BFF SAL 9 - changing the guidelines

Not breaking the rules, cos they're our rules to interpret as we go along.

Now I know we said no work on this one this week while we were finishing BFF SAL 8... But err.. Well.

Firstly we decided that we were too drawn to the pattern to just be stitching once a week.  So we allowed ourselves a 3 hour slot to be broken up however we like over the weekend.

Reaching the end of the 3 hours without reaching the end of the desire to stitch on it, so we needed a new rule. So we are now allowing up to an hour a day on non-Skype, non weekend days. No anticipation permitted against tomorrow's allocation, but rollovers allowed from days where we have not had our time. So today I have an hour and twenty minutes to add to the allocated hour.

So that being said, slightly more progress (6.98% complete according to my Pattern Keeper app) than anticipated to show you all this week.

Am finding stitching in a single colour very soothing. 

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

BFF SAL 8 - love is in the air?

The love of being finished that is.

Those hearts are supposed to be balloons on the pattern.. No that is just too twee for words!

So the first one became just a heart. The second one was trying to style a smaller heart like the first one, but I think it looks more like lips pursed for a kiss!  Ah well it fits the theme and I like it enough to keep it!

Right now it is resting on the felt provided but I'm not certain it will stay there. 

Onwards towards the Big Project once again.

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

A small jump to a big project - BFF SAL 9

Oopsie... We did plan to finish BFF SAL 8 this week first.

But we were getting itchy fingers and the desire to start BFF SAL 9 was just too great! 

You'll soon see that although our approach to where we're stitching is similar (centre out), our approach to the fabric choice and subsequent size is very different!!

This is the biggest piece of material I've stitched with, not that I'm expected to fill it all.  But it's also the smallest count. This is my first piece on 18 count, I've bought some in the past for a particular project but never got round to using it as I changed my mind.

Bobbin and rug for scale... My material is 19 x 21 inches! 

We're both really enjoying this one.  The pattern calls for a single colour, but we may change our minds when we get to the next stage. 

We've also discussed some alternative rules for stitching on this, as I feel like neither of us really wanted to keep it purely for a once weekly session.  But likewise we are keen to maintain a balance, as the single colour lends itself very well to overdoing things and stitching long into the night! So I think a set permitted limit for outside stitching will be quite nice. 

For this week though, no extracurricular action allowed, as we both have to finish BFF SAL 8 offline and then share our finishes. 

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

A Season for Everything

I worked on this mini blackwork piece over a few months, and finished only in February. The shapes suggested seasons of the year to me, so I chose colours representative of those seasons.

I think I need to spend some time framing pieces again, the Washing Line of Smalls is full and these pieces are a little too big to display in that way. It's about 4 inches wide on the design. 

I'd quite like to find another novel way to display some of the pieces, any ideas? 

A small symbol of peace and hope

I stitched this one, yet another from the Cross Stitch Cards book, in a single day.

It calls to me personally as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, it was suggested as a baptismal gift in the book.  However more globally it can be viewed as a symbol of hope and peace.

I'm quite enjoying my series of simple stitches. 

March Gifted Gorgeousness linkup

It's (past) time for Gifted Gorgeousness again, hosted by the lovely Jo at http://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com

Time to share things gifted, or with a link to a gift. 

This is another piece using my Christmas gift of coffee colored Aida. It is another design from the Cross Stitch Cards book, designed for a holiday which is quite topical this week. 

I have a love for all things Celtic knotty. This was another nice easy stitch, complete and backstitched in a couple of days. 

No love in the air - BFF SAL 8...

Not yet any love in the air for this one, although I like the pattern personally, nothing was going right. The thread seems to be poor quality and keeps jumping out of the needle.  And having miscounted my start point, I realised that the fabric provided was only about 4 stitches wider than the design... So definitely no wiggle room for mistakes!

After pulling it out, I cut a piece of fabric from my own stash that I could guarantee would be big enough.  The thought of stitching an entire project and finding out it wouldn't fit was a level of stress I'm not prepared to live with.

Just realised that I have missed 2 rows of stitches on the Air.  They will be picked up next week.

And the cheesy heart shaped balloons will definitely not be a feature on the finished articles.  I'm currently looking at simple hearts as a 'path of least resistance'.

I think our general sense for this project is definitely Meh.

If I'm honest, I think we're both eager to start the next one (before we talk ourselves out of it) , but we need a little prep time to have what we need in place for it. 

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

BFF SAL 7 closing the gates

Not the greatest photo, I will try again after work and update. 

All we had left to do this week was to mount the piece, it stuck nicely with the double sided tape. 

I like the look of it now it is done, unlike my BFF I definitely wouldn't want to stitch it again as there was way too much confetti for my liking. Ironically, my favourite part is the cat, that part I would maybe repeat on a bookmark!

Normally our finishes and starts have a single post, however the feelings around the next mini- SAL deserve to be vented without sullying the happy memories of this finish.

So keep your eyes peeled for the next post sometime soon. 

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

BFF SAL 5 - doing my homework

Finally got the energy and opportunity to work on finishing BFF SAL 5... The bitty backstitch on this project made it much harder than it should have been. 

My intention is to mount it on felt, with either ribbon or a bit of dowelling to hang it up at Christmas time. I'm not quite ready for that finish yet, but it already feels like a major celebration just to be finished stitching!

Onwards towards SAL 8 and 9.

For a comparison with my BFF's earlier finish.. Click here

I like them both, for the same pattern they look so different! 

BFF SAL 7... finally caught up

I was determined to finish in the same week as my BFF this time! I didn't have a lot left to do at the end of our session, but enough that it would have taken at least half of next week.

So next week we have only to mount it on the card and FFO it. 

And then onwards... Hmm I see my BFF has told some of the tale.

Obviously being so close to finishing we needed something new SOON. We have both looked individually and found things we each liked, unfortunately none of those were something that the other felt justified the effort.

So I distracted my BFF with the search in a desperate attempt to catch up a bit too.

And then we found it. And both fell in love instantly. 

And, as is our way, we looked at the size. Oh my word, on 14 count design size 18 inches square!!   Sigh. Another one bites the dust, and continued looking. There was another, which again may be a possibility at a later date because it could be broken down into smaller parts.

But 'it' wouldn't go away. So we both bought the PDF download.

To give a comparison, our biggest SAL to date has been approximately 120 high by 90 wide.  This one... 200+ square. 

The thread guide for 14 count would be 17 Skeins, on 18 count it reduces to 14.

Why does that sound more excessive when it is all one colour? We work loads of patterns with multiple colours where the length of thread used would be much bigger!  I just messaged my BFF to say what have we done?! Will we regret it?   I suspect that we'd be more likely to regret not doing this one. 

BFF SAL 8 will be another cover kit whilst we prepare properly for BFF SAL 9, rather than rushing around to start immediately. 

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

I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat - BFF SAL 7

I did, i did taw a puddy tat😹😻!!

Having reinstated the cat off-session, it was time to fill in the random flowers around it.

And then miracle of miracles, given a bit of backstitch, here is the cat and his window in all their glory. I'm quite pleased with him after all the hassle, thankfully! 

Next week we're expecting a finish for this project, which still begs the question of What Next??

Check out how my BFF handled the kitty, over on http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com