Heathwitch’s Stitchcraft

Best Dad

Last week, I finished my most recent WIP, “Best Dad”, which was being worked on 28ct Zweigart Cashel Vintage Linen in Country Cream. Andrew worked wonders framing it in time for Dad’s birthday.

Here’s the finished cross stitch, newly washed and ready for framing. It took 8 hours and 10 mins in all, but I did decide not to stitch the border as shown on the original Lizzie*Kate chart as we both felt — what with the double matting we’d decided upon — that it would detract from the piece.

Andrew then self-framed it, using two pieces of card for the mounts (which he measured and cut himself) — one in a deep blue, the other in a shimmery cornflower blue. They work very well together, it must be said! If you like, you can click this image for a larger version:

And Dad himself? Well, when he unwrapped his gift and saw it, he was very touched. You could tell; for a long while he didn’t know what to say and got a bit teary-eyed — and that I got a massive hug (Andrew was out at work at the time). Later in the week we also took him to Glastonbury Abbey for the day, which is a bit of a trek for us but so worth it — Dad had wanted to see the Abbey after watching a documentary on the dissolution of the monestaries on the television, and Andrew and I need no excuses for visiting one of our favourite towns! Still, I am so glad that we managed to make his 71st a little extra special. :-)

[WIP] Best Dad

And now for an update about my current WIP. Well, actually, it’s one project on from “Bloom”, because there was another piece I did this week — but I can’t share that until it’s back from the framers and in the hands of its intended recipient (’cause I know they read my blog). What I will say is (for once) it wasn’t a Lizzie*Kate piece, and that it was a steep learning curve on black evenweave, and made me worry a lot about the quality of my eyesight… ;-p

Anywho, the new/current WIP is a little Lizzie*Kate piece that I’m stitching for my Dad’s birthday, later this month. Hopefully it’ll work out a nice size so that I can finish it as his birthday card. Here’s where I’m up to so far, after 2hrs 35mins…

This is being stitched on 28ct Zweigart Cashel Vintage Linen in Country Cream; a welcome change from the black evenweave of late! True to form, I’ve been stitching while (initially) listening to music (Garth Brooks in concert FTW), and then, later, whilst half-watching Men in Black with Andrew. Goddess, that film is twelve years old — Will Smith looks so young (especially compared to The Pursuit of Happyness, which we watched last week) — and now I feel a lot older than I should do.

Or maybe that’s all those late-nights-sitting-up-stitching talking…

Note to Self…

… Black evenweave plus Light Effects thread means sore eyes. Very sore eyes.

What was I thinking?!

[WIP] Wear a Smile

Lizzie*Kate’s “Wear a Smile” has taken me two and a half hours so far. I think it’s really showing the varigated thread (DMC’s Colour Variations 4240) to great effect.

I am under the weather today, so am taking a day in bed with some fruit, plenty of water, and my cross stitch. Who knows how many stitches may get done inbetween boughts of sleep? :-)

Live, Laugh, Love…

My first finish of 2009 is one of Lizzie*Kate‘s Snippet designs, which I love. :-) I did some thread substitution on this — opting to use some plain DMC colours for the text and some of their Colour Variations for the decorations. I think it has worked out rather nicely — what say you?

This piece, “Live, Laugh, Love”, took seven hours to stitch (on 28ct evenweave) and will most likely end up as one of a series of thank you presents that I’m hoping to gift some people with this summer. I enjoyed stitching it that much that, once done, I immediately picked up another Snippet chart and made a start on that one last night, again on 28ct evenweave:

This will be “Wear a Smile”, and I’m doing something similar here — the main text is in Colour Variations, with the remaining text in plain colours. So far I’m about 1hr 40mins into this one, so it’s coming along nicely. I just wish I spend more time stitching at the moment as I’m really in the mood for it! LOL …

More updates coming soon! :-)