February Variegated Finish:)

Ok, so, I have finished my February variegated thread design:) What do you think, Vicki:)


I will be posting it to you as soon as I can so you can decide if you wanna put on your website:)

X Ylva

1 Down! 9 to go!!

OK I have been very slack at posting here, mainly because I haven't got anything done. It's not that I'm not trying, It's just that I never seem to finish a job. Take the bedroom for instance, I'll get it 90% done and then something else needs doing and in the meantime everything descends slowly back into chaos. I wish that I could afford fitted wardrobes.
Ine task I have finished though. On the 25th November my design 'Rosa' is published in Stitch - the Embroiderer's Guild Magazine. It has been a lot of work but I am really pleased and hope that it will be popular and help raise the profile of the business.
Vicki

Project Ylva

So, I asked Vicki to add to her long list of things to do and create a design I got in my head...so she did - good girl as she is:)

Now, I have a lack of funds, so I have to use what I have, and what I have is cream and white Pearl threads, and fabric ranging from a sparkling white Belfast Linen 32count to an oliveish linen and an unbleached dark linen. I am posting the pics here so Vicki can help me decide which fabric is best with the threads...the colors will be red when the design is published, but as it is I am just working on the design to see if anything needs to be changed.So, here goes the pictures - Vicki, HELP!!! :)




I also have a pic of the latest update on my February variegated project...after unpicking and redoing the middle, I have taken the gutsy decision to cut the threads, and now I have to do the stitches on either side of the cut threads:) Yey me:) I have to be honest though, and say that I will have to redo the 4 stars in either corner if there is enough thread at the end of the rest, as they are two stitches too big...if there is not enough thread, then I may have to use a different thread, but I am hoping I won't have to go there...I will be good though and redo them as then the design will be according to the pattern...lol




X Ylva

Nefertiti is finished! 26/10/10

Yey!
I finished my Nefertiti!!! Amazing:)


She was a lot more fun and took a lot less time than I expected. It took me ages to do Tutankhamun, but then he had a lot more colours and also metallic thread which was a challenge.

I will be finishing off a few Christmas projects, finishing off my multicoloured version of Vicki's calendar partwork (February) which I had to frog quite a few stitches as I miscalculated the center. The good thing is that I made sure Vicki helped me calculate what was wrong before I did any cutting...lol

And of course I will work on finally organising my room...eventually...

X Ylva

Belated update on Nefertiti 201010

So, I have finally remembered to do an update on my Nefertiti. She is coming along a lot quicker than I expected, and I am hoping I will finish her by Sunday evening. I just have to stay away from Facebook as much as possible...lol

Nefertiti update 260910

So, here is the latest on my Nefertiti:) She is coming along very nicely...I just don't want to put her down...which means I stay up late when I should be going to bed...but that is a price I am willing tp pay. I was planning on finishing the face and then go on to other things before coming back and finishing her, but I decided to leave the face for last instead as that will bring her to life. I will keep working on her now and then, but will take turns finishing off some Christmas items in between. The other picture is of another Christmas item I have to finish off as an ornament. It is quite cute:) / Ylva

Angel ornament finished 140910

So, this morning I went to the emergency dentist and had one tooth removed...this tooth has been giving me trouble for more than a month, and I've had pain in my neck, jaw and especially my left ear because of it. I went last Saturday to the same emergency dentist and got antibiotics, which unfortunately did not help more than a little. So, today I have been sitting taking it very easy in the sofa, trying to make sure the bleeding did not start over, and so far I've been ok.

I have a picture of the front and back of the ornament, and I think it looks quite cute:) So, this is my first ornament present ready. Yey:)

Angel finished

So, I have finished the angel, now I just have to locate the little box where I keep my charms, so that I can put the snowflake around the sheep's neck...then I need to do the finishing touches so that it is ready to be sent closer to Christmas:)

I did ust Fuzzy Stuff for the sheep, so it looks kinda fluffy:) It was really difficult as the thread is so thick and fluffy, but I managed eventually. Probably not perfect, but very cute:)

Hope to be able to show my finished product tomorrow evening...

Ylva

my first Christmas project

So, here is the first project I'm working on, from Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2004 by Crosseyed Cricket. It's called Gabby's Angel. I am not using the exact colours, and instead of the teal required for the apron, I am using a lovely multicoloured DMC:) And, for the sheep I will (most likely) be using beads for wool instead of the french knots they ask for...I just cannot do french knots...

Ylva

Update 17th August (ok, posted 19th...)

So, I just wanted to post my latest update on Nefertiti...she seems to be coming along really fast. Perhaps that is as I am doing one bit at a time, and not like normal one colour at a time...I am trying to spend the days working on my craft room, and the evenings stitching in front of the telly... I have a pic of the pillow case I am making for mum - just please remember it is my first try at patchwork, and it is VERY simple indeed...I do like the colours though...wanted to give her something happy. I am planning on stitching along the seams before finishing off...some nice broad stitch to make sure nothing falls apart. Once this is done and I have sent it off, I am going to play around a bit more...I have watched A Quilt in a Day on an american channel...sometimes it is only about farmlife ( which I realised after recording a few episodes which showed no quilting whatsoever...) but some of them are gems for a beginner like me:) So I am going to play around a bit...I think I am going to work on Christmas pressies or at least ornaments...I know it may be early, but normally I realise end of November I have a mountain to climb...this time I am trying to be early:)

X Ylva

I've been a bit remiss

I'm sorry to say that I have achieved very little lately, I have been away a lot though. We have been visiting friends now that I have the freedom of being able to drive. This next week is going to be spent giving the house a thorough clean as I got back from a couple of days in London to the feeling that something has died in my fridge. Once the main house is spotless it's back to the bedroom for me!!

Update 14th August

Hi there,
When we started this blog, I decided to blog once a week...this does not seem to be possible...not really sure why, but some weeks I just don't have much to say...some weeks life gets in the way of stitching, and some weeks seem to go so fast it is Tuesday by the time I remember that I should be blogging...

Anywho, I now have an update on Nefertiti. I should really be working on Vicki's design but I feel a bit nervous about it, so have taken a break. Nefertiti is going so well, and I am really enjoying it, and it has been a while since I really enjoyed stitching this much... Now, I know I did Heavygoing Grizzly recently, but that was more to finish it than because I really enjoyed it. I did LOVE finishing it for my nephew, but I did not love working on it...I enjoyed it but did not love it...if you know what I mean...

So, as you can see it has grown quite a bit:) I just can't wait until I can frame it and put it on the wall next to Tutankhamun:)

So, that is it for this week...hopefully there will be more next week:)

Over and out,

Ylva

Update 27th July

Hi there,
OK, I know I have not done that much, but it feels quite a lot when you cut into the fabric. I am hoping I have done the stitches correctly, but I will know that once Vicki has seen my project and can tell me if I am doing something wrong or if I have done good:)



Now I've got to start cutting in the middle part, which is even more scary...but at the same time it is fun, and my dear hubby is being supportive by saying how wonderful it looks:) Soon I will have the guts to do the same on the original:)

X Ylva

Update 22 July

Hi there...so, I am putting up a picture of my latest project. I am using a different thread on Vicki's partwork for February on a different fabric, so I can practice the stitches and hopefully make less mistakes on the real thing...

I've also done a tiny pic that my mum gave me when she came to visit. I have another one I am working on, but the partwork took precedence when I realised that I could do it on a different fabric...sometimes I get stuck and can't move forward on a project, and then all of a sudden something pops into my head and I just have to work on it...

I will post again when I have finished this practice project, and the next one will be the real thing:) Although...I am gonna have to buy the DMC threads I don't have, as well as the beads...I have beads but they are all in one big bundle with no details of what number they are...lol

I'll keep you posted:)

Ylva

I've lost track of which week it is.

I keep forgetting to post, sorry. This last couple of weeks has been crazy. I managed to get all the stuff off to the magazine which is a part of my list and I've been creating decorations for a school fair, including painting a 5' tall pirate which is not on the list but was fun!!
What is not so much fun is doing my accounts. That is my job for this week. I just wish I knew how to do them!! Every year I end up grovelling for advice. The depressing thing is that every year they look the same, I haven't broken even yet. Oh well - I'll cobble them together as always and keep my fingers crossed.

Week 10

So, I have finally finished my Heavygoig Grizzly:) It has been a few years, but it is now finished, I have washed it and ironed it, and am going to send it to my mum and dad so that dad can make a frame for it.

I have also got started on a patchwork cushion cover for my mum. I will take a picture as soon as I have it sewn together:)

I feel like I am finally getting somewhere, and am no longer just stomping on the same place all the time. :)

Ylva

Weeks 8 and 9 - Not a great couple of weeks.

Monday of week 8 I decided that the time had come to tackle the toilet redecoration. I had bleached it from top to bottom the week before so it was never going to be a more pleasant job than it would be now.

Things started well, I stripped the paint off the air vent as it was covered with a thick layer of yellowed gloss. It wasn't worth painting over it as the yellow was caused by nicotine (when I get this house it was thick with a sticky yellow brown layer, no matter how many times you paint over it, it still seeps through) I then started putting a polyfilla skim over the walls to even them out. The Plaster is very uneven and somewhat crumbly, if I just paper it it would look awful and if I am going to do the job I should do it properly.

Things were looking pretty good for a first day's work. I'd got one wall smoothed out and had started on a second. The air vent was stripped back and painted with a coat of primer, there was dust everywhere but it was progress. Most of the work involved me looking up for long periods of time but I didn't notice any problems beyond a stiff neck.

At the end of the day I bent down to pick up something from the floor and I suddenly felt like my head was exploding. I became very dizzy and had to lie down, could stand up for the rest of the night. The problem is, this hasn't gone away. I've been stuck with migraines and dizziness ever since. I haven't been able to do anything that involves bending down or looking up and the headaches have stopped me doing any admin either. In other words these last two weeks have been a frustrating write off. I really hope that this will sort itself out soon. I have been referred to a physio but it'll be a while before I get an appointment. I wish that I could afford a chiropractor.

Week 9 - update

Hi,
Now, there is not much to update really...I'm working hard on finishing my Grizzly...for some reason I just got going on it, and am about 90% ready. I know I said I was going to do some patchwork for mum, but I realised even though I had bought some fabrics, I did not have enough that matched...I have now purchased 300 3" squares of fabrics of all colours, and then I need to go get some plain cotton for backing, plus the wadding if I am to do anything more than a small quilt...so, on Sunday I am hoping I will be able to post a picture of my finished grizzly, and then the following week I should have something to show regarding patchwork:)

Off to cross stitch,

Ylva

My first finish - update week 8

Amazing...I just realised after putting in the title that it has taken this long to finish a little project...no wonder we need this list!!! But, we need more people to kick us when we don't do the work... Anyway, I have now finished, and taken a picture of my lovely first ever biscornu:) I do not have many fancy buttons at home, so I used what I had that I felt was somewhat suitable...hopefully you agree that it does not look too bad...


Oh, and by the way I am getting close to finishing organising my room thanks to my dear dad who made shelves for me...now I only have to make sure I have things easily accessible in a logical way according to what craft they belong to - embroidery, cross stitch, sewing, craftbooking, cardmaking...never ending list of what I love to do or would love to do - I finished putting my stamps on EZ Mount yesterday...I did quite a few about 2months ago, but my right index finger was numb up until 2weeks ago afterwards...I thought it might have been the glue, but I think it was just the way I held the scissors the same way pinching my nerve...so yesterday when I finished off, I made sure to move the scissor on the finger so the same would not happen...and it did not:)

Now, on to the next project...just gotta check the list to see what that is...most likely a patchwork type cushion cover for my mother...gives me a chance to work on my sewing machine again:)

Over and out,

Ylva

Hi there,
So, I have managed to finish - or at least as good as - my first ever biscornu. I have yet to put a button in the middle, but apart from that I am very pleased with it:) I will put another pic up when I have put the button on...once I have decided on a suitable one. So, not completely finished that challenge, but very close to it:)

TBC,

Ylva

Up until week 7

Hi...so, I've pretty much lost count. I really thought I would have done tons more by now, but it just don't seem to happen...but then I've had my parents here. Now, my dear lovely dad has helped me put shelves up in the double wardrobe in my room, so now I can organise my stuff a lot better. This is what I will be doing whilst my husband is sleeping during the day, as he is doing night shift this week...I will have to be somewhat quiet, but I should be able to get some work done. I will do the biscornu tomorrow, one way or another!!! I will post again tomorrow night just to prove I can actually keep a deadline!!! :)

To be continued ...

Ylva

Weeks 6 and 7

Just realised that I forgot to post last week. It has been a busy couple of weeks. I have given the house the most thorough clean it has ever had - well most of it. As per usual it was all the public rooms and, though it was a major fight, my daughter's bedroom. The house now looks brilliant, all except for the one room - mine. That has suffered!!It's back to stage one again, not what I needed! I have had enough tidying for one week so I think I will take advantage of every square inch of the toilet having been bleached and disinfected to start the papering job. Haven't made much progress on any embroidery projects recently. I tried someting new and experimental but it didn't really work - back to the drawing board!!

Vicki

Week 5 - The end and a necessary break.

OK, the instructions are done (I hope)! I finished them at about 1am monday morning and have had a total brain freeze ever since. As it's half term and the house has fallen into a bit of a state whilst I've been working on them I am taking this week to get the house in order. Once that's done I think I'll start one of the DIY jobs as I think a break from embroidery is in order. I have also just attempted to slice the top of my finger off so can't currently hold the needle in my left hand. I'm right handed but for some reason I sew with two hands so that has made things a little tricky. Oh well, hopefully that'll heal quickly.

Week 4 - no progress yet again...

...but I actually have a valid excuse for this time...my parents are visiting until 9th June...I've been to Scotland as I said before, been to the Lake District, driving around Lancashire a bit, and yesterday we went to Blackpool Zoo for the day. I have done a few stitches on Heavygoing Grizzly, but nothing more than that... it is a bit tricky finding the time...spent most of today potting around the house, cutting the bush by the front door and doing a bit of laundry, whilst my dear hubby did the lawnmowing, lunch and dinner before disappearing up to his room. Now I'm watching Morse with mum and dad... They return to Sweden on 9th June, and then I will do my best to catch up with my list...I'll try to do the biscornu before then, but I'm not sure I'll succeed, especially now that my hubby starts working tomorrow, and is doing long days all week and then he starts nights over the weekend...and then he's off on the Monday before back to work.

I'll get better, I promise:)

X Ylva

Week 4 - Frustrating!

I have been working solidly on the instructions this week. Progress has been very slow and hard going though. I've been struggling with one diagram for most of the last week. I'm a prefectionist but in the long term I think that's for the best. If people can't understand the instructions then they won't be interested in the design. I may have no hair left by the end of the process though. I had a major fright midweek when I plugged my data stick in to find most of the files were corrupted. Thankfully I hadn't lost much as I back up regularly but it took a whole day to sort through what was left. On top of that my laptop came back from repair unrepaired! Typical, just when I need efficient technology to speed the process.
In between fighting with instructions and tech I had to create an emergency Victorian costume for my daughter's class Victorian day. Dressmaking does nothing for the tidiness of a house. When I get to the end of these instructions it'll need a major tidiness blitz, at least I'll be keen to do that and get away from the work for once.

Vicki

Week 3

Hi all,
Ok, so I am a few days late with my blog...have also not got much to show for the last week...I've done the second side of my project and will get around to making it into a biscornu...the thing is though that my parents arrive tomorrow for a 3 week visit from Sweden, and tonight we are going to see Eric Clapton at the NEC...for which we are leaving in about 5minutes...

I have worked on organising my room, but there is just too much stuff to organise and too much else to do apart from what I really want to do, and with my husband at home on holiday my plans go to pot as if he wants to do something I cannot exactly say I don't have time...

I promise to update soon again...but it will not be until next week as we are going to Scotland on Friday and won't be back until earliest Sunday evening...possibly not until Monday...

Enough excuses for the moment...I will work on bettering myself I promise!

Talk soon!

Ylva

Week 3 - progress - sort of!!

This week has been dedicated to writing the instructions for the magazine piece. This is a very labour intensive part of the process and usually involves a lot of frustration as diagrams are very hard to do. Whenever you use a pattern please do not underestimate quite how much work goes into the instructions. In these days of rampant copyright fraud sweeping the industry it's somewhat demoralising to put so much work into a piece to know that it stands a high chance of being stolen and distributed for free before you've had the chance to breathe. Designers are not rich, there is very little money in it and yes it's hard for everyone right now but how would you feel if you'd put in months of work and not got paid for it. Anyway, rant over - I've still got a lot of work to do on this set of instructions as it's a complex piece. I am distracted every now and then by my daughter's demands for a Victorian costume for school though.
The tidying/DIY has not happened this week - when I haven't been creating diagrams/instructions or costumes I've continued sewing on Crystal. It's starting to take shape now, there's still quite a lot to go though so I have to be disciplined and make sure that I get a bit done every night.

Oh well - it's progress of a kind

Vicki

update from week 2

I just had to add this post as I have finished one project picture...have yet to decide what to make it into, but I'll get to that soon:)



Ylva

Week 2

My second week has been a bit more productive than the first week, but I still don't have much to show for it... I am working on a cross stitch picture with some varigated threads I bought at the NEC, and so far it is looking lovely...I will add a picture as soon as I have one uploaded - cannot take a pic at the moment as my cat is lying on my lap. (OK, got the pic now as my cat's gone to bed)

I am working on organising my craft room, but I just have soo much stuff of different categories ... I will get there though:) I need to finish it before my mum and dad comes to visit as I don't want them to see my mess...lol - not to mention the fact that my index finger is still numb from cutting out my stamps from the EZ Mount that is supposed to make it easier to use the stamps with the blocks...it is getting better, but it is still a bit numb on one side...very strange indeed...

Next week I hope to post earlier and have more to say...this is why I need the kicklist I think...to get me going...I feel bad when I have nothing to show for the week that's gone...it is pathetic in my eyes to not work, have all this time and still not have anything to show for it...

I promise I will get better:)

X Ylva

Week 2 - Good news

This week seems to have gone rather fast. It has been a busy week so I haven't got anywhere near as much done as I should have. I do have some rather good news though, I have got a design accepted by a magazine.
In a way this is a bit of a cheat as I had already sent this design to a magazine for their consideration so I am not considering it task completed. It does mean however that I will have less time to devote to tasks over the next couple of weeks as I need to work on the instructions and that'll be a full time job.
I have managed to do a bit more work on the bedroom/filing tasks. I now have several boxes of stage 1 sorted paperwork (sorted by drawer for the filing cabinet but not subdivided) and have shredded a large dustbin bag full. Still doesn't look much better though and I really have let the rest of the house go. I wish that I could work out that magic formula to keep on top of everything at once.
I have continued sewing Crystal and thankfully haven't had to unpick anything since last week, fingers crossed that stays the case.

Right - off to continue working on the instructions

Vicki

Update week 1...

Unfortunately I have not been as efficient as Vicki, but I don't feel too bad about it. If you are not interested in the long story, skip down to the bottom of my post...lol...

I have had issues with my external drives... I have had one drive for a few years, and have kept EVERYTHING I have collected during the last 10years...movies, pictures, old University documents, music and so on... Now, this drive has been making a LOT of noise every time I started it...kinda like a big cat meowing... So, I thought I would get a new drive and move everything over...silly me I actually MOVED everything over from the old to the new, and then thought everything was fine. About 3weeks later I worked on organising my files one evening, shut everything down for the night, and in the morning when I started the computer and drive, the computer said I had to format the drive before using it...so, I tried EVERYTHING to get the drive working, but unfortunately nothing worked. I asked PC World where I got it, and they said I had to buy a program for £40 which MIGHT work ... I did not want to spend that kind of money on something that may not actually help me, so I looked online, found a program, downloaded a demo, and it found ALL my files on the old drive. I moved the recovered files from the old drive to my husband's drive, but every single file is named Unknown and numbered from 1 to 54217...which is how many files I have...so I have no way of knowing what is what which is a bit tricky. So, I did the same on the new drive where I should have the same amount of files...yeah right...on that one the program found more than 200,000 files - most of which are system files and error files and so on...so I have had so spend several hours (more than 10) on ticking the box for every file that I want, that is in the right place...as the drive which is called F also has some areas which are called unknown, 1 3 16 and so on...and anything that is unknown or not on the F drive are bad files. This is why I have not had the time to work on my list this week...I have spent most of my days ticking boxes and rescuing my files...

So, I have done a few stitches on the Heavygoing Grizzly and will post a pic of what it looks like tomorrow. I have not really done anything else on my lists...have been trying to work on weightloss, but that has been a standstill as well. I did go swimming, and I have been out walking the dog, but nothing like what I should have been doing...

I did get a little book to do a food diary, and will set up my Wii tomorrow.

Signing off for now,

Ylva

Week 1 - A start!

I've decided that I should work on one business task and one domestic at a time so that I don't neglect either.
On the domestic front I decided to start with tidying the bedroom as this will help with the filing and accounts tasks too. I have made a good start but, as is quite usual with me, I have made the task bigger than it should have been. It will now involve decorating too!! It does need it. When I bought this house it had to be completely gutted but I moved in with a baby before it was redecorated. It has been a slow process getting that decorating done. I have papered 2 walls of the bedroom but a 3rd is behind a set of wardrobes that unfortunately have had to be bolted together and are going to be very hard to move and the 4th needs to be replastered as it all fell off when the paper was removed. If the room is going to look good I will have to do them. In the meantime whilst I have sorted a lot of stuff and thrown away enough rubbish to fill the bins for a couple of weeks (yes I have sorted for recycling) I have since pulled all the contents of the cupboards out to sort so it doesn't look any better. In the meantime the rest of the house has gone to pot - how does it happen so fast?
As we had lovely weather at the start of the week I was inspired to tackle the back gate task. I went to a large DIY store but was most unimpressed by the quality of gates on offer - I want it to withstand a shoulder not fall apart at the first strong wind. Tried another one today but they didn't have any at all. May have to build from scratch.
On the business front I decided to start with the magazine piece. I really want to do the DVD task first but am having trouble getting my head round it. It has been a tricky week for the piece that I am working on anyway. I am sewing up a piece that is provisionally called Crystal. I sew all of my work as it helps me refine the design and sort out any bugs. The first couple of days I managed to sew it wrongly and had to unpick a whole lot which is very frustrating. I finished the section a couple of days ago but on looking at it something didn't seem right. After some thinking I decided it was 1 thread too close to another section of the design on one edge (yes that does make a difference), so more unpicking ahead!! I had to redesign it on the computer but as it is a large design the programme has trouble coping with it and it was very very slow going. The design is a symetrical piece (as most of my work is) so I am sewing one of the repeats of the section to check that is now right before unpicking the first one.
All in all not a desperately productive first week but I have made a start and that's a good feeling.

Vicki

My intro

Hi, I'm Vicki and I'm a self employed single mother.
I have 2 missions right now;
To get my house finished (it was a wreck when I bought it and it continues to fall down around my ears at every step)
and to make a success of my business. I am an embroidery designer www.indiagrace.co.uk and it is ridiculously hard to make a living from it as copyright fraud has just about destroyed the industry so the quest is on to try other angles!!
In theory my posts will be in red. I'll try to pop in at least once a week - that in itself will help with the motivation as it'll be embarasing to have to admit to achieving nothing in a week.

Time to get serious

It sounds worse than it is...it is just a matter of getting the finger out and get started on doing all those things that we've been wanting to do for so long, but never got around to doing...

Well, it is now time to cut the excuses and just get active...

Wish us luck - or even better...give us a kick of encouragement:)

Ylva