Pumpkin House–Stage 1

My new SAL project is a kit that was bought by my dear friend Lin. She’d planned to stitch it herself but realised after completing only a few stitches that her eyes were no longer up to cross stitching. I know how much she loves the design and I can’t see a kit go to waste so I offered to stitch it for her.

It’s called Pumpkin House from the Enchanted series by Bothy Threads. Did anyone guess the theme after my clue last time?

Lin says there’s no hurry to complete this one but it jumped the queue because I was ready for another monochrome project. It’s mostly full crosses and there are a handful of 3/4 stitches, some back stitched details for the webs, metallic silver thread for the moon and some star shaped sequins which will add a bit of sparkle.

Here’s where I’m up to.

As you can see I’ve made good progress already. It’s all been stitched using 3 strands of black so far which is giving good coverage. The fabric is hand dyed which makes the colours all cloudy and moody.

Bothy Threads kits are really good quality. I’ve made loads of different ones from their range and they never disappoint with lovely threads and very clear charts and instructions.

Next, I’m going to tackle the spooky tree to the left of the roof.

Please visit the other blogs that are taking part in this SAL. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences as we’re posting today at local time.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan,

Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 26th March 2023.

About the SAL

Please note this SAL is not accepting any more new members until further notice but this is what it’s all about anyway. This SAL (Stitch Along) is slightly different to other SALs in that we don’t all stitch the same design at the same rate. We choose ONE unfinished project, or ONE new one, and show progress of its completion over a series of three weekly updates. There are no deadlines and no set amount to stitch. The result is that the space in our drawers full of WIPs (works in progress) is gradually being freed up to store lots of new crafty goodness. It’s surprising how much motivation I’ve gained from being in this SAL.

27 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on March 5, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Pumpkin House

Tagged Bothy Threads, cross stitich, embroidery, Pumpkin House, SAL

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on March 5, 2023

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2023/03/05/pumpkin-house-stage-1/

Roll Your Own–Happy Dance!

It’s time for another SAL update. I stitched one of the Roll Your Own designs from Ink Circles. This one is from Mandala Set 1.

This is where I got up to last time.

This is where I’m up to now. All the stitching is finished.

I think I found the perfect fabric to make it into a cushion cover.

Here it is all finished. Of course, nobody will be allowed to sit on it LOL.

I really enjoyed making it. My next project is already waiting in the wings. I’ll introduce it next time but I’ll give you a clue and you can see if you guess correctly. I believe I have until October to finish it. Does that help?

Please visit the other blogs that are taking part in this SAL. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences as we’re posting today at local time.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan,

Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 5th March 2023.

About the SAL

42 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on February 12, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Roll Your Own

Tagged cross stitich, embroidery, Ink Circles, Roll Your Own, SAL

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on February 12, 2023

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2023/02/12/roll-your-own-happy-dance/

Roll Your Own–Stage 8

It’s time for another SAL update. I’m stitching one of the Roll Your Own designs from Ink Circles. This one is from Mandala Set 1.

This is where I got up to last time.

Here is where I’m up to now.

The green flowers are coloured the same as the one in the centre of the design and I’ve used teals and purples for the ones in the corners. I really wanted to finish it in time for this update but my knitting called again. The remaining 4 flowers will be green in the middle and purple around the outside. I’ll definitely be Happy Dancing next time Smile .

Helen has been poorly recently with a rotten virus so she probably won’t be posting today but please check out what everyone else has been up to by clicking their names below. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences as we’re posting today at local time. Get well soon Helen!
Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan,

Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 12th February 2023.

About the SAL

26 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on January 22, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Roll Your Own

Tagged craft, cross stitch, embroidery, handmade, Ink Circles, Needlework, Roll Your Own, SAL

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on January 22, 2023

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2023/01/22/roll-your-own-stage-8/

Roll Your Own – Stage 7

Happy New Year everyone! Best wishes for 2023 :-).

It’s time for another SAL update. I’m stitching one of the Roll Your Own designs from Ink Circles. This one is from Mandala Set 1.

This is where I got up to last time.

I continued with the rest of the border which is formed by lifting the centre of the main design and repeating it all around the edge.

Here is where I’m up to now. The black outline is finished so I can start to add the colours. I’ll be stitching 8 of the 16 flower motifs in the same colours as the one in the centre. Then I think there’ll be two sets of four in different colourways. I’d love to finish it for next time because I’ve already chosen my next project but it’s probably going to take two stages.

The motifs look stretched at the top and squished at the bottom but that’s because the fabric isn’t lying flat. They are properly square in real life. Although there was a lot more stitching done this time it was much easier because I didn’t need to count for positioning.

Please check out what everyone else has been up to by clicking their names below. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences as we’re posting today at local time.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan,

Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 22nd January 2023.

About the SAL

35 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on January 1, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Roll Your Own

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, embroidery, fabric, handmade, Needlework, SAL

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on January 1, 2023

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2023/01/01/roll-your-own-stage-7/

Roll Your own – Stage 6

It’s time for another SAL update. I’m stitching one of the Roll Your Own designs from Ink Circles. This one is from Mandala Set 1.

This is where I got up to last time.

Here is where I’m up to now.

I’ve stitched the inner edge of the border and didn’t make any counting errors. I checked each time I came to a corner and also at the middle of the sides to make sure everything was lining up. Can see how the centre flower/cross pattern is going to fit all the way round? I think it should be a bit quicker to stitch the rest of the black outline because the positioning has been done but I reckon the bit I’ve finished is only about one quarter of the black stitching in the border. I’m enjoying stitching and would like to have the black finished for next time.

Merry Christmas if you celebrate it. I’ll see you all again in 2023!

Please check out what everyone else has been up to by clicking their names below. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences as we’re posting today at local time.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan,

Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 1st January 2023.

About the SAL

26 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on December 11, 2022 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Roll Your Own

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, embroidery, fabric, handmade, Needlework, SAL, Sewing

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on December 11, 2022

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2022/12/11/roll-your-own-stage-6/

Roll Your Own – Stage 5

It’s time for another SAL update. I’m stitching one of the Roll Your Own designs from Ink Circles. This one is from Mandala Set 1.

This is where I got up to last time.

Here is where I’m up to now.

This is the finished Ink Circles design so I could stop there but I’m not going to because my fabric has room for more and I’m really enjoying stitching this project. I’ve decided to copy the centre of the design and repeated it around the outside to make a wide border. If you can find the middle cross/flower shape up to and including the 8 green squares, that’s the bit I’m going to use. I think I’ll have space for 5 repeats along each side including corners so that’ll be a total of 16 repeats. My current plan is to colour some the same as the centre, some in mainly purples and the rest in blues and teals. I think that’ll work but I can change my mind as I go if it’s not working out. There’s no need to make firm decisions about colours yet because there’s a lot of black outline to stitch before I get to colour in. I’m going to try to get all the black stitched for the next update but there might be too much. I’ll see how it goes.

Please check out what everyone else has been up to by clicking their names below. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences as we’re posting today at local time.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan,

Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 11th December 2022.

About the SAL

29 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on November 20, 2022 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Roll Your Own

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, embroidery, fabric, handmade, Needlework, SAL, Sewing

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on November 20, 2022

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2022/11/20/roll-your-own-stage-5/

Roll Your Own – Stage 4

It’s time for another SAL update. I’m stitching one of the Roll Your Own designs from Ink Circles. This one is from Mandala Set 1.

This is where I got up to last time.

This is where I’m up to now.

I would’ve liked to have finished the colouring for this update but it wasn’t to be. I’m still pleased with how much I got done though. I’ve decided I’m definitely going to add a border as it only measures 7″ x 7″. I’ve got plenty of scrap threads left and I chose a large piece of fabric so it seems like a good idea to make it bigger. I intend to finish the rest of the colouring for next time when I’ll be doing a mini Happy Dance. I think I can manage that much in 3 weeks.

Please check out what everyone else has been up to by clicking their names below. Constanze is taking a break from the SAL for a while. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences as we’re posting today at local time.
Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan,

Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 20th November 2022.

About the SAL

25 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on October 30, 2022 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Roll Your Own

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, embroidery, fabric, handmade, Needlework, SAL, Sewing

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on October 30, 2022

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2022/10/30/roll-your-own-stage-4/

Roll Your Own – Stage 3

It’s time for another SAL update. I’m stitching one of the Roll Your Own designs from Ink Circles.

This is where I got up to last time.

I’ve started to add the colours and I really like the effect so far. I’m enjoying stitching this one, so much so that I’m thinking of making it bigger. There’s a small design included in the chart pack and it could probably be adapted to make a wide border. I’ll make a decision about that when I’m closer to finishing all the colouring in. It is Roll Your Own after all :-).

Please check out what everyone else has been up to by clicking their names below. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences as we’re posting today at local time.
Avis, Claire, Gun, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny,

Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 30th October 2022.

About the SAL

34 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on October 9, 2022 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Roll Your Own

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, embroidery, fabric, handmade, interior design, Needlework, SAL, Sewing

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on October 9, 2022

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2022/10/09/roll-your-own-stage-3/

Roll Your Own – Stage 2

It’s time for another SAL update. I’m stitching one of the Roll Your Own designs from Ink Circles.

This is where I got up to last time.

I was enjoying doing the black stitching so much that I decided to finish all of it. I was almost at the end before I got tired of black so just one last push was needed to get it all done. Here it is.

I’m really pleased with how it’s looking so far and I can’t wait to stitch some of the colours. The garden needs a good tidy up before the autumn sets in and I’m also distracted by knitting again but I’m sure there’ll be plenty of time to stitch some pretty colours in the next 3 weeks.

Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 9th October 2022.

About the SAL

29 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on September 18, 2022 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Roll Your Own, Uncategorized

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, embroidery, handmade, Needlework, SAL, Sewing

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on September 18, 2022

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2022/09/18/roll-your-own-stage-2/

Roll your Own – Stage 1

Since the last update I picked up the Woodland Sampler from the framer. I think he made a smashing job of it. I chose a wooden frame and double mount in cream and green. The framer gave me several nudges in the right direction as to what colours etc. to choose. I paid extra for art glass which is so much clearer than other picture glass. I’ll be living with this sampler for a long time so it’ll be worth the cost. I’ve just noticed the left hand green border looks odd compared to the rest. It’s fine, I checked. The window is on the left of the picture and the double thickness border has created a shadow. Phew!

I haven’t hung it on the wall yet because I’m going to have a switch around of all my pictures. They’ve been part of the furniture for so long that I don’t even see them any more. It’s time for change.

Now it’s time to introduce my new SAL project. I’ve chosen one of the Roll Your Own designs from Ink Circles. My other half bought the charts for Christmas a few years ago and I’ve been itching to stitch one for ages. My friend Claire introduced me to Ink Circles a long time ago. We’ve stitched some of the designs together for this SAL including Cirque des Cercles. There are links at the right of this page if you’re interested.

This is the charts I have. There are 2 large and one small design in the pack. The Ink Circles charts are always very clear and easy to read so this is going to be an easy project to stitch.

I’ve decided to make the design at the top and I’ll be using fabric and threads from my stash. The design is all full crosses so I’m using white 16 count aida and lots of leftover threads, some of which came from my lovely friend Lin when she decided she wouldn’t be cross stitching any more. Thank you again Lin!

Tracy, the designer, gives advice on how to choose your own colours as well as lists of threads for the versions on the cover photo. If I run out of a certain colour I’ll be able to substitute with something else. I’m stash busting :-). Anyway, I’ve chosen purples (who would’ve guessed?), greens, teals and blues plus black for the borders.

Ready to start. I love the needle holder. I’m still using the needle case you made for me Claire :-).

This is how far I got with the black border. There’s a lot of counting to do but the chart is so good that it’s very easy to stitch.

I think it’s going to be fun when I start to fill in the colours but I’m going to finish all the black first. It’s not a huge design.

If you’ve been in this SAL for a long time you’ll remember MaryMargaret. She took a very long break but is now ready to get back to stitching along with us. Welcome back MaryMargaret.

Please check out what everyone has been up to by clicking their names below. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences as we’re posting today at local time.
Avis, Claire, Gun, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny,

Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

Our next updates will be posted on the 18th September 2022.

About the SAL

25 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on August 28, 2022 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Roll Your Own

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, embroidery, handmade, Needlework, SAL, Sewing

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on August 28, 2022

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2022/08/28/roll-your-own-stage-1/