Still Stitching Along!

Hello stitching friends!  It has been so long since my last stitching update - we have had such internet connectivity problems over the past few months - I just hope this post makes it safely into blogland!  

It has cooled down a bit here in Cape Town over the past few weeks and we are definitely moving into Autumn!  There is even a slight chill in the air in the evenings and we have had some rain - such a relief after a terribly hot summer!

Even though I haven't been blogging I have been stitching!  Michelle from StitchCraft Place and I have been enjoying our Tuesday evening SAL every week!  We are stitching the Isabella Donald sampler from the Spring 2012 issue of the SANQ magazine.

I have substituted the charted colours with my own choice of Madeira silk and I just love how it's turning out!

I'm quite satisfied with my progress and hope to have a sampler finish in a few weeks :)

Here is another close up,  this band was the most time consuming section of the sampler so far, but looks lovely and the touch of dark blue silk looks just beautiful on the sampler:

I have also been working on the 'Bambu by Mamen' SAL as hosted by Ticoeur on her forum.  New steps become available twice a month and I always look forward to see which part we'll be stitching next!

A closer view of some of the details:

Work on my Celebration Sampler from Just Cross Stitch Magazine has slowed down over the past few weeks, but I do have an update to share:

I can't wait to get back to this sampler - I just love working on it!

I am also working on a few Easter ornaments to be sent as gifts, so I can't show them yet!  I am taking part in the Easter Egg-change hosted by Mii Stitch.  This is my first exchange and I'm so excited to take part!

Well, that's my stitchy update for now!  

Happy Stitching!

Michelle

Last Christmas Stitches for 2013 and a Sampler Start!

Hello stitching and blogging friends - I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  Here are my last Christmas stitches for 2013, these beautiful postcard style pieces were featured in a World of Cross Stitching Magazine.  I did not manage to do the finishing in time for Christmas as they turned out to be very time consuming to stitch, with lots of quarter stitches and back stitching.

They are stitched on 28ct antique white Jubilee in DMC stranded cotton.

Look at the lovely detail on these cards - I certainly have to do the finishing so that they can be proudly displayed next Christmas :)

I also have (another) new start - I decided not to wait for the new year to start this piece!  It is called Celebration Sampler and is featured in the Just Cross Stitch Magazine as part of their 30th anniversary this year - it is a six part sampler and runs over a few issues.  I'm stitching it on antique white 27ct Linda in DMC threads.

It does not look like much now, but it will be a beautiful band sampler with some specialty stitches.  I am really enjoying this project so far, even if I still have to chart my name into the blank space between the bands - my name and surname just won't fit into the allotted space - the sampler is quite narrow!

  

We have been 'enjoying' a typical hot, sunny South African summer, which means my roses are in full bloom.  I would like to end my last post of 2013 with some photos of one of my favourite roses from my garden.  It is called 'Blue Bayou' and has the most beautiful silver lilac flowers.

Sometimes the beauty of a single bloom is simply amazing :)

Well, that's it for 2013!  Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year!

Happy Stitching!

Michelle