a bit of laziness

Toady I finally caught up on the tast for 2013 but took the easy way put and did one small piece using 5 stitches,  woven detached chain,   breton stitch,  diamond stitch,  up and down feathered buttonhole and raised cross stitch flower stitch.  Can see some of these appearing in my crazy blocks,  especially the up and down feathered buttonhole stitch.  Only a small sample but at least I have caught up for the time being.  One day I would like to take these stitches further,  the problem is there is so much I would like to do and then I spend too much time fretting about all I want to do and what to do next!! and I hate to admit it but nothing gets done.

I tend to but veg when on offer in the supermarkets as they keep very well in the fridge,  a few weeks ago I got a red cabbage which I put in a cupboard not the fridge and forgot about it. About a week ago ( just checked the date on the photo and it was 2nd april)  came across it at the back of the cupboard and was surprise to see new growth, I removed the cling film wrapper and I am now nurturing it!! not sure how long before the actual cabbage will   "go off"  but until it does it is quite nice to watch the new growth.

2nd april

16th  april.

Wondering what will happen next,  shame isn`t it that things like this amuse me, think I need to `get a life`

Maybe I will keep a carrot, onion and a few other bits and pieces and start a collection of sprouting veg!!

tast stitches

I have finally caught up with the tast stitches from SF.  They are square herringbone 53,  laced square herringbone 54,buttonholed herringbone 55, sailor stitch 56 and sailor edging stitch 57.

I own up to struggling with the laced herringbone, if I tried to do it once I tried 5 times but the instructions did not seem to make sense then after a few days break I went back to it and I seemed to have no problems!!   confused brain syndrome.

Problems too with the buttonholed herringbone, it would not sit nicely, the thread kept twisting, seems strange as when I did the beaded hedebo edge sample there did not seem to be a problem and I used perle thread for both.  No problem with the sailor stitches, had not come across these before, good to have a stitch I had not heard of.
Apart from the buttonholed herringbone I used a rayon type random dyed thread for the other stitches. I bought these threads years ago at a show in London, have about 10 but have never used them as they are so slippery, what a waste must use them more.
Stranded cottons I rarely use either and have loads of them but I do not like working with more than one strand at a time, maybe it is time to donate them to a charity or something but I am sure to want one if I do that!

Herringbone square around the outside with a smaller one inside each square, the laced ones are in the centre with small squares scattered around them

buttonholed herringbone stitch

sailor stitch, the first 4 rows and sailor edging stitch the next 2 rows and the squiggly bit!

triangular feather stitch

today I did my sample for the triangular feather stitch form Sharon`s blog pintangle.  After I had made a frame shape which I had problems with at the corners, sorry could not work out how to use the stitch there I then had to put something in the centre. Having had Valentine`s day I took the easy route and just added a patchwork heart and attached it to the fabric with feather stitch.  Have been working on some hardanger for Helen my younger daughter, 7 pieces in all,   worked in pink and white which was what she requested, I think it will be a while before these are finished, have the main bits stitched but all the cutting and weaving to do and as I have designed them myself have got to work out what to do where. Maybe next time I will show a work in progress but no photos yet.

CQJP february

this last week I have been working on the february block,   have kept a flower in the centre block, a snowdrop as I have one out in the garden.
I have also gone with the valentine theme and put a cherub and couple of hearts on it.
I have used assorted stitches,  stem, straight, detached chain, oyster, knotted feather, spine chain, wheatear with beads and blanket with some straight stitches.
Another piece of tatting in orange. This month the block seems to be quite orange but I do like it with the green.

There are one or two areas that look a little bare but these I can add to when the other 10 blocks are completed and I decide what to do with them.

 
This did not photo well, the colours are not true and although have tried again it still comes out this colour

I have also done the tast stitch 51 today,  raised herringbone band.  4 samples of the stitch, the first 3 rows were counted out geometrically but row 4 was stitched in a random manner.

inverted feather stitch tast 2013 50

I am on the ball today and have done the latest tast stitch.  I thought it might work well as a change from 4 sided stitch in a hardanger piece so decided to make a small sample.  If I am honest I did not enjoy doing the stitch and I do not think it works so will not use it again for hardanger. I am interested to see what other people do with it as I am struggling to think of when I could use it again

CQJP and tast 2013

Today I have done a bit more on the january block.  The tatting is now tacked in place above my initials, think it looks okay here, I did not like it where it was before, only tacked on as waiting for your opinions. Have also put some green ribbon through the red stem stitch seam and added some beads. In the bottom left hand corner have added more stitching and think this area does not need any more work.  A second row of knotted cretan stitch and above the flower centre block I have sat a watering can,   do you think this looks okay, will stitch on if I get the go ahead, thought I could do some running stitches in a silvery thread from the can onto the flower to make it look like water.  The ochre block still empty as not come up with anything for this yet any ideas? and not sure what I can do above the cretan stitch.

  Been very busy today,  was watching the semi final tennis between Federer and Murray so managed to do my knotted feather stitch piece too for the tast 2013 challenge.
Have included along with the knotted feather stitch  stem,french knots straight stitch and the pot is long straight stitches that I have then weaved through.