Baroque by Inkcircles

I know you guys haven't seen this project for WAAAY too long a time! I really am very naughty and don't bring it out enough. BUT I have a goal for this one. I intend to finish this one in the next year. It is easily doable all I need to do is actually keep focusing on it.

Just last weekend I managed to finish half of one of the squares though I had an overly productive weekend. There was a local cross stitch meetup so I spent most of the day Saturday stitching and then a fair amount of time on Sunday as well. It has also been the only project I've been working on at night so it's been getting a great bit of love.

I'm hoping to finish the square I'm currently working on sooner rather than later and then work out how to make this project a priority.

 

So without further ado here are some progress pics. Not the best but I struggle to get good photos at the moment. I think it's the sparkly fabric and the lighting. 

 

This one is showing off more of the sparkly fabric. It just makes me smile to work on it.

But these two books have just recently come out and I've managed to get my hands on them soooo.... see me in a couple of weeks once I've finished reading them a couple of times!

Though I was in a random mood on the weekend and instead of reading I cleaned and sorted my bookshelves. I've been like this for a couple of weeks it's like I can't sit and enjoy right now when the areas are an absolute mess!

Anyway I hope you enjoyed the update it's great to actually be working on this again. 

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

WIP Wednesday

Well I'm trying to keep up with these posts as well while I'm doing the A-Z challenge and it's harder than I realised. But I'm finding I'm falling into a pattern to sit at my computer each day to write. It's getting much easier to write. I know it's been surprisingly fun to just sit and write and learn more each day. Though I'm not sure how much I'm actually learning.

That said I have great news for today's post. I finished the next motif on Baroque!!!!!! Can you tell I'm jumping up and down!!!!

It's been a while coming... mainly because I keep getting distracted by other crafts. In the end I always come back to cross stitch and I do love working on these colours. 

 I've got the next colour worked out and that part of the pattern printed. So I should have a start on that later once I get all my writing out of the way.


Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

WIP Wednesday 2/5

So scream and cheer because I am actually back with a WIP wednesday post WITH some WIPs! Wow that was a mouthful! I have actually been stitching and working on projects.

I have finished my secret stitching but I still need to give it to the intended so it won't be long until I can show it to you.


But other than that I have been cross stitching on Baroque. Gosh it feels great to sit down and stitch. I can get so distracted in the evenings at the moment but when I actually sit down and stitch I feel so much better.

I also made some progress on my knitted cloth. It generally goes around in my handbag and a couple of rows get done every now and then. I was sitting knitting during rehearsal on Saturday. It was a great concert and I'm really happy to see some new music this coming week!

I'm going back to my planning and organising... I hope you enjoy the A-Z Challenge over the next month, I'm enjoying learning more and finding out what I do know.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

WIP Thursday

So Wednesday was a good day but it just got away with me and by the time I even remembered to post I was tucked up in bed about to go to sleep. So it just didn't happen.

Now I have been stitching quite a bit but like most stitching at the moment I can't show you my progress because I think she reads/at least sees the pictures from my blog. Though I have managed a tiny amount on Baroque.

Everytime I see photos of this project I think I LOVE the colours and how they look. It is such an exciting piece.

That said I am making a whole pile of stuff at the moment. I showed you the skirt I made Lana on Sunday and I've already got another one started this one will be made from a pair of old jeans.

I've cut them out here and I've got to sew the skirt bottom on sometime ... when I can get the iron onto the fabric and then cut it up.
This pair of jeans was about 4 inches too short (she's very long in the legs) and very ripped around the knees. The waist band though still fits with plenty of room so I'll take advantage of that and use it.

I have also been in a finishing mood. I managed to almost finish a turtle that has been hanging around in a box for the last year waiting for me to sew the last couple of parts. Maybe not quite that bad but.....

 
Now I say almost finished because I just need to add the eyes the only problem is I'm debating what colour and the felt is all upstairs and that is too far to bother yet. It will get done but not quite yet....

Oh well, happy stitching everyone I'm going to continue with avoiding my assignment.
Caitlin

Thoughts on my mind

It's been a very hard week for me for numerous reasons. I know I've been debating whether I have been wanting to talk about it here or not but in the end I'm needing to write this post and we'll see.

James had surgery on his shoulder on Wednesday and he's come out of it great but the stress on all of us beforehand took it's toll. I was very unsettled and have found it incredibly difficult to settle since then also James is home during the week instead of at work and he is BORED! That and he can't move or do things like he would like to as his right arm is essentially out of commission which is very frustrating for a man who spends most of his days outside and doing something.

That and it's only a week (less really) until the kids go back to school and they are BBBBOOOOORRRRREEEEEDDDDDDD!!!!!! Whined very long and loud. They have had enough of each other to the point that they are fighting and arguing just to have something to do as soon as they wake up! It's less than a week and I'm counting down!

But despite all the upset and changes I have managed to get a little bit of stitching in. Mainly today as that is when the kids went to vacation care and I got a chance to sit down for long enough with the head space to actually work on something.

See the pretty motif coming to life :D it looks so lovely and flowery and pretty :D It makes me so happy to see it emerging.

I've also been journalling a bit. I got some of my photos printed from Harvey Norman and I've been slowly organising them in the matching pockets. I will need to put some pretty papers in there but I have some hidden somewhere in my stash.

I'm going to have to find a better way to store all my stuff for this journal. At the moment it is sprawled across the table as I don't have a good way to organise or sort it. That is a task for another day.

So hope you managed to keep up with the rambling and enjoyed the couple of crafty photos.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

WIP Wednesday 19/11 on a Thursday

Ohk I could give all sorts of excuses for not posting yesterday but the main reason is I went to Movie World yesterday with my sister, cousin and his girlfriend as my cousin was visiting from out of town.

 Here I am in front of the Bat Car. I was slightly excited.

 We got to see an awesome stunt show. Thankfully the storm stayed away long enough for us to watch it.

This is the Arkham Asylum... used to be the lethal weapon. I just watched my sister and cousin on this one as I'd just been on the super man ride twice and my motion sickness was playing up.

Now since it is WIP Wednesday a day late, I do actually have some stitching to show everyone. Not the best photo ever but we haven't had much solid sun in the last couple of days it's been very cloudy.

That said if you follow me on instagram you'd have an idea about what I'm about to show you.

I finished the second motif of Baroque! I was really excited but I've been waiting for some good light to photograph it but that wasn't going to happen. The heat wave is gone replaced by stormy weather. It's still hot but we're getting storms most evenings.

I love how the colours look on the sparkly fabric.

I've already started the next motif. I like the green I'm now using.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

Work In Progress Wednesday

Well I haven't achieved too much today but I have done something. I've done another colour and a bit on my blanket since last week.

I have been busy though today and have been doing some of my assignment and I'm getting closer to finishing which kinda still makes it a WIP but not one I can really show you or that you would be interested in.

 I added the dark green today and started the dark purple.

 It feels great to be making progress however slow.

I also have a little bit of progress on Baroque by Ink Circles.

It's not much but it's better than nothing. Little bit by little bit I will get there. I need to get myself motivated.

Hope you enjoy my little bit of progress.
You can see more pictures at the moment if you follow me on Instagram, it's so much easier to post photos quickly there as my phone posts to Instagram but I need my computer to post blogs. Anyway my name is NaughtsCrossStitches on Instagram which you can enjoy.

ETA: I linked up to an Australian WIP link up. Join up if you want to.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

I actually stitched at craft group!

Today was craft group and I actually managed to stitch! I usually just resort to a little bit of cross stitch and then end up crocheting because it's easier to not concentrate because we spend so long talking.

I had an overwhelming urge to stitch on Ink Circles Baroque and I finally finished the centre motif. I love the colours I'm using but I am glad to be onto another colour. The monochrome effect does make it a perfect project for craft group where I don't need to be concentrating on colour changes.

I love working on this blanket it's slow and steady. Very slow and steady but then I keep getting distracted.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

My secret stitching

Well I have been hinting at a new start on the stitching front but never managed to get any good photos. That and I wanted it to look half decent before showing it to you.

I finally after a couple of years started baroque by Ink Circles. I had this ready and kitted up to start towards the end of 2011 but never managed to start it. I kept starting other projects and putting this off. I wanted to start this year on a new project. Something simple but didn't want to buy one, or do any of my smalls.

Here is what it's meant to look like after being finished. But of course I have changed the colours quite a lot!

I'm using plain old DMCs but I'm using 32ct opal Lugana - Sunset by Colours of the Outback. A lady over in Perth who hand dyes her fabrics. The fabric is so sparkly I wanted to keep the colours simple but I am mixing it up a little.

 I'm not doing it in one colour I'm doing the nine squares different browny/green shades. The middle is 814 so a browny red. The colours just pop on the fabric.

I'm hoping it will look all earthy when it's done. Only half the middle motif to do before I can do another colour. I am loving working on this piece but it will probably go down when I finish the middle and I will work on winter fairy. She hasn't had any love for a very long time. I will have to find a hoop or something for her as she doesn't fit on the millenium frame I bought for her ( that's the other reason baroque is on the frame now)

I was silly when I bought the frame. I bought 3 different sized stretchers but only one set of the winding things. I may need to put in another order of some more stretchers but the postage is so expensive, and the exchange rate is stupid at the moment. Everything from overseas is expensive again.

Oh I wanted to show you the other reason I haven't got much stitching done lately. My grandma promised to teach me how to sew clothes on my machine as she used to spend a lot of time sewing and has a lot to teach me. Since I'm not currently working and have days free I have been heading to my mother's to use her sewing area for Grandma to teach me. We're starting with a dress.

Being me the dress is purple. I'm testing the sizing here and couldn't resist a photo. I have sewed the panels together But we were testing the height of the dress here so the colours are being held together by tacking and grandma's hands she's hiding behind me so she can hold the dark skirt. I love how this is turning out and it will be a wonderful summer dress. I can also see it looking awesome in this pattern in something a little bit stiffer as a work dress. When I finally have some work! I really need to get a job soon I'm going stir crazy!

In job news still no good on the resumes but I'm halfway through my second unit and passed both tests which is exciting.

So this is full of a lot of stuff but if you're still reading I will have some knitting to show as well. I'm doing a lot of random projects at the moment. It feels great.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

Last WIPocalypse 2012 - VERY picture heavy

At the beginning of the year I didn't expect to get as much done as I have managed to get. I really only had a couple of projects on my list that were kitted up and ready to go.

I had two projects I was really working on, one was Carres du Printemp by Jardin Prive.

I finished the stitching not long into January but it took me almost 12 months to finally finish them as biscornus with little ribbons attached.

But they looked awesome on my Christmas tree this year!

The other project that I had going this year was Boxers a kit from anchor.

I had two and a half dogs done out of 4 at the beginning of January and managed to get it all done and framed by July. It now lives on the wall in my Mother's bedroom. 

I started this one in August 2011 so it took a little less than a year to complete.

Of course I had a lot of new starts this year. A number of random smalls but I won't show those ones off here.

In March, I made a start on Sampler Aux Fleurs by Jardin Prive.

I managed to finish it this year in mid August and finally got it framed in November!

I used DMC varigated purple no.52 I had lots of fun with all the different designs and I found I love samplers.

In January, I made a start on Afternoon Tea by Randal Spangler, my first HAED design.

Although I started this in January I didn't finish my first page until May.

I was so excited about a page finish and now I can boast 2 and a bit pages finished for the year.

I love the colours in this piece even when it was mainly black the design and colours really just stand out. I hope to have another page finish not too many months into the new year!

I started Winter Fairy by Joan Elliott and I have done quite a bit I think for the fact I might work on it one day a month at the moment.

I should hopefully get a finish next year on this one as it isn't hard I am just not motivated with it. Too many other projects on time limits.

I also made a start on '99 by ink circles. This one is a secret project because I'm hiding it from Phill so I can surprise him. It was meant to be Christmas this year but it will be more like Christmas next year.

I think that is now all the big projects. There were a number of little ones but that is too many pictures.

Happy Stitching and good luck for next year!

Caitlin