chart. It captivated my eye when I saw it, and little did I know where it would lead to. I'm hoping to stitch them all eventually, so here's to living to a ripe old age so I can achieve it:)

2004 Fob Kit/Scissors
2005 Fob Kit/Scissors
A Lamb’s Egg Kit
A Rosey Garden Kit (with mat)

Adore Kit
Advent Sampler Kit
All Through The Year Chart
Americana Folio Chart
Americana Roll Kit
Americana Scissor Fob Kit
An American Sampler Kit
An Elizabethan Needle Cushion
Angel Song Chart
Angel’s Song Kit
Antique Heart Roll Kit
Apple Kissed Autumn Kit
Autumn Chart
Baa Baa Little Sheep Chart
Baby Bug Ball Kit
Beekeeper’s Cottage Kit
Be Happy Freebie Kit
Bertie’s Stocking Chart/Charms
Bethlehem Christmas Chart
Better Not Pout Kit
Birdhouse Roll Kit
Bloom Kit
Blackberie Sampler Kit
Bramble Hearth Chart
Bulb MM Chart
Busy Kit
Buttoned Yule Chart
Buzz Buzz Bee SE Kit
Charmed Heart Kit
Checkered Sheep Chart
Christian’s Snowman Kit
Christian’s Stocking Chart/Charms
Christmas Drawers Kit
Christmas Treat Bag Kit
Columbine Kit
Come Tarry Kit
Cornwall Sampler Kit
Costswold Sampler Kit
Cranberry Pinafore Kit
Dancing Lambs Chart/Button
Dartmoor Sampler Kit
Devon Hedge Chart
Earth Gatherer Kit
Easter Egg Roll Kit
Easter Parade Kit
Easter Treat Bag
Egg Kit
Egg Basket SE Kit
Elisabeth’s Stocking Charms
Emmanuel’s Song Kit
English Christmas Roll Kit
English Garden Chart
Evening Sampler Chart
Fair Philomel’s Sampler Kit
Fa La La Kit
Fear Not Kit
February YIS Chart/Button
Flag MM Chart
Folk Heart Roll Kit
Forget Me Not Kit
French Heart Kit
Garden Gate Kit
Gentle Flock Chart
Girl & Goose SE Kids Kit
Gloria Kit
Grow Love Kit
Gypsy Heart Kit
Happy Day Roll Kit
Harry’s Stocking Chart/Charms
Harvest Moon Kit
Heart Blooms Kit
Heart Treat Bag Kit
Herb Gatherer Kit
Hive MM Chart
Hollyhock Hill Kit
January YIS Chart/Button
Joy Kit
Joyful Christmas Chart
July YIS Chart/Button
Lamb MM Chart
Liberty Child SE Kit
Little Witch Kit
Long May She Wave Roll Kit
Love Kit
Love MM Chart
Love Scissor Fob Kit
Mary’s Stocking Chart/Charms
Merry Souls Kit
Millennium Child SE Kit
Mistress Mary SE Kit
Mother’s Hearts Kit
My Earth Kit

My Garden Kit

My Heart's Garden Kit

Oh Say Kit
Old Glory Kit
Pansy Roll Kit
Pansy Walk Kit
Patriotic Thoughts Kit
Peace Kit
Peace For All Kit
Peter’s Patch Kit
Peter’s Stocking Chart/Charms
Plaid Heart Kit
Primrose Kit
Pumpkin Stew Chart
Queen Bee Kit

Reed's Stocking Chart

Rejoice Kit

Road To Bethlehem Kit
Robert’s Stocking Chart/Charms
Roma’s Garden Kit
Sailor’s Collar Kit
Santa’s Christmas Chart
Santa’s Fill SE Kit
Santaberry Pudding Chart
School Needle Roll Kit
Sheep In The Meadow SE Kit
Shepherd’s Earth Chart
Shepherd’s Eve Chart
Shepherd’s Hill Kit
Shepherd’s Purse Kit
Shepherd’s Roll Kit
Shepherd’s Scissor Fob
Shepherd’s Spring Kit
Sheree’s Stocking Chart/Charms
Simple Egg Kit
Simple Threads Chart
Skelton School Sampler Kit
Snow Child Kit
Snow Fall Roll Kit
Snow Folio Chart
Snow Hill Kit
Snow MM Chart
Snow Patch Kit
Snow Treat Bag Kit
Snowy Morn Kit
Sophie’s Roses Kit

Spooky Spots Kit
Spring Chart/Buttons
Spring Folio Chart
Spring Scissor Fob Kit
St Peter’s Fair Kit
Summer Chart/Buttons
Summer Song Kit
Sunflower Summer Kit
Sweet Land SE Kit
Sweet Pea Kit
Thankful Sheep Kit
The Orchard Mini Chart
The Potting Shed Kit
The Promise Kit
The Root Garden Mini Chart
The Stockings Kit
Thoughtful Heart Kit
Three Pale Eggs Kit
Tina’s Stocking Chart/Charms
Toy Gatherer Kit
Trick Or Treat Kit
Victorian Sampler Kit (pink)
Violets Mini Chart
Wandering Vine Chart
Water Woods Kit
Welcome Baby Roll Kit
Winter Chart/Buttons
Winter Dreams Kit
Winter Hearts Chart
Winter Moon Kit
Wintertide Sampler Kit
Wool Gatherer Kit
Wooly Winter Kit
Yuletide Sampler Kit

A few stitches

Since I haven't picked up a needle for a while, I thought I'd better do some of my latest project, Little Witch. She's been neglected for too long, and really needed to have some legs and a head put on her :-) I didn't do a lot of stitching, but at least it's some progress.

Here's a pic:

She's such a darling little piece, and I should put my effort into finishing her soon, then I can start on my next project.

At this stage, I think I may do Little House Needleworks - Colonial Dry Goods. I have everything kitted for it, including the R & R Americana Blend fabric, which is an interesting colour. LHN have only been designing for a few years, I think. I like their patterns, with the darker palette Americana Country, and their softer palette Country Cottage designs.

My Heart's Garden

I've just been looking at the SB BB and found out that SB have released a new kit called My Heart's Garden. I'm so liking this one with its whimsical look and gorgeous colours. They've included a piece of country creme linen with the kit, which will have a mottled look to it (just love the mottled, older looking linens).

I'm amazed how SB can keep coming up with lovely designs all the time. There is the odd one I'm not mad on, but overall I like them all. I guess that's why they're my favourite designer :-)

I'll be getting Come Tarry (retreat kit from September 2004) when it comes out around June, so My Heart's Garden will be added to my list. I get so much joy when they release something that I love. Pathetic, eh? I don't care, it's my passion.

Too hot to stitch

Hi again. Still haven't picked up a needle lately. I'll go through spurts where I just have to cross stitch, then I loose all enthusiasm for it, and I won't do it for a while. Guess I'm in one of those moods.

All depends what else I'm doing as well. Lately I've been out in my garden, trying to get it in order. I've been lawn mowing, grass edging, pruning, and planting. Lots of jobs to get done. It's looking pretty good at the moment. Sorry, no photos to show.

The weather has been quite warm these past weeks too, so the palms get a bit sweaty when trying to stitch. Still need to get back to Little Witch.

Welcome to my Blog

Hi, my name's Jane, and I thought I would start a Blog as a journal to my life of stitching.

Some of you will know me from the Shepherd's Bush Bulletin Board (Jane M), where my love of SB has grown even more with the encouragement from the ladies of the board. They are by far my favourite designer in cross stitch, and over the past years I have collected quite a stash of their products. Most of their charts, kits, charms, and buttons I have, and am still always keen to see what their next release will be.

I hope this journal will be a way of communicating what project I'm doing at any given time, the progress I'm making, and what I think of it (good or bad). I may even go off the track a bit, and comment on other things in my life - who knows?

I have a link to my Epson photo albums, where I always keep a pic of my latest WIP, and other albums of interest too. So please take a look when you can. Any comments about my blog will be appreciated too.

The regulation of my blog entries will vary. I plan to post entries not too far apart, but it all depends on what I'm doing, and how far my progress is going.

My latest WIP is SB Little Witch. I haven't added anything to it lately. Here's a pic of where I'm up to:

I must admit, I have made a mistake with the vine. I'm one stitch less (that really annoys me). So I will have to make her legs one stitch shorter :-) Just love the fabric that comes with the kit - Vintage Country Mocha. It has a really mottled look to it and such a devine colour. The thread colours are lovely too, with some of them variegated. I really should get back to her, as it's not a big piece, and wouldn't normally take too much time to do.

The last finished item I did was another SB one. It's from their Americana Folio chart called Uncle Sam Pillow. The fabric they used is called Home Sweet Home pillow cut, which I found at a shop on the Internet for 50% off. Just love a bargain. The houses are already on the fabric, and you just stitch your design in the centre of it. I love Americana designs, so I enjoyed doing this one.

I ended up changing a few of the threads from DMC to Sampler Threads to get an older look to it. I worked with Old Red Paint, Old Blue Paint, and Soot. The DMC 822 cream used may be substituted for a richer looking cream, in keeping with the aged look (which I wish I had have done myself, but didn't).

Well, that's all for now. Hope you drop by again sometime for my next update.