Card Exchange

It's been a couple of months since over updated this but it's mainly because I've been out of stitching and into studying!  I've been doing a second degree for almost three years now and it's getting harder. My first degree was law and not I'm doing astronomy (a passion). I have to work a lot harder than in my first degree and I've had to give up stitching while I got three assingnments out of the way :(. But I'm back!!

I got back into stitching because of a card exchange set up on the facebook group 'Cross Stitch and Discuss 2'. Now I always keep my eye on the forum to look at people's work and to keep up with what's happening. I came across the card thread and it seemed amazing.  It's an exchange to send a card (stitched or not) to three people and three people send cards to you. 

So I decided to stitch my three cards (small pieces!) and pick three people to send them to. I picked two people from New Zealand and one person from the U.S.  I thought I would show you the three finished cards :)

All three are from the same company and they all came with everything you need to complete the card. They were really quick (all complete within an hour) and they have a great effect. 

I got all three from sewandso.co.uk so it is worth a look. Quick finishes and beautiful results. 

Well I'll see you with my next post. Stay stitchy :)

Christmas Stitching

Christmas time is upon us and everyone rushes to finish their Christmas pressies and decorations. I have been there. Getting gift tags done and Christmas cards. Thinking about doing a table cloth or runner or even a tree mat. Then Christmas comes and I don't feel I've done enough :/

So this year I am going to miss Christmas stitching. I know. A big taboo. The main reason is that I am just back into stitching after my moving in break so I don't want to throw myself into rushing to get deadlines finished. I am enjoying working at my own pace and relaxing as I stitch. I may do the odd gift tag (as I get them free with my magazine subscription) but that'll be about it. 

So that's it for me for Christmas stitching this year. Let me know if you are doing Christmas stitches and what you're doing. 

I'll have a WIP update soon and a review of the ever popular thread magic. 

Until next time stay stitchy :)

Pako Floss Organiser

So I recently purchased the pano flop organiser and thought I would give you a run-down. 

I bought this as I thought it would be great for projects where the floss all comes bundled together. So I used it on my current WIP (Beauty and the Beast) as this came with four lumps of thread. 

This is a picture when all my floss is on. It is a great tool and very simple to use. You simply pop the floss over the hook and place it between the little rubber stoppers. Then write the corresponding number or symbol on the paper provided. 

This is a great tool when you have projects without a floss card included. I have to say, though, that I would never use it when the floss card is included. I wouldn't go to the trouble of taking out the floss and putting it on this. 

My main issue is the number of threads it can hold. Each side has 25 hooks - enough for 50 floss colours. This may seem a lot but if you are doing a HEAD or something big, you are going to have to split up the colours and decide what colours to do first. Even on my Beauty and the Beast design it wasn't big enough and I had thread left over. 

All in all the product is ok. I just wish it was a little bigger and could hold more. If anyone knows of any other thread organisers (that are bigger), let me know and I'll give it a go :)

Thanks for reading and stay stitchy x x

Mystery Box Review

Hi guys,

I have not updated here in a while for the simple fact that I have moved.  I probably mentioned this before but it has been a nightmare getting everything ready (we've still got boxes to unpack!!)  So this is me just getting back to my cross stitch! 

I have made a few purchases over the last few weeks and I am going to go over them and review them.  Mainly because I want you to get an idea of what exactly you are looking at before you buy.  There will be WIP updates and the likes as well but I thought i'd throw some reviews in here as well :)

So the first review will be for the Hobby Warehouse I Love Cross Stitch mystery box.  The box itself is £14.99 but you are guarenteed at least two kits worth £30.  Hobby Warehouse have a range of mystery boxes but, as a cross stitcher, that's what I went with.

Now I was a bit disapointed with the packaging.  When something says 'mystery box' you expect a box!  It just came inside a pouch which was inside another pouch.  It was, in fairness, well packaged for what it was - the package was bubble wrapped and would have been well protected from any shipping mishaps.

When I opened the package I found two kits;

Embroidered Morning Counted Cross Stitch Kit and
Pink Floral Cat Counted Cross Sitch Kit

I immediately fell in love with the first kit I got but I wasn't too enamoured with the second.  Of course this is personal preference and others may love it.  It just wasn't me or something I'd normally stitch.  The Morning kit is not something I would have chosen either but I just loved the design and I will stitch it.  The cat I may give away at some point!

The total value for the kits I got was £24.08, which is slightly less than the value quoted but it is still £10 off.  So for the price of the morning kit I loved, I got a feww kit, is how I'm looking at it!

The kits are pretty good value and give you a chance to be sent some kits that you would not necessarily choose for yourself.  This can be a gamble as you may hate what you get or you may fall in love with something you would never have chosen for yourself.  Even if you dislike it, you may be able to find someone to gift it to or even cross stitch it for a friend you know will love it.

All in all it was a pretty good deal and I would do it again if I had the inclination.  I hope you found this review useful and hope you come back to read more and get more inspiration.

If you would like to see the other mystery boxes or get the cross stitched one youself, go here. 

See you next time and stay stitchy :)

WIP Updated Pic

Hi guys,

I have managed to get a bit more stitching done and have a new picture.

It may look a but crazy but this is what it will look like in the end;

Just now I am focussing on packs of colour which is why it may seem all over the place. The kit comes with four lots of floss bundled up. So I thought it would be easier to work in bundles at a time. 

I'll update when I get a bit further on. I think I'll do an update each week or each milestone. 

Hope you enjoyed this WIP update :)

Happy stitching ✂️

WIP

My current WIP is a Disney Collestions kit of Beauty and the Beast. It is so pretty and I am enjoying stitching it. I'm not very far along (as I have just started) but I am really enjoying it. 

I've got a bit more than this done but need to get a pic on the go :). Will get a pic tomorrow and post my most up to date pic then :)

Have a happy stitching day :)

Back to Stitching!

I know I haven't updated this in a while but I have not been stitching recently.  I have had a lot of different pulls on my time and have had no time for stitching...until now!

Over the past few months I have moved work location from London back to Scotland.  I have then been studying like crazy.  Two years ago I started a second degree in Astronomy and Planetary Science because I LOVE punishing myself!  This has taken the majority of my time.  I have had so many assignments due (two on Wednesday!) and I have had to devote myself to studying for the past few months.

But I am back on the stitchy trail.  I have started a Beauty and the Beast cross stitch and I will get some pics up soon!  I have also joined a cross stitch group on facebook, Cross Stitch and Discuss #2.  It's a closed group but anyone can join and it pushes you back into cross stitch! 

Well that's all for now but I will be back with WIP pics and updates :)

Exchange gift!

Quick post today :)

I got the post today and inside was my gift from the 'All that Glitters' exchange. 

It is a beautiful coaster featuring a lovely pink butterfly. The butterfly is on sparkly Aida with some lovely metallic thread. You can't quite make thease features out from the pic but it is just adorable. 

I really enjoyed taking part in the exchange and I absolutely adore my gift!  I have said it before and I'll say it again - take part in an exchange. They are so much fun and it is a great way to stitch for people who will appreciate the time and effort that has gone into the work. 

Anyway, I best be going as it is very late. See you next time and stay stitchy :) 

Biscornu Photo Tutorial

Hi guys :)

As you know, I take part in exchanges on www.cross-stitching.com/forum and this month I took part in an exchange called 'All that glitters'.  The point of the exchange was to try new things, using threads, fabrics or techniques that you don't often use, and sent the gift to your exchange partner.  I decided that I would stitch a biscornu and use beads.  Now I have only ever made 1 biscornu before (which turned out ok...not great but ok!) and I have only ever used beads a handful of times, so I thought this was perfect.

So now I am going to go through a picture tutorial and try to make it as simple as possible!

The Tutorial

First you need to stitch your two designs.  Remember that you need a front and back piece for this to work.  It is in essence a small cushion!

This is a polstitches design.  I thought it was very sweet and since my partner didn't like green, I thought it would be perfect for her! (there is a tiny bit of green in the middle, but I am hoping she overlooks it!)  The important thing about the design at this stage (particularly if you are adapting it from a pattern yourself) is that the outer edge should have a backstitched border running all the way around it.  Each segment should have one stitch; it cannot be long stitch and you can't have your backstitch running over more than one block.  These borders are used to put the biscornu together and are very important!

Next you need to trim your design.

You should cut your stitching to approximately 0.6cm.  I have cut mine a little bigger here as I like to make sure that there is enough fabric as when you pull your stitching tight later on, it can cause big gaps in the fabric if it is too short (my experience with my first biscornu).

Next thing you need to do is find the centre of your backstitched border on one side.  This is where you are going to start stitching and putting the biscornu together.

You find the centre of the border on one piece of stitching and then find the corner of a second piece of stitching as shown above.  Now we are ready to put it together. 
Secure your thread on the back of your work and bring the needle up at the corner point where you are going to be working.  Now you simply pass your needle under the first backstitch to the left of the corner and then pass your needle under the middle stitch on the other piece.  Make sure you do not go through the fabric; you are going under the thread only!  This should bring the pieces together by one stitch. 

You continue this method (whipstitch) all along the first side of the biscornu; going under a thread on your first piece of stitching and under a thread on your second piece of stitching.

When you get to the corner, continue in the same method, just ensuring that the extra fabric is tucked on (what will be) the inside of the biscornu.  You can also add beads to the corner of the biscornu at this point or add them later (or not at all, like me!).  You need to conitnue in this method all the way round and the sides will start to form.

Continue to stitch the sides and when you have completed the seventh side it is time to stuff it.  I did have a picture of this but it has disappeared so you may have to use your imagination! 

I fill my biscornu with white polyester toy filling (from sew and so) and used a lot of it to make it quite fat.  I then finished sewing up the final side and secured the thread on the inside of the fabric.

The next step is to secure the buttons.

Secure a button to the front of the biscornu (pass the thread through the button a few times to make sure its secure.)  Make sure you have long thread for this!  Pass the needle through to the other side of the biscornu and attach a button there. 

Once the other button is secure, pull the thread tight (so that there is an indentation in the centre of the biscornu) and pass the needle back through to the front of the biscornu.  Do this a few time (to make sure that the indentation stays when you let the thread go) and then secure the thread on the inside of the biscornu.  The shape should stay and you have a finished biscornu!

If you didn't add beads to the corner before, you can do so now (as you normally would) or you could attach a charm to it as well.

I hope this picture tutorial has been helpful and if you need help with anything, let me know.  If there is anything that is unclear, let me know and I will fix it.  Sorry one of the pictures didn't work out!  I took it last night and it has simply disappeared.  One of the wonders of technology!

Anyway hope you enjoyed this and try it yourselves. 

See you next time and stay stitchy! :)

Christmas Stitching is a no-go for me!

Hi guys,

I am updating this blog from the plane on a Monday morning!

I haven't updated in so long but I have been so busy with uni (two assignments due in one after the other) and then the holidays. I hope everyone had a good time at the holidays :)

So I am almost finished stitching a biscornu for an exchange I am doing on www.cross-stitching.com/forum. I am going to make another photo assembly tutorial and that will be up soon :).

Before the holiday period I tried stitching a lot...it didn't happen. Normally I am good at Christmas stitching but I only managed one tag and half of a decoration!  Very bad on my part but my uni work was so heavy I just didn't have the time. I didn't even use the tag I made!!  

Anyway...there will be an update at some point this week and my photo tutorial will be up this week to :)

Hope you enjoy it and stay stitchy :)

Massive Haul!

Hi Guys :)

I know I haven't updated this in a couple of weeks but it is because I have been on two holidays in a month!  I was away on a girls holiday in Malia and a couples holiday in Paphos.  They were excellent but it did not leave me a lot of time to update my blog!

So I have a stitchy make (for an exchange) to show you but i'll save that for another post.  Just now I am going to show you the stitchy haul I have accumulated over the past few weeks!

As you can see here it is quite a haul!

Now the thread pack you can see in the bottom right and the card making things you can see in the middle of the picture were both from the same place  These were subscription gifts I recieved after subscribing to Cross Sitch Card Shop.  The threads are by DMC (my chosen brand) and the card making kit is a Christmas pack, which will be good for the upcoming holiday!
The three mini kits also came as a gift from the magazine subscription.
The large thread bag in the top left came from eBay.  This was a mixed lot and I was not sure what I was getting.  I managed to get a full bag of threads for approximately £15.  This was such a bargain as a skein in the UK can cost up to £1.09. 
Everything else in the picture was purchased from a store called Draw Write in Ayr.  There is:

• Red 14 ct aida
• Green 14 ct aida
• Plastic canvas (14 ct)
• Two packets of cards
• A pen for marking fabric (perfect for gridding as the ink disappears)

Everything from there cost under £15.  I love the red and green aida and it will be great for festive stitching!

I have also purchased a sewing machine!  My first.  It was an offer on Groupon and I got an LS17 Brother sewing machine for £79.  I have never really worked with a sewing machine and I am excited to work with it.  If anyone has any tips I would love to hear them!  I haven't used one of these since high school!
Anyway, I will be doing an update on my stitching in the next few days, so keep an eye out.  Also I have decided to start doing some video tutorials.  I will be starting these in the next few weeks and I will upload them on youtube and link them here.  So keep your eyes peeled!  They will include everything from the basics to move advanced techniques.

Hope you enjoyed this haul post :)

Cross Stitch Jargon Buster

A lot of people on forums use cross stitching jargon that newcomers to the craft will not understand.  I have been cross stitching for about 15 years and when I joined the online community I had no idea what people were talking about.  What's frogging?  How do you know if you are stitching confetti?  So I thought I'd do a little jargon busting guide that people could look at and get answers to their questions about cross stitching Jargon!

AOY

This stands for the cross stitch patterns by All Our Yesterdays.

Artist Trading Card (ATC)

An artist trading card is a small cross stitch design on a small card, normally the size of a playing card.  There are normally exchanges run every month for these types of cards.

Confetti Stitching

This occurs when there are lots of little areas (normally 1-5 stitches) of one colour and you have to keep on changing your thread colour.  This often occurs in more detailed work (such as HAED - see below for what this is!).  The term confetti comes from the fact that the stitches are spread over the fabric, almost as if confetti had been dropped on the aida.

CSC

This is an abbreviation for the magazine Cross Stitch Crazy.

CSCS

This is an abbreviation for the magazine Cross Stitch Card Shop.

Exchange

This occurs when people get together to exchange cross stitched gifts.  This normally follows a specific theme, such as Christmas or Halloween.  People send their stitched piece, along with a note, to their partner and they also recieve a gift.

Frogging

Frogging is a term used when a cross stitcher makes a mistake and they are forced to pull out the work that they have done until they fix the mistake.  It is called frogging because you have to 'rip out' the work that you have done and it sounds like a little frog.  You have to RIP IT out RIP IT out RIP IT out.  Sounds quite cute like that!

HAED

This is simply an abriviation of the website Heaven and Earth Design.  Heaven and Earth Designs are large, very detailed works that are, in my opinion, absolutely stunning.  They are very intricate works and using only whole cross stitches.  Would be best for a more seasoned cross stitcher!

www.heavenandearthdesigns.com

ORTs

This is an old cross stitching term and basically means the scraps of thread that are left over from your project.  The ORT stands for Odd Random Threads.

Parking

Parking is a unique term in cross stitching but it is not something that everyone does.  Parking refers to the way in which people have multiple needles threaded at once.  People start stitching in one colour and, when they are ready to move on to another, they 'park' the colour and take up a new needle.  Then, when they are ready to come back to the original colour, they can pick it up and start stitching again.  This is not a technique I use personally but it can be very beneficial when you have a large project with lots of confetti stitching!

RAK

This is a lovely abbreviation which means Random Act of Kindness.  This happens when someone sends you a random gift, out of the blue, that you were not expected.  Having been the recipient of a RAK, I can say it is a lovelly act and something that people should do more often.

Round Robin (RR)

A round robin is a type of exchange that is organised on a cross stitching forum or website.  In this type of exchange you start stitching a design and then mark out the next sections of the design, depending on how many people are in the Round Robin.  Everyone in the exchange will do this.  You would then forward on your piece to the next person.  At the same time you would recieve another person's stitched piece for you to start on.  When you have done your section, you would then pass it on to the next person.  In these type of exchanges you always send to the same person and always receive from the same person.  In the end your stitched piece will return to you complete!

Stitch Along

A stitch along is again organised on a forum or website.  In this a group of people decide to do the same design at the same time.  They then post pictures online once a week as a form of encouragement.

UFO

This is another abbreviation for UnFinished Object.  This refers to any cross stich project that you have started but have not completed (mainly due to picking up another one!)  Unfortunately nothing to do with little aliens! :)

WIP

This is an abbreviation that stands for Work in Progress.  This is any project that you are currently working on (note currently working on...otherwuse it's a UFO!)  If you are on cross stitching forums, people will generally use this term when showing pictures of their current work.

WOCS

This is an abbreviation for the World of Cross Stitching magazine.

Well I hope this jargon buster has been helpful and will help you break through the jargon and get to the real meaning at the bottom. 

Thanks for reading and stay stitchy! x x x

A big gift...slow start!

Hi Guys :)

Well I haven't had much time to stitch this week due to how sleepy I have been!  Working in London (when you come from Scotland) can be quite a pain and this week I have really felt it.

This week I have been working on a present for my boyfriend.  It is a very large piece and I am making very slow progress!  There is a lot of confetti stitching and due to the fact that I am working on black aida, some of the colours make it very difficult to stitch.

The piece is a Star Trek piece (as my boyfriend and I love Star Trek!) and it is a picture of the Voyager ship with 7-of-9 beside it.  It is an extremely large piece measuring 21" by 14" which is a massive 300 x 200 stitches (60000 stitches!)  Now this is probably small to some but it is massive to me!  I know that some HAED designs can be a lot bigger than this but for me this is the biggest work I have ever done! 

This is my progress so far.  I still have a lot to go but it is coming on in leaps and bounds.  My boyfriend thinks i'm 'getting there' but I had to explain the design is roughly ten times her actual head!

This is how the design will look when it's finished.  As you can see, it's a lot of dark blues on a black background.  Not great, but I am sure I will be happy with the finished look!

For anyone who is interested, I got the chart from:

http://www.angelfire.com/trek/spacebaby/Cross_Stitch/Star_Trek_Voyager_page2.html

The website is pretty good but I have only used them once.  Just wanted to point out as well that I am in no way affiliated with this website!  This is just something that I have used in the past and, if you are interested in this type of cross stitch, it is a good website to explore.

Also my threads have come from ebay.  I order for a number of thread suppliers so not exactly sure where I got these ones from!

Anyway, I hope you have liked a look at my progress and I hope to put another few blogs up in the coming weeks.

Thanks for reading and stay stitchy! x x x

Exchange Gift Finished!

Well I finally finished my excahneg gift.  There were no rules on what you were to complete, it was just to be in the art nouveau style.  I decided not to put another row of roses at the bottom, which was my original plan, but I thought it looked better the way it was.  I was going to put it onto a canvas but I could not find one that was slim enough!  They really should make various sized canvas....not everyone wants it to be square!

So I went into the local shopping mall and I was looking for some ideas when I came across a recycled notebook.  I'd seen a few examples of notebooks in magazines but I had never attempted it to upcycle one.  However, I thought i'd give it a go.  Here is the result.

I frayed the edges of the aida, taking off roughly four blocks.  To do this simply put your needle into the first hole at the endge of the aida and slowly pull it out bit by bit.  Do one block at a time to ensure that the edges are equal and that you don't warp the fabric.  I got another piece of aida and stitched the word 'notes' in thick string.  I really wanted a chunkier look for the word, which is why I decided to use string.

I tried something new with this piece and that was having a bit of fun with the colours.  The green used to connect the roses was actually a green DMC mixed with a green light effect DMC.  It gave the green a bit of a shimmer which was an effect that I thought was nice for the project.

I hope you guys like it and I hope the recipient likes it!

Keep calm and cross stitch! :p

Gifts - The Stitchy Way

I don't know about you, but giving people gifts is something I love to do.  Whether it's a little surprise that they didn't expect, or something they have wanted for a long time, I just loving the act of giving and seeing people light up.  I especially love giving stitchy gifts.  I am going to put up a few pics of some of my previous gifts that I have lovingly stitched.  Everyone who I gave them to was so happy to receive them and it's an amazing feeling to see people appreciate your work.

If you have never made a stitchy gift for someone, then now is the time.  The possibilities are endless and you should pick something you are comfortable working with and just go for it.  For beginners, cards can be a quick gift that can be stitched in hours or days and can brighten up a birthday.  For the more experienced stitcher, you may want to make a canvas or a cushion.  Whatever it is, I am sure your friends and family will love it and be amazed at how creative you are.

Here are a few examples of things i've made for people.

This is a phone case that I stitched for my boyfriend.  He loves computer games (as do I!) and it seemed fitting!  He absolutely loved it.  This is something you can pick up from a variety of places.  A warning though: It only comes with three threads.  In the end I decided to use my own DMC threads to make the design.

This beautiful bookmark was a gift that I made for my boyfriends mum.  It was very challenging as there were a lot of colours and some new stitches I had never used before.  I even had to make the toggle at the bottom!  This is an excellent gift but may be better for experienced stitchers.  This came from a kit made by
Dimensions Gold.  It comes in a pack of two but I only ever made one.  I was really pleased how this turned out and I would do it again.

This is the final item I am going to show you.  This was made for my fathers fiance and was from a pattern that I was given as a gift.  I collected the threads myself and it took me quite a while to stitch.  The good thing is, all of the stitches were whole cross stitch!  No French knots, no back stitch...not even a fractional!  I eventually turned this into a framed picture and it hangs on the living room wall.

Well I hope this has given you some ideas of what you can create for your family and friends.

See you soon and stay stitchy! :)

French knots....the cross stitchers nightmare

Now I know the feeling.  You wake up in the middle of the night, screaming and sweating.  You've had another nightmare, and the thing that terrorises you....French Knots.  They chase you in the dream, threatening to come undone or worse, pull through the fabric. 

Now I know that this may sound absurd but there are so many people out there who struggle with French knots and I, myself, have been victim to them.  I learned to cross stitch when I was 8 or 9.  It was a club that the school ran once a week and I got into it.  Then, in primary 6, the teacher gave everyone in the class a cross stitch to do.  I was hooked.  I have been in and out of cross stitching for the next few years when finally, two years ago, I got back into cross stitching in a big way.  I loved it and I have been doing it ever since.

Everything in cross stitch is pretty simple.  Give me half cross stitches, fractionals or even backstitch and I will love it.  But the French knot is something that terrified me.  I have had so many projects with French knots and I had trouble.  My biggest issue is the knot pulling through the fabric and then creating a big mess at the back of the fabric.  A nightmare!

So here is a little picture tutorial on French knots with commentary to ensure your french knots don't turn into a nightmare as well!  If anyone would like me to do a video for this, then let me know and I will film and upload one.

The first step is to bring the thread up through the hole where you are wanting the French knot to be.  In the picture below there is the French knot I made earlier as well as my thread for the new French knot.

The next step is to wrap your thread around your needle a few times.  Now most places will tell you to do this three times.  I tend to do it four, just to ensure that the knot is big enough and that it does not pull through the fabric and create a mess.  This can be difficult to undo if you don't catch it in time, but you can decide how big you want your knot to be and go from there.

Now the next step is to push the needle through to the other side.  I tend to do this in the middle of a block to ensure the French knot takes!  When you first push the needle into the fabric, ensure that you hold onto the thread tight.  Not tight enough to snap it, but tight enough that it is held taught.

Now the picture above does not look taught but it was difficult to show on camera!

Now continue to hold the thread tight as you pull the thread through the fabric.

You should have a nicely formed French knot!  The knot on the left was made with the thread wrapped around the needle three times and the one on the right with the thread wrapped around four times.  Just to give you an idea of a change in size!

Hope this helps and turns your French knot nightmares into a dream!

Have a good day and stay stitchy!

Exchange gift nearly ready!

I have been working on my exchange gift for the last two days and the stitching is almost finished.  I am still not sure what to turn it into and it has to be sent tomorrow (yikes!)  I am thinking I might put it on to a canvas or even just frame it. 

It's an art nouveau exchange and I got the various patterns from a book and put them together.  I think the book is called 101 Cross Stitch Designs.  It has four pages on art nouveau so I just picked a few elements and went with that.  The exchange is run on the forum of www.cross-stitching.com so head over there if you want to take part in any exchanges.  The exchanges are excellent and they are really well organised.

Anyway I hope you guys like it and I hope the recipient likes it as well!

Here is the piece when it was first started.

Its almost finished now, as you may be able to tell.  I just have to add leaves to the stems and do another row or roses to the bottom. 

See you guys soon, and have a very stitchy day! :)

Friend's Graduation

Sorry there have been no post rescently but I have been commuting from Glasgow to London every week and it has been crazy.  Haven't had much time for stitching!

But I thought i'd put this up as I have just recently finished a little card for my friend.

This is the owl card from my friend's graduation.  I was so happy with the finish and it only took me a couple of days.  My friend loved it!  I was so happy as I don't normally give my friends stitched pieces.

Anyway I am going to be doing a bit of a photo blog tomorrow with pics of finished pieces that i have rescently done.  Keep an eye out as there will be quite a few posts coming in the next week!

Welcome to My First Blog

This is my first ever blog and I have really created it to document my cross stitching projects and my life.  I love cross stitching and I have been doing it for about fifteen years on and off.  So this is really to discuss my progress etc.  I really do spend a lot of time stitching and I can't get enough of it!  You might think it's weird, since I am only 25, but it is so relaxing and in a high pressure job it really relieves the tension.

So i'll be sharing my work with you and I hope that you all like it :)  I will be doing a few other random things as well so it won't be just stitching! 

I also have another sideline, beside stitching, with my friend which is soap and jewellery making.  This is something that I am fairly new to but it is a lot of fun and I would tell anyone to give it a try.

So this is my first post...a bit of a mish mash but just a wee introduction to me and my new blog!  So thanks for reading and I hope you read more of my blogs :)