My Poor Husband

My poor husband hasn't had much attention since I started this project on Monday.  (I did cook duck for him last night as a bit of consolation)  But every cloud has a silver lining and this is it.....

Part 1 isn't quite finished yet but I wanted to share, I'm like a child in a sweetie shop with this, all the different fibres and stitches!!

Winter Watergarden - A Start

I have started my first ever Chatelaine!  Its fun stitching with the speciality threads, I've used Dinky Dyes silk Perle, some Waterlilies and Treasure Braid none of which I had even seen before. Kreink used to be adventurous for me! I'm still 1 colour down which is on back order so I'm really hoping it arrives and I can finish part 1 before part 2 is out in February.  In the mean time I have plenty to do.  The 'pond' needs filling in, there is quite a bit of blackwork and about 100 tiny silver snowflakes to stitch. 

I don't think you can see much from these pictures but I was so excited that I wanted to post my very first few hours.

Breaking News!

(Most of) the stuff for WWG has just arrived.  I'm starting tonight!!!! (Can you tell I'm excited)

Forest has a face

I tried to make the most of not having my new start this weekend so I have stitched forests face and an arm.  I always feel that ladies feel much more complete when they have their faces so I'm awarding myself with 45% complete on her now.  I did make a few minor changes to her face because I wasn't totally happy with it as charted, but only about 12 stitches were changed and most were fractionals.  I did change the colour of her lips too.  As charted they were filled bright pink! I thought about doing it over 1 but decided that 11 projecst this year would be hard enough with out making it any more tricky!

I'm frustrated

I had planned to start winter watergarden (WWG) (chatelaine) this weekend.  I ordered the stash I needed on Tuesday next day delivery and it still hasn't arrived.  I won't get it until at least monday now and one of the threads is out of stock and isn't coming anyway.  I will have to stitch something else.  I've got lots of stitching to do but I had somewhat 'geared up' for the chatelaine. 

My second frustration is with my crewel project Sacred Cranes.  As I had expected would happen I am now finding that my first areas look a bit shabby compared with the areas I have stitched now I've got a bit more practice. Its such a shame as the design is just stunning and if all my stitching looked like the bit I have done today and yesterday I would be thrilled.  I was pleased with my first stitching until I saw how much neater my recent stitching had got! This is the picture of is as it is at the momment....

I have loaded a page of my final 11 in 11 projects with pictures, I don't normally have more that 2 or 3 WIPS at any one time and I currently have 4 (including WWG) so this weekend I will likely be doing more Forest or Cranes.

Sacred Cranes - A Start

Here are my first few stitches in Sacred Cranes, a crewel work kit I received from my Mum and Dad for Christmas.  I haven't done as badly as I thought I might for my first go and think I'm getting the hang of it.  It stitches up much more quickly than cross stitch but the wool is a little frustrating to work with after DMC!

It's Love!

I'm in love. I've never had so much fun stitching as I have with Forest, I think she would be a great mojo booster for anybody having a bit of a low.  And to top it all she has given me a bit of a giggle because I think the green robe looks a bit like a willy!!! (I am such a child!)  I have zoomed out a bit for this photo because I wanted to share more of this lovely fabric. 

She is going to have a break now as I'm desperate to start a crewel kit I got for Christmas.  Haven't done any crewel before so its quite exciting. I promise to post pictures, even if my stitching is rubbish.  And the first part of Winter Watergarden (Chatelaine) is posted so tomorrow I will order stash, I can't afford to kit it up completely before I start, and I hope to start in a week.  I am thinking of joining in with friends who are stitching 11 projects in 2011.  I'm having a think about which ones I will do, check back in a day of two for the final list with photos.