Take a Stitch Tuesday - Cross Stitch

Ok so I have already confessed to the fact that I have been totally useless when it comes to keeping up with the TAST challenge. I know Sharon has said that it is something we can all dip in and out of but I had hoped to have been in more than out when this first started.

I have been keeping up with all of the wonderful creations that have come out of the challenge though and there has been some stunning work. I decided that this would be the week that I get my butt into gear and make something for the challenge again so here it is.There are so many lovely stitches for me to catch up on but I decided to go with the cross stitch. In the past I have made lots of cross stitched pictures and cross stitch was my Mum's passion. I thought it would be interesting for me to use the stitch in a different way so have made all my stitches totally wonky, very different from the hours I have spent in the past stitching even little stitches over aida. I just loved the process of making this poatcard, very liberating to use the cross stitch in this way.

This card will be going to SuZ for the FAF birthday swap.

Take a Stitch Tuesday - Buttonhole

I am totally running behind with the Take a Stitch Tuesday challenge at the moment. I haven't even started on detached chain stitch and a new stitch will be out tomorrow. I also have my mermaid to finish and the piece that I really wanted to create for the buttonhole stitch. So much to do and so little time, sigh, I really must find a way to fix the lottery and get a win!

Anyhow I added a few more stitches to the buttonhole sampler that I started and turned it into a postcard. I don't really think samplers are my thing somehow I just don't get a feel for where to put my stitching to make an interesting composition. I'm not overly pleased with the finished card but it is finished none the less.

Take a Stitch Tuesday - Buttonhole

This is my woeful attempt at playing with the buttonhole or blanket stitch that is this weeks challenge on TAST. So far it is not going well. I have used this stitch quite a lot as a way to secure fused pieces in applique projects and it really is one of my favourite stitches but somehow I just couldn't get going with it yesterday.

I do have a larger block planned in my head which is the piece that I really want to create for this stitch, but I want to bead and finish last weeks mermaid before I start and so I thought I would do a small 6 x 4 sampler just to show that I have done something and with the hope that I could turn it into a postcard for an open theme swap that I have coming up at the end of the month.

So far I am not inspired. The only thing I like about this is the curve going through the middle. I couldn't get the circles right at all. I'm not sure if it is lack of care on my part or just that I am full of cold and had been working on other projects through the day and was just plain tired when I picked this up. I'm only sharing it just to prove that I have done something. I might spend another half hour on ot today adding some more bits as there are too many 'blue' spaces still and if I'm still not happy then I will go in the recycle pile and hopefully I will find something to do with it!

Take a Stitch Tuesday - Herringbone

I'm back after a busy weekend. Had a nice day with all the family on Saturday, my Nan come up too which was a nice surprise. Yesterday Mark and I went walking in the morning and then I got to do some stitching in the afternoon.

I have lots of things started but not much to share picture wise yet, but that should leave plenty to share later in the week.

I have been working on my Herringbone though for the TAST challenge. You might remember I said I was going to attempt a mermaid. Well there is still a bit of work to do to finish the block as a whole but I have done my herringbone tail. Here it is.

Originally I was going to bead in the centre of each of the herringbone diamonds but I think I may just leave it as it is. I used a variegated green embroidery floss to do the stitching and didn't worry too much about getting them particularly even as I thought that way it would look a bit more organic. I think I will bead her some sort of bra and maybe stitch round her body to give it a bit more definition.

I haven't decided what I am going to do with the pieces I create for this challenge yet but I may make them into some sort of fabric journal if I get time.

Play time

Back to work today and then out to a movie this evening so no time for creating for me today :( I do have a couple of pictures to share from yesterday though. I have been thinking about what I want to to this week for the TAST challenge. I really loved the sample on Sharon's blog which was herringbone with beads I immediately thought of scales on a mermaid tale. (I think 2007 will be the year of the mermaid for me!)

I treated myself to a set of watercolour pencils in the sale. They are called Inktense and made by Derwent. I thought I would have a play and see how they come out on fabric. They really do do what they say on the tin! Once these pencils are wet the colour becomes so much more intense I really like them, on paper they claim that once the colour is dry it's permanent I'm not sure that that will hold true for fabric also but I figure as long as I don't use them on anything that will need to be washed they will be ok.

A while ago I bought a great face stamp from Patti Culea's website but hadn't found time to use it yet. I thought this would make a great face for my mermaid, I'll just have to sketch out a body and tail around it. Here is my first quick attempt on a fabric scrap I had lying around. Mainly I wanted to test how the pencils would work so I didn't put too much into it but I'm actually fairly pleased with the way it turned out and am looking forward to having a go at making a proper sample for the challenge at the weekend.

Take a Stitch Tuesday

You might remember me mentioning the new Take a stitch Tuesday challenge being hosted on Sharon's blog. The challenge starts today and I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in. I love to do hand work but only ever use a few stitches so this is going to be a great way to learn I'm sure.

This weeks stitch is Herringbone. Hopefully I will have some progress to share later in the week.