Finishes and so on

This past weekend was our local EGA chapters biennial show. I entered 15 pieces - 8 of which needed finishing first, 1 was framed, the rest I did. I only just scraped in on time - I misjudged how much time I'd have to finish things while our international exchange visitors were here and so ended up with 6 things to finish in 3 days. But I did it. And the judges were impressed enough with two of my (framed) pieces that I got two merit awards.

So without further ado - what you've all been waiting for - photos:

The two ribbons (sorry - I did take my camera to the show, but completely forgot to take actual photos of the ribbons on the pieces and them all on display). They were awarded for An Open Heart and Linda's Celtic Heart.

An Open Heart

Knotwork Garden Box

Tree of Stitches

Bug Collector (I actually found a cool fabric with ants on a gingham background that would have been great if I hadn't already had the fabric I wanted to use, and if it hadn't been red and white and just plain didn't go with pink)

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Birds of a Feather (love the backing fabric on this one, so you get a picture of the back too)

Winter Welcome (I think I need to learn how to make points better lol)

Tempest (and just cos I feel like it, the back on this one too)

Other pieces I entered were Lindas Celtic Heart, Christmas Elf Fairy, African Animals Needlebook, Southwest Amulet bag, Christmas Humbug, Smarties Bookmarker and the Art Deco beaded Ornament. The only requirement was that pieces hadn't been entered into one of their shows before - so that meant that I could choose anything I had that was finished, or I could finish before the show. So I tried to choose a selection of interesting pieces that would hopefully interest people and make them want to stitch.

Speaking of humbugs and other biscornu type finishing shapes - this weekend I'm teaching a construction class for the diamond drop ornaments, 15 sided biscornu (in both the round and horned versions), and the humbug (we're calling the class biscornu variations). I also tacked on the end of the instructions the basic fold the corners of the square in to get a diamond shape just for good measure. I'm just starting to stitch a sample or two, so I'll have to show those to you later (if I remember to take photos as I'm planning for it to also be my donation to the groups seminar basket so I won't be bringing it home).

In other news - I've finished the back of the jumper I'm knitting for DD:

Tomorrow is beading group and we're working on bracelets from February's Bead and Button magazine. Somehow I managed to buy materials not only for the bracelet we'll be doing tomorrow, but for another one from the mag too. Course these may not get completed tomorrow but I'm sure there will be something I can photograph. I did have great fun at the shop choosing the supplies and decided that one of the bracelets will probably be for DD - in pink and purple of course.

And a picture of a recent visitor:

I was looking for something for a birthday present recently and found this (Shalom right at the bottom) - that I love, but unfortunately think it's slightly out of my price range. DH is convinced I can design my own - I'm not so sure, but I'll give it a go :)

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

...is finished:

Twas the Night Before Christmas

I've finished the inside and the border. Just the heart panel to go and I'll be finished.

Stitching for Autism

On Saturday our guild chapter had its Bluebonnet Daze and we had a class for the piece Stitching for Autism by Sue Reed. This is a piece being used to raise money for Autism Speaks - 100% of the net profits are going to Autism Speaks.

Here's how far I got on Saturday. After taking this photo I ripped out the heart and the herringbone border as I didn't leave enough space for one of the borders just before the herringbone. I very nearly left it as it was but decided I really couldn't be faffed with moving the sheaf stitches in the outer border around to compensate for the loss of the four squares.

The colours are all to do with Autism Speaks, and all the stitches were chosen to have a link with Autism and it was really interesting reading it all as we stitched the piece.

So that's another for my WIP pile, and I guess my PLAN is getting a bit disrupted (I've signed up for some other classes too). Ah well, at least I'm having fun and my PLAN has been doing well until now. I'm still going to try and sort of stick to the PLAN though - I'll continue with Twas the Night, and then An Open Heart and I guess I'll just see what happens after that.

And an update on Twas the Night Before Christmas. I'm now on the border so really getting closer now.

Friday Night Stitch In

Last night I went to Gingers for their Friday night stitch in - and enjoyed myself, so I think I'll be going again.

And best of all - I've got progress, although I do have to admit that the Twas the Night progress is a couple of days worth, not just last night. I did realise when putting Santas staff in that I should have left his cuff the undone bit of French knots as now I've got to try and get them to at least look like they are under the staff when I get the new card of thread (it was out of stock so I have to wait for it). Hmm, just looking at my photo I can see all the carried thread in the snowflakes - it isn't that obvious in real life. Honest. Still perhaps it's a lesson in 'you should have been more careful when stitching them'.

Response to Cheryl

I tried three times to answer your comment in the comments, but blogger is being silly again or something, so I'll answer here. I was going to list what I had left but then thought I'd see if I could find a picture. So I've found the class listing - the class is closed now, I registered in the last few days, but the information was still available when I did a search. Anyway - here it is.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

He's starting to look really good now. I did run out of the Santas Beard stuff thanks to all the bits I ripped out from not being happy with them, so I'll have to take a quick trip to the shop later so I can finish his hat.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

I made a bit more progress on this. The french knots aren't sitting very nicely, but that may be because I didn't notice the pattern only showed one loop knots and I did two loop knots. So I'm going to start from the other end and see if one loop looks better and then if it does I'll take out the two loop ones I've done. Also realised I missed a bit of his coat above his sleeve.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Since I know everyone has been waiting with baited breath :p - here is the latest on Twas the Night :D

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Here's a bit more progress. I'm going slower than I like, seem to spend more time staring at it than actually stitching. Oh well, I think once I get past the tent stitch outlines I'll do better - I'm having a bit of a problem sometimes figuring out where the outlines are.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

I worked some more on the outlines today:

I got myself into a bit of trouble with the tent stitch when starting with the whisper by starting at the wrong end of the stitch. When I managed to untangle myself the difference was noticeable. I think when I get back around to the start I may undo the first stitches and redo them.

Class updates

Here are updates on the two classes I'm currently working on:

Twas the Night Before Christmas:

Desert Diamonds:

Twas the Night Before Christmas

I finally started the stitching on this class piece last night. I was supposed to be doing the tent stitch outline on the various bits of him, but after I'd done the first couple of stitches on what I thought was the outline of his sleeve I realised that it was actually compensating stitches, so I just kept stitching the sleeve proper like that was what I meant to do all along. And I've just looked at the stitch diagram and realised that I did my stitches backwards, but I don't think you can tell so I'll just keep going.

I have decided that I'm definitely not joining in on the Crazy January thing, it did sound interesting, but I know I wouldn't get far - I doubt I'd even finish the starts - last time I tried to start a bunch together there were three that didn't get started within my time frame, one I still haven't started. And I can't choose 15 projects - I either have not enough or too many. I also don't really want to just jump into something that doesn't suit what I want to achieve. And at this point in time I'm still looking to clear some of my WIP's, a couple of which are getting close (I must update you on An Open Heart - I've started on the border now - not that it shows up very well being white on white).

So I think I'll just watch and cheer on those who do want to try a crazy challenge, and try and meander towards my own random wishy-washy goals. Although they aren't really called goals or anything like that that makes it sound like work. Cos I know from experience that I'm not too good at meeting targets etc. when I'm supposed to be having fun, I just end up doing nothing, which really gets me nowhere. So maybe I'll call them vague likes.