BFF SAL 5 - making roads

This week I decided to continue alongside the shepherd, as I wasn't feeling confident enough to move more than a couple of stitches away from a 'jumping off point ".

So a bit of the edge of the road or path the shepherd is wandering.  The part-completed tunic of St Joseph looks more like a castle on a hill at present!!

It's interesting to see just how much my BFF's stitching style and my own are diverging on this project!!

Catch up with my BFF's update when she posts on http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com

BFF SAL 5 a new beginning

It's time to get back together as a SAL, after a few weeks of random things, we were ready to get back to working on something together once more.

It's now the run-up to Christmas, so it's time for a seasonal stitch. 

This is from a cross stitch magazine that both my BFF and I have a subscription to.

I've been following the pattern as it's written, with only one substitute for a thread I appear to be missing.

The poor shepherd looks like he's under a rain cloud right now, I think! 

Check out my BFF's update on http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com when she's posted. 

Woah we're halfway there!!

Hope that stuck you with the appropriate 80s earworm as it did for me.

(Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi).

(They used to play that one and The Final Countdown by Europe, one after the other at school discos.. I still can't hear one of them without thinking of the other!)

Halfway there now for the Poncho of Doom, with its first side finished and cast off. 

I have to go with the flow when the knitting muse hits, as it's often fleeting.  It's one of the reasons I rarely knit with the thinner wools, I like the instant gratification of chunky wool. 

The Poncho of Doom - (Der Poncho des Untergangs)

I'm deeply grateful that you can barely make out the cables on this wool.  Why, you may ask?

Shot 1 here shows the start of the work, where I appear to have left 8 rows between each cable. 

Shot 2 shows further up, where I am now, with 12 rows between the cables. 

Neither of these are actually right!  I have only just realised this, having just re-read the pattern, which calls for a 20 row repeat! 

I'm afraid, at 118 rows in so far, it will get finished the way it is, with the other panel using my own 12 row repeat! (definitely not letting my Mam pull anything back, after my poor BFF's experience with the self same pattern!). here

Definitely Not Perfect, Unique this one!! 

And just fancied slipping a teeny bit of German in the title, as an homage to my current Duolingo streak (30 days now).   I did however resort to Google Translate for that one!! 

BFF RAL - a multitude of goodies

We had a very diverse experience with the RAL this week, I couldn't quite settle to one thing.

There was knitting first. 

And then a very small amount of work on Safe Haven. 

And then I decided to start a new blackwork piece - having finished last week's start during the week - it has yet to be framed or a plan to be decided for display.  It is of course on the washing line of finishes whilst it waits. 

So this is the new start, a small 4 part freebie from the Steady Thread Facebook group.  It strikes me as quietly seasonal, so it may be completed in appropriate colourways. 

Conversation was as eclectic as the crafts this week, from crafts we did or learned at school, to our likes or dislikes for particular crafts and the reasons for that.  

And to my BFF's delight I now have a button container, which I will share on a later blog post once I have it looking more presentable. 

And I'm certain that there was something else we discussed that we thought would have made a great blog post topic, however it has escaped both of our memories.  If we ever remember I will update you accordingly!! 

Check out my BFF's update when she's ready on http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com

(she might even be inclined to share what's coming up next for us...) 

Gifted Gorgeousness September

It's time for Gifted Gorgeousness again, where we get to share our work which is linked to a gift, whether it is a gift received or a gift given /to be given.  The link up is hosted by Jo over at http://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com

This month has been a month of many pieces, so I will share some of them. 

This is my first ever piece of knitting on a Magic Loop, which I purchased with part of a gift certificate. 

I've also started on Derwentwater Designs Safe Haven, which was a present from my dear BFF (shameless link to her blog here) .  Not a massive amount of progress yet but it's good to have finally started, as I've had it for at least a couple of years. .

And finally a cover kit finish, not sure if I've shared the finished article before but it's fitting for GG so it's getting added anyway!! 

Holiday Fun Number 3 - All The Things!

Holidays for me work in one of two ways.... Either there is a couch with my name on it that results in me doing nothing all day, or I have insane desires to do All the things.  I'll use today as an example.

Started off the day with my current obsession, learning a little German on Duolingo.

A bit of diamond painting while my son is at school (scuse the toes), largely working on it whilst he's out as it will be a present. 

A bit more progress on the blackwork.  I'm loving this, I can see it turning into a new obsession. 

Break for lunch and a visit from my little niece.   An Amazon delivery allowed me to try something new next. 

 Knitting in the round with double pointed needles.  Did a little bit, I'm not very sure about this one so I ordered a set of circular needles from a voucher, then watched YouTube quilting and sock making videos whilst munching on a snack. 

Which leads me to the next bit, this time only on two needles and with no shaping. (tube sock) 

Only one sock completed today, as that desire to do something else is calling me to quilting or cross stitch, or maybe relax with a computer game hahaha!! 

I've had a lovely week off, but blimey I'm shattered now!! 

 

BFF RAL - something old, something new

This week I have been on holiday from work. Which means the creative juice has been overflowing!

So I decided to try something new, I've had a hankering for blackwork lately, and I found a free pattern on the Steady Threads Facebook page.

I've really enjoyed the first one of the miniature stars, so I have prepared outline for the next few. 

I also added a little bit more work on my quilting WIP.  Here is a picture of the two together. 

Check out my BFF's update on http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com when she's posted. 

Free and Easy - Holiday Fun Number 2

.. That's the subtle beauty of the Cover Kit!

On holiday, I like a simple stitch, nothing that requires lots of counting (as sometimes there is wine or cocktails!). This teeny WIP is Time for Tea from The World of Cross Stitching magazine. 

They're also great for reinvigorating the Mojo when I'm struggling with the confidence on my bigger pieces.  Sometimes all I want is to BE stitching, and they're a way to get the buzz of a new start and a finish, all within a short space of time. 

These 3 were all from a single cover kit, and they give me a summery happy feeling to revisit them (they were a major procrastination tool when I was running out of steam with the baby sampler). 

I have at least 2 more teeny sized or cover kits besides these to show for this year, but I am saving them for their respective seasonal blog hops! 

I'll finish with one I've already shown in the valentines day blog hop. 

Holiday fun Number 1 - slouchy tote bag

I have been hanging onto a particular set of scrap pieces for many years now, and I decided it was time for it to go.  However I spoke to my BFF and she suggested bags, as a way to use up the material, as its a curtain linen and doesn't really play well alongside the other cottons in my quilting stash.

I followed the tutorial here to create the bag., as it's been some time since I made anything with a lining.

I did come a little unstuck along the way, as I put the handles on inside the lining!!  Whoopsie!! 

There's an art to photographing bags, which I don't seem to yet possess.  But here it is, ready to be shopped with on our break away! 

BFF RAL winter warmers

Two bits to show tonight for our 'Random Along'.

Another square of quilting completed on my Autumn Quilt, and a teeny bit more progress on the Christmas cover kit.  Here they are together. 

  I'm thinking about coasters or fridge magnets as a more permanent display for my mini - finishes, although I'm quite liking my 'washing line display', I'm going to run out of space!!

Check out my BFF's update on http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com