This was the chart I treated myself to. It's a Mary Hickmott design, and you can buy her charts on Etsy, for an instant download. I couldn't wait to get started but oh boy, this is a complicated chart - especially as I am missing the ONE colour that is vital, that you start with in the centre. I went to Llandod yesterday to the little wool shop, to try and get the 9 missing colours I needed - I got 8. Tam has a shopping list of the last skein to track down in Aberystwyth this weekend. The bit I am on is the chimney and foliage behind it and the darkest colour there is the missing one for the foliage!
Henry VIII has been in the garden all winter - here he is showing off on top of the bird-feeders!
We have had miserable weather here yet again, and it rained nastily all morning, but left off long enough for us to get a short walk in down by the River. I have been feeling a bit "off" all day today, so haven't done much. I just want to wave a magic wand and have a few spring-like days to keep us going until spring does arrive. Yet there is the glitter of gold in the hedgerows, with the Hazel catkins in their full glory. The wheel has turned, a few weeks and we will have masses of celandines in full bloom along the banks. It can't come soon enough.
I had a lucky find in the books and dvd's for rehoming in Co-op this morning and made a donation for a book called The Good Life - Up the Yukon Without a Paddle by Forian Amos. It should be good reading, but I can only imagine after living in Polperro in Cornwall, they had a bit of a shock during their first winter in the Yukon!
BB, I have this chart and threads, what colour are you looking for? Tricia x
ReplyDeleteIt's dark grey brown Tricia, Anchor 905, in DMC it's 3781. Hopefully Tam will have gotten it for me in Aber this weekend, but thank you SO much for your kind offer. I'll let you know if I need to take you up on it. A word of warning over this chart - it is NOT for the faint-hearted! It will take me months I reckon.
DeleteThe offer is still there if you need it. This is one I ordered a few years ago. I thought it would be straightforward and then went ahem when I actually saw it in the flesh. It is one of the stockpiled ones to do but it is going to have to be a considered project for me on the timescales I have available. So maybe one for the caravan where I seem to get more time to actually craft!. Let me know anyways. Take care Tricia xx
DeleteThank you Tricia. I will know when Tam gets home tonight, so will be in touch.
DeleteReminded of the stitching things we used to do at school on this funny rough cloth full of little holes
ReplyDeleteAh, we did that too. Very large count Aida fabric. We girls were meant to be making something for the dressing table - don't know what you lads got to make?, unless it was something for mum's dressing table!
DeleteWhat gorgeous patterns. I love them. I do hope you find that very important colour.
ReplyDeleteKing Henry seems to enjoy being the center of attention.
God bless.
6 of King Henry's wives came calling this morning. At least they clear up any fallen seed.
DeleteI'll get the colour through Tam, Tricia or t'internet.
The scene for your is it cross stitch is really lovely. I like to sew and embroider every now and again.
ReplyDeleteI've had a long break from x-stitch - because of going wrong on two big complicated projects and one I'm going to steel myself to pick up next week - it made it downstairs at the beginning of December! I need to get back to quilting too.
DeleteI will be interested in your reaction to the book about traveling the Yukon. When J. was about 12 he traveled to Alaska with his family in a school bus converted to a travel camper. The Al-Can highway at that time was not paved--miles and miles of a lonely dirt track.
ReplyDeletePheasants are so regal--we don't often see them here, however they wee abundant in Wyoming. I never tired of encountering one.
It is currently on the kitchen table undergoing "isolation". I know once I start on it it will be hard to put down, and I have the latest Diana Gabaldon barely started too . . . just a couple of chapters in.
DeleteThe Pheasants are pretty, but can be very noisy and I don't want them in my veg. plot.
Oh my goodness, you've picked a hard chart. Looks like there are hardly two stitches side by side of the same colour! No longer would I have the patience.
ReplyDeleteI've got lots of spare DMC threads if thats what they are - let me know what colour.
I had a copy of Up The Yukon - it's a good read and they did another afterwards about finding gold or looking for gold - can't remember which. Both books are long gone now
Yup, you've summed that one up perfectly. As I said to Tricia, not one for the faint-hearted!
DeleteOh bless, another one offering to look for thread. How lovely it is to have kind blogging friends. Thank you.
The Yukonbook - another one we have in common. Did the Hope Bourne book arrive safely yet? The one I'd give my eye teeth for (but NOT £60!) is Elizabeth West's book about when they moved to the Forest of Dean (and planted Japanese Knotweed because they liked it!) Their house will be unsellable when they pass on . . .
No sign of the Hope Bourne Book yet hope it isn't lost.
DeleteI had a friend who bought new books and I borrowed a Patch in the Forest but like you say - way too pricey to buy now
In the world of blogger land someone has the thread you are looking for - isn't that marvellous?. Love the blue flower tile, wish I had the eyesight for something similar.
ReplyDeleteI have good blogging friends don't I Thelma? I couldn't do the x-stitch without my daylight magnifying lamp . . .
DeleteThe cross stitch projects look beautiful although I must admit I wouldn't know where to start!! Wightwick Manor is wonderful - I've only been once but would love to visit again.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear of early signs of Spring by you. Here we have buds on wild primroses in the garden.
I started with the very simplest chart - it was a brown rabbit with pink linings to its ears and black eyes. Worked my way on from that. Hope you get to visit Wightwick again soon.
DeleteLike you I have the first wild Primroses putting out buds and on our day out today saw several stretches of Butterbur in bloom.
Fingers crossed for success in finding the missing colour! Beautiful patterns.
ReplyDeleteThanks RP - I've had two offers already from my x-stitch blogger friends. The patterns are lovely but take concentration.
DeleteThose cross stitches are just beautiful. I tried to take up cross stitch a while back. I just don't have the eyes for it any more, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't do it without my very bright magnifying lamp. Ihad really good eyesight until about 3 years ago - you start to wear specs, and your eyes rely on them SO much.
DeleteRecognised the picture immediately - you have made a lovely job of it. So pleased that you will be able to get the threads you need to finish it.
ReplyDeleteWendy (Wales)
The Widecombe one I'm just starting on and Tam got me the last skein I needed today. The blue poppies one is a William de Morgan tile design I've shown the progress on in recent months. It's nice to be sewing again.
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