About Me

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I have been stitching since the late 80's I used to knit till it went out of fashion in the 80's,I enjoy many forms of stitching hardanger,blackwork, any counted stitches, cross-stitch, Quilting,stumpwork,beading and of course my first passion which was knitting.I love the colour purple, I like to stitch samplers I love alphabets, will design my own for special occasions.I like following designer lizzie kate, brent creek,prarie schooler, shepherds bush, little house needlework, Country Cottage Needle work and many more.

Sunday 27 December 2009

Fair and Square

I did not get my big tree out this year as we have started to strip wallpaper as we were rewired earlier this year, but I did find a small tree which I decorated with the ornaments I have made and received in exchanges over the last 2 years.
Sonda let me know that she had received the squares I stitched for her in The Fair and Square Christmas Exchange, I had already stitched this once and made it into a biscornu for the HOE Christmas ornament so I stitched hers so she could finish it in the same way. it was stitched on 32ct antique white evenweave with recommended threads the pattern was from Novembers GOS.
Jayne

Christmas Gifts I stitched.

I didn't do much stitching this year for christmas but here are the pictures of the gifts I stitched for the Mothers.


This is what I made for my Mother-in-law Vera for Christmas it is Just Nan's When Barnabee met Bella Biscornu it took quite alot of work I have been stitching it for quite a few months on and off.

I had treated my Mum already to the Jane Greenoff workshop we did in November as a Christmas present but I still felt I needed to make her something to I stitched The Sweetheart Tree's The Stitcher's Favorite Fob but I turned it into a Chatelaine I also made the beaded scissor fob I have also my myself one.

Jayne

Friday 18 December 2009

One more week


My mother is a member of her local Flower Arranger group (N.A.F.A.S) she is on the committee so every year I go with her to the Christmas Flower arranging demonstration as we get good seats, then you spend a couple of hour watching those huge flower arrangements been put together and listen to the demonstrator telling you all his stories so it is a good night.

At the end of the night the arrangements are raffled so you could end up going home with one, it is my worst nightmare because they are so big you would have trouble getting them in the car fortunately I have never won one yet. I always end up folding the raffle tickets though as my Mum and another lady sell them.
Do many other ladies have problems reaching the magazines? My husband thought this made a good photo as I and another lady where unable to reach the top shelf to leaf though the magazines alot of ladies are vertically challenged, but I don't think shops think about this.
This is what I am stitching at the moment a late Xmas present for my Mum I have already treated her to a stitching day out as her Christmas present but I thought I would make her a little something to open, it is the stitcher's favorite fob from The Sweetheart Tree but I intend to finish it as a Chatelaine.
JAYNE

Saturday 12 December 2009

Exchanges received

Two out of the three exchanges have now been received, I stitched this Prairie Schooler Santa from Last years GOS ornament edition for the year long Prairie Schooler Exchange Juanita received it. I stitched it on cream 28ct even weave with the recommended threads.

The biscornu was from this years GOS Christmas ornament edition, as soon as I saw the pattern I know it would make a fabulous biscorun,this was the HOE Christmas Ornament which Blyn has received, it is hanging on her tree already I stitched it on antique white 32count evenweave with the recommended threads.
Jayne

Wednesday 9 December 2009

Prairie Schooler Exchange

I received this in the post yesterday from Alice she has stitched the Prairie Schooler 1999 Santa it is finished off as an ornament it is backed with fabric covered in gingerbread men, she has finished it with piping.

JAYNE

Saturday 5 December 2009

All Posted!

I have posted the last of my exchanges today I had 3 to be finished and posted in December which I managed, I have even received one back.
In the post yesterday I received from Nicola this wonderful Christmas ornament from the Christmas HOE, this is the 2nd exchange I have received from Nicola this year I also had a pinkeep from the Summerhouse HOE.This is from Novembers GOS a prairie Schooler pattern stitched on 32ct Summer Khaki Belfast Linen with the recommended DMC threads.

Now that I have finished my exchanges for the year, that leaves me 3 weeks till Christmas to finish my Christmas stitching, I have been working on one piece for a while but can't show it yet. Alot of my stitching this year has been exchanges I have not really done much for myself I am going to have to be more selective next year as I have a big project to complete by the end of March so that I have time to get it framed by the beginning of May which is the Birth Sampler for my Nephews Christening hopefully the 2010 weekly Stitch along will help me to do this as I show my progress each week.

My Hubby took these 2 pictures of my dogs Whisky(above) and Penny(below) while I was making dinner they where waiting for any titbits that might come their way.
Unfortunately my camera has given up the ghost I am going to have to get a new one but I will wait till March when we are going to a Camera Show at the NEC Birmingham called "In Focus" I will have to do my homework and see what I want before I go as you can get some good deals but it will have to be a Canon as my Hubby is a Canon man, I will have to borrow one of his many camera's till then or get him to take my photos as he has got a Degree in this subject.

JAYNE

Sunday 29 November 2009

Been Busy


Well I have been busy, I have finished and posted my Prairie Schooler Exchange I have just about finished my HOE and F+S exchanges which should be posted this week, I signed up to the Little House Ornament Sal which starts 1st Dec but my chart hasn't arrived yet from the States. I have also signed up for the 2010 weekly stitch along Sal which starts in January as it will motivate me to do my birth sampler for my nephew who is been christened in May as I want to give it as a christening gift.

Jayne

Wednesday 18 November 2009

1st Blogoversary

Well this is the end of my 1st year of writing a blog I have enjoyed sharing with people what I have been stitching and showing all the exchanges I have received from other people. thank you to all the people who have left comments I enjoy reading them, I do spend alot of time reading other blogs there is alot of inspiration out there you get so many idea's from seeing what other people are doing.

The other weekend I attended a workshop by Jane Greenoff of The Cross Stitch Guild with my mother, it was actually a weekend workshop but as it was only in Leeds which is 20 miles away we just attended for the day.
Jane is above(in red) showing a Lady what to do.

Since it was so close to Christmas it had a Christmas Theme, there was two projects which we were given I decided to do the Christmas Biscornu decoration which is above.

Here is my Mum she snipping her threads on the Hardanger part.

Here are some of the other ladies and off course there was a shop to add to our stash, I was very good I didn't buy anything but my Mum did.

Jayne

Sunday 15 November 2009

On holiday

Here we are again I usually always have this week off in November as there is a large Knitting and Stitching show on here in Harrogate which I will be visiting for a few days, I was quite fortunate in that I was able to visit this show in October when it was in London, you tend to find that exhibitors are different in the south and do not travel up North!! I have also booked some workshops to do which will break the day up, Saturday I will be going with my Mum and meeting some other friends there.
We have started the week at the caravan, we have been here since Thursday, hoping the weather was going to be kind to us but as usual it hasn't, we have had gales and rain so the site is very wet one of the other owner has put out duckboards as the ground is so wet he doesn't have a path to his caravan. We are here to close it down for the season which we will do on Monday before we go home at the moment we are sat on North Bay in Scarborough watching the world go by, I have my stitching and we have just had some great bacon sandwiches from a road side cafe here.

Jayne

Saturday 31 October 2009

Halloween Exchange

This is what I stitched for the basket of Biscornu challenge for October it is in Hardanger from the New stitches magazine I stitched it on cream evenweave and variegated Caron threads.

Here is the HOE Halloween exchange I received from Lisa V she has done a tin finish for me which is my first. she also enclosed some other goodies.

Jayne

Tuesday 27 October 2009

Exchanges





I have been busy with exchanges I have some to share with you. Boo Moon designed by Val's Stuff was stitched for Terry for the Fall exchange in the All season Ornament Exchange, it was from the Just Cross-stitch Magazine Halloween issue 2009. The Ornament she stitched for me was double sided with the Witch and the Jack-o-lantern, stitched on my favorite colour purple she finished the sides with beads.
The Halloween ornament I stitched for Sadie in the HOE Halloween exchange, this was also taken from the Just Cross-stitch Halloween issue it was designed by La-D-Da.
I also received an exchange fro Australia from Lisa but I have forgotten to take a picture she put her stitching on top of a tin so watch this space for the Picture.
We are having problems with our Internet connection and I am unable to use our Desktop computer at the moment so I am having to use my Husbands Laptop which is not ideal as I hate it.

Jayne







Wednesday 7 October 2009

Finished Tudor Rose



I have finished the Tudor Rose Necklace I did on the Jill Devon Masterclass in June, I am off to the Knitting and Stitching Show in London on Friday so I wanted to finish the necklace to show her I am very pleased with the end result my Hubby even said it had a Tudor influence not knowing the name of the necklace.
We are off to London tomorrow for 3 days, I have booked some theatre tickets as well, we are off to see Sister Act and Oliver, I enjoy going to the Theatre when we are in London, my feet are aching already in anticipation of all the walking we will do.
Jayne

Tuesday 22 September 2009

Bead Treat at the Bay.

I have just returned from the Coast, I spent a fantastic day at a  Bead Workshop with Diane Fitzgerald an American Bead Teacher, the day was arranged by Jenny Boyle who's classes I attend through out the year. Jenny had also arranged for some of us to go out for a meal the night before in Robin Hoods Bay we had a great evening at the Victoria Hotel which over looks the bay so we had a beautiful view to watch while we were eating.

As you can see from the picture below we were all  working hard. Diane was a good teacher we learn alot of good tips, using a double thread and melting the knot with a cigarette lighter just had to go out and buy one, this was alot easier than having to stitch you ends in.

Here is her latest book which I bought on amazon as it was cheaper and of course I had it signed by her.

This is what we spent the day doing we started with the pointed oval to get the technique then we did the Celtic Trefoil, these were done doing peyote stitch.

Jayne

Wednesday 9 September 2009

Been beading


While I was away at the weekend I attended a bead workshop at Robinhoods Bay with Jenny Boyle, we made a Scarab Pendant,the bead in the center of the pendent is a Scarab beetle, for the Egyptians the scarab beetle was the most popular amulet providing protection. They were associated with the creator god Khepri who pushed the sun across the sky. The Scarab is a symbol of re-birth into the afterlife. As you can see I have not used the usual strong Egyptian colours but my favorite colour purple as guess what I have loads of purple beads.

I have done quite a bit of beading this week I have also been working on the Tudor Rose Necklace from the workshop I did in June with Jill Devon of The Bead Merchant, I will hopefully start to put it together soon as I would like to have it finished by the time I go to the Knitting and stitching show in London in October so I can show it to her as she hadn't actually worked this necklace as a full sample.


Here is Penny my Jack Russell she is usually to be found on my lap when I am trying to do any stitching or beading I was sat on the bed beading and watching TV she just had to come and join in.



Jayne

Monday 7 September 2009

Time to stitch

I have been on holiday for the last week back to work tomorrow. Here is what I stitched for the YLPS exchange for April it arrived very quickly within 5 days, i made it into a mattress pincushion.
I have done some more stitching, 4th,5th,6th and 7th Days of The Twelve Days of Christmas(Just Nan) for  the Christmas Challenge 2009  which I set myself, just need to make them up then I will post them on the blog.

I also went to a quilt and embroidery show in Harrogate, there was some beautiful quilts on display and of course I had to add to my stash there was a couple of things I have seen in the recent quilting magazines so I bought the material to make them. Now that September is here I start to think about Christmas and what gifts I can make people so this stash will come in handy.
Jayne

Monday 31 August 2009

Bank Holiday

Here we are a August Bank Holiday weekend, at this moment in time I am sat on North Bay in Scarborough, it is warm and sunny we have a static caravan here on the Coast, I had trouble trying to connect to google this morning sat 10 mins with no sign of connecting, had our lunch then tried again and within minutes we were connected, we are sat here just watching the world go by, I have my stitching with me and shortly we will take our 2 dogs for a walk as they are getting restless. The tide is in and we are watching people surf as there are some good waves.
No pictures to post at the moment all stitching at the moment gifts or exchanges.
Jayne

Wednesday 26 August 2009

YLPS Exchange arrived.


The postman left me two nice packages today, the first I opened was the YLPS Exchange from Nic who lives in the UK only an hour down the road from me so it didn't have far to travel,she stitched E for Embroidery from the chart D*E*F in Book 99, she stitched it while she has been listening to the Cricket. I have stitched my exchange piece just need to make it up so will be posted on time.
The other package was from Violarium I ordered the Halloween issue of Just Cross stitch and the September Biscornu from Atalie which has the alphabet on I love stitching alphabets. it also contained the threads required just need to dig some material out. I will have to order some threads now so that I can stitch some of the Halloween ornaments for Exchanges that I will be signing up for.

Jayne

Friday 14 August 2009

HOE Summer House

I was away when Lisa  received my exchange so this is the first time I have had to show you what I made, I took this from Country Cottages Needlework's  "Home Sweet Home" I made it into a needle case with a pocket. My Hubby put the picture together for me he says he will teach me how to do it but it looks complicated.
Jayne

Thursday 30 July 2009

Busy few weeks

I still have holes in my walls after 5 weeks still waiting for the plasterer, in the mean time we have been on holiday, I have completed my HOE Summer House it is a well travelled piece of x-stitch as I did it while I was away in France.
When I returned from France I found a package in the post on opening it I found the HOE Summer House from Nicola who lives in the UK so it didn't have far to travel, she stitched it on 36ct Antique White Edinburgh Linen using DMC threads, it is a beautiful pinkeep. The pattern is from Cross Stitcher June 1995.

As I have already mentioned we have just been to France, we stayed in a town called Arras, my Husband has an interest in the 1st World War so we went on a battle field tour which was a coach trip, this is our 2nd trip they are very interesting as I have a very limited knowledge on this subject. Last year they opened The Wellington Tunnels under Arras which were used to house troops before a major battle then they were used again during the 2nd World War. We also managed to go in some of the Tunnels under Vimy Ridge which were also interesting. We were lucky and had good weather as the rain now seems to have set in for the summer. 
This is one of my Hubby's photo's of Arras the architecture was very impressive in parts very Flemish.

I also managed to find a news agents as I love the French Cross-stitch magazines so as you see I bought a few.

Unable to share what I am stitching at the moment as they are for an exchange and a gift.

Jayne

Saturday 18 July 2009

Still no time to stitch

We have been re-wired now but are still waiting for the Plasterer to come and fill in all the holes he is meant to be coming today but he has not arrived yet. All my stitching is in boxes and I can not get to it, this has been going on for 3 weeks we go to France on Holiday for 5 days and I have to pack yet, then I will have to start decorating when I get back so again the stitching will go out of the window.



This is what I stitched for the HOE Christmas in July exchange I did it while we were away in Scotland, it was stitched 1 over 1 and took me the whole week.
This is when we were starting to pack the car before we came back from Carrbridge in Scotland which is just below Inverness. We had really hot weather which is unusual for us as it usually rains. As you can see we stayed in lovely log cabins we took our dogs with us but it was too hot for them.

Jayne

Monday 29 June 2009

No Time to Stitch

I have no time to stitch at the moment, we were on holiday last week in Scotland I have some photos once I download them, it took me all week to stitch my Christmas in July Exchange I didn't notice that it was stitched over 1 thread till I started it and saw how big it would turn out but it was too late to find another pattern as we where away so I did it over 1 thread, I most say it looks great my Hubby can't understand why I give them away when they take so long to make but I like the thrill of receiving my exchange in the post.
We are having the house rewired so this is why I have no time as I am having to clear rooms so the Electricians can rip up my floor boards, my Hubby has now seen how large my Stash is and I am banned from buying anymore fabric till I have used up some of my Stash, I am going to have to spend my money on redecorating anyway so it is a good job I have such a large Stash.

JAYNE

Thursday 18 June 2009

HOE Christmas in July


I received this in the post today from Ellen S from the Christmas in July Exchange  on HOE, Ellen is obviously more organised then I am as I have only just started to stitch my exchange piece I am beginning to think it is too big. Ellen's Ornie is from a Lizzie Kate pattern she was also very kind and added some extras.

JAYNE

Sunday 14 June 2009

Beading workshops


I was fortunate to spend Friday and Saturday doing two beading Masterclasses with Jill Devon of The Bead Merchant. The workshops where organised by Cath who I attend other classes with at Robin Hoods Bay she had started a local group who bead the 1st Saturday of the month and call themselves the Bandroom Beaders as they meet in a band room. The location is in the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors in the middle of nowhere in a Village called Farndale down a very narrow road!, Took me about 1 hr 15 mins to Drive there both days the weather was glorious so the views where spectacular on the top of Sutton Bank.

On Friday we did the Alston Lariat there was 5 colour ways to choose from I did the above it has a grey background and is embellished with coloured beads which do not show up the band is right angle weave. You can also adapt it to make a bracelet.

Saturday we did the Tudor Rose workshop there where 3 Colour ways my Choice is in the picture below. There was more right angle weave I think Jill rather dose like this stitch.

As you can see I really got alot done over the 2 days!!!


Here is my retail therapy more beads and 2 necklace kits to add to my already large stash. I had a lovely 2 days with the ladies if I can get myself organised and request some Saturdays off I might go and join the group.

Jayne