Stitching going forward

I picked up my work on Sunday, it's growing so quickly, but.....

I wanted to finish the big green design on the right of my work, but as I started to stitch, I noticed some of my work was one stitch out of line, so before I could do any more stitches, I had to unpick the line of the design. So far I have twice had to unpick and both times on this green section, 

I have done the top pattern line of my 3rd design, this is now the width of my work, 34cms, I want to make this a square, this work works better on my bigger Q snaps. Happily I have finished the green section without any more unpicking, now I have to blend these designs together so it looks good without too many straight lines. 

For years I had a tall lamp for use when stitching, after we purchased our new ceiling lights, which is controlled by our Alexa, and can be set at different levels and colours, I decided I did not need my lamp, hubby was overjoyed as he has want to be rid of it for ages. But I have struggled with stitching in the evenings, and regret giving away my lamp, so hubby got me this little lamp, it sits on my workbox, it's works well, and matches our main lights. I do love the base as I can keep a small wooden bowl for the threads I am using, fits perfectly.

I would like to thank everyone with their helpful tips for sorting the issue of my work slipping on my Q snaps, firstly I read to pop them in the dishwasher as it shrinks them, it did work but not enough, then Maggie suggested I use the non slip mats used in cupboards, wrap them around the lower frame, Maggie you are a star it works, and I had a spare mat here. Bloggers as always you come through.

I have not done anything else other than stitch, I have not started the pair of orange and grey socks for hubby, I have not read a book in over a week, I am enjoying stitching again, as I said when I started this project, I have enjoyed stitching these designs before, so putting them all together in this bigger design is just pure joy. Most of the decisions are done as I am stitching, the four corners designs are just part of the main design, I am picking the bits I like the most and the centre patchwork is being stitched by eye, I am placing the designs where I feel they look good, so far it's working.

I have been shopping online for succulents, I now just have to wait and see what arrives, I am a little bit excited to have more unusual plants, I also purchased a 2nd hand reading book. This morning is dull and cloudy, we are at the point on the map, where, it could burn off and become a sunny day or it could rain on and off for most of the day, it's a case of wait and see.

Sunny weekend

1st time sat outside with our morning coffee, the weekend was mostly outside in the day, how lovely to be able to go outside with just a warm jumper on, it felt sooooo good. 

My pots are the stars at this time of year, the yellow tulips are early as they are in the greenhouse and look wonderful, the other pots are showing great signs of growth. The pots on our small metal table have given us so much colour. 

Good enough to have the bathroom mats out on the line, they did not dry completely, but they do smell so good after a blow out on the line. The daffodils are starting to open, giving a sea of yellow in this bed.  

I have started some seeds, I hope to get some wild looking flowers in my raised bed, I love seeing daises, poppies and cornflowers all together. The chamomile are for a taller pot in my herb garden, I already have ox eyed daises in my raised bed. 

The greenhouse is still full, I have loads of tender plants I dug out last year and most have survived in here, I am hoping in April most of these will be outside. 

We had the best of weekends, we went nowhere, we saw no-one, but just being outside in the garden lifted our spirts, sunshine, birdsong and seeing signs of the garden coming back to life. We did chat to our neighbour at the back fence, it's nice to catch up with them again.

There is so much I want to do, but it's far too early in the year, sowing some seeds did help. I did plant out aquilegia plants, I grew from seeds, I hope they take so I can have some more early flowers, I have grown them before but they don't survive too long in our clay soil. I also planted my bulbs for late summer plants, dotting them around the plot and a white lavender, grown from a cutting last year. I moved a few pots around, checked my rhubarb, I'm not sure if it will grow this year, I have covered it with a big pot, everything crossed it does come back. 

I have sore scratched hands, lost a couple of nail tips, but I care not, I can't explain how an hour in the sunshine in the garden is so rewarding, both hubby and I can always find things to do. We both slept much better the past couple of nights. It's another blue sky morning, not as warm as the past few days, we hope to go for a walk later as we start our weight loss again. 

February roundup.

 

Just one purchase of yarn, bright colours to add to the sock yarn I already have,  I got the last lot of bulbs for the garden online, a bit more expensive than I needed to pay, but my choice to have them ready to plant before I fill the garden with plants and colour, plus my 3 new small pots. My spend is about the same as in previous years, the garden is now having more spent on it.  No clothes purchased, I'm still enjoying my finished handknitted jumper. The book was a reference book on British trees and wildflowers. The flowers were my Alliums. I am still reading library books and a few on Kindle.

We have been really good again, no waste food, we had 1 big shop from Tesco for a change, middle of the month, we are both now going to the village shops again, but not too often. Using our local shop has helped reducing the plastic coming into the house, we are using loads of their products, taking our own containers to refill, and purchasing all our loose fruit and veg. 

Car passed its Mot, but we did need 2 new tyres, expensive but expected, the car was purchased in 2014 and has not cost me much to run, in truth I do not do huge number of miles, when we come to sell it will be 'one lady owner, low mileage'. I also filled up, I have no idea the last time we put petrol in, last year sometime, can't decide if that's a saving or a cost this month. No unexpected cost in the house this month, the heating was on much more, now it's only on for short periods, but we are on a monthly plan, and are in credit so the amount we pay should not change. We have always been good at not wasting electricity, I turn everything off, I hate seeing things on standby.

We did nothing towards losing any weight this month, but will now start again in the hope of losing 14 pounds by the summer, this will be less than I lost last year, and bring me down to nearer  the weight I want to be.

We managed our be kind, this month, hubby had loads of bird feeders he's not using, so he popped them on our local Facebook page and a lady asked for them to go in a garden at a local small hospital, so we walked to the local pet shop and got seed, nuts and fat balls, so the feeders can be used straight away. Money well spend, the lady was very pleased. 

Big ideas

At the top of my blog I have pages, one marked Finished items showing all my work over the years, to start with they were mainly cross stitch, but sewing, crochet and now knitting are shown there. In this photo are a mixture of some of the bigger cross stitch designs I have made, I still have some, but most have been gifted. In my 1st ever blog post I explained the title of this blog, it shows my love of poppies and patchwork, but not sewn fabric patchwork, I loved to make big stitched patchwork, I loved stitching each of the 6 different designs shown here. 

I do have a very good stash of silks (Floss), in my cabinet, which I have collected over the years, they store really well in these drawers, and have sat waiting for me to start stitching  again. 

So with the white 28 cwt evenweave from my stash, purchased back in 2017, I have an idea forming, to mash all these designs together and make on huge design, I will keep it for myself to use. I will stitch with 1 strand, making another fine stitched project, I love the tiny stitches. 

For the start of this project I can use my big hoop, later I will need to move to my Q snaps, they do not hold my work as tight as they did when new, if anyone has any suggestions on how to make them tight again, please let me know. This is a satisfying start to a big project, which already I know I have loved stitching the elements before. 

I do get to use this lovely bag I made years ago as a project bag, it's fully lined so nothing can get caught, I have a huge file in there with all the designs in and the start of the collection of threads I use. I often on big project reuse shades around the design to bring it all together, some of the designs have the shades I love, which drew me towards them in the 1st instance.  The patchwork on the front of the bag was an early attempt for me, there is another panel on the back. 

I did say after making a new design and finishing my Christmas tree last year I would finish some more WIP's, but they are not working for me, to finish them would be just to say they are done. None are any I would keep and use, the only item I am keeping close by for me to revisit is my Winter Watergarden, which was purchased back in 2011, it's stitched on 32 cwt linen, and stitched 1 over 2, I do love the threads in this work and would love to get it done, but stitching 1 over 2 I have found difficult, I found myself unpicking loads of bits, I have thought of getting a new canvas and restarting, but there are loads of hand dyed silks which I have already used and hard to replace, one day I promise myself. 

So here I am starting a huge project, I don't think we are going to be set free anytime soon, and I don't want to knit another jumper or crochet another blanket, and I need to fill my days. It also helps as I want to do things outside in the garden and there is very little to do, with so many long days ahead, I hope to have my lockdown design finished, I'm not sure if I will frame it or make a huge cushion, that decision will be made nearer to the finish line. I mainly stitch in the day time, I have another pair of socks to start for hubby and there will always be reading time.