Cross stitch

What talented ladies !!! Beautiful!!

Your pics look lovely in their frames Whiff. They look straight enough to me too!

Justed finished my latest project . Now to sort out what I want to do next. Love the deciding and planning stage.

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These are 2 I recently framed.

I love the mouse on the toadstool Whiff. That's my sort of picture!
I'm looking forward to hearing what your next project will be.

PiscesLady thank you it's a Wrendale design from Bothy threads. Been wanting to do it since I had it at Christmas. But am strict about order I do things . The beach and Amsterdam scene I had for my birthday 2 years ago so had to do them first. Been doing little things in between. Will start my Christmas things in September.

What are you working on?

Hi Whiff I have used your last message as a 'kick in the proverbial' to get myself organised and back to my cross stitch again. I have found the off cut of blackout fabric I had and have rigged up a mini screen so DH will not be bothered by my magnifying sewing lamp. I am now back to my 'Summer' cross stitch and so far have done all of 1 inch by 1/2 inch! In the process I've come across a couple of other projects that I am looking forward to doing sometime...! Have you chosen your next project? Did you finish the Peony one?

Sone lovely work on here, love your mouse Whiff seeing this has made me want to go out and get some new kits. I’m currently doing a punch embroidery, a picture of a hare, I take it to sit and do at my knit and natter group once a fortnight so it’s quite slow going. I’ll attach a pic of what he should look like when complete, it’s quite an easy technique once you have the hang of it.

PiscesLady glad you started cross stitching again .

SachaMac can't wait to see your finished Hate.

This is my mouse ironed . Working on this mandala I won it on the world of cross stitching one of their give aways.

Forgot to put it on with the mouse.

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I haven't done much cross stitch recently but this is my youngest grandchild's birth sampler in progress. Last picture isn't strictly cross stitch but black work. Very hard on the eyes!

Sacha I've not heard of punch embroidery before, I will be interested to see it when finished.
I like the Mandala Whiff If my memory serves me right, you do well with the competitions!
Katek That's a colourful birth sampler, one lucky GC. The blackwork looks very intricate, very effective too.

PiscesLady I go on the Gathered site they have lots of tutorials and free patterns plus competitions. I even enter anything wool or sewing related. My sister in law crochets,needle felts and this week went on a leather work day course.

If I win things I don't want I could give stuff to my sister in law or my craft group.

Did I talk about one of our group doing a 6 week writing course. I have these ideas pop into my head and just put them down . I did suggest she write a murder mystery around a craft group. Our other founder said the body of the person who is always late was found outside the craft room( herself) , somehow I became the murderer by putting poison into my brownies. Then a member who comes if she has a Thursday off and always brings Jaffa cakes she poisoned them and she wouldn't be suspected as she's not there every week, then methods of murder by various crafting tools included sharpen knitting needles. I came up with a motive. The old lady who bakes goes round craft groups murdering all the yarn workers because she is jealous of their knitting and crocheting skill as she can only cross stitch.

Honestly it got very invented and didn't realise I was with such a murderous lot. But it was very funny.

We have a closed what's app group so talk everyday.

Katek beautiful work. You have inspired me to have a go at black work. I have lots of charts in my cross stitch magazines.

PiscesLady I haven't finished my peony yet. I was itching to do the mouse and the mandala but will finish it soon. Then I had a Tomte door stop to make for my grandson. I made his brother one 2 years ago . Already got all the materials I need. Plan on starting it in September ready for Christmas when I start doing my Christmas projects.

Happy cross stitching 🧵

Whiff You've mentioned the Gathered site before so I now subscribe & have entered a couple of competitions. 'Got to be in it to win it' as they say.
Your murder mystery sounded hilarious! Should you be worried? I hope your pals have not been put off your brownies!
I'd not heard of a Tomte door stop before, but Google has enlightened me.
I've just booked a week away in September, and realise with horror September is only 8 weeks away. Gulp!

Happy cross stitching all.

PiscesLady the brownies always go quickly. But then again everything I make does. Going to my brother and sister in law's on Monday until Friday. But taking gingerbread to my next craft group.

Had my grandson for the day as teachers on strike . He's brother was at nursery. We made a blueberry cake . He weighs everything and mixed it . He greases the tin. I only have to put the parchment in and spoon mix into the tin and bake it . He's 5. 🍰

Hope you are all enjoying your cross stitch. Just finished this.

That's lovely Whiff Have you chosen the next project yet?

Thank you PiscesLady I have made a start on the Tomte door stop for my youngest grandson finished size of the cross stitch is 21.5" X 11.5". Then making a bag to hold the rice in the bottom once a have sewed a circle of fabric on. The stuffing it and making a blue felt hat to stuff and sew on.

What are you working on?

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This is the Tomte I made for his brother. Finished cross stitch and when put together . Managed to cut the top of the picture but the hat is pointed and I folded part of the point and sewed down at the back.

There's a lot of work in the Tomte Whiff but that is very impressive. I'm quite slow with mine so no doubt you will have yours finished before me! I'm still working on my 'Summer' picture, almost a 1/4 finished so far. I've attached a picture.
Excuse the scraps of paper, it's the way I work with multiple colour changes. If anyone has any better ideas I would be keen to hear them!

PiscesLady it's looking lovely. Like your idea to keep check of your colour changes. That's the thing about cross stitch it's a slow craft. You can put it down and pick it up anytime you want.
At craft group today spent a hour doing some work to then realised I had miscounted so had to unpick it. I was talking to much and eating cake. But that's a the thing about cross stitch easy to undo .

Have you ever used waste fabric? I have brought some to try out and not sure if you have to wet it before pulling the threads out after you have completed the work.

My first time framing in a hoop. Started my Tomte working on the beard .

Hope you are all stitching and relaxing while doing it.

Thanks Whiff There are so many changes in this one I can only do a bit at a time, but it slowly grows.
Ah, the perils of cake and cross stitch But yes, tis easy to unpick.
It's been a long time since I had cake, I must make one soon, I have blackberries in the freezer that are just waiting...

I've never used waste fabric, I think I have some in a kit that I bought online when making a fidget blanket, but didn't use it in the end. Anyway, I just Googled the question and an article came up on the Gathered website. Link attached for you.
www.gathered.how/needlework/cross-stitch/cross-stitch-how-to-use-waste-canvas/

I've just seen your hoop framing. That sets it off beautifully. (Brain failing me as I cannot think what it is called!)

PiscesLady the Celtic knot mandala was easier to do than you think. Because of the black outline cross stitch once done parts it was just the matter of filling it in the correct colours. Never done one before but I won it from Gathered.

I looked at the link and will have a go using the waste fabric the weekend. Have lot of fabric not brave enough to do it on a garment . See how I go.

Had my grandson on Tuesday while his mom and dad at work his little brother was at nursery . We bake . I get him to weight everything out from when he first started to cook like I did with my children . Helps with his learning numbers also now he's 5 get he to read the parts of the recipe. Made a chocolate victoria sandwich with choc fudge icing. If we make anything that needs rolling out he does it . I can't use a rolling pin anymore hurts my hands.

I bake once every two weeks. For my craft group. Made a marmalade cake yesterday to take today. I make my own marmalade,jam and chutney but my way. I am disabled but still do things I want but my cheats way.

Cross stitch is a slow craft that's what I love about it. But can't eat while doing it and have to be careful with drinks my hands tremble but not when I cross stitch. Think it's because you have to concentrate to make sure you count correctly.

Decades ago I knitted for my children but had to stop as I couldn't co ordinate the needles and could never get the hand of crocheting.

My sister in law has MS and crochets and needle felts . She's doing a craft fair next month with a friend so brought these from her. I brought the fox and badger only said £5 each which for the amount of time they take I gave her £10 each then she gave me the otter and baby as a gift. Problem with craft fairs which I love people won't pay the real price they don't realise how much work goes into making anything. Each animal took 2 days work.

Whiff , Manadala, that's the word I couldn't think of! Good idea to do the black outlines first. It does look lovely in its frame.

I have just found what I thought was the waste fabric I'd bought, only it's Magic Paper by DMC. This one says to dissolve in water.

Your Grandson must enjoy baking with you! I'm impressed that you make marmalade, jam & chutney. Whichever way you do it, if it works it's not cheating.

I can't eat when I do crafts, I am constantly washing my hands. I never could knit but did crochet, not done any for over 40 years now.

Those needle felts are lovely! Well worth the £10 you paid. You are right about people not realising how much work these things take to make.

This is a bit rushed, DH is out & I want to try & get on with things. I'm making ice cream & yoghurt first.

Happy cross stitching all!