Surrounded

Well I knew it would happen - I am now lying on the floor of my lounge surrounded by balls and balls of knitting yarn. It looks a little like a bomb has gone off in a yarn store, I am not sure where or why I brought so much yarn. Especially the pile of very very bright Caron Simply Soft yarn. Although guessing by the pile of 7" squares that I also found I was probably intending to make a blanket but I can not remember who the blanket could have been intended for. So now what I am going turn the remaining balls into squares and either just send them off to one of the various charities or sew them into a blanket.

I have also found a nearly finished green scarf and a hald done red scarf (why do I put things away half done?). Right I must go and try to put all the yarn back into its crates.

I Can't Make up my Mind

Having done this months required stitching I am having a hard time deciding what to stitch on for the remainder of the month (at the rate I am going it will be February before I make up my mind). Part of my dilema is that I want to start something new but really really should work on a WIP or even a UFO. The two most wintery / Christmassy WIPs that I have are Just Be Claus by Lizzie*Kate (pictured above) and Snowy Night by the Triliogy (pictured below).

On the one hand it would be nice to get one of these finished before the start on Spring but on the other hand I want to start something new, maybe a Blackbird Designs piece.

I am also having a hard time deciding on what crafting projects to pack to take on holiday. Next Wednesday I am off for a few days in the sun with friends who live in Abu Dhabi and will be getting lots of relaxation done hopefully on the beach. I will definately be taking The Big Zipper with me and some knitting plus a few other stitching projects but I am not sure what will get packed. I have a strange feeling that over the weekend I will end up getting everything out of the crates in which my stash is stored so that I can fondle it all and see what screams that it needs to be taken to the beach.

Weekend Knitting

I decided to spend the weekend knitting rather than stitching since I fancied a change of pace but did not want to start anything big. As I could not decide what to do it was lucky that the AC4C yahoo group that I have recently joined had a weekend challenge to knit (or crochet) baby bibs and washcloths. A quick look in my stash revealed a ball of 100% cotton yarn in baby blue and a few hours later I had made one bib and one washcloth. I am adding the shop bought botties and hat as a little extra as the bibs and washcloth looked a little lonely on their own.

January's Snowman

I have made a start on Monthly Musings by Heart in Hand Needleart and have managed to finish the January design, several of the frames and just a tiny little bit of the border. I am stitching it on a piece of 32 count natural linen using the recommended threads. I just need to hunt down the buttons which will be added to the border but have plenty of time since I plan to stitch a little each month, hopefully completing the relevant monthly design and some of the border so it will be completed by the end of the year.

January's Biscornu

I am finally able to share photos of the biscornu which I stitched at the weekend. I used up a little scrap of fabric and a partial skein of Vikki Clayton silk which had lost its lable so I am not sure what the colour is called. The pattern is a freebie which I found somewhere on the net. I am looking to find it again and when I do I shall post a link.

The Big Zipper Progress

I am really enjoying stitching on this piece. I will continue working on it till Friday and then will complete my January biscornu before making a start on Monthly Musings by Heart In Hand Needleart. I may end up stitching multiple biscornu (not too sure what the plural of biscornu is, or is biscornu the plural?) as I will finish one I started last year and am carrying the supplies for at least two others around with me as my travelling pieces. The plan for Monthly Musings is to stitch at least one month block plus a little of the border each month thereby completing it before the end of the year, only problem is in order to stay on track I need to put the Zipper down which is going to be really really hard. January is really to early in the year to fall behind on my stitching plan for the year.

At Last Photos

December by Lizzie*Kate completed January 2009.

The Big Zipper by Bent Creek, started 01-Jan-2009. Stitched on 36ct natural linen using recommended colours.

At last blogger has decided to allow me to upload a couple of photos. I am still stitching away on The Big Zipper but will have to put it down this weekend to finish off the stitching I need to do on the UFO RR as mailing date is the 12th. I am also wanting to complete my January biscornu and make a start on Monthly Musings this weekend (oh well I guess the housework will just have to wait another week).

New Look

I have decided that I need a new look for a new year so please be patient since things may look a little odd for a while.

A Good Stitching Start to 2009

Unfortunately Blogger and I are currently not working well together and I am finding it impossible to post photos so this report will have none.

Since the begining of the year I have managed to complete December from the A Year With Charm series by Lizzie*Kate and I have made a good start (with only minimal frogging) on The Big Snapper by Bent Creek. Which I started on 01 January 2009 on 36 count natural linen using DMC stranded cotton threads plus recomended overdyed threads. I will decide about the buttons once I have completed the stitching. The original design calls for stitching over 2 on 18 count fabric so the recommended buttons will be a little large but I am sure that I wil be able to find suitable subsitutes. As I started a couple of Christmas / wintery designs before Christmas which I have not finished I might switch to stitching on them in an attempt to finish them before the end of January when I want to make a start on both my goals for 2009 and Spring themed stitching for my season collection.

As well as my previously published stitching goals I have decided to sign up for the Basket of Biscornu SAL so shall also be stitching a biscornu a month (or at least that is the plan) - I am beginging to think I may have set my goals a little high for this year but I am going to have a very good try at achieving them.

I promise to post photos just as soon as Blogger allows.

Happy New Year

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2009.

Last night I saw the new year in with a long lost school friend who I was very happy to find again late on in 2008 after having lost touch for the best part of 10 years. We celebrated the begining of the New Year and our renewed friendship by partying the night away like we did in our late teens - dancing and singing (badly) in a night club. As a consquence my feet now hurt and I have lost my voice but I throughly enjoyed myself and it was a total change from my usual way to see in the New Year. I do not go back to work till Monday and therefore am planning on spending the nect three days sitting on the sofa (I might get dressed but then again I might stay in my PJs) catching up on watching all the tv programmes I have recorded, stitching and doing very little else. Sunday I am going over to my parents for a family meal and to meet my cousin's new fiance. Stitching wise I want to finish up a few things, make a start on Bent Creek Big Zipper and maybe a start on the border for Heart In Hand Needleart Monthly Musings.