Wednesday 17 August 2011

The post without a title

I've just looked at the photos I finally remembered to upload to photobucket last night and I realise I don' t have much to post about at all!  I'm going to have to go on a mad crafting mission this weekend so I have something to post next week.  In the meantime, I think I can just about scrape a post or two together!

So, it's going to be random bits and bobs today.  I thought I'd share some photos of what I'm working on, any maybe a little story or two.  Not a bedtime story, more of a factual story.  That doesn't make sense, does it?  OK, I'm going to tell you what happened to my poor Colin this morning and I might think of some other crap to share along the way, if you're very, very lucky.


I've been seeing a lot of embroideries in hoops around and I wanted to get in on the action.  I really wanted to stitch some flowers in a teacup but couldn't find a pattern, so I had to attempt to draw the cup and I'm making the flowers up as I go along.  I'm hoping it looks weird as I haven't done any embroidery on the cup and saucer to give them depth yet and the flowers don't have stalks or leaves yet either.  But probably it looks weird as I'm crap at embroidery.


The two flowers on the right are done in satin stitch.  I can't think of a single other filling stitch.  I've had my embroidery books out and there's nothing that would be suitable.  I mean, there are probably plenty of stitches that would be suitable, but I'm not seeing them.  I don't think I'm destined to become a master embroideress.

I can cross stitch though.  I found a gorgeous Rennie Mackintosh pattern in an old cross stitch magazine and knew I'd make my mum a pair of cushions.  There are actually two patterns - one to stitch on black Aida and one on white.  These are the colours of thread I'm using:


Yum.  They actually look better in real life, more jewel like.  I've told myself before about taking pictures at night, but do I listen?  No, I don't.


Of course, having taken the picture in the evening, the colours are a bit washed out, they are actually really beautiful and I'm enjoying stitching this. Only about 48 hours worth of stitching to go if the stitching time stated in the magazine is anywhere near accurate!! 

I've been crocheting too.  I'm up to round 31 on the giant granny but completely failed to take a photo.  And I'm up to 10 Big Knit hats.  These are so quick to crochet.  I found a pattern on Ravelry, there's a Big Knit Ravelry Group which I've joined.  It has loads of free knitting patterns linked up and some fab crochet patterns.  No excuse knitting/crocheting UK ladies!


I'm using up odds and sods of yarn, but I had to arrange them in a rainbow formation of course!  Ooh, I haven't told you about Colin yet, sorry, I've got a cracking headache (yet another one) and so I'm finding it hard to concentrate... I'd better hurry up though as I've only got 20 minutes of lunch hour left.

So, Colin.  You all know who Colin is don't you?


Nope, not my husband.  He's the beautiful little bunny about to enter the tunnel there.  Ellis, the white bunny, is his ladyfriend.

Anyway, I went out to feed my buns this morning and all I could see of Colin was his bum sticking out of his bed.  He was scrabbling around and scratching and kicking straw and generally acting very strange.  He's usually such a placid, gentle, wonderful little bunny.  He obviously heard me so came out of his bed.  He had loads of straw in his mouth.  I thought it was a bit odd as I've never seen him, or any of the bunnies, carry anything in their mouths, they usually favour kicking as a moving method.  He ran downstairs and sat next to Ellis, straw still in his mouth, looking very downcast.  I reached in and pulled the straw and it was caught behind his teeth.  The poor little mite!  I don't know how long he'd had that straw in his mouth - I'd fed them about 8:30 the night before and so he could have been like that all night.  I felt so terrible.  Minutes after being freed from the straw he was scoffing his breakfast, so I don't think it caused any lasting trauma to him.


Speaking of cross stitch, well we were talking about Colin weren't we, but we were talking about cross stitch a while ago.  Well I was.  Anyway, I don't hold much truck with cross stitch magazines.  I'd bought a big bundle from a charity shop last year and although they had some nice motifs in them, they were pretty fuddy duddy.  I was in Melton Mowbray the other weekend and spotted the latest four issues of Cross Stitcher for just a pound each.  I picked them up and spent the weekend devouring them.  Wow, what a change!  The magazine has had a complete overhaul and is fresh and young and full of motifs I want to stitch.  All four magazines have post-its hanging out of them and I'm going to subscribe.  Just what I need, another magazine subscription! 

On that subject, what did you all think of last issue's Mollie Makes?  I think it's going downhill, already.  I'm hoping it was just a bad issue, but it was basically "how to make little things out of felt".  Hmmm, not impressed.

Right, that's it, I have to stop prattling now.  I'll leave you lovely ladies alone and go and hassle my colleague to make me a cup of coffee, just because I think it's a man's job!

10 comments:

Pootle said...

Is there no end to your talents! Think your embroidery looks great and love the black aida on your cross stitch. Poor little wabbit. He is a fluffy bundle of cuteness!

I havent bought Mollie makes as went on to the reviews about it and they were awful. Ive heard people saying the first mag was quite good but the reviews suggested otherwise so I gave it a miss. Enjoy your coffee! x

Marilyn said...

HiWendy, Thank you for bringing me a smile tonight. Just what I needed - a fun blog to read.
Poor Colin, so pleased he is ok after his altercation with the straw.

Stephanie said...

I only recently started following, but I really like the content. The bunny tidbits are great. Sorry to hear about poor Colin's night, but it sounds like he is no worse for the wear.

I look forward to your next post. :)

Nancy Lee said...

Poor Colin, but then, who hasn't spent a night with straw stuck in their teeth?
I have issues one and two of Mollie Makes. We are quite behind here. I like the eye candy to be honest. British mags always seem so exotic to me and I like reading about the shops and towns. For me, MM feels a void left by Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion which disappeared when the US had their melt down (the first one). Having said that, it is a bit felty and what's with an apple cosy? I didn't get the issue II cover kit, thank goodness.
I love that teacup!Hmmm?
CRM cross stitch? Yum!
Get rid of the headache! (whatever that might mean to you)

Fiona said...

A great post to read... glad Colin's problem is sorted and I think the cup with flowers is looking great...
Hugz

Allie said...

I LOVE your little cup and flowers - it looks amazing already! I think you're doing just fine at embroidering, girl! And I love the one on black too, that is going to be eye-popping gorgeous. Your pic of your yarn cracked me up. Hope your headache is gone by now...

Poor Colin! I'm so glad you got it out for him! He looks fine in the pic, so that's a relief.

I've found the same thing with quilting magazines, the older ones are pretty boring but the new ones - drool -

Libby said...

Great Post! That embroidery is adorable!! You have done a wonderful job on it! It is so cute that it makes me want to get out my needle and hoop!
Poor sweet Colin. Hope he is feeling much better, no fun to go around with food stuck in your teeth;)
I have stopped subscribing to quilt magazines because I just wasnt impressed anymore. Now, if I see one I will look through it and decide if it's worth buying or not.

Joysze said...

Awwww, I love those crochet hats!!!!

Doh!!! Poor Colin. :( I'm glad his teeth are all better now.

Lovely embroidery and cross stith too. :D

Anonymous said...

You have some great wip's going on! I'm specially bias towards the cute teacup with flowers ;-).
Poor Colin! I'm so happy that you noticed and helped him out of his misery.
I briefly flip through Mollie Makes 3rd issue, and was disappointed in that the projects don't seem to be anything that is not out there already, plus they provided some embroidery patterns from a Japanese embroidery book calling them Fairytale Stitches. I didn't see where they attributed the © of those embroidery patterns to the Japanese book (if they did).

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

Hope your back is feeling better. Poor little Colin! How on earth did the straw get caught like that? Love all your cross stitch. So pretty! Takes forever though, that's why I do stitchery now.
xx, shell