Halloween Fairy finished and so are all my UFO's :)

well here is my final update on Halloween Fairy. This is also the end of my UFO journey for now as I have only one project on the go at the minute and I'm nearly finished with that one to. I couldn't have finished either water games or Halloween Fairy without the support of the followers and stitchers on this blog and I thank all of you for enouraging me to finish my UFO's xx

I'm sure I will probably be back with either a UFO or a long term project sometime in 2011 as I have a fair few large designs I want to stitch now :) Till next time, Happy Christmas & Happy Stitching xx

Celeste Update

Just a quick update on Celeste.  I did get the rest of the area filled in.  I have decided to switch to something else for a while so this will go back on the pile.  But hopefully for just a few weeks rather than 8 months this time.  Just one loop and the tail left and then off to the border.  I might get this finished yet!

Celeste update, finally!

I was embarrassed to go and find out how long it had been since I posted, 8 months!  But since this blog is about finishing 'eventually' I'll try not to be too hard on myself and it is very nice to have a place to share my accomplishments when I do get something stitched and I have been working on three other projects.  But I digress.  So I had a wonderful holiday stitching weekend.  Thanksgiving here in the States gave me lots of American football to listen to, can't take my eyes off the pattern or the fabric, and time off from work and even some sunny days which are a big plus when it comes to a TW design and rare in the winter in Oregon.  How was that for a run on sentence!  So here it is, March to November or more accurately November to March.  I am going to stick with it a little longer and finish this section.  I might go back and do some back stitching but may be ready to switch to another project.  You'll know when I do!

The Beginning of the End ...

Hi! My blogging name is Spanish Princess and I am a chronic starter! When it come to craft projects that is ... cross stitch, sewing, quilting or scrapbooking ... I am totally out of control. They are my kryptonite ... the Mr. Hyde to my Dr. Jekyl. I see something that catches my eye and it consumes me until I start it. I am axious to see it through, imagining how and where it will be desplayed, but then some other "shiny object" catches my attention and I am like a kitten with a ball of yarn.

I have decided that I need to consolidate all my "starts" and turn them into "finishes". So I decided to head here and join other "starters" hoping for a little encouragement and inspiration along my journey.

My current piece is not so much a WIP in the sense that its been sitting tucked away for a while. I actually started in March, just after I had my first baby. It is his Christmas stocking, but trying to stitch on 28-ct over 2 while tending to a newborn on minimal amounts of sleep did not end as triumphant as I'd hoped. When I moved from page 1 to page two of the pattern I indavertently moved over more than 12 stitches and didn't realize it for another month. Discouraged I set it down, for a few months, but in August realized I need to get started if I wanted our "Lil Monkey" to have it for his first Christmas ... and be imortalized in photos for years to come.

So determined I picked up my needle (and other supplies) and started all over and have made progress in the past 6 weeks. The stocking I chose was Opening His Pack by Nancy Rossin, from the book, The Stockings Were Hung.

This is the stocking as of Sunday morning ...



If you'd like to see the previous weeks' progress or are curious about the final product, feel free to visit my crafting and collecting blog, The Teacup Collector's Cottage. Come join me for a cup of tea ... or whatever you're guilty pleasure is.

Happy stitching,

Halloween Update

not much to show I'm afraid, still a little is better than none right? LOL hopefully I will work on this more this week.added some of the beads but they may have to come out again if the hoop doesn't fit round them....opps.

Dragons Page Complete!

I finished this last week, and somehow it slipped my mind to post it here. It's been busy.
But here it is... the next page finish in Dragons!!!

I have one more page to complete that row and want to get it done by the end of the year. I have averaged about one page per 4 months this year so should be right on track.

Thanks for all your comments and support on this one! :)

New UFO: Halloween Fairy

My new UFO to work on is Halloween Fairy by Mirabillia.

I started stitching this in 2008 and i think it became a UFO because I need to get the chart enlarged as it is too small for me to stitch from. This will be happening on Friday and then work shall commence! I have already frogged out her arm because I think the shading of the variegated thread looked weird so I'm going to give it another go. Plus my fractionals are much neater now!

I will be working on this design as well as Halloween Short Stack by Waxing Moon Designs as I've started this one to keep me stitching until Friday when I can access a photocopier!!

quick note...

um...my name's not Lisa, it's Fiona and water games is my finish!! Mod's might wanna amend the completed list on the side :)

Finally, a Dragons update

I know it's been awhile. But that means I have some good progress.
I have been really concentrating on Dragons in the last few weeks. And a stitching retreat on the weekend really helped me get there.
I plan to have this page done by the end of the month.
Here is the piece to date:

Water Games is ....

FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Not been framed properly yet but its my mum's birthday soon and I won't have time to frame it properly before then so its just been put in quickly so she can unwrap it :)

I BELIEVE. (Honestly) all done

Well how about this for a quicker than my usual finish? I finished this while at my sister's on a short visit. I can tell you all that there are stacks and stacks of French Knots in this and when I first started to do them I was pretty rubbish at them and took them all out. Guess what!!! I've really improved. When you see him for real he sparkles A LOT. Yippee

I now have to go back and start looking for my next unfinished surprise. Not sure yet what it'll be.
Thanks again for your support.

A New Project

Greetings to all! I'm Bekca from The Stitching Lion and this is my very first post on the I've Started So I'll Finish SAL. I'm trying to complete a design by Enchanting Lair called "Always" Here is my very small progress so far . . .

I started this project in September last year and it hasn't been out much at all. I think probably because it has lots of different thread blends and similar colours that I struggle to work with it. It is also quite a large design, the largest I have attempted. This is what the finished design will look like . . .

I am planning to stitch on this at the weekends when I have more time to settle down to it, but really need the encouragement to get me to pull it out in the first place! I hope to post some progress every fortnight or so, but there's no real deadline for the piece. I just want to get it finished!
Happy stitching to everyone,
Bekca

Hiatus over on Peacock Tapestry

I haven`t stitch much on the Peacock since my last last post until my holidays started at the end of July. I am currently working on the trees on the bottom left-hand side of the design.



Hopefully I will be able to post progress pics more regularly from now on.

Loretta

Decided.Yippee!

After a little head scratching I decided that this would be my next UFO. I started it last year about November time (I think). I put it away because I thought that I had used all the wrong red beads and was completely demoralised. They weren't wrong at all it had been the way that the display one had caught the light in the shop. Now I know that this isn't going to take my usual months to finish but it will reduce my UFO pile. Hope you like it.


Happy stitching to you all.

From Start to Finish

Here we are this is how' Break Time' was picked up again, after approximately 18 years, in April 2010.

I enjoyed doing the three 'H's , that is head, hair and hat, as the colours were really cheerful, not the hat obviously but it makes a great foil for the other bright colours.

With a degree of mumbling about the chart (hand done), the colours getting boring on the trousers, the vast amount of backstitching... Here he is today. I've put a measure on the photo so that you can see he really is long, it is almost the width of our two seater settee.


I've now got to decide what my next UFO is going to be. I think I'll pick one that hasn't actually been in the gloom cupboard for as long as my other ones and also that probably hasn't as much to finish on it. I'm leaning to a Mill Hill Christmas one.....final decision in a few days.!!

Thanks for your support in my mammoth UFO without you it might never have seen the light of day again.
Till next time....Keep going with your own UFO's and good luck.

Water Games update

Here is my progress on Water Games this week. Not as much as I would have liked to have done but I am pleased to have got some stitching in this week! Hope to have more progress to show next sunday :)

Happy stitching

x Fiona x

Looks as if he's winking!!!

Wearing my fingers out trying to get this finished. I've finally found myself enjoying it. Is this always the same I wonder. I think I'm going to make it into a wall hanging for my 'guest' bedroom. (It's where the older grandchildren sleep if they come on their own.). In the back of my mind I'm trying to decide what will be my next find from my pile of UFO's. Decisions decisions. I think it'll have to be a smaller unfinished as I think I might need a confidence booster to feel that I can actually get something finished quickly!!!
My clown has actually moved on a little since my DH took this photo but that's for my next post .....just to keep you guessing!!!!
Any how until next time thanks for taking time to look and happy stitching to you all.

Dragons Update

 Well I am cruising along with dragons on this page. There is way less confetti stitching so that really helps. In just five weeks I have gotten 1/3 of the next page done! That is pretty good for me.

Here is the part I am working on:

And the full piece to date so far:

Thanks for reading!
Mel from Epic Stitching.

Water Games update (sorry its a day late :S)

Sorry its a day later than promised, I got caught up with my stitching and it was gone midnight before I realised!! Here is how far I have got woth Water Games this week.

Finally past the halfway mark after 3 years of on/off stitching, hopefully if I don't get distracted by other siney new kits I will get this finished this year!!! See you on Sunday for another update!

hello again!

well after a few months of neglect due to more pressing projects I'm back working on Water Games. Hoping to finish this before September 9th which will be the 3 year anniversary of my starting this project! Won't be stitching anything else until this is done now :)

will post photo updates on sundays

My 7 year old UFO is done!

This was started in 2002, and last year I pulled it out, vowing to finish it! May I present the Dragon Feathers Afghan by Fanta Cat Designs! It is stitched on black Anne cloth, 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, hemmed and fringed as well.

Another section done. Yippee!!

Here we go to keep you UFO followers up to date. Break Time is coming along nicely and soon he'll be smiling (I hope). You can see from the dates on the photos the progress made between the pics being taken. I have kept to my original plan and stitch it most evenings and when I go to my son's house. It still seems to be taking some considerable time but must admit I'm doing better than I thought.
Happy stitching to you out there or perhaps in the good weather you're enjoying a pleasant evening in your garden
Whatever your choice ENJOY

Page Finish on Dragons

I know many of you saw this a few days ago on my stitching blog but here it is again for those who did not.
I finished another page of Dragons! That makes 6/20 done (I think). :)
Here it is in it's entirety do far:

Shame about the shoes!!

Once again my progress on 'Breaktime'. Nearly time for the big roll up. I must remember to take a photo of it unrolled first. So that you will be able to see it all so far. The weather's been beautiful so expect lots of you are out in gardens and things. Enjoy while the sun shines.


Happy stitching to all of you.

Murky Manor

From looking at the blog fellow Ufoers seem to have been suffering from "I don't want to do that at the moment" I know I have. I take my hat off to Jen and Justflo who have made real progress. As you can see from the photo I have made very little progress. I have just filled in the window area. I managed to use the wrong colour on that so reverse stitching was the order of the day. I am not finding it too easy to stitch on the fabric without a good light and magnifying glass because another error I made was miscounting the threads. I don't know when I will do some more because I want to finish The Wool Gatherer and the July teapot. Happy stitching everyone.

Tuscan Gardens

Here is my latest progress picture of Tuscan Gardens. I've not really done much work on this since about Easter. I did, in the end, decide to frog most of the pale blue hill as it was stitched with thread that seemed to be of a different dye lot. I think that this is about a third complete now. The aim is to get it finished by the end of the year.

Nearly Half Way There.

Hi there UFO followers. Here's my update on Breaktime. There have been one or two frog visits but they have all deserted for the time being. The pictures show the last few weeks, frogging and redoing and then finally progress. I'll soon be changing my out look and going for the head and shoulder part. Now that will be interesting. Next time I'll take a photo unrolled again. Keep watching.





Also at long last is the framed Carousel Horse. I am very pleased with the finished result and all the grumbles and moans while I was sewing it are forgotten. Many thanks to Chris at Nimble Thimble for such great framing.

Looking forward to seeing some more of your progress, to all of you out there Enjoy your stitching and Happy stitching to you.

Dragons Update - May

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. Those who read my personal stitching blog know that work has been crazy and I'm still quite sick from my surgery.
However that said, I've been trying to stitch.

Here is my dragons update to date:

Sail Away . . .

This is a close up of the

bottom of my

Sail Away!

I put a glow in the dark

blending filament in the

lighthouse

and

upstairs window

as though someone was waiting

for their loved one to return

from the sea.

Happy Dance, Happy Dance and Happy Dance!!!

I got this one framed finally

and it is one of my favorite pieces.

I put two suede mats on it and

floated them away from each other by

about 1/4 inch.

It gives the piece depth.

I used the kit but added some silk

I got from a company called

Down Under.

They are variegated and very soft.

I used them

in the Quaker motifs and for the water.

I didn't put in the big flowers, added some

extra sheep and changed

the alphabet to my favorite.

It is truly one of my own and I love it.

Thanks for looking your comments mean the

world to me.

God Bless your stitching fingers.

Lenna

Tuscan Garden's progress

Here is my progress pic for this month. When I started this I decided to use up the left over floss from the other Tuscan Garden piece I have stitched. I think that the pale blue floss I used up from the first kit is of a different dye lot to the one given in the kit I'm stitching now, so there might need to be some frogging here at some stage. You can just about make out the difference in the photo.

Santas finished

I have to confess that I have not done any of my Murky Manor UFO but have done some work on the UFO I have been stitching for Yoyo's Christmas SAL. The first photograph shows where it was at the beginning and the second the final four santas which I finished yesterday. I have still to make them into ornaments but that can wait for a while. It looks from the blog as though most people are like me and found it difficult to work on UFOs perhaps it is the coming of Spring which makes us want to start new things. I must knuckle down to Murky Manor next month. Happy stitching everyone.

Break Time Rolled up.!!

Break time has finally been rolled up. I'm doing his legs first. There is such a huge amount of brown that I thought it'd be best to try and make in-roads into that part. Wish me luck. I have done back stitching on it before I rolled it up as I really didn't fancy having all that to do at the end. I also spent a full evening sorting out the threads that had fallen of the card they were on. They looked like a huge pile of spaghetti.

Until next time. Looking forward to seeing some more UFO's.

Happy stitching to you all.

Breaktime Update.

Quick update on Break Time I'm slowly getting to like this. I have met someone who has seen this completed and apparently when finished it looks really good. We shall see. I think it's going to be quite some time though. Still onwards and upwards. Happy stitching to all you UFO-ers out there.

I've finished Buttermilk Tabbies!!!!

It's finished!!! I'm so proud of myself!!! It took 85 hours to complete and was sent around on UFO RR in 2009. I've worked steadily on it since January and added about 45 hours to the work already done by the other stitchers (there was about 10 hours worth of stitching when it left for the RR). I'm really proud of myself! So here it is:

Title: Buttermilk Tabbies
Designer: Julia Lucas
Magazine: Just Cross-Stitch (June 2004)
Fabric: Antique White Lugana (28 counts)
Threads: DMC and 1 blue Anchor
Size: 122H x 122W
Time to complete: 85 hours

Thank you for looking!

Catherine Michelle