Cross Stitch Session

Finally, I was able to log in to blogger.com.  For some time, for reason I don't know, I cannot log in to my blog.  IT personnel here in the office said that blogger.com is not blocked by our firewall.  So I just tried  and tried everyday, until this morning, to my surprise, I came through.

And as usual, even though I am absent here always, I still do cross stitch everyday even at the office.  And speaking about it, here's a photo of us having our cross stitch session during lunch break:

Everyday, we waited for 12 o'clock, then when it's nearing 1pm, we all wish time will stop so we can continue stitching.  It used to be only the two of us, me (in black) and Phines (the one on my right) doing cross stitch.  Then we were able to convince Claire (the one in checkered) to go back to cross stitching as well as Edith (the one on the upper left corner of the photo) and Shiela (not in the photo).  We also have two new recruits, LOL, Alodia (wearing red) and Razzel (not in the photo, she's having a headache, maybe from too much stitching).  And I almost forget, Claire also influenced her sister into cross stitching.  So from two, we have grown to eight cross stitchers.

Have a great week friends and as usual, take care always!

Hugs :-)

My First Cross Stitch

I was compiling and organizing my cross stitch patterns last week when I came upon the pattern of my first cross stitch:

This confirms that my addiction started way back 1999 :-D

It's funny because after discovering this, somebody from a local Facebook cross stitch group asked the members to show the photo of their first piece and also to tell when did we start the hobby.

This is my finished project from the pattern, actually it was a kit from Anchor:

Have a great week ahead my friends.  Take care always and thank you for stopping by.

Madli Shawl

Sometime last month, I was feeling stressed out with work and people (what's new, LOL!), so I did what I always do to relax... I went to my favorite yarnshop, Dreams.  The owner/teacher, Ms. Lilli, taught me to do the Madli Shawl, which I always dream of doing.  I am always amazed and in love with lace knitting that I wanted to do all the lace shawls I see everywhere in the web...if only I have all the time in the world.  Anyway, I need her tutorial on this shawl since it's the first time that I will do a shawl with separate parts and also the cast-on of this is not the usual long-tail cast on that I know.  Here's the photo of the shawl taken from my book:

Close-up:

The book where it was taken, Knitted Lace of Estonia, which I like so much.  I love all the shawls in this book.  Again, if I have the time in the future, I will post here photos of all the shawls shown in the book.

My progress so far:

This was taken by another camera (was comparing photos from Sony and Casio cameras).  I think you can see here clearly the design of the shawl.

The yarn I am using.

I still do cross stitch everyday as I wanted to finish the Tropical Fruits soon, but I knit this when I wanted to take a break from cross stitch.

Have a nice week ahead friends and take care always!

Hugs :-)

Tropical Fruits Update, Clips

I think there's some progress enough to show you in my Tropical Fruits piece, so here it is:

Excuse it for being dirty and all those fold marks.  I got sweaty hands so no matter what I do, all my WIPs got dirty one way or another.  Anyway, as soon as I finish it, I will immediately wash it.

Those of you who have been with me since I started blogging know that I don't use hoops or scroll frames, I just stitched in hand.  That's why clips are very important to me in stitching.  In my post here, I've shown you how I use the clips and also have shown you my clips.

Then sometime two weeks ago, I happen to see these clips from our local bookstore and bought:

Ice Cream

Rabbits

Penguins

Piggies

Snails.  I hope my progress won't be very slow when I will use these clips, LOL!

Doggies

Frogs. I hope Mr. Frog won't visit these friends of his when I use these.

My favorite among all the clips:  BEES

Here's how I use them on my Tropical Fruits:

Front view

Back view

That's all for now folks.  Have a great week ahead.  Take care always!

Hugs!

Journey - Framed

Finally, my Journey is now framed and on the wall.  I finished it around May and it was only mid June that I have it framed.  One of the greatest happiness of a stitcher is seeing her finished piece framed and hanging and that is what I am feeling right now.

Am stitching my Tropical Fruits everyday and that's one of the reason why I can't blog weekly.  Most weekends, all I wanna do is stitch, stitch and stitch.  Then on weekdays, after a long day at the office, am too tired to bother opening the computer and composing a post, but I still manage to do some 200 to 300 stitches every evening.

I also am stitching a small piece at the office during lunch breaks.  Will post some photos soon.  Sorry, so many promises of posting photos LOL!

Hugs to all!  Take care always friends :-)

Heavenly Stitchin' Moment Revisited

More than two years ago, I posted about Heavenly Stitchin Moment here.  Then after awhile, my interest shifted to crochet then knitting.  Eventually, I got a full time job that I completely neglected my cross stitch, hence, haven't frequented the LNS (local needlecraft stores) where I buy my cross stitch materials.  Then, as most of you knew, I am so stressed at work that I came back to cross stitching.  Hobby-wise, it's my first love, so I always come back to it.  And going back to cross stitching means going back and revisting my favorite stores, one of them Heavenly Stitchin' Moment. 

I visited the store some weeks ago to buy my favorite blue erasable marker and also to look into what's new in their patterns and kits.  The feeling is still the same - whenever I am there, I go crazy, I feel like a child in a toy store that I don't wanna leave... I can stay there forever... I wanted to buy all the patterns, threads, notions, etc etc.  Here are some photos of the store:

Frames

Threads

Cross stitch kits

Cross stitch (and other crafts) magazines on Sale!

In this rack, there used to be puzzles, but they are now replaced with Diamond Stitch, I think that's what they call those black boxes.  From what I understand, Diamond Stitch is just like cross stitch, it comes with pattern but instead of thread, you will use beads.  Just don't know what happened with my camera but I am sure I took a photo of a finished piece.  When I go back to the store, I will see to it to take pictures again and will post here.

Then there's this new Great Wall of China cross stitch, which is a bit different from a previous one, (again, I will post a photo soon of the old one to compare) that I, up to this time, am contemplating on getting:

The white circle is not a moon :D, it's the reflection of the light bulb of the store :D

As usual, thanks for visiting and reading my blog.  Take care always and have a nice week ahead.


For those residing in the Philippines, the store featured above is located at the SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City.  For inquiries, you can call them at: 556-0133.

Springwater

I am absent again for two weeks here, and as usual, most of you knows the reason - work.  Well, I am not complaining because I know that there plenty who are jobless and applying endlessly for work.  Though there are some difficult and egotistical people at the office, I am still thankful to God that I have a job.  Anyway, onto cross stitching...

I have been looking for this pattern for so long that I suddenly thought of posting this on Facebook asking the help of fellow cross stitchers to look for it.  And to my amazement, a friend, Lorinda, found this in their hometown:

Springwater Pattern by DMC Philippines

I am so excited that I immediately bought the threads for it:

Thanks again for stopping by and reading, happy week ahead to all of us.  Take care always :-)