All posts tagged DMC

Cirque des Triangles – Stage 6

Hello everyone,

How did it get to 4th June so quickly? Time has flown so far this year.

Anyway it’s time to share my progress on the SAL project again today. This design is by Ink Circles and it’s called Cirque des Triangles. Here’s where I was up to last time.

Here is stage 6 all done.

You can see the colours in the thread a bit better in the close up.

As you can see I’ve got the bottom right side done and we’ll be stitching along the bottom next time. My fabric has been rolled around the frame so you can’t see the top. Claire is stitching the same design as me and she uses a different kind of frame so you’ll be able to see what the whole thing looks like so far in her colour choices if you hop over to her blog.

Please take a look at how everyone else is progressing with their chosen SAL project. There’s some amazing stitching going on and you might just be inspired by some of the handywork of the other participants. Just click on the names below and you’ll hop over to their blogs. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences but we post local time, every third Sunday.

Claire, Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Steph, Linda, Catherine, Wendy, Mary Margaret, Timothy

Our next updates will be posted on the 25th June 2017. See you then!

About the SAL

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. If you’d like to finish a project you’ve left unfinished for a while, or start a new one with us, you can join us by leaving a request in the comments below or sending me an email. The address is on the right of this page. I’ll send you a few simple rules to agree.

41 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on June 4, 2017 • Permalink

Posted in Cirque des Triangles, Cross stitch

Tagged aida, Cirque des Triangles, cross stitch, DMC, Ink Circles, SAL, variegated thread

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on June 4, 2017

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2017/06/04/cirque-des-triangles-stage-6/

Cirque des Triangles – Stage 1

Hello everyone,

The last three weeks have flown by. I’ve been very busy Spring cleaning and decorating for a while, so there hasn’t been a lot of spare time to stitch but this one is difficult to put down once I get started. The design is by Ink Circles and it’s called Cirques des Triangles. The chart is very clear and easy to follow. I’m stitching on white 16 count aida fabric with DMC shade 4030 variegated thread. Just look at those lovely colour changes in the thread at the bottom of the first photo. Me and Claire are stitching the same design this time but we are going to get very different results because of our fabric and thread choices.

Please take a look at how everyone else is progressing with their projects. Just click on the names below and you’ll hop over to their blogs. We live all over the world so you may need to allow for time differences but we post local time, every third Sunday.

Claire, Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Susan, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Steph, Linda, Catherine, Wendy

Our next updates will be posted on the 12th March 2017. See you then!

About the SAL

39 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on February 19, 2017 • Permalink

Posted in Cirque des Triangles, Cross stitch

Tagged aida, Cirque des Triangles, craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, DMC, embroidery, fabric, floss, handmade, Ink Circles, interior design, Needlework, SAL, Sewing

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on February 19, 2017

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2017/02/19/cirque-des-triangles-stage-1/

Kokeshi Friends Stage 7

Hi everyone,

Welcome to Little Miss Lilac on the Left. She is the penultimate doll in this design called Kokeshi Friends by Joan Elliott. Miss Lilac stitched up really quickly as she is quite petite compared to some of the other dolls. I would have had her finished a lot quicker if I hadn’t attached the wrong shade of pale peach floss to the thread holder. There I was merrily stitching away, radio on, sitting by the radiator. You can imagine the cosy scene. Then I realised Miss Lilac was rather tanned compared to the others! So much for focussing better this time. The right hand side of the project has now rolled around the frame so you’ll have to be patient and wait to see the full design when it is finished.There’s only one doll left to stitch plus a few details, so the finish line is in sight. You will notice I’ve been very good by continuing to finish the backstitch as far as possible. I’ll consult with my cross-stitching guru Claire about the number of stages we have left. I suspect there’ll only be two (or will we make a run for the finish line, I wonder). Claire is sewing the same design as me and the other ladies in the SAL are all doing different projects.

Please click on the links below to visit everyone else’s blogs and see what they are all up to. Regular readers will notice a new stitcher in the group. Sue, who writes at From The Magpie’s Nest is joining the fun 🙂 Welcome aboard Sue! I’m really looking forward to seeing what you have chosen to stitch.

Claire, Gun, Carole, Jule, Wendy, LucyAnn, Kate, Cathy, Jess, Sue

If you are sitting reading this and thinking that you’d like to finish some of your ancient, or even recent, works in progress, why not join us? You can do so by sending me an email. The address is at the right hand side of this page.

Our next update will be on 10th April. See you then!

32 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on March 20, 2016 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Kokeshi Friends

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, DMC, embroidery, evenweave, fabric, floss, handmade, interior design, Joan Elliott, Kokeshi Friends, Needlework, SAL, Sewing, thread

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on March 20, 2016

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/kokeshi-friends-stage-7/

Kokeshi Friends Stage 6

Hi everyone,

Another three weeks have flown by and it’s time for an update on the SAL I’m taking part in. This time, the newbie is Miss Green on the left. I’ve also done as much back stitch as possible on the two dolls to the far left. I usually prefer to leave all the back stitch until last but I’m pleased I decided to do it as I go this time. It isn’t much fun backstitching in black thread around black crosses. I didn’t actually enjoy this stage as I was finding it hard to concentrate on the kimono. I miscounted and unpicked several times which is no fun on even weave fabric. Anyway, I can hopefully put the errors behind me. I must focus better from now on!

There are only two dolls left to stitch, so probably a total of three more updates. The design is called Kokeshi Friends by Joan Elliott. Claire is sewing the same design as me and the other ladies are all doing different projects. Please click on the links below to visit their blogs and see what they are all up to.

Claire, Gun, Carole, Jule, Wendy, LucyAnn, Kate, Cathy, Jess, Jacqui

Our next update will be on 20th March. See you then!

20 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on February 28, 2016 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Kokeshi Friends

Tagged cross stitch, Cross-stitch, DMC, embroidery, evenweave, fabric, handmade, interior design, Needlework, SAL, thread

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on February 28, 2016

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/kokeshi-friends-stage-6/

Kokeshi Friends Stage 5

Hello everyone,

It’s SAL update time again. I’m really happy with my progress on this project so far. For this stage I completed the large doll on the far right and quite a lot of the backstitch.

The design is called Kokeshi Friends by Joan Elliott and it’s fun to stitch. Claire is sewing the same design as me and the other ladies are all doing different projects. Please click on the links below to visit their blogs and see what they are all up to.

Claire, Gun, Carole, Jule, Wendy, LucyAnn, Kate, Cathy, Jess, Jacqui

Our next update will be on 28th February. See you then!

23 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on February 7, 2016 • Permalink

Posted in Kokeshi Friends

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, DMC, embroidery, floss, handmade, interior design, Joan Elliott, Kokeshi Dolls, Kokeshi Friends, Needlework, SAL, Sewing, thread

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on February 7, 2016

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2016/02/07/kokeshi-friends-stage-5/

Kokeshi Friends Stage 4

Good morning everyone. Here we are again. Another three weeks have whizzed by and it’s time for another SAL update. Kokeshi Friends by Joan Elliott is coming along a treat. I still haven’t done any of the backstitch so if you want to see how it will bring this pattern to life, pop over to see Claire’s version. We are stitching the same design.

Here’s where I’m up to now.

The other ladies in the group are all stitching different projects. Pop over to see what they are up to via the following links.

Claire, Gun, Carole, Jule, Wendy, LucyAnn, Kate, Cathy, Jess, Jacqui.

Our next update is scheduled for 7th February. See you then!

26 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on January 17, 2016 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Kokeshi Friends

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, DMC, embroidery, evenweave, floss, handmade, interior design, Needlework, SAL, Sewing, thread

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on January 17, 2016

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/kokeshi-friends-stage-4/

Happy New Year!

That’s another year over and I hardly noticed. I’ve got a few finished projects for the yearly round up but not as many as in previous years, and I definitely haven’t posted here as often as I would have liked throughout 2015. I’ve even had to cheat! The cross stitched A, B and C below are all from a larger project which isn’t yet completed. Sometimes, life gets in the way of crafting.

Anyway, here’s a little collection from 2015. If you want to see the posts relating to the individual finished items, click the photos in the link here.

There is also a patchwork and quilting round up on my other blog Oh Sew Tempting.

Thank you to everyone who supported my blog last year, whether you have been reading anonymously in the background or actively liking, commenting and emailing. I hope to be a lot more crafty throughout 2016.

Happy New Year 🙂

25 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on January 1, 2016 • Permalink

Posted in 2015, Yearly Round Ups

Tagged ABC Bears, aida, blanket, blue, Christmas, crochet, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, decoration, DMC, embroidery, fabric, floss, handmade, interior design, Needlework, SAL, sampler, Sewing, thread

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on January 1, 2016

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2016/01/01/happy-new-year-3/

Kokeshi Friends Stage 3

Hi everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate it). It’s time to share an update of my Kokeshi Friends cross stitch designed by Joan Elliott. Claire is also stitching this design and the other ladies in the group are working on their own exciting projects, all equally gorgeous. I’m really enjoying stitching this one, even though it is on evenweave fabric.

Here’s where I’m up to now. The back stitch can wait.

Click on the other names below to see how everyone else is doing. Most of us are posting updates some time today but we all live in different time zones so you’ll need to allow for that.

Claire, Gun, Carole, Jule, Wendy, LucyAnn, Kate, Cathy, Jess, Jacqui.

Our next update will be on the 17th January 2016. See you then 🙂

23 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on December 27, 2015 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Kokeshi Friends

Tagged craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, DMC, embroidery, evenweave, fabric, floss, handmade, interior design, Needlework, SAL, Sewing, thread

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on December 27, 2015

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2015/12/27/kokeshi-friends-stage-3/

Framed at last!

Hi everyone,

At last I’ve put these cross stitch projects into the frames. I’m always happy to frame my own pieces and usually buy custom sized frames but this time the quote came in way over my budget. I decided on some cheap and cheerful frames, not a perfect fit, but they’ll get my needlework out of the drawer and onto the walls in time for Santa’s visit.

If you read this blog regularly, you’ll recognise all the projects. First up is the most recently finished one, Quilt V by Whispered by the Wind, though you will remember that I changed the blocks so much that it barely resembles the original. I chose a white frame and border, and because it’s an off-the-peg size, it isn’t perfect but it’ll do until I save up.

This is the finished piece.

Here it is in the frame. Claire and I both stitched this one as part of a SAL group.

The next one is Cirque des Coeurs by Ink Circles. I think I only wrote one post about this one. It was completed while I was away on holiday in 2014. You can see lots of close up detail and watch it grow here. Claire gave me the idea for the thread choice and I love it! CIMG3397

I decided on a crisp white border and frame again. This time, it’s a perfect fit.

Finally, another Ink Circles one. It’s called Cirque des Cercles. I made it in the suggested thread on black evenweave.

Stage 12

I had originally chosen a black frame and border for this one but they sent me a white border by mistake. I was in two minds about sending it back but I think they must have known what I had in mind to frame. All black would have been too much I think. I’m very happy with the white and I’m pleased I thought about it and tried the piece in the frame before asking for a colour swap. I stitched this one as part of the SAL with Claire as well.

I hope you get plenty of time to craft over the Christmas period whether you celebrate or not. I’ll be back next Sunday with an update on Kokeshi Friends 🙂