Trick or Treat?

This one's a treat! It's Jenny Bean's Halloween Sampler by Shakespeare's Peddler. Part of my new stash I received from Needlecraft Corner.

I decided to get the fabric the chart calls for which is 40ct Vintage Pearled Barley by Lakeside Linens.

I also went for the limited edition threadpack which has the most ghastly names. Don't you just love it! Nightmare, Swamp Water, Zombie Flesh, Sarcophagus, Burial Ground, Dried Blood, Parched Bones, Witches Hat, and Coffin Lid. Just right for Halloween!

I'm wanting to continue with Baby Bug Ball, so this one will have to wait for another time.

I hope those of you who celebrate Halloween will have a ghoulish time. Happy trick or treating!

A Baby Bug

I managed to complete one of the Bugs the other night on BBB. This one's on the left side.

Baby Bug Ball - 28 October 2009

I've tried to interpret what the instructions say, and have done her wings using a half cross. This will also be done with the middle boy bug. The bug on the right will have her wings in full crosses. I have seen a number of people's finishes of this one with variations of either full or half cross (mainly full though). It wouldn't matter which way you did the wings really. Both styles would look just as nice.

Wings done in half cross

I have a stitching/blogging friend Loraine (from Utah, USA), who's also working on this design with me. We're trying to encourage each other with our progress. I haven't stitched anything with someone else before, so I'm quite looking forward to see how it goes. With each others support, we will complete this gorgeous design together. Thanks Loraine for joining in with me and I hope we have some fun on this one! Please drop by her wonderful blog called Sew Be It! and help her with her journey on Baby Bug Ball.

Before I go, I just wanted to mention that I received my order of new stash from Needlecraft Corner today! A few charts, fabric and threads. Just what the doctor ordered for my stitching obsession! I'll take some pictures tomorrow and show you what I got.

2009 Stacy Nash Group ~ last kit for the year

Here's the latest kit from the Stacy Nash 2009 Group. It's a winter mitten done with her traditional style of stitching on the front.

This is how the front and back looks.

Included is a piece of 28ct Flax Linen, muslin, homespun, and a small cut of wool.

Threads are DMC, 829 and 918.

The group is continuing into next year, so if you want to go on the waiting list for when people drop out, then contact Jeanne at the Country Sampler in Wisconsin.

I've completed one of the Bugs in Baby Bug Ball, so I will take some pictures to show you next time.

Tonight I've been to the pictures to see Julie And Julia. Meryl Streep did such a good roll and the movie was enjoyable to watch. I've also seen Couples Retreat recently which I thought average. Too much arguing in it which let it down a bit. Funny yoga session though!

Well, I should be getting to bed as it's a work day tomorrow. Happy stitching til we meet again.

Roma's Garden

I have no new stitching to show you, so I thought I'd delve into my past and let you see one of my favourite Shepherd's Bush designs I've done. I stitched this in 1995 and the enjoyment I got from creating it was enormous. I absolutely adored working on it, and to this day, it holds a special place in my heart. Sold as a kit, it's called Roma's Garden which was released in 1994. And here she is, Roma working in her garden...

Roma carrying her basket of flowers

DESIGNER ~ Shepherd's Bush

PATTERN ~ Roma's Garden kit

FABRIC ~ 32ct Antique White

THREADS ~ Au Ver A Soie silk, Waterlilies, and Wildflowers

EMBELLISHMENTS ~ Beads, Buttons, and Silk Ribbon

STITCHED ~ 1995

Showing top and bottom of design

Cut thread work with interlacing pattern

Silk ribbon and buttons included with kit

Lots of specialty stitches

The garden gate

There's so many of these sampler style designs of Shepherd's Bush that I love. I look forward to stitching more of them in the future.

Please take a look at my album for many more pictues!

What a cutie!

This is a new design by With Thy Needle And Thread called Miss Snow Fairy. I discovered it while looking on the net recently and fell in love straight away. So whimsical looking with soft colours. So of course I couldn't wait to get the chart, and have placed an order for it. I'm thinking of doing it on 35ct Parchment by WDW. Can't wait to see it in real life!

With Thy Needle And Thread - Miss Snow Fairy chart

I also did a little more (emphasis on the little) with Baby Bug Ball yesterday. Not so much progress as I'd like to see, so here's just one picture to show you my progress.

Baby Bug Ball - 18 October 2009

With the Aussie dollar doing so well at the moment, some stash enhancement is looking very enticing. I'm already trying to get some SB newies from the recent market. There's also another chart that caught my eye from the market. It's called Jenny Bean's Halloween Sampler by Shakespeare's Peddler. There's limited edition threads for it too. They're by Gentle Art with names like: Parched Bones, Coffin Lid, Dried Blood, Witch's Wart. What ghastly names, but I love them! Something to sink your teeth into, this one. I love waiting for new stash to arrive. Will make sure to show you these treasures when I get them.

With Thy Needle And Thread - Jenny Bean's Halloween Sampler chart

Happy stitching to all!

A start on Baby Bug Ball

The weekend's been pretty drab here so I've taken the opportunity to start on Baby Bug Ball.

Shepherd's Bush - Baby Bug Ball start

While I started on one of the Pudgies last night, I realised I had stitched the wrong colour for part of her outfit. I did the combination of dark and light blue when it should have been pale green and light blue. Don't know how that came about - not concentrating properly I'd guess. Fortunately there wasn't much there to rip out, so I ended up doing it in the charted green.

The thread used for the bottom Satin Stitch is from Threadgatherer called Meadow Grass.

Well, I might stitch a little more on it today. Try and get more of this Pudgie girl finished.

It's a Bug Ball!

This is going to be my next project to work on. It's from Shepherd's Bush, called Baby Bug Ball. They're all dressed up for Halloween in this one.

Shepherd's Bush - Baby Bug Ball kitted

Included in the kit is 32ct Light Sand Linen, silk threads, handmade clay buttons, and glass beads. Just delightful!

I wasn't sure whether to stick with the chosen fabric, or try something else. I decided to stay with the Light Sand colour in the kit because I think it will suit the sun in the top right corner of the design. Other colours I was looking at in my stash may not have shown this feature clearly enough. I'm sure I'll be happy with it anyway.

I'm glad you enjoyed my Spooky Sheep finish. Such sweet comments you gave and I loved reading them! Thanks for taking the time to look. :)

A Spooky Finish

As promised, I finished up on Spooky Sheep last night. Almost instant gratification with these small kits of Shepherd's Bush. Here's some finished pics...

DESIGNER ~ Shepherd's Bush

PATTERN ~ Spooky Sheep kit

FABRIC ~ 32ct Sand Belfast Linen

THREADS ~ Silk (including hand-dyed) 1 over 2

BUTTON ~ Witches hat by JABC

STARTED ~ 9 October 2009

FINISHED ~ 10 October 2009

This small finish has given me enough time to work out what I'm going to do next. It's another SB Halloween kit, and I've decided to go with the fabric included in the kit. Will let you know what design it is next time. Happy stitching til then and thanks for looking!

I'll finish this tonight

I'm about to go and finish this quick design tonight. This is what I completed last night...

Spooky Sheep - started 9 October 2009

I love these small sheepie kits. They don't take long at all to do!

Spooky Sheep

This will be my next small project. It's called Spooky Sheep by Shepherd's Bush.

SHEPHERD'S BUSH - Spooky Sheep kit

It comes with a cute little button hat for the sheep!

The fabric included with the kit is 32ct Belfast Sand.

I've decided to go with the Halloween theme, but to tell you the truth, I was thinking of doing a different kit from SB. I still may do it, but I'm undecided about the fabric they've chosen for it. I was thinking of changing it but may still stick with the original (I hate it when I get like this).

So, in between I thought I would do this cute little sheepie design for Halloween. Did I mention about that hat? :)))

Strawberry House ~ finished!

Well, here it is! I have finally finished Strawberry House. I took the slow road on this journey, but I got there in the end.

DESIGNER - Little House Needleworks

PATTERN - Strawberry House chart

FABRIC - 30ct R & R Creek Bed Brown

THREADS - Crescent Colours and DMC (2 over 2)

BUTTONS - Just Another Button Company

STARTED - 12 September 2009

FINISHED - 4 October 2009

I worked on it last night and today to get it finished. I really didn't want to have it sitting there waiting to be finished for much longer. If you had the time, you could complete this one within a week. It's a nice, simple pattern from their All Dolled Up series.

Though I love the colour of the fabric, it was fairly stiff to work with. It's funny how some fabrics are like this and others are quite soft.

I've added the Just Another Button Company buttons to my work in keeping with the 'Dolled Up' theme. I always love if you can add buttons, charms, or embellishments to a design. Really adds appeal and interest.

So onto my next project. I've had a few things run through my mind while working on Strawberry House. None of them I've settled on though. Since it's October and Halloween is at the end of the month, I may sort through some of these patterns to do. I can feel a SB one will pop out and one that's in kit form so I don't have to look for any supplies for it. I wonder what I'll choose...