Tuesday 11 September 2012

Stitched Up On Tuesdays Week 2

Every Tuesday I share my progress on my current cross stitch project.

I'm currently working on Dimensions Quiet Beach Moments. The design size is 14 by 10 inches on 14 count aida fabric. Which I think is around 25000 stitches in total.

It's deceptively tricky for a beginner like me, I'd only done one bookmark prior to starting this piece, lots of back-stitching where the lines run diagonally and lots of half stitch. Also, plenty of colour changing every few stitches. I actually got a bit fed up with changing colours so much and stitched the entire white line down the left hand side. It's the point where the sand starts to change to sea.


I decided to add the back stitching in as I go along, there's not much definition in the picture without it.

In other news, I signed up for a beginners course in knitting with Citylit starting end of next month and am considering one of their novel workshops but assessing the extra workload on top of my existing degree as I'll be preparing for assessment for my current module around the same time.

What are you all up to?




Tuesday 4 September 2012

Stitched Up on Tuesdays

Oh wow, I've been gone for ages. Before I introduce a new feature I'll bring you up to speed, went on holiday to Norfolk recently, lovely weather, lovely coastline and whilst there I received the happy news that I'd passed my poetry module. So, I'm still studying and halfway through my second module.

I'm sure someone's hit the fast forward button on time.

As writing has been designated as serious I needed a new hobby and while away in Norfolk I decided to make my own bookmarks using a cross stitch kit by textile heritage. The lack of internet access meant there were a few cock ups as I had no access to reference sites or hints and tips but it came out ok.

I started a new kit depicting 2 deck chairs on a beach and it is slow going, loads of colour changes and all the detail on the design is brought out by back stitch so I felt like I was getting no where for ages but thankfully there are no fractionals or french knots. I took a photo and then took another photo a week later for a visual chart of progress (if only writing were so easy to track):


Last Tuesday night
Tonights progress

My stitching tip for today:

Pincushions are essential for not losing needles every time you need to put one down.