Back to work ....

It's been a few weeks since I've updated.  My daughter started JK, the office has picked up again, and I've been doing more of that running thing.  I went another week without stitching, I can't even remember why.   I did some work on the Hermit this past week, so I thought I should post an update - it usually helps me get motivated to keep working. 

There are several counting errors on this particular page which is beyond frustrating.  I know that no one can see them, it's just really annoying to have to make up stitches as I go.  In a project of over 140,000 stitches, it's next to impossible not to make a mistake, right?  Right?

In my last post, I wrote about wondering where to go next with this particular charting page.  You'll see that I decided to frame the entire square and am working my way into the center.  I wonder if that's what contributes to the counting errors? Hmm....

I've been pretty negligent with my other projects.  I really need to get working on the baby birth record.  Perhaps once I finish this current page, I will take a Hermit break and work on FF.

I appreciate all those who are following along.  Thank you for the encouragement.  So, without further ado - here is the Hermit.

Busy, busy, busy!

It's been a while since I've posted an update of the Hermit.  I have to admit I haven't been doing a lot of stitching these days. I think it's been a week since I actually did a cross stitch.

My summer vacation ended and I have gone back to work. Between the office and my running, by the time I'm on the couch in the evening, I'm already half asleep.  Having said that, I did make a bit of progress with the Hermit since I last posted a photo.

I struggle sometimes with how to stitch each page.  Do I stitch across and finish each 10x10 square?  Do I pick one thread colour and work all those stitches?  (The latter often leads to counting errors.) This time I decided to frame the page, partly because I wanted to see where the edge of the pattern would be on the fabric. So this is why the left side of the page I'm stitching has been stitched.  Next, I think I'll work across the bottom of the page towards the lantern.  Decisions.  Decisions.

Tune in!

Back to Warm & Fuzzy Kitten

With 3 projects on the go now, it's sometimes a tough decision which one to work on.  After starting Farm Friends (herein FF), I felt that Warm & Fuzzy Kitten (herein WFK) was feeling neglected.

It's been several months - okay, 4 months - since I've touched WFK.  It's 14 ct black Aida cloth.  I've never had a problem working with black cloth, sometimes I think it's actually easier, not sure why.  The 14 ct is much easier to work with than the Hermit's 22ct Hardanger fabric.  It almost makes me think I'm stitching a beginner's pattern. Ha ha!

WFK is fun though.  I love watching his body come together, though it doesn't look like I've done a lot, I can see his front paws filling in nicely.  The only frustrating thing is that a lot of stitching requires two thread colours (one strand each of two different colours rather than 2 strands of the same colour).  Here's a photo.

More to come soon!  Thanks for reading.

New Project - Farm Friends

So, I now have 3 cross-stitch projects on the go.  I've never had this many in-progress projects.  It's a bit daunting.  Since getting the Hermit started, I have completely abandoned that beautiful little kitten in the shadows. Well, I shouldn't say "abandoned"; it's just taken a backseat for now.

The other day I received a package in the mail.  My daughter saw it when she came home from preschool and said, "Mommy, is this your new craft?"  Oh my goodness, how sweet!!

I couldn't wait for the kids to go to bed so I could open up the new project and prepare it.  The first thing I do is organize the floss.  Dimensions kits now provide the floss already pre-organized in a strip but I find it's cumbersome, so I designed my own way of keeping the floss organized for a small project like this.

The next thing I do is prepare the fabric.  I use some left-over floss from finished projects and stitch the periphery of the fabric so it doesn't fray.  If I had a sewing machine it would take about 10 seconds to do, but since I don't this part takes about 15-20 minutes.

And... finally I can start stitching.  The first thing I noticed with this project is how freaking big the squares seem now compared to the Hermit project.  This fabric is 14 ct (14 squares per inch).  The Hermit fabric is 22 ct!  Doesn't sound like a lot but trust me, it makes a huge difference.

I started in the middle, like I always do.  Here's the first progress photo. It's the body of the little pig.

Here's what it should look like when it's done.  My target end date is early November 2012 as it is for a very special little boy's first birthday.

A Mishmash Post.

So, my stitching has taken a slight backseat this past week ... to exercise of all things!!  Oh, and watching the Olympic Games, of course.

I have started running and usually go in the evening.  By the time I get home, have dinner and relax with the husband, I am exhausted and can't get much stitching done.  I am sleeping better than I have in years and my body is aching, but it feels great!

I am a huge Olympics fan as well.  I am enjoying watching the London games and thrilled with how the Canadian team are doing.  I rarely watch sports, but every two years I am glued to the television screen for two solid weeks watching the Games.  I love all the pomp and circumstance around the Olympics.

While I miss stitching, I think it's good to take a break.  Getting back into shape has been a huge thing for me and I've been talking about it for a long time and it was just time to do it.  I am going to have to get back to stitching soon though - I will be adding a new project to the rotation.

Good friends of ours are adopting and it's time to get another baby record done.  I am so excited to start this one.  I hope to have it done by the time the little guy turns one in November.  I just ordered it, so it'll be a few weeks before I can get started.  Here it is:

For those following along, I will try to get an update posted on the Hermit soon!

Back In The City

Hi everyone!  I am back from a wonderful week at the cottage.  Here's a view of the lake.

I'm not particularly rested (late nights drinking, early mornings with the kids) but I somehow feel rejuvenated.  Spending a week in nature, where the only sounds are birds chirping, loons looning and the crickets cricketing helps centre my gravity.  We went with another couple and their two daughters and everyone got along great.  Despite feeling tired now, it was truly a relaxing week away.  The kids had oodles of fun in the lake, my daughter even did some fishing with her dad!

I was able to get in a bit of stitching, not as much as I would have liked, but enough to satisfy some urges.  It was hard fitting in time to stitch between swimming in the lake, sun tanning on our small, private beach and looking after all the kids.  Still, I was able to get some alone time on the deck.

I returned home to a package in the mail and it wasn't until I opened it that I remembered what I had ordered!  The missing thread from page 3 of the chart.  Yay!!!  Page 3 is officially complete.

We are off for another 3 days this week camping, so there will be no stitching to be had.  It's too dangerous to stitch in the great outdoors, I'm afraid of losing thread and getting my fabric dirty.  It'll be great to get in touch with nature again, this time up close and personal in a tent.

Before I go though, here is an updated photo of my progress on page 4 of charting (an you'll note the bottom of page 3, under the lantern, is now complete).

Moving On.

So, I'm over the frustration of not being able to finish the 3rd page of chart due to missing thread.  I've ordered it from 1-2-3 Stitch and it'll probably arrive sometime next week.  In the meantime, I have started the 4th page of chart.  Gotta keep moving, right?

Oh, and speaking of moving, I have started running.  Crazy!  I used to work out at a gym years ago but since having children and cross-stitching, I have become lazy.  I was starting to notice that I was getting more and more out of breath just carrying the kids up and down the stairs and decided it was time to do something about it.  I don't' think I'll ever be running marathons, but at least I'm getting up off the couch.

And speaking of the couch... it's time to do some stitching.  But first, here's a updated photo.  You can see at the very bottom where I'm missing those stitches.