Finished Pumpkin

Well, Halloween is almost upon us and during my weekly trips to my knit and stitch group, I'd made good progress on this piece from JCS Halloween magazine from 2011.  It's stitched on 28 count Sparklies fabric called 'Fire', 1 over 1, which as you know if you read this blog I found a bit tricky to work with after 14 count!

But I did get it finished this week and ordered the memory thread for the worm, and some mountboard so that I could stick to the finishing instructions in the magazine.  It's the first time I've done something other than get a piece framed professionally or stuff it in my completed projects folder, so I'm quite pleased that it didn't turn out too shabby.  I decided I wasn't keen on ribbon etc round the edge, but I'm happy with it just like this :)

The house is looking pretty orange and black and we have our spooky tablecloth on and a tub of sweets for the trick or treaters and if we don't get any, they will all go in my tummy.

Happy Halloween!

Knitting and Stitching Show 2013

Well, Sunday couldn't have been any more miserable weatherwise, but I dragged myself out of bed, made bacon sarnies, got ready and went to stand at the bus stop to go to the Knitting and Stitching show at Ally Pally.

I went with a list in mind and actually managed not to stray too far from that, which I'm pleased with.

As for the show, I arrived just before 10 and got to look at the Nicola Jarvis and May Morris exhibition pieces that I'd missed at the William Morris Gallery.  Some stunning work, really beautiful.  Since the queues started moving into the main hall at 10 though, I thought I'd better get on with the browsing before it got too busy.  I was right to do so, because by about 11, it was starting to get a bit pushy and by 12, I was in danger of viciously digging my elbows into people who were starting to be rude and impatient and you could barely get close enough to look at some of the stands.  I'm normally quite patient but for the few times I've visited this show, I've been pretty disgusted with the behaviour of some of the people there once it starts getting busy.

Thankfully, I had bought everything I wanted to by 12, so I made a swift exit and looked at the other exhibition pieces in the entry hall on the way out, including a large number of interesting works by Margaret G Nicholson - it seemed like it must have been a good chunk of her life's work, and I found her long career with embroidery fascinating.

So then, onto the new stash!  Here are the things that I bought at the show!  I'm particularly excited by the crewel work kit, it's something I've wanted to try for a while as I love the effect.  So I'm starting gently but I have my eye on a firescreen piece from the same company which is quite expensive.

Magnetic board for my needle needs stand
Introductory Goldwork kit
Introductory Crewel work kit
Boo Club Lizzie Kate charts
Autumn Alphabet Chart
Small Pumpkin sampler chart

And fabrics:
Backing fabrics in autumn colours
Neutral fabrics for cross stitching on!

There we go - not too much, so I'm not too poor, but enough to keep me going for another year!

Moonlit Kitties

Yay! Halloween is here!

The flat is all nicely decorated with banners and witches hats and a pumpkin and there are gingerbread ghostie biscuits.

And I've also finished this Moonlit Kitties design from Mill Hill for my in-laws!  But there were so many beads in it.  Many more than it looks like from the photo!