Cross stitch

I’ve always loved cross stitch and embroidery. It’s so relaxing and enjoyable. I have so many framed pictures and other objects around my home I now want to go as they have taken over. It seems awful giving them to a charity shop as they cost so much to frame, are they even sellable now? but my children don’t want them. Started knitting again, at the moment a waistcoat as not so heavy to manage now as the jumpers and larger items I used to make. I can’t just sit and watch tv I have to be doing something else, usually snacking.

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These are the designs in the 2023 and 2024 calendars 6 in each.

PiscesLady your poppy is beautiful and looks real. I am just doing my poppies at craft group as my owls have very similar colours and need to make sure my count is correct plus I am doing it a haunted moon Aida from fabric flare instead of white Aida and had to work out where to start it so you could be still see the moon.

The WOXS has had 2 calenders with Wrendale designs. Will decide soon what to take with me to York as the months fly by.

Your holiday in Wales sounded lovely. When my husband was alive we stayed in cottages which was great but I couldn't do that now. I don't drive so the Primer inn is perfect for my needs. Think it's time you and Mr P stayed in hotels for future holidays. That way you will both be rested and don't have to worry about cleaning or doing any cooking . Hope you have have no more leaks. When Home serve started years ago we took it out and have kept it up since my husband died. But for me it's peace of mind . I have plumbing and heating cover with them . Boiler is serviced every year and I pay bit extra so no excess . But over the years they have saved my a lot of money. At my old house the stop cock broke in my kitchen which was behind the washing machine. Luckily my brother was home from work and could pull out the machine and put buckets to catch the water but by then the water had gone through the wall into my living room. Luckily the walls where cross lined and painted but once dried out the plaster under the paper had crumbled didn't tell my buyer when I sold it but they had mucked me about and their surveyor never noticed. Also it happened during the winter the poor plumber was in freezing cold water it took hours to fix and he even mopped all the water up for me.

I had only lived here a few months when the sewer pipe under my drive broke. Dread to think how much that would have cost especially as it took 4 times to find the break with the camera and they had to dig up part of my drive . A team of 4 men worked all day even had to have a sewage tanker out to clean out what one of the men said the gunk. They repaired the drive all in one day.

Had to admit I can't weed anymore. So now have a wonderful gardener he came last week to do the front and yesterday did the back garden even put my bench out for me. Looks like a new garden . And now see room for new plants. He will come every 2 weeks . I can still potter and plant things and cut things back but not do all the hard work. We all have to reach a point where we have to admit to ourselves that we can no longer do somethings . But for our physical and mental health we have to. I hate it when things defeat me but I find ways to do things my way.

Tulips are beautiful and that sounds like a fun project to do. Would love to see your brooches . Until you cross stitch you don't realise how long it takes just to do a small design but it is so relaxing and it still amazes me how much detail you can get just with little crosses. I always do whole stitches even if it says different. But things work.

Happy stitching.

What wonderful work you have done Whiff I particularly like the Fox & Daisies, he is very cute. I'd not realised The World Of Cross Stitching did a calendar with patterns, I will have to look out for it come the end of the year.

We too have stayed in Premier Inns, usually when visiting family in the area. I knew they did the assisted rooms but had not seen in one before. It sounds as if they treated you very well. They are ideal for single travellers too.

I hope your York trip goes well. I still remember a little of York from when my aunt took me there some 56 years ago! I've also heard good things about Betty's tearooms, worth taking a box of their goodies back to your room at the Premier Inn too. I will look forward to your report afterwards!

Our trip away was to a cottage in Wales. We are in our 70's now and usually stay in cottages but found it hard work this time, not helped by having a leak at home immediately before we went away! We were both exhausted and didn't really recover till after we got back home! We are now rethinking what to do for holidays in the future!

Still it gave me plenty of time to start my Poppy picture while away! I have now finished it and a photo is attached. I think it looks a lot better from a distance! As the stems & leaves were quite bitty, I tried out sewing a grid first with a red nylon thread, like fishing line. It certainly made life a little easier so I will use that on bigger pictures.
I'm looking forward to seeing your Poppy cross stitch and the owl one too.

What to do next?! Hopefully my Tulip picture, which I have just remembered I have already sewn gridlines to.
I also have some sewing to do for a charity, making flower & butterfly brooches. I think I will have to alternate between them.

I made gingerbread yesterday to take to my craft group today. Well I finished fox and daisy's. And started my owls x stitch to do at home. Taking a poppy kit for craft group.

I booked another holiday this time in York in September at Premier inn again but just b&b. Already booked tour of chocolate factory near the hotel with tasting afterwards 😋. Going to have a afternoon tea at Betty's tearoom but can't book that until mid July as they don't take bookings this early. Will go to the Shambles visit museums. Last time I went to York was 2005 as my husband made me promise to go on holiday year after he died . But only went into the Minster ,had a pub lunch and went on the hop on hop off bus but stayed on it until the start . Spent most of the time in my room.

Older now and intend to have a wonderful time doing things I didn't before. But I am 66 now not 46 so well weathered 😁.

Oooh, Whiff, I could just eat those cakes!

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PiscesLady I finished this once home from my holiday . I took a fox with some daisies which I am doing it's a Wrendale design off The world of cross stitching calendar from last year. Once I start a project I like to finish it before starting a new one so it was a change for me to leave one and start another. Once I have finished this have 3 more projects already lined up. I am itching to start my owl one.

But once I decide on something I have to do then in order. I have a rare hereditary neurological condition so was born disabled. My hands tremble all the time but when I cross stitch they are still no idea why.

While on holiday went on a 2 hour sea trip with my GN friend round the Farne islands .I took pics and videos of puffins, Gilmots and other sea birds and seals in and out of the water. I thought they would be blurry but realised my hands where still and my balance was better . I think the engine vibrations counter acted my tremors and steadied me . Unfortunately can't have a boat engine permanently attached to me 🤣. The sea was calm and a deckhand talked to us about the islands and told us fishermen further out had seen Orca's.

I had looked at cross stitch retreat holidays but they tended to be in the middle of nowhere and very expensive. I love travelling by train and have travel assistance can only have a holiday in Britain. Wouldn't get up the steps on a plane and couldn't be crammed in . My idea of hell would be a coach holiday or cruise.

But I now have the travel bug and thinking about a holiday later in the year also thinking about where to go next year. Staying in a premier inn was perfect as they have assisted rooms. Lower bed and large shower room . Rooms for wheelchair users and people like me . The pics are of my room . Only thing I wouldn't have is the meal deal while it was good value and the breakfast was lovely I was limited to what to have for my 2 course dinner. Puds where no problem but I don't eat meat and can't eat some foods. Luckily I eat chicken and fish . The service was great and they cut my food up for me in the kitchen as I can't use a dinner knife and eat with a spoon and fork. I would much rather have eaten vegetarian meals but there where only 3 choices a burger made it from a brand I had never heard of as I use Quorn mince, chicken pieces and sausages at home. Pizza but always to big for me and tomato and chilli linguine. I can't eat chilli and it was already in the sauce. I did fill in there survey about my stay and said about the lack of vegetarian options. But was told because it was the meal deal it wasn't their full menu. But they would look at adding more vegetarian options.

I choose premier inn because of the assisted rooms plus they charge per room not person . Lot of private hotels and B &Bs don't have disabled rooms plus charge extra per night if you are in your own. Some where charging £15-30 extra a night. It's as if you are being penalised because you are in your own. I didn't choose to be widowed but life happens . A lot of people go on holiday by themselves so why should we have to pay extra also they only offered single beds and small rooms . I would have fallen out of the bed. Better get off my hobby horse about how people are treated unfairly if they travel on their own able bodied and disabled alike.

Whiff I remembered you were going on holiday, I'm so glad you had such a good time, especially after a 19 year 'holiday drought'!
What is your current project? I took a small poppy kit away with me, a kit that was given to me. Not exactly a favourite but I made a start while we were away & will continue until I finish it. I am itching to get back to the tulip picture I started last year...

Ooh thank you Ali 08. That's a good idea.

Reported.

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Re: Love Quilts UK.
I thought I'd just add a little bit of their info.
Chocolatelovingran, the stitched pieces aren't huge, so you might be interested, but I'll leave that up to you. I'm surely not going to press you into doing something you don't want to!!
I don't stitch anymore. I may go back to it in the future, but my eyes are the problem.
Anyway, pics included with info....

Ali glad your granddaughter is doing well. Future ops is part and parcel of her condition. The Minnie mouse cross stitch is lovely. One of my craft group makes hand sewn patchwork quilts . She doesn't do free machine quilting but it does add lovely texture to the finished quilt.

PiscesLady beautiful work. I had nearly finished a piece . But decided to take something smaller on my holiday.I went Monday and came back today . My first holiday in 19 years and had a wonderful time mainly due to meeting a member of GN and her partner and dog. They took me places I never expected her to but we clicked and she's lovely . Like me a chatterbox. Her partner was getting chatter in stereo. He's a wonderful drive and talked about the area. I feel overwhelmed by their kindness.

Chocolatelovinggran I can't read or cross stitch on anything moving as I would feel travel sick . I do small projects and make them into coasters or brooches.

I wish more people would discover the joy of cross stitching. Only wished I had realised little crosses can make the most beautiful things. Only took it up in 2016 I needed something to completely relax me and it did.

I hopefully will finish my main piece tomorrow as I need to rest the weekend. And can carry on with my new piece. Have 3 other projects already lined up.

PiscesLady
Thank you. She's 14 now, will need future ops but she's doing alright - better than she was! x

Ali08 What a beautiful quilt and a lovely idea. I looked at the website but sadly cannot commit to something like that at present. I wish your granddaughter well.

Chocolatelovinggran I'm impressed that you can sew on trains & buses! My eyesight would not be good enough and as for bumpy roads.... Small can be beautiful. Do post a picture of your work, we all need inspiration!

I'm am enthusiastic cross stitcher. Unfortunately I have the attention span of a goldfish so I do small projects - cards, a wedding or anniversary samper, for example. I cross stitch on trains and buses to use my time wisely. I have had the odd stare...

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Oops, GN had me bamboozled for a moment...

I thought I'd show you this. None of my stitching went into it, unfortunately, but it was very kindly made by several x-stitchers who then sent their stitched pieces to some lovely people who put them into a quilt for one of my granddaughters.
She has, so far, had 2 operations for Arnold Chiari Malformation.
They are all volunteers and they are made up by 'Love Quilts UK' (there are other ones in America and such).
I think, if I remember rightly, the white aida has to be 13"×13".
Please look them up.

'Love Quilts UK'.

I love your Zebras Whiff. Just the incentive I needed to get on with my 'summer' picture, that and the better daylight hours. Finally it is finished!!

Now to decide what to do next! I'm going away for a few days so it had best be something small.

Are we the only ones on GN doing cross stitch these days? Anyone else out there with pictures to show?

Hope some of you will post your work. I finished my zebras last night.

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PiscesLady sorry you still have the cough. It must be making your chest hurt and making sleeping difficult. Hopefully with the warmer weather it will go. Thank for the compliments on my work. It's just so relaxing doing it and it's the only time my hands don't tremble. No idea why. But it keeps my fingers nimble and free from arthritis.

My sister in law has MS and the pictures are of her work she can't do cross stitch but loves needle felting and crochet but small things. She went on 2 courses wet felting and box card making. Says she will do wet felting again.

Whiff Those Zebras are lovely, the rainbow colours make them look stunning. I also love the silhouette picture. You do such lovely work.
I'm still coughing post Covid. I've nothing to show at present. I've not done any of my cross stitch for a while. DH did not like my lamp being on. But now the sun is higher & the light is a lot better, I should be able to get back to it. Thank you for the inspiration!
Anyone else out there got any cross stitch to show?

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Just ironed my latest project. A dear friend brought me the zebras for Xmas . Really love doing it . It's 11ct Aida which I haven't used before and using 3 strands of thread .

Hope you are all stitching away and would love to see your work.

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PiscesLady thank you. I hope you have made a full recovery from Covid. People seem to forget it's a around but like flu it's with us forever. I would rather wear my mask on the bus and shops but my glasses steam up and my walking is bad enough without not seeing where I am walking. I was lucky when I had Covid last year . The incubation period is 7-10 days . I had my jab for it on the Wednesday and tested positive on the Saturday but apart from being very tired and aching more than usual I was ok. But think it was because I had the jab while I was incubating it. Negative on the Wednesday.

My hands tremble all the time especially my right but funny enough not while I cross stitch. But apart from the small sewing project it's my only craft. But am addicted to it have to do it everyday and also read.

Baked a gluten free Parkin for my craft group today made it Sunday it was very sticky when I cut and wrapped it yesterday and made my version of bourbon creams. Both yummy.

Already planned something's I want to do when I go away. But have to pace myself.

Take care of yourself. The pics are of my bakes.

I love that cute fox Whiff as well as your bag for cross stitch - lovely idea and beautiful fabric! You are one talented lady!
I will look forward to seeing the fox stitched one day, as well as the Zebras, in the fullness of time of course.
I've not done much of my cross stitch lately, I got side tracked with various things including a charity stitching project and more recently with Covid, could have done without that.
How exciting to have a holiday to look forward to! I hope you have a wonderful time.