Bye bye 2015

2015 is a productive year. It's a year with both joy and sorrows , ups and downs, learned new things.  As a whole I feel blessed at the end of this year.  Today I sat down and made a photo collage of all the ta.. da.. moments of my crafty side of this years. Only today I have learned how to make collage using picasa. So much I have done and satisfied and I am ready to welcome the new year 2016.  Let the pictures speak about what I have done in 2015.

Crochet finishes

Cross stitch finishes 

Embroidery finishes

Zentangle - A new find in this year

Tried my hands on quilling, iris folding and some paper crafts.

Altogether I am satisfied on the crafty front.  Hope the same productivity in 2016.  Bye bye 2015.  Welcome 2016.  

I wish all my reader a very happy and prosperous new year.

Small stitching for christmas

Hi all,

 Hope all of u are busy with x'mas preparations.  In my part we r not that much interested in doing x'mas decorations like before coz of the flood.  Just I have made a small stitching with the words that gives the meaning of x'mas.  It is a free blackwork pattern but done in red and green colors.  

After framing

I have done some snowflakes and stars too for a bunting. Will post it after christmas.  Only one more week for christmas.  So A very happy and merry christmas for all those who are celebrating it.  

Pineapple Doily and WIP update

Recently I have completed this pineapple doily.  You can google this pattern in the name "Pink pineapple doily".  

 

Needlepoint sampler blocks update

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Stitches from the bottom row.

Blue and pink  stripe - Parisian stitch

Light blue stripe - Double Parisian stitch

Centre pink stripe - Elongated smyrna stitch

I have filled the empty spaces with straight stitches in dark blue thread.

The square with yellow and green thread is Sprats Head stitch.  I like this stitch very much.  Centre Orange color column is Cashmere stitch. The Red square on the left is T-square stitch.  The Red square on the right is T-stitch which provides a nice lace effect.

Only two more blocks to complete this sampler.

I have also completed the third  page of the mega cross stitch project.  It took 29 hrs in total to complete that page.  

Before 

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After

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Happy that I have made this much progress in this project.  So  many color changes but the parking method of threads makes it easier to do.  That's all for now.  Will be back with another finish.  Till then Happy crocheting and cross stitching.

Smalls SAL - October finish, Needlepoint block

Randje per week is cross stitched borders published in this blog every week. I am saving them for the past two years.  I have started to do the borders as a part of  smalls SAL this month.  Cross stitched with two strands of thread of green and pink threads.  Done a crochet border using pearl cotton no.8 thread.  Turned the cross stitched piece into a coaster.  Happy with the outcome.  

Completed one more needlepoint block.

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PLAITED SQUARE DIAGONAL STITCH

DOUBLE TIED OBLONG CROSS

The top and bottom row with orange color thread is Plaited square diagonal stitch. It can be used to fill large spaces. The other rows in the middle are Double tied oblong cross and its variations.  It forms a nice border.  Both these stitches does not cover the canvas.  Tent stitch can be used to cover it.  I didn't fill it up coz I like it as it is.

The three rows in the sampler so far. I have to complete one more row with four more blocks and the framing should be done with white thread.   

That's all for today.  Will meet u with another finish next week.  Till then happy cross stitching and embroidering.

Tapestry crochet purse, Needlepoint block

In the world of crochet, I have been introduced to the concept of tapestry crochet thru the blog littlewoollie. You can see  So many wonderful projects on tapestry crochet in that blog.  She has given a neat and crisp tutorial for doing tapestry crochet.  I have followed that tute and has made a small piece  and turned that piece into a small purse.  I have used scraps of yarn for this piece.  Over to the purse now.

Also I have added a block in my needlepoint sampler.  I have done three stitches in the same block.  The first yellow band is upright cross, the band with red and green is rice stitch and the block in the middle with purple and green is byzantine stitch. 

I have tried some more samples in interlocking crochet.   Will come up with that in another post.  Till then happy crocheting ad happy embroidering.

UPdated:

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I am linking this post to the Vintage embroidery Monday stitchery link party.

Rhodes Stitch and WIP's

My next block in my needlepoint sampler is Rhodes Heart.  It's an easy one.  Learned the stitch from here.  I worked the background in tent stitch and scotch stitch.  Tent stitch filling make the piece more stiff.  I think I should use 4 strands of thread instead of 6.  Lesson learned.

I have completed the second page of my mega cross stitch project.  The parrots are taking shape.  Thanks Preeti for pointing out my mistake of not making the stitches in the same direction.  I can see the beauty of making the stitches in the same direction.  It took 26 hrs to finish the second page.

 Have a happy weekend.

Quilled cards, Needlepoint blocks

For this teachers day I have made two quilled cards for my kids teachers.  I have made it simple and managed to do an envelope for it with the help of the youtube tutorials.  I used a paper thicker than A4 paper.  I am not sure whether it is cardstock.  They are here:

Also, I have completed two more blocks in the needlepoint sampler.

Mosaic Stitch

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Learned the stitch from here.  Worked the stitch along with some variations like diagonal mosaic st, framed mosaic st, Reverse mosaic and mosaic st along with tent st.

Smyrna Cross stitch

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Learned the stitch from here.

The sampler till now.  After completing three more rows I will be making this piece into a small mat.  What color should I use for framing all the blocks?  I thought of doing it in black.  Suggestions are welcome.

In this post I thought of showing u my stash but not able to photograph it.  So I will be back with a post about my stash soon.  Till then, Happy quilling and happy embroidering.

Embroidered Verse and a big new start

I always wanted to stitch verses from the bible to hang it on my walls.  Stiched two already.  And sometime back I came across these cute verses which are going to be made into a quilt.  Immediately I have downloaded all the block.  Totally 9 blocks one block a month from here.  You can go to there and can find all the blocks(Keys to contentment BOM)  for free. I have finished the first block.  I am not going to make it into a quilt.  Instead I am going to stitch three blocks one by one and make it into a rectangular piece of wall hanging.  Hope my idea will work out.  I am planning to finish it within this year end.

One more reason for selecting this BOM is the verses selected are very meaningful and if we follow these we will be content in our life.  Now over to the first block.

A BIG NEW START IN CROSS STITCH

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Long time back I have saved the chart for the below picture from gransstitchniche.   The char is named as Harmony. Some how collected the threads and have started doing that.  It is a chart with nearly 45 pages with a total of 144664 cross stitches.  

So far I have completed one page of the chart nearly 3300 stitches.  It took me 32 hrs to finish this much.  Everyday I have decided to stitch 100 stitches.  The progress so far is.....

It is not possible for me to start this project from the middle as every other projects.  Because it is a project of size 31 x 25 inches.  So I have started from the top left.  So many color changes for each and every block.  But I enjoy doing it.  Will be back with the progress after finishing of the second page.  

I have some new stash to show you, hopefully in the next post along with the needlepoint sampler blocks.  Till then, Happy embroidering and happy cross stitching.

Pleated crochet skirt and squares

Last year I have crocheted a skirt for my niece and I have used the same pattern again to crochet one for my friends daughter who is two years old..  It is pleated crocheted skirt and the pattern is from here.  The skirt measures 18" around waist and 9" length.  I have used 4 ply yarn for this project.  Have a look at the skirt.  

Two crocheted squares

Odyssey 12 inch square

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The link is here.

Popcorn parade square

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The link is here.

My shadow work saree is over and I have kept it for a sale in my church and the money is going for missionaries.  I made a stall in the sale with my hand made items and happy that all the items have been sold.  I am happy that thru this I have contributed some amount for a good cause and the time spend during my free time is useful.  

Have some crochet finishes and will show one by one in my coming posts.  Till then, do watch my space and happy crocheting.

Smalls SAL - August finish, Herringbone needlepoint block

Months back I have started to stitch a part of EMS design and it went to WIP after some days.  So as a part of smalls SAL I have decided to finish it.  I am going to make this into a pillow cover.  I have included tht top border and a rose from the whole sampler.  You can find the design from here.  It is a freebie.

Also, I have added one more block to my needlepoint sampler.  It is herringbone stitch.  Learned the stitch from here.  You can learn about more stitches and patterns in that site. 

I am almost nearing the completion of my shadow work saree embroidery.  Hopefully in my next post I will show u my completed saree and a crochet Ta-da.

I am linking this post to Smalls SAL .

Also linking this to and  Vintage embroidery stitchery link party.

A kutch work finish

Happy to show you a kutch work finish.  Yoke and sleeves for a kurti.  Done using three strands of anchor embroidery thread of shade no. 881.  I ran out of thread in the middle and that's why it took so many days to finish it.  Embroidery is done on silk cotton fabric.  

Closeup of the yoke.

Sleeves.

Now two mandalas from my sketch book.

I have learnt to draw this mandala from here.

Want to know how to draw this click here.

I am ready with some crochet finishes too.  They are waiting for their turn to get photographed.  Will be back with another finish in crochet and some WIP's.  Till then, Happy embroidering and doodling.

I am linking this post to  stitchery  link party.

Smalls SAL - July finish, Needlepoint blocks

It's time to show my July finish for Smalls SAL hosted by Heather of stitching lotus.  This time I have stitched a small band for a towel and attached to it.  Used variegated embroidery thread of 2 strands.  The design has been taken from here.

  

Also, I have done 2 more blocks in needlepoint sampler.

For this block I have combined two stitches.  The stitch in the bottom half  is called Round eyelet stitch. Just stitched two rows of eyelet stitch and filled the unworked area with long stitches.  Learned the stitch  from here.

 The stitch above the eyelet part is variation of brick stitch called Double brick stitch.  Learned the stitch from here.                                                                                                                                                                                        

The name of this stitch is bound cross stitch.  This stitch can create nice effect with the proper placement of colors.  But I didn't do that correctly.  But it is a good stitch to fill in a particular area. Learned the stitch from here.

I am linking this post to 2015 smalls SAL and vintage embroidery stitchery party.

I will be back with my embroidery in the kurti.  Till then, Happy embroidering and have a great weekend.