SAL “Bag Ladies” # 8

Time seems to be speeding up this year!  It really doesn’t feel like 3 weeks ago since the last update, but the calendar doesn’t lie.  So . . . here’s where I was last time

And photo of where I am now.

That’s 3 bags completed and 4 cats , even though it’s mostly only heads or tails peeking out of bags, with a 4th bag and 5th cat well underway.  I’ve done as much backstitch as I could on this section, so I won’t have to worry about going back on myself.  Am pretty pleased with progress so far, as I estimated this design would take about 20 stages to complete.

Let’s pop over and see how fellow SAL stitchers are getting on with their projects.

Avis,  Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Steph, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Catherine, Deborah, Connie, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon

Next update on 7th April.

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SAL update–“Bag Ladies” #7

Goodness me!  These last 3 weeks whizzed by rather fast!  And I didn’t do much cross stitching – naughty, naughty.

This is the photo I posted last time

And here’s what things look like today.

Not brilliant progress but . . . I have finished the pinkish bag, filled in a little more of 2 cats and begun work on a fluffy white tail, which is poking out of the top of the pink bag. 

Anyway, enough of what little progress I made.  I wonder how everyone else did?  Here are the links to other SAL members and we welcome Sharon to the group today.

Avis,  Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Steph, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Catherine, Deborah, Connie, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon

Next update on 17th March.

SAL update–Bag Ladies #6

I’ve been rather side-tracked with knitting over the past few weeks, so sadly don’t have as much progress as I would like, to show for the SAL.

Last time, this was my photo

This is how things look today

There is progress, but no new “finished” sections to boast about.

This update, we welcome two new members to the group:  Carmela who lives in Italy and Jocelyn in Canada.

Full list of links

Avis,  Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Steph, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Catherine, Deborah, Connie, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn

 

And we’ll be back on 24th February!

a bit of this & that, plus some thank yous

I realised I never got around to sharing a photo of some lovely seasonal hand-made gifts I received from blogging friends (and may have missed a few from the photo, because all seasonal bits have already been put away).

So, a thank you to Monique for the cute crocheted octopus and little cat decoration);  to Nathalie and Virginie, for their cards;  to Yvonne for the little heart decoration; and to salpal, for the bookmarks and delicate snowflake!

Now for some “this & that” . . .

I had a check-up visit with foot surgeon earlier this month. 

He was pleased with the x-ray, and bandage has now been removed.  Foot is still swollen, but not giving any pain.  I’ve been told to do my “toe curling” exercises and that life can now get back to normal – yay!  Next check-up in March and then I’ll be going to see a man about getting some insoles made – next stage being, a probable 2 years of specially made in-soles, but I can live with that.

Also have a cross stitch happy dance to share with you.

Design is “Chicken Sampler” by The Stitching Shed, and was a gift from Avis at Christmas.  Lots of fun to stitch, with lovely colours.  As you can see, from photo, I (deliberately) mixed colours up a little and changed the colour of petals.  Also decided not to stitch the wording or the eggs.  I’ll be having a rummage in my fabric stash as, being almost a square design, the plan is to finish this off as a cushion cover.

And last photo, because I’ve been playing with dolls lol.  No new body for Phoebe yet, but there’s plenty of time for that.  Anyway, I’ve got Phoebe and Grace having a sleep on the sofa in my sewing room, so their presence is a reminder that I need to make them some clothes. 

SAL update “Bag Ladies” #5

It’s time for our regular 3 weekly SAL update!  The first one of 2019.

I started stitching on “Bag Ladies” a couple of months ago, and my last update was

Since then I’ve been flitting here & there . . . gradually filling in bags, and making a start on two future cats.

As requested by Kate, I also added backstitch detail to the black & white cat . . . that mouse/hamster had better hurry up and hide.  I think at least one cat has spotted him!

Time to do some blog-hopping and see what other SAL members have been up to.  If I remember correctly, from last time, there will be a few ladies starting on brand new projects this time.  We welcome back Mary Margaret and also give a big warm welcome two new members:  Renne and Jenny.

Avis,  Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Steph, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Catherine, Deborah, Connie, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny

We’ll all be back on 3rd February, so hope to see you then!

what I’ve been up to since Xmas

I’ve been enjoying reading blog posts of everyone’s New Year resolutions.  Always happy to encourage and cheer crafters along, it’ll be interesting to see how people do (you know who you are!) as the year moves on.  Age has taught me that it’s pointless me making any resolutions as I never keep them.  Hence 2019 simply started as it will carry on: with me just picking up what I fancy, when I fancy.  There will no doubt be lots of starts this year, and hopefully, many finishes . . . but the plan is to enjoy what I’m doing and not set myself up to too many deadlines.  I suppose that in itself is a resolution? Please note, I say “not too many deadlines” – ha!  I’m not ruling out giving myself deadlines when there’s a very important & urgent special occasion on the agenda.

Anyway, since xmas, I haven’t done a huge amount of crafting.  There has been some patchworking (F2F blocks which I can’t reveal just yet);  a little xstitch and some crocheting.  My cardigan is awaiting the final stage of sewing together and knitting of button/button hole bands, but I’ve been having too much fun with my hook to even think about knitting.

This is my current crochet project.  Doesn’t look much at the moment as there are still quite a few small pieces to make (arms, legs & teeth for instance) but it is definitely taking shape already.  This will be a “Little Ella in her monster suit” (design by Little Aqua Girl) when finished, and is one of the many colourful projects published in “Amigurumi Monsters”.  The pattern is really well-written and crocheting keeps me quiet in the evening.

Other crafting going on here is

“Chicken Sampler” a kit by The Stitching Shed, which Avis gifted me this Christmas.  It’s a lovely, simple design which is very relaxing to work on (a bit of light relief from my SAL project)

It’s actually the choice of colours which makes this such a fun design, although I’ve already made a few changes along the way.  Anyway, almost 4 chooks stitched although mine don’t have eyes yet.  Another reason I love this kit (apart from the fact I’m stitching chooks) . . . The Stitching Shed is a small UK company, based in Morecambe, Lancashire.  A totally useless fact you didn’t know about me is:  I lived in Morecambe for a year during my student days!   I was a student at Lancaster University and during our second year, students had to find digs off campus.  So I lived in Morecambe for a year, with my friend Janet, in a little basement flat.   It was in the 80s, so decades before The Stitching Shed came into being but, seeing their postal address on the chart brought back some fun memories.

SAL Bag Ladies #4

I’ve been quite industrious on the cross stitch front over the past few weeks . . . which means quite a lot of progress to share with you on my SAL project.

Here’s where I was last time.

And now, 3 weeks later.

The bag on the right is finished, and we can see a second cat peeking out over the top.  I haven’t done anymore backstitch, as I was concentrating on half stitches to get more of the bags done, and full stitches for the second cat.

Time to do some blog-hopping and see what other SAL members have been stitching.

Avis,  Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Steph, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley,  Megan, Catherine, Deborah, Connie, Clare

And I invite you back on 13th January for our next update.