Thursday, April 26, 2018

IHSW - April Conclusion

I'm a little late posting about IHSW, it ended this past Monday, but when has that stopped anyone? ;) IHSW is a great time to spend your weekend stitching and ignoring housework. Wait... that might be like most other weekends for me. 

There's a Facebook group as well if you're posting your stitching online there as well. 

As many of you mentioned, the Fishing project for my uncle is close to a finish, so I did try and concentrate on that one. It was here:


and is now here:
2 over 2 on 28 ct Tempest by Chromatic Alchemy
You may notice there's something missing on the upper right side. I had made a mistake a while ago and decided to try and come at it another way. I had thought I could maybe save it, but I think it was best to frog everything and try again. It's right where the chart splits in half, so I had miscounted a few rows across. If I add in all of the things on the far right, then it hopefully won't happen again. 

I've also still been knitting and managed to finish my 2nd Jodi shawl:

I really like how this one came out. The middle yarn is a really fun variegation and I like the fact I can wear with this with practically anything. 

And I had started this project a couple weeks ago, and maybe now you can even tell what it is!

In case you can't, it's a sock! My very first sock. It's still unfinished, I think I'm at a spot where I have to knit in the round for a while until the foot part is long enough, then do the toe and it's done. It's a shorty sock, part of a SAL from my LYS, Must Love Yarn. I keep forgetting to mention, if you like podcasts, they do one most every week and they're hilarious! So definitely watch if you like to stitch or knit along with a couple fun companions. Their website and podcasts can be found here

And that was my weekend. I hope you all had good weekends, whether or not you were able to get much stitching done. 

Happy Stitching!

Tiffstitch



Sunday, April 15, 2018

Gifted Gorgeousness 2018: April Edition

It's the 15th of the month again and time to post about our Gifted Gorgeousness! What we're stitching, what we've received, anything we can shoe horn into the theme. Check out everyone's posts over at our fabulous host, Jo's blog

Fishing - for my uncle
28 ct Tempest by Chromatic Alchemy with charted threads

This is getting really close, I think I'll try and stick with it until it's complete. One reason I'd like to is this uncle also recently had bypass surgery. He came through it fine, but makes me think I should just finish it and get it sent to him. I started the backstitch too, and I do like the effect so far. 

Full Moon - DD
28 ct Lazurite by Chromatic Alchemy with charted threads

I really love this pattern and have been enjoying stitching it. I need to actually pull all the colours and have it set, but I keep getting pulled back by older WIPs I need to finish too.

Kiss for a Snowman - DD
14 ct white Aida with charted threads

I decided to pull out a different colour instead of green or blue.

Princess and the Dragon - DD was here:
and now:
28 ct Amarinthine by Chromatic Alchemy

Full size so far

It was nice to get this out again at a recent conference and get a fair bit done. I decided the bottom would be easier if I did 10 squares across and then moved up or down to try and break up the long patch of black. 

Hell is Other People - for a friend who works in retail
 
 14 ct Aida, unknown dyer and stash threads

This was my first Subversive Cross Stitch design that I stitched and it won't be the last. I bought a few patterns when they were having a sale a month or so ago. I think my friend will get a kick out of this one

I Love You More Today - DH
 28 ct Eye of Newt by Chromatic Alchemy

I got a few more stitches in this one as well for DH. It kind of fits as things haven't been as smooth the last few months as they have the last 19 years, but I'm sure it will smooth out. 

Knitting - Vest for DD's doll
 Finished Skagen Shawl for Grandma

and I finally used my 123stitch gift cards to pick up some Lizzie Kates and one Lanarte:


I had no ideas Lanarte kits came so prettily packaged, that was quite the surprise. It's the animal safari parade one you can see in the above photo. 

I hope you all had a great month and check out Jo's blog for everyone's posts. 

Happy Stitching!

Tiffstitch

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Zodiac SAL: Aries

This past weekend was the first weekend in April and that brings us to the Zodiac SAL hosted by Jo. 


This month's sign is Aries and I've been having some trouble figuring out if any of my projects fit. But then Jocondine mentioned sheep and wool, and I thought of a shoehorn.

 My local yarn store, Must Love Yarn is having a KAL for the Jodi shawl. I decided to give it a try since it's DK weight and a little easier than another fingering weight shawl. 

My yarn is from Great Adirondack Yarn Co. and is organic cotton. It's really soft and was surprisingly easy to work with. Sometimes cotton has no give, but this was pretty easy. 

The finish!
how it looks on:
It was really warm and comfortable even though we had another day of 32F/0C weather here. I enjoyed the Jodi shawl so much I started another one in a different colourway: 
I'm still on colour 1 so far:

This was the finished Skagen shawl I sent to my Grandma:
 How it looks on:

I got it sent out before Easter and I believe it was received around then. Grandma loves it!

This is the start of the sweater for DD's "baby sister", whom she calls Baby, a cute little stuffed doll. 

And since Jo mentioned Aries people tend to leap into things without thinking them over too thoroughly, how about I add my new start, because with 50+ WIPs, that's totally what I need to do, start new projects. :)
Full Moon by Cute Patterns by Maria on 28ct Lazurite by Chromatic Alchemy

 And since dragons have been known to breathe fire, and Aries is a Fire sign, how about an update on Princess and the Dragon? 
Princess and the Dragon by Charting Creations, 1 over 1 DMC 310 on 28ct Amarinthine by Chromatic Alchemy

I think that was some successful shoe-horning and we'll see what I can come up with for next month. Please check out Jocondine's great post too!

Happy Stitching!

Tiffstitch

Monday, April 9, 2018

WIPocalypse 2018: March

March has felt like it flew by, and I only posted a couple times. It was pretty busy with hockey tournaments, a conference and Easter right at the end. I'd like to post a bit about my WIPocalypse projects, my 18 in  '18 as Jo calls them. If you haven't heard of WIPocalypse, you can check out all the info at Measi's blog, and basically it's about finishing projects before the inevitable(?) apocalypse. 

This month's question is:  What newer designers and product creators (fabric or floss dyeing, etc) out there have you discovered and recommend?

If you're a follower of my blog, you know I love Chromatic Alchemy fabrics. They're so soft and the colours are amazing! I've also joined Jodyri's threads of the month club for a whole set and I mentioned a new designer, Maria, in my last post. 

On to my 18 in '18!

First, although I finished Covered Bridge in January, I bought a Mill Hill frame with a GC from 123 stitch and it's fully finished!
Fishing is moving along:
Ballerina Dreams:
Tribal Dragon:
Princess and the Dragon:
Ocean Curiosity:

Definitely some progress and I think there will be a few more finishes before the year is out. 

Happy Stitching!

Tiffstitch


Catch-up Post and Mischievous March

Hello again, things conspired so I didn't get a chance to put a post up, but I have been stitching. I also remembered to pick up my Misc...