DIY Kit Exchange 2006

What's inside this beautifully wrapped mystery package? Have I got your attention yet? Well, it certainly has got mine for more than a week since I received it. It's my Aion DIY Kit Exchange from Colette. Finally, today's the big opening day and I could hardly restrain myself any longer. I tore into the wrapping and look, this is what I got!
Colette knew I love EMS Designs and has kindly prepared this scissors case kit for me. It's a freebie and not supposed to be kitted up but she has gain Ellen's permission before doing so. I feel so honoured. Besides that, Colette has also stitched this lovely card for me. The design is from EMS' Garden Alphabets series. "V for Violet" is the design name or in this case, it's V for Veronica. *Cheeky Grin* Anyway, a very big thank you to both Colette and Ellen. I love everything.
As for me, here's what I got for my partner, Louise. She had mentioned that she loves samplers and is willing to try anything new and since I love Jeremiah Junction because of its bright and cheerful colours, I thought if she hasn't already stitch their designs before, I'll introduce her to it by giving her this Cross Stitch Crazy leaflet. The chart I've picked is "ABC Come Stitch With Me" but just in case she doesn't like it, there're two other choices for her, namely "Cross Stitch Crazy" and "Cross Stitch Forever". Very apt, I think, for all us stitchers. I've also included a postcard of Malaysia along with my kit.
Anyway, here's the card I stitched to accompany my kit. "Martina's Roses" designed by Martina Weber is my first Châtelaine. It's a downloadable freebie. I stitched it on light blue Aida and did my first specialty stitches - the Algerian Eyelet on it. It is also my first beading project. Even though there're many first involved in this project for me, I think it turned out really nice, if I do say so myself. I wrote a poem for her in the card but I think that's up to her whether she would like to share it. Hope she likes both card and kit.

5 Gold Rings

The 5th in Margaret Sherry's 12 Days of Christmas, 5 Gold Rings is my absolute favourite of the whole series. Which lady wouldn't love to receive a ring, more over 5 gold ones from her true love, as the song goes? Certainly not me. Not to mention the cute cartwheeling cat in the design. Yup, that explains it all and 5 Gold Rings win hands down as my favourite.

Also, any of you who're stitching this series can also relate to my next point - finally, no more skinny bird legs/feet to stitch! True, they're not that bad but they prevent me from finishing faster. Now that I don't have to deal with them anymore, I finish this in two and a half days of leisurely stitching. Now I'm am itching to stitch the next one. Hopefully I won't have long to wait before it arrives in the mail.

It's Christmas Already?

No, of course not. I know, I know, time flies and some of you have been wondering what I've been up to since it's been a while since I've last shown any stitching updates, but time does not fly that fast! Then what am I doing stitching Santas? Well, this Santa Baby here is for Lene's "Christmas" Round Robin. I've had a few patterns in mind but after she specifically requested that someone stitch this adorable Santa Baby for her, well, how could I resist? After all, EMS's patterns are always a pleasure to stitch.

Anyway, with just one more person to go before the RR returns home (we had a participant dropped out), Lene, unless you want it to be a "surprise" (considering you already know what the other squares look like), then I suggest you either stop reading here or close your eyes, here's your Christmas RR with four squares filled in. Like it? I sure do hope so!

And again, another Santa, this time from Margaret Sherry, I present to you the first square of my "Santa" Round Robin for another 6 person RR on EMS Cross Stitch Board starting 15th June. Yup, you've guessed it, I joined another one. Another two, to be exact for I have another one starting in July but that's beside the point. This little Santa here took me a long time (read as more than two weeks!) to stitch and near the end, I was already so sick of it that I just want the torture (yes, you've read correctly, it was really becoming a pain!) to end because as you well know, Herritage Stitchcrafts designs equals squash stitches (which by the way, they renamed vertical and horizontal stitch) and tons of tweeding. (A big Thank You to EeKoon for being patient enough to endure all my complaints all those night when I was hard at it.) I'm relieved to have it over and done with. Still, the satisfaction I feel now is almost worth all the labour. Almost.

I've substituted the DMC cotton floss with pearlescent effects floss from the DMC Light Effects range for the snow at Santa's feet. Although you can't see the difference from the picture, I can assure you that the result is quite stunning in real life, especially when combined with the shine from the metallic gold threads that's woven into the fabric. Now it's packed and ready to be sent out. Whew!

Stitching Blogger's Question: Special Favourites

What is your favorite specialty stitch? Which one is your least favorite? Why?

I haven't had much experience with specialty stithes to form much of an opinion for this question. The only specialty stitch I've done so far is the Algerian Eyelet and French Knots. I didn't particularly enjoyed the Algerian Eyelet for it can be quite a chore to complete one compared to good old cross stitch but I do like the different effect it lends to a piece. As for French Knots, I used to hate it but after I've learnt to tackle it, I'm fine with it but if a particular project contains dozens of French Knots, I think I'll more than likely replaced them with beads. Beads gives a better 3D effect and looks nicer anyway. Does backstitch count as specialty stitch? I love doing it for it's fast and as you stitch, the whole design just pops out and suddenly everything finally makes sense.

Stitching Blogger's Question: Stitching Mojo

Lately, it seems that many stitching bloggers have experienced a loss of their stitching mojo. Have you ever lost your stitching mojo? If so, how did you get it back and how long did it take?

I'm not sure if this qualifies as losing my stitching mojo but from the time I started cross stitching to now, there were two years in between after I finish my first project, which I barely even picked up the needle. Reason? I was too caught up with other aspects of my life and I've never considered cross stitching as a long term hobby that I would become addicted to. However, after I've started stitching again early last year, I've not stopped completely. True, there were times when I slow down a lot (like now) simply because I wasn't in the mood or the project I was stitching doesn't appeal to me as much but with the commitments I have at the moment, I can't afford to stop. (I guess deadlines are a good thing for me then.) So, whenever I feel like I'm losing my stitching mojo, I go online and start looking at cross stitch websites and more often than not, the many beautiful patterns that I see gives me the much needed motivation because it reminds me that time is limitted and there's still so much I want to do.

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the mothers out there, hope you have a wonderful day. I finally collected the bunny I made for my mum from the framers yesterday. I had sent it in last week and it has been ready more than a few days ago but I had been busy and it wasn't until yesterday that my dad helped me picked it up and snuck it into the house when my mum was out. Thanx Dad! Last night, I left it wrapped up on the table together with a set of clothes I had made for her to find in the morning. I was bedridden most of today by a horrible headache and as she had some church meetings to attend, it wasn't until later in the day that I she told me that she likes my gift.

It had not been an easy feat keeping it a secret from her. I remember how she came into my room when I was still halfway stitching the bunny. Boy, did I scrambled to get everything hidden! Actually, I just rolled it up and it was still in plain sight on the table. Since I've shown everything I've stitched to my mum, she assumed that I wouldn't mind her taking a peek at this one too so she must have been shocked that I practically shouted, "don't touch!" when she reached for it. Well, at least I managed to invent a reason, albeit a lame one, saying that it's not finished yet. At last, the cat is out and I can rest easy.

Stitching Blogger's Question: Leftovers

When you stitch from a kit and use the supplied floss do you have leftovers? If so, how much and what do you do with them? If not, do you usually have just enough or do you have to dig into your stash to finish?

I vastly prefer picking out fabric and floss of my choice for a pattern which is why it's not surprising that thus far, the only kit I've completed is the Forever Friends Bathtime. I've had quite a lot of leftovers from it. Since it uses Anchor floss, I've decided to add it to my stash to be used in the future, should the occassion arrises. (My usual brand is DMC) However, I think I would still have kept them anyway had it been any other floss for who knows, I might have need for them in the future. The possibility is always there, right? ^_~

Now that explains my ever increasing stash that never seems to diminish even though I have some patterns that I probably will never stitch. You just never know... especially with my love for round robins. *Grin*

Stitching Blogger's Question: Over-Dyed Opinions

Do you or have you stitched with over-dyed threads? (Weeks Dye Works, The Gentle Art Sampler Threads, Six Strand Sweets, etc.) If so, what is your opinion concerning them? If not, why not?

As of this post, I have yet to try over-dyed threads. On the other hand, I have used Anchor and DMC variegated threads. Do they count? I have some Six Strand Sweets in store though, thanks to Lene but I have yet to find the perfect project for them. I think the colours are very yummy but I have to say I have my concerns about them bleeding, especially the darker colours but since I haven't heard too much complain from other stitches in this area, I guess running the threads in cold water as per the instructions before stitching would eliminate this problem. Also, they're not easy to find in Malaysia which means I'll have to order them online and considering I don't have PayPal or credit card, that's a pretty huge obstacle I have to overcome. That aside, I think they look lovely on samplers, giving it an antique look or on monocolour projects, changing colours and shade automatically so my verdit is yes, I'll definitely give over-dyed threads a go.

Back to Round Robins

First off, I would like to thank everyone for your comments. I really do appreciate them. Now I'm back to stitching round robins again. I forgot to mention another side benefit from stitching on RRs is that I get to try out different designers and styles. This two here are perfect examples of what I would have missed out on had I not been part of the RR. They're not to my usual taste but I had fun stitching them.

This here is for Margaret's "From the Heart" round robin from Prairie Schooler. I think it's a rather sweet design and I especially love the heart shape vase. I think it has a delicate look to it, sort of reminds me of lace. Maybe that's because it's in white? Anyhow, here's the whole RR. It has one last square to go before it returns home.

And here's another design I otherwise would not have the chance to stitch... "Hope" from Lizzie Kate's new "12 Blessing of Christmas" series for Melissa's RR. This is not my first L*K though I'll have to show you the other one later for it's a surprise for someone ~_^ It arrived in the mail yesterday and I had it done in a day. My quickest stitching ever! I couldn't put it down. There's a dove charm included in the design but I did not attach it since Melissa said she'll do it when it gets home. Now I understand why so many stitchers love her designs. Simple and easy... it's for days when your mind's not working or just not in the mood for more complicated designs.

Bunny for Mum

I know those from the UK have already celebrated Mother's Day but here in Malaysia, we celebrate it on the second Sunday of May each year which would fall on 14 May this year to be exact. So, finally here's something non round robin related: Ellen Maurer-Stroh's "First Flowers for You" freebie which I chosed to stitch for my mum this year. It's stitched on Zweigart's 16 count Rustico Aida which I thought would set off the white nicely. Am pretty pleased with the results. I added in the words to make it more appropriate for the occassion. I designed the lower case letters, trying to make it look like a small kid's scrawl, thus emphasizing the more intricate upper case letters. Not sure if I managed to achieve the effect though. Now I just need to send it to the framers. I'm early I know but knowing me, I'll probably need the extra weeks.

 

Anyway, you must be wondering, there's no lack of Mother's Day patterns out there so why this one? My question back to you is, why not? Nah, just being cheeky there :p The reason behind it is I think my mum would like it, being born in the Chinese year of the Rabbit. Also, not only do I think the bunny is cute, I think it's rather sweet that it's presenting us with a couple of snowdrops which judging by the pattern's name (since Malaysia is a tropical country and there's no four seasons here), snowdrops are one of the first flowers of spring, which is a time for new life, new beginnings. As my mum is the one who brought me into this world... I'm sure you get where I'm going with this now.

Well, I'm getting too philosophical here and at the risk of boring you so I'll say no more. To those of you who would like to download this pattern, please visit EMS Cross Stitch Board where you'll find tons more great freebies. However, you'll need to register before you're allowed to log in. Man, I sound like a PR here. Oh well, I love her designs and I think she's a wonderful and generous lady.

Stitching Blogger's Question: In Over Your Head?

Do you do obligation or deadline-based stitching? Why or why not? If you do, do you tend to get in over your head and why?

Actually, I do do deadline-based stitching, in terms of round robins, exchanges and the occasional gifts for my friends and family. However, I don't think of it as an obligation because when I stitch something, it's only because I want to, not because I feel obliged to do it. In spite of my round robins preference to exchanges, I really don't mind either because it's so much fun and enables me to get to know other stitchers better worldwide. I just love the camaraderie stitchers share when involved together in a round robin or an exchange. It's different from when you're just sharing your WIPs (Work-in-Progress) or a HD (Happy Dance), if you know what I mean.

As for whether I tend to get in over my head, I've had my worries about not being able to keep up, being involved in 5 round robins and 2 exchanges at the moment but so far, I've yet failed to meet a deadline. Still, I do realize that this is my limit and have to keep reminding myself to refrain from joining anymore until the exchanges or at least one RR is completed.

A Robin...

... For my round robin. Excuse the pun but I just couldn't resist. Anyway, I think it's pretty obvious that my theme for this RR is "Birds". I seemed to have gone RR crazy this year after finding out about them last year. This is the fifth RR that I've joined, all with different groups and boards. The other five participants of this six person RR are Edda, Melissa, Monica, Sharee and Teresa.

As all the five RRs are still in progress, at different stages of course, I guess updates on RRs are mostly what you'll be getting from me so I apologize in advance to those who are already sick of reading an update on yet another RR. Maybe I should refrain from joining more exchanges and RRs so I could have more time to do my own stitching but they're so tempting and so much fun. Especially with RRs. Sure, there's a lot of work and commitment when you're involved in one but I love the fact that my RR will be worked on by different stitchers from all over the world while I work on theirs. The RR would enable me to get to know them better too. Also, don't you agree that the satisfaction is incomparable when your completed RR finally comes home? True, I haven't had the pleasure to experience that yet but I can already imagine my delight when that happens, knowing that my RR has been to places that I'll probably never have the chance to visit. Pretty cool, don't ya think?

Stitching Blogger's Question: Travel Stitching Tips

For those of you that stitch while riding in the car or on the train, how do you cope with the bumps and the motion? Do you have any tips for others?

As I don't stitch while travelling, I don't have much if anything at all to contribute to this week's question. It will be interesting to read other stitchers' answers though. I have always think that there seems to be a lot of work and hassle involve in stitching while riding in the car or on the train. I might stitch on a few hours plane ride but that's about it. Being an avid reader, I usually while away those travelling time with a book.

Has Anyone Seen...

... A purple bird before? And not just any ordinary purple bird at that, a fashionable one that has a pink handbag on her wing and knows how to use a cell phone. No? Well, let me introduce you to Margaret Sherry's 4 Calling Birds from her 12 Days of Christmas series.

This is for Marion's RR and is stitched on Zweigart's coffee gold flecked Brittney. Now, this piece is pretty special to me not only because she's cute, (heck, all Margaret Sherry's designs are cute!) but because I managed to master French knots through her. Notice that there're 6 French knots in the pattern which is the most I've done so far for this RR. It's pretty common for a cross stitcher to dislike French knots but for me, there's nothing I loathe more. I'll have to appologise to Kathy if my French knots are not up to standard on her RR. Kathy, feel free to redo it if you wish. Luckily on Jackie's RR, she has opted to replace the French knots with beads instead.

Frankly, I don't know what exactly happened. I think it must be my change of technique. I had downloaded instructions from the Internet before regarding French knots but I could never get it right. This time, I decided to try out the instructions given in the UK magazines. I did the first knot and it turned out just right. After that, I quickily got the hang of it and towards the end, I was actually having so much fun with it that I added two more on the alphabets of my name and country. Pretty drastic change, considering that this was something that I used to avoid like the plague. Am pretty satisfied with myself at the moment. *Smug grin* Goes to show that if you're afraid of something, face it, learn how to do it and that will in turn conquer your fears.

Stitching Blogger's Question: Stitching-on-the-Go

Do you stitch “on the go?” (On the commute to and from work, during your lunch break, waiting for the kids, etc.) If so, do you have a specific “travel” project or do you just grab whatever you happen to be working on and take it with you?

I don't think I've ever stitched anywhere else other than in the comforts of my own home, mainly my room. Seldom do I take my stitching anywhere else unless I'm going for a trip or it's a RR or exchange piece that I need to post. Thus, I don't have a specific "travel" project. I just bring whatever I'm working on at the moment for my trip.

Never have I stitched in the public not because I'm embarrassed to be seen stitching but rather it's more of a hassle for me, considering the projects I tend to do are of the more complicated type. As I'm not working at the moment, there's no lunch breaks for me. Also, I don't drive and since I don't have kids, there's no "waiting time" for me. Stitching in the car while somebody drives is no go for me either for I'd end up being car sick.

I really have to salute those who stitch while commuting for cross stitching is not like knitting or crocheting where one just work mindlessly without having to consult a chart constantly. Now, if I tried to do that while taking public transport, seeing as how clumsy I am, my chart would keep slipping off my knee or I would poke someone with the needle or something. The disastrous possiblilities are endless.

Lemonade, Anyone?

At least to me, it looks like a lemon tree which automatically brings to mind my favourite drink - lemonade. Mmm... just thinking of it makes my mouth water. The summer topiary is aptly named given its bright colours which represents the season perfectly. Looking at it, I can imagine long hot days with me under the shade in a deck chair beside the pool sipping a tall, cold glass of... lemonade. For some reason, I seem to be craving for lemonade tonight. I wonder why ^_~ Definitely getting myself a big cup of lemonade tomorrow when I go magazine hunting in the mall again.

Anyway, this took me four days to complete. Could've taken me less time but I was going slow and easy on it. Now all I've got left is the autumn topiary but I think I'll leave that for another month or so. Feel like stitching something else now though I've not yet decided on my next project. Am eager to work on the couple of round robins I'm expecting but since it's already the weekend, I'll have to wait until next week for the postman. I just might start a new project... Will keep you all posted. Off to ponder some more on what to stitch next...

Stitching Blogger's Question: It's A Mystery!

Have you ever participated in a needlework mystery (i.e., a design that you started before knowing how it will look in the end and by which you receive parts of the design via the internet, magazines, or leaflets at spaced intervals)? If so, why did you decide to do the mystery? What appealed to you about it? Did you enjoy it? If you have not done a mystery, would you ever do one?

I've never participate in a needlework mystery before and probably won't ever do it. I think the reason for is because I really need to like a design before getting the motivation to stitch it. Since I won't know what a mystery piece looks like beforehand, I'll be constantly worrying that I won't like the end result and that would be very stressful for me, an absolute no-no for stitching is supposed to be a pleasure not pressure. Thus, my logic is that with already so many patterns out there that I love and more on the way that I'll never be able to finish stitching in this lifetime, why risk a mystery?

Adeline's Birthday Present

Well then, after finishing this weeks ago, I only got it back from the framers today, just in time to present it to Adeline. You know me, I was delaying going to the framers, that's why it took so long. Had it done at the same place as the wedding samplers. Well, since tomorrow's her birthday, I'm technically a day early so no harm, right?

Met up with her for dinner and as I doubt I'll be seeing her again tomorrow, I gave it to her tonight. Just like I predicted, she loved it. Stayed out with a couple more friends for non-alcoholic drinks after. She was really tired and I think anything remotely resembling alcohol entering her system would have resulted in knocking her out. Besides really liking the pattern, this is what she said about it: According to her, she's the cat and I'm the sheep and Woei Yang, a close guy friend of ours is the flower. Hmm... Oookay... wonder how much sleep she needs to catch up on.

On another note, I've been busy catching up (or at least trying to catch up) with the EMS Cross Stitch Board Seasonal Topiaries SAL that I've been participating in. I think I'm behind. Or am I on time? Not too sure about that but I know I'm definitely not early. Anyway, pictures of my day to day progress can be found at my Webshots. Am too lazy to upload it here. This series is a downloadable freebie by Passione Ricamo. However, I don't know when it will be taken off the website so better download it while you still can. I've been so busy with RRs and exchanges that it feels good to be working on something that is completely mine for a change. However, don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy working on those as well. I do too, very much in fact.

3 French Hens

The third in Margaret Sherry's 12 Days of Christmas series, here is my 3 French Hens for Jackie's RR. It's stitched on 28 count cream gold fleck evenweave. Many stitchers might think that this fabric is more challenging to stitch on as the flecks disguises the holes but personally, I don't find that a problem. I still love the delicate sparkle of the fabric and this pattern is a pleasure to stitch.

Don't you think she's cute? (Though to me at least, it looks more like a he.) She looks like she's toasting us with her wine glass, inviting us for a meal. The french knots for her eyes are missing though because Jackie's going to replace them with beads when the RR returns home. It somehow gives the appearance that her eyes are covered by her feathers (sort of like a shaggy dog whose eyes are never visible under all that long fur).

I nearly forgot to stitch my name and country as per Jackie's instructions. Luckily, I refered to Jackie's letter once again before packing it up. After more than a week of dragging my feet (or should I say hands) on this one, now it's done and ready to be mailed out. Think I'll drop it off at the post office tomorrow even though the posting date is not for another two weeks. However, the timing should be perfect for it will need about two weeks of travelling time before reaching its next destination - Canada, into Alli's care.

Stitching Blogger's Question: Over One?

I just joined this group so this will be the first question that I'm answering:

Do you stitch "over one?" If so, describe your experiences. If not, have you considered it?

So far, I have not yet tried stitching over one but I'm planning to very soon because I have Angelica, a Lavender & Lace design on my to-do list and her skin requires over one stitching. The reason I have not started on it yet is because I'm still waiting to order the perfect fabric. Thinking of ordering one of Silkweaver's Reflection evenweave.

I've seen pictures of over one stitching and it's amazing how much detail and clarity a piece of stitching could have on such a small area so it's definitely a skill I would like to master.

Round Robins Update

Ok, finally I have something more to show. Here are some updates on a couple of round robins that I'm currently in. This Winter Postcard by Passione Ricamo is stitched for my "Seasonal Postcards" round robin with the Malaysian Stitchers group. It is due to be sent out on 22nd March so I'm glad I've got it done and ready to be mailed out. There are four of us in this round robin - Aida, Margaret, Rozita and me. Sadly, this postcard series is no longer available as a downloadable freebie but the good news is that it will be published in The World of Cross Stitching magazine sometime this year so keep your eyes peeled for it.

Next is this adorable cat in "Purr-suit" of a bird by Margaret Sherry. After much pondering, debating and proscrastinating, I managed to make up my mind and stitched this design for Wendy's "Funny Cats" round robin. There are minimal floss blending required for this pattern which is great for me to practice with as it is my first experience with that. Since it's a Heritage Stitchcrafts' design which is famous for its squashed stitches, having to poke in between the Aida blocks is somewhat difficult but I got used to it after a while.

There was six of us at first but unfortunately, Cindy had to pull out because she has Carpal Tunnel, causing her hand to go numb which in turns, affects her stitching. Thus, the remaining five are Charity, Lene, Sherryn, Wendy and of course, me. It's scheduled to be sent out on 15 April so I'm rather early with this round robin but considering that I've had it for a long, long time now (more than a month, aiks!) it's way past time I finish stitching it. Wendy, here's what your RR looks like at this stage. Hope you like it!

My First Cattitudes

This is my very first cattitudes design that I've stitched. It's for my very good friend, Adeline's birthday this year. She was my ex boyfriend's sister's online friend's girlfriend. Have I confused you enough? LOL! Anyway, we hit it off right from the moment we met and it's been more than 5 years since then. She has always been there for me through the thick and thin, the high and low and everything in between. Even when I was away in Australia for a year, we still keep in touch.Thus, thought I'll make something extra special for her birthday this year. I choose this pattern mainly because she's crazy about cats and Margaret Sherry's Cattitudes certainly top the list of cutest cats in cross stitch. And I doubt I need to explain why I choose this particular sign. Obviously, it's because she's an Aries.

Now, I have a question for all of you... Do you believe in the horoscope? Me, I do and I don't. I don't because so far, not that I read it often but whenever I do, the predictions of what's gonna happen to me each day/week/month has never been true. Yet, I do too because I have found the character and personality description of each sign to be mostly accurate. Also, how else do you explain that most of my close friends are all fire signs with a few air signs? It's said that these two signs are most compatible with each other compare to water and earth signs. Coincidence? Maybe, but there always the possibility of something more than that...

Framed!

The wedding samplers are back from the framers and I'm back from the wedding. It was an elaborate event and I had a lot of fun. Go to my homepage to see some wedding pictures, including a picture of me presenting them with their gift. The couple couldn't believe I made it for them. I'm happy that they like it. It feels great when someone appreciates your gift.

It's been a while since I had anything framed and I've forgotten how big a difference frames can give to a project. Don't they look nice? Simon, the framer, certainly did a great job with them. If anyone's wondering where I had them framed, the shop name's Rainbow Glass Studio in Taman Tun. I'll be presenting Puvan and Dede with their gift sometime this week. Can't wait to see their reactions as well.

Wedding Gift for Danny & Deborah

And here it is, the wedding sampler I said I was rushing for Danny and Deborah whose wedding is on Saturday. Once again, a freebie, this time from Australia's Better Homes and Gardens website. I changed the original border slightly because one, I didn't like it too much and second and more importantly, being in a hurry, I didn't have time to do the beading and the backstitches the original border required. At first, I was planning to decorate the heart with the red glass beads that Lene gave me but I think the simplicity of the gold threaded heart looks more elegant without the complication of beads so I left that out too. Somehow, this pattern which looks so much easier and simpler is harder to do as compare to Dede and Puvan's wedding sampler. Go figure!

Anyway, I took it for framing earlier, along with the other wedding sampler. Luckily, I'll be able to have it back by Friday so I can have enough time to wrap it up and present it to the couple on Saturday. I don't think it's my best piece so far because of the time limit but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. Besides, it's the thought that counts...

Wedding Gift for Dede & Puvan

This is what I've been working on for the past couple weeks or so - a wedding gift for my friend Dede who got married to Puvan last year. I know, it's a long overdue gift but the wedding was so unexpected that it completely caught me by surprise. What with Christmas and other stitching commitments already on my list, I didn't get around to this until recently. Now I need to get it framed up before presenting it to her. She knows that I'm making something for her but have no idea what it is. As this is the first time I'm giving a finish piece to someone other than my family members or my fiance, I'm pretty nervous about it. Really hope she will like it.

The pattern is a freebie I downloaded from the Internet. Can't remember which website it was from though. If I'm not mistaken, it's from a Russian website. At least, I'm guessing that it's Russian. I thought that it would be suitable as a wedding sampler after adding in the words. I must admit that I have my moments of apprehension since there are no backstitches in the entire pattern and I didn't know how clearly the picture would turn out. Luckily, my worries were for naught. It was a pretty fast stitch, considering and I truly enjoyed it. Will post another picture again once I get it back from the framers. Now I gotta get back to stitching another wedding sampler for a couple whose wedding is on the 25th of this month. Yikes!

VSCE 2006

Look what I received for my Valentine Stitched Card Exchange (VCSE). A beautiful card from Lene in Sarawak. Thanx Lene! I love it. On top of that, she has also sent me some stitching goodies. As you can see in the picture, a lot of thought went into her gift. There's a mini tuck pillow that she has made, 2 packets of beads (one red and one white), 2 skeins of Six Strands Sweets, 3 types of different buttons and a cross stitch kit. I'm in heaven!

This exchange is organised by Nik from the Malaysian Stitchers group and is my very first exchange. There are 13 of us altogether and each of us has been assigned a secret partner which we have to send a Valentine Stitched Card with the option of additional gifts in the colour of love. My secret partner is Niesa and since she has received the card I sent her, I can show it to you now.
I had a lot of fun with this exchange and hope to join many more in the near future.

The Chart Title Quiz

I was browsing around reading fellow stitchers' blogs when I stumbled upon this quiz created by Anna. Basically, you have to answer all the questions given using names of cross stitch patterns. The only rule is that you should really like the design and not pick it just because it had a good title. It looked like a lot of fun so I decided to give it a try and here are the results.

*Warning: Don't try this if you do not want to add to your wish list!*

Are you male or female?

Lady in Red (Valerie Pfeiffer)

Describe yourself.

The Romantic Stitcher (Passione Ricamo)

How do some people feel about you?

Always Friends (Tatty Teddy)

How do you feel about yourself?

Ice 'n' Easy (Lilliput Lane)

Describe your love interest.

The Perfect Man (Sue Hillis)

Where would you rather be?

To the Beach We Go (All Our Yesterdays)

Describe what you want to be.

Purr-fick (Margaret Sherry)

Describe how you live.

Love, Peace and Harmony (Maria van Scharrenburg)

Describe how you love.

Always and Forever (Forever Friends Bear)

Share a few words of wisdom.

Laughter is the Best Medicine (Newton's Law)

12 Days of Christmas

I know, I know, Christmas is over and it's just the beginning of a New Year, especially for me, a Chinese, who's still in the middle of celebrating Chinese New Year. However, for the participants of the Margaret Sherry Round Robin, we're just getting started with her 12 Days of Christmas design. There are 11 of us altogether - Allison, Angie, Jackie, Kathy (our organiser), Kirsty, Lynn, Marilyn, Marion, Priscilla, Sarah and me. There was supposed to be 12 of us but because of personal reasons, she had to pulled out. Maybe someone might want to help me stitch the last pattern when the piece comes back to me in April next year?

Anyway, first off, there's "A Partridge in A Pear Tree". Now, this piece is very special to me because believe it or not, this is my first time stitching on evenweave. I can tell you, I was rather nervous trying something new and I lost count of the number of tips and guides I read before starting on it. It took a lot of getting use to but once I got the hang of it, it wasn't that different from stitching on aida. I'll confess that I felt rather apprehensive after signing up for the RR, wondering if I've bitten off more than I can chew but now I'm confident that I can handle it. I really like the more refined look evenweave shows off a pattern so I just might start stitching on evenweave more. This piece is also more challenging than what I've tried before because of the many fractional stitches. Still, it turned out fine and I'm very happy with it.

Next is "2 Turtle Doves" which I stitched for Kathy. This time, it's gold fleck evenweave which once again, is something totally new for me. That's the intersting part of this RR. I get to try out different types of fabric. Managed to finish this pattern in 4 days which is a lot quicker compared to the previous pattern. I really like the effect of the gold flecks on the fabric, reflecting both colour and light, turning the pattern to live. Too bad this type of fabric is not yet available in Malaysia or I just might be tempted to buy it for my next project, whatever that might be. Hmm... then again, there's always the option of shopping online... *wicked grin* 

By the way, in case you're wondering, contrary to much popular belief, the 12 Days of Christmas are not the 12 days before Christmas, but in most of the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th). According to legend, the 12 Days of Christmas song originated in England as a coded reference to important articles of the Christian faith in the 16th century, during the religious wars when Christianity was forbidden. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor but to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. Here are the 12 symbols along with the meanings: 

• A Partridge in A Pear Tree - Jesus Christ, the Son of God 
• 2 Turtle Doves - The Old and New Testament 
• 3 French Hens - The 3 Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope and Love) 
• 4 Calling Birds - The 4 Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) 
• 5 Gold Rings - The first 5 books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch"(Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) 
• 6 Geese A-Laying - The 6 Days of Creation 
• 7 Swans A-Swimming - The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Prophecy, Ministry, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leading, and Compassion) 
• 8 Maids A-Milking - The 8 Beatitudes (Blessed are the poor in spirit, Those who mourn, The meek, Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, The merciful, The pure in heart, The peacemakers, Those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake) 
• 9 Ladies Dancing - The 9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness,Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control) 
• 10 Lords A-Leaping - The 10 Commandments 
• 11 Pipers Piping - The 11 Faithful Apostles (Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James bar Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas bar James) 
• 12 Drummers Drumming - The 12 points of Doctrine in the Apostles' Creed 

Hope you found that as interesting as I did.

Forever Friends - Bathtime

Ta-da! Finally, it's done! Yay! Took me about 2 years to finish this piece. Yes, you've read that correctly and no, I'm not kidding about that. I bought this kit in November 2003 when I was in Melbourne, Australia and had started it immediately but even though I had been cross stitching for a number of years, my stitching experience was still pretty limitted. And here are the reasons it took me so long to finish my first Forever Friends Bear:

First off, the smallest count I've stitched on up until then was 14 count so the 16 count cream aida that came with the kit took quite a bit of getting used to. Secondly, the colour of the bear, the tub and the fabric was quite similar not to mention the colour shadings in between which provides an even bigger challenge. Lastly, and the main reason I've been putting off stitching on this piece is the backstitches. They run everywhere and I mean everywhere. As if that's not bad enough, the lines on the chart showing the backstitches are thick which makes it hard to determine the precise place to stitch. Try that on aida and you'd understand why I was so reluctant to pick it up again once I put it down. Just so you know, I've never been one to detest backstitch but this is too much!Yesterday, I managed to summon up the courage to start working on it once more. I've been dragging my feet on this one long enough and all that's left is just the backstitch anyway. I put a rush on it today and now it's over and done with. I've gotta say, despite all the grief the backstitch gave me, the result is tremendously satisfying. Someday... a very distant someday, I just might attempt it again but you won't see me stitching something like this in the near future. Still, Forever Friends Bears are so cute and they are my absolute favourite among all the bears like Tatty Teddy, Newton's Law, Popcorn Bear and the likes. Anyone gonna try and convince me to change my mind?

Lilliput Lane Village

So many patterns, so little time! That, I believe, is a phrase that every cross stitcher can identify with. And I have to admit that I've never felt it to be any more true than when I saw this Lilliput Lane Village pattern on the January 2006 issue 126 of the Cross Stitch magazine yesterday. (Cross stitch magazines from UK generally arrives late here in Malaysia.)

Look at it! Isn't it lovely? I haven't stopped admiring it since I bought the magazine home. The temptation to start stitching it immediately is so great I nearly gave in to it but resist I must. What with 3 WIP (Work in Progress), 1 UFO (Unfinished Object/s), 3 RR (Round Robin/s) and 1 SAL (Stitch Along) that I'm in, not to mention the countless items I already have on my to do list (thanx to my darling fiance who's been buying me loads of stash), my plate's already overflowing. I absolutely does not have time for another new project.

However, since it's always good to plan first, *innocent look* I'm still trying to make up my mind whether to stitch it on aida or on evenweave. The model in the magazine is stitched on 16 count cream aida and as far as I can tell, I don't see any fractional stitches so it can be easily stitched on aida but I do like the more refined look evenweave gives a finished piece. Then again, I can stitch a lot faster on aida which is a huge bonus. Then, there's the matter of whether to use DMC or Anchor threads. I prefer DMC but the key given is Anchor which means I'll have to convert it to DMC and I don't know how different the result would be. Help! Any suggestions is highly appreciated.