Stitching Bee & First Time Linen Encounter

Went to Nik’s house last Sunday for a stitching bee session after our magazine hunting trip to Amcorp. Well, only managed to grab Cross Stitch Gold, Issue 37 from the 9.90 mags shop.

The stitching bee session started at 4 pm and it took us about 2 to 2 ½ hours. During this session, I stitched a birth sampler for Baby Alya which I started a night b4, using linen. This is my first time encounter stitching on linen, but I love the smoothness and the hoop did help me a lot.

Thank Nik, for hosting this stitching bee session & look forward to join for another session. Wish if I stay somewhere nearby my stitching friends, where we can always have our stitching bee together every weekend.

Patchwork Drawstring Bag

I always love patchwork & quilt.. wanted to learn to do them in a proper way. Instead M stuck to cross-stitching for this 2 years b4 I went for my PW & quilt class. As I said to a stitching friend b4, once U R hooked to cross-stitching, there’s no way out.. U won’t find your way back home LOL !!!

I had done my patchwork once, a blanket for my elder son. But Mom took it to hometown, as she likes it so much. Yeahh M happy that Mom like it. Wish I cud make a proper nice patchwork blanket for her one day.

Now after 2 years, M tempted to try on patchwork again. This time round, I decided to do a patchwork drawstring bag for my elder daughter, Chacha. It’s kind a mad decision, where I start hunting for the fabrics from my collection at 6 p.m. Cut them in pieces & patched them back. With a help from online tutorial, I start my drawstring bag project. Took a break at 8 pm to prepare dinner, b4 start it back straight away at 9.30 p.m. I didn’t realized it wuz already 2.30 a.m. when I’ve finished my patchwork drawstring back 100%. Well, I’ve to admit that my workmanship not that good but M juz more than happy when I saw my daughter’s smiles when pass it to her. In return, my other 4 children requesting theirs… !!!

FK.. ?? Bullion Roses ... ??

Hey.. look at what I did, my FKs & bullion roses.. During one of my visit to Linda’s house, I took the opportunity to learn how to stitch the French Knot (FK). Later, she also showed me how to stitch Bullion Knot (BK) as well. So when I get back home, I spent hours, practising my FKs & BKs.. And I has had a trial out to stitch bullion roses after referring to one of the Australian Smocking Embroidery (ASE) magazine that I owned. Thou it did not turn out nicely, at least I’ve some ideas on how to do it. I think practice makes perfect, rite..??

First Ever Big Projects

This is my first ever big project.. or shall I say my focus piece for 2005, the Gone Fishing. Chart wuz taken from 2005 Cross Stitch Collection magazine bought by DH during one of his overseas trip last year. Since he like this chart very much, I decided to stitch for him for his coming birthday in September. I hope I will be able to finish it by Aug the latest, b4 sending it for framing.
This design is rather big for me.. 204 x 240 stitches where I find it really challenging. It requires about 33 colours, and there’s a lot of colour changes within 10 x 10 square boxes. And all area will be fully stitched. Earlier I think to stitch in using linen, but after deep thinking I decided to stitch in on recommended 16ct aida. And I substitute Anchor floss to DMC and I hope it turn well once completed. And happily I like to report M almost in my 30% progress.

My Garden Fairies

I love this chart very much the very 1st time I saw it featured in 2005 UK Cross Stitcher magazine. The garden fairies are so cute, hiding among the flowers n leaves. I knew I won't be able to stitch it as I consider this chart quite big for me until I saw it in Aw's webshot. I wuz so tempted to stitch it for myself. Finally I've started stitching it on my very own tea-dyed 14ct aida. I only stitched for abt 10% from the chart, juz to please the urge of stitching it. Sadly I've abandoned it for almost 2 months as M concentrating on my focus piece.. Gone Fishing. Shall pick up my Garden Fairies when I get bored with my Gone Fishing.. LOL !! After all I want to see at least one fairy smiling looking at me there..

2005 Valentine Stitch Card Exchange

This year I took part in 2 Valentine Stitch Card Exchange (VSCE). The first one by Malaysian Stitchers Yahoo Group which goes to Kak Ji of Terengganu. And in return I got mine from Kak Jie too.. The chart wuz taken from the 2005 UK Crossstitcher magazines. It wuz stitched on my own hand-dyed 14ct aida. I like this design very much especially the love shape border. Anyway, I didn't really happy the way I did my card. Very unprofessional, may be I shud brush up my card making skills..





For Needlecrafter Yahoo Group VSCE, I stitched this patchwork design which I named 'Patchwork Heart' for Linda. Original design wuz taken from old magazine (I think for than 10 yrs old mag). Actually it came in set of 9, but I stitch one for this occasion. Thinking to do all 9 patchwork hearts one day.. when ?? he he... only God knows..

2005 Stitching Report Card & 2006 To Do List

I hope it’s not too late to write my 2005 Stitching Report Card thou now is already March. Had wanted to report much earlier but January wuz a very busy month with the kids are back to school after for than 1 ½ month holiday.

I think I didn’t have much achievement in my stitching but I wud say that M improving, by looking at the numbers of completed piece. Here goes my list :

1. MYS Valentine’s Card for Wendy
2. MYS Bookmark Exchange for Nik
3. MYS Card Exchange for Niesa
4. NC Card Exchange for Neng
5. MYS Overdyed Colour of the Month (Blue) for Radha
6. MYS Overdyed Colour of the Month (Red) for Harsha
7. NC Needleroll Exchange for Harsha
8. Archie Bear for Stitch for Love Charity
9. Pink Panther for Stitch for Love Charity
10. Nik’s Frickle Minded RR
11. Cheez’s Frickle Minded RR
12. L*K SAL with Cheez – Snug Like A Bug
13. L*K SAL with Cheez – Love Bug
14. L*k SAL with Cheez – Believe
15. Aida’s Baby RR
16. Birthday Stitch Cards for :
    - Angie
    - Suriati
    - Lene
    - Ina
    - Lillie
17. Mini Tuck Pillow for Harsha’s Birthday
18. Scented Sachet Bag for Niza’s Birthday
19. NC Single Pattern RR – Lene
20. NC NC Single Pattern RR – Inazz
21. NC Single Pattern RR – Hani
22. NC Single Pattern RR – Ann
23. NC Single Pattern RR – Niesa
24. NC Single Pattern RR – Enon
25. NC Single Pattern RR – Norli

Wow.. !! I had stitched this much, but sadly I haven’t stitched not a single project for myself.. Will do so in 2006.

My 2006 To Do List

I keep on telling myself that this year, I wud not joining any exchanges but to stitch only for myself. But I broke my promise by joining 2 exchanges early this, i.e. Valentine Stitched Card Exchange (VSCE) for both Yahoo Group : Malaysian Stitchers & Needlecrafter. Anyway, I have completed and send out my VSCEs to my secret partner. Shall posted the photos once my another partner received hers.

Meanwhile, this is my ‘To Do List’ for year 2006. Thou it’s not that much, but I know I have to struggle to finish it, especially the ‘Gone Fishing’ chart for my husband’s birthday in September. Hope I have enuf time to complete it before his birthday..

Here's my list :

1. Gone Fishing chart for DH’s birthday
2. My FM RR Fan Chart (supposed to finish b4 my birthday last year)
3. Alya’s Birthday Sampler
4. L*K Teaching for my son’s class teacher
5. 2 Mail Arts for my stitching friends which I’ve owed them more than a year !! Gosh !!
6. SAL Lingerie Chart with Cheez

Well.. my to do list is very minimum compares to the number of charts I’ve collected. I wish I could add my to-do list from time to time. Errmm.. probably to add ‘Joan Elliot Kimono Rows’.. *wink * ha.. ha.. very ambitious !!!

My Hand Dyed Fabrics - The Photos

Sorry.. dear, I took many many moons before really snap and upload the photos here. So here are the photos of my hand dyed fabrics : using Dylon, Coffee & Tea.


Notice my coffee hand dyed ? The colour are more lighter rather than my tea dyed. Probably I need to add more coffee powder in future. I also took Aniza’s suggestion by using a mixture of coffee (this time I make it sure, I add more coffee powder) and tumeric powder. Well, it’s not bad & I like the result.. !!

Hand Dyed

Last nite, for the first time I have successfully do my own hand dyed on aida 14 ct. Initially I was in the kitchen, dyeing my son's white shirt to light brown. He need a pair of light brown shirt and pants for his concert next Saturday where he will be acting as Lion King. As I couldnt find the right pair, I decided to dye his white shirt & pant using Dylon.

After satisfied with my hand dyed project, suddenly my mind run wild. I remember reading my stitching friends in Malaysian Stitchers group discussing their experience doing their own hand dyed. Tarraa.. I start looking for my 14 ct aida and soaked them in pot. As M using a little bit of 'Havanah Brown', my white aida has turned to pinkish brown tone. He he.. M satisfied anyway and love the colour !

I also remember my stitching friends has also dyed their fabby using coffee and tea. And I decided to tried them too and wallaa.. now I have a pair of rustic fabby!!! Probably because I used a little of coffee, the fabby did not turn well but the colour still charming. My daughter then giving me a wild suggestion, why don't I try do my next hand dye using Milo. Well.. see whether I dare enough to do that.. hem hemm.. I smell of cocoa now !

My Weeked ....

I had a good start over my stitching weekend as early as Friday night. I start straight after my dinner and slept by 1.00 a.m. working on my new project from CrossStitchers Stitch a Year of Cuddles 2006 Calendar. I simply like Margaret Sherry’s cat featured in the calendar and decided to stitch it on 18 ct aida to ‘ someone ‘ for her birthday, ermm.. it’s more like a belated birthday gift… Haven’t decided yet on the finishings, cud it be a card, potpouri sachet or what it may end later. I have to admit my weakness – always fail to do the finishing part. Sometimes I have something on mind, but by end of day nothing much is done.. errrkkk !!!

DH wasn’t around over the weekend so I happily had a wonderful weekend to my own.. hik hii.. He has to accompany his business counterpart who just arrived from LA and will be busy accompanying him during his one week’s stay here. Bob has taken a good care of DH during his last visit to LA couple of months back. Thanks Bob who later has bought and sent me a book on cross stitch after he know my interest on this lovely needlework. That’s a very sweet of you ! We intend to invite Bob over dinner one of this day as we are still celebrating our Hari Raya Aidil Fitri here.

The kids are now having their school holidays, so they won’t disturb me much as they spent most of their time watching the tv & playing their playstation. I decided to let them enjoy their happy time on tv & playstation without interruption for this first 2 weeks of their school holidays. After this, everything is back to normal. They still need to study eventhough their holidays will be for another 7 weeks.

I continue my stitching for couple of hours on Saturday morning but was interrupted by the computer... Despite of stitching, I think I spent most of my time browsing and browsing the net, and downloading as well. I didn’t realized that my anti-virus program was not working but I noticed my computer is getting slower nowadays. And all this while I blamed the internet provider for this !! But the fact is, there are some virus & trojan dancing happily in my puter.

So after had a 2 full days of browsing and browsing, M back to my stitching world again last nite and spent hours on MS cat. It already 1.30 a.m. when I sadly decided I have to take a break, just bcoz I have to go to the office the next day.

Now, M at work and missing my MS’s cat !!! The worst thing.., I forgot to bring my stitching folder to work today… so there wud be no lunch stitching today.. errkkk !!!!