Cedric October 2, 2009
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Not a lot of progress on Cedric but now I’ve started to use a few more colours I think he’s looking fab but if I were you I’d place your bets on Gwyn!!! The backstitching has made such a difference. I’m rubbish at back stitching and think I’ll have to get some tips to make sure I do Cedric justice. Here’s how he looks after Wednesdays SAL with Sandra – who by the way is having a great giveway – go check it out.
I also set myself a target with Queen Lily and have now completed about a third of the chart. Here she is
Next week it will be a year since the original Lily went missing and today I managed to get a pic of her brother Alf sitting next to one of my ornaments ….if only I could have had him wash his face – that would have made a brilliant pic. Hope you like him
And in the red corner September 26, 2009
Posted by totallythreadup in Uncategorized.Tags: Celtic Dragon
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……….Cedric. Not sure why I’ve named him it was just just something that entered my head as I was stitching. As I watched his face come to light, first his eye then I could have sworn I felt the rumblings of a roar building as his nostral flared into shape – then I realised it was Ian snoring lol.
Here is how he’s looking after my Wednesday SAL with Sandra
I’ve also noticed that I’ve called this Celtic Dragon but the chart name is Celtic Welcome! There is a Welsh Fairy Story which tells the tale of the red and white dragons and why the red dragon is the symbol of Wales. Not sure how Sandra is doing with her dragon but I can’t let this SAL slip as I can’t change history and let the white dragon rule 
This week I’ve also made good progress with my Midnight Garden and have almost finished page 2. I’ll show this when it’s actually finished.
Queen Lily is coming along leaps and bounds and by next week’s SAL I should have started a new section. Here’s how it’s taking shape.
Hope you’ve had a good week stitching I know I have!
A new start!! September 20, 2009
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…which I hope will not turn out to be another ” re-start” 
I had a lovely week away with Ian and the hounds and we were lucky to have good weather and managed to “chill out” which Ian really needed to do as he gets up really early and needed to rest up and relax. My parents came to visit for the day and my Mum and their dog stayed over and we took her back to Swansea and spent some time there. Unfortunately the only day of rain! I can’t resist showing this pic of the three dogs waiting hopefully for my mum to give them something – it’s amazing how well behaved they can be if they want something!
Back to stitching – I took three projects away with me but only managed to stitch on my Queen Lily. This is how it looked last week but since then I’ve done loads but you will have to wait until I’ve finished the page before I post the pic.
On Monday myself and Sandra went to Polstitches and I bought the fabric for my HAED Cats which I’m starting again in the New Year. I’ve chosen white 28 count cashel linen which is the same fabric I’m using for by CDT and it’s absolutely lovely to stitch on. I also bought Cirque des Circles – just because it was there:) I was going to pick some threads in readiness for Ink Circles The Bramble and the Rose but Jo has so much choice I couldn’t make up my mind so I’ll save that for another visit.
On our first visit to Polstitches with Sandra we bought a Polstitches design called Celtic Welcome which we decided to do as a SAL so I bought the fabric and we decided to start this on Wednesday. This is going to be quite fun as I am starting with the red dragaon and Sandra is doing the white dragaon. She has started from the top down and I have started from the centre upwards and she will be stitching the word “Welcome” and I am stitching the Welsh version “Croeso” so it will be interesting to see the two versions reach the same finish.
This is the chart
Sandra must stitch the way she types – FAST – so I will have to make sure I keep up. I was hoping she would post her pic first but she is probably way ahead of me already. I think I will have to have a word with Mia and get her to slow her down if she overtakes me too much !!!!! This is my progress for Wednesday, I promise to to better next week!
Last night I picked up my Midnight Garden and that’s exactly whre I am going now – the weather is too nice to sit indoors so I am going to sit outside and stitch.
Just one last thing …I couldn’t resist spending my HAED gift voucher on this – yep another cat!
At last – a stitching update September 4, 2009
Posted by totallythreadup in Uncategorized.Tags: Celtic Dragon, Cirque des Triangles, Midnight Garden, QS White Cat
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Hurray – I’ve actually managed some stitching!!! Over the last two weeks I’ve found the time to sit down and stitch, probably something to with the weather being so awful and the nights getting darker so more time to relax in the evenings. I’ve made some progress with Midnight Garden and have now finished page one so this is actually starting to take shape. Page 2 is a full chart but pages 3 and 4 are only half a page so this is a fairly small project. Here is a pic:-
After my disaster with Cirque des Triangles once I pick this up I can’t put it down again and I’ve done the whole of page one and completed every triangle outline of the full chart and surprise suprise they all ended up where they should be so now I know I can pick this up at anytime and just complete a triangle or two or three depending on how much time I have. Here is what it looks like now :-
Page 1
…the full picture
Oriental Lady Red has been restarted but I’ve forgotten to take a pic so will post that next time.
I’ve even managed to work on “Queen Lily” – check out my update on Our Friends HAED SAL. I’m really going to go for gold on this one over the next few weeks.
In just over a weeks time myself and Sandra are off to Polstitches. It’s not just an excuse to go and spend loads of money on extra stash it’s something we just HAVE to do On our last visit we bought the chart Celtic Dragons
which we are going to do as a SAL and we’ve decided to start this in October. If anyone wants to join in let us know – I also have the chart for the word “croeso” to replace “welcome” which I am going to do. I need to buy fabric for this, possibly some threads, some new fabric for my HAED Cat restart, the Bramble and the Rose is on my do to list so I may as well have a look at some threads ^grin^. And I know Sandra has hardly any stash at all ^cough splutter^
Mia’s story September 4, 2009
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I can’t believe it has been so long since I last blogged. Since delivering Mia to Sandra and Phill I’ve been to Swansea a few times and the last time I stayed with them so was able to spend loads of time with Mia and even though I still think she’s tiny she’s getting cuter and cuter. Would you believe that something so gorgeous could be so naughty – it seems she is now well and truly “the boss” being really fearless with the older cats who just look at her with disgust and walk away with Mia hot on their tail. Here is a pic of her as I was leaving – I think she really wanted to come home with me – she had to be held back
I remember Mia’s mum when she was brought into the veterinary surgery where I work and was about the size Mia is now. She was one of two kittens but unfortunately the other kitten was killed by a dog when he was about 8 months old. Mia’s mum was just under a year old when she went into premature labour and was rushed into surgery for an emergency caesarean and had 6 kittens in total, 3 of which unfortuntely did not survive. It was touch and go for the remaining three and as mum was so weak and had such a traumatic time she rejected the kittens at first so they were taken home and cared for by Sally.one of the nurses, and without her help I am sure Mia and her two sisters would not be here today. I am glad to say that mum and all three surviving kittens are all well and loved by their owners.
I though I had a pic of the 3 kitties but can’t find it but here is one of Mia and her sister (who was kept by the owner) when they were 6 weeks old.
I was hoping to get a pic of mum but I haven’t been on duty when she has been into surgery and as she is fit and well I hope (in a nice way) that I don’t see her until her annual vaccination is due!
Last week I ALMOST came home from work with a cute little kitten but somehow or other I managed to resist but I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out – I know one day soon a fury little critter will break me!!!!
New Kitten July 11, 2009
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Here are a few pics of Sandra’s new kitten. There is a story behind this and I will write it up asap as I have to dash to work (and look for more kittens
Cirque des Triangles July 9, 2009
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In my last stitching post I said that I was going to restart CDT, do a little on Midnight Garden and also pick up Queen Lily and quess what…not a stitch was done lol, typical me but not my fault – honest I did manage to sit down on Sunday evening and pick up Midnight Garden but not a lot to show so will save the pic for next time. Monday I restarted CdT and after stitching the first few triangles I decided to approach it from a different angle so rather than “fill in” the triangle I’ve carried on and completed the outlines for pages 1,2 and 3. It just looks I’ve I’ve done a lot more this way and at least I know it fits lol. Here is how it looks
I’m going to put CdT to one side and for the next week or so concentrate on Queen Lily. When I first started this I couldn’t put it down and it grew really quickly. Lily will have been missing a year on the 9 October and I would like to have this finished by then.
I should really work on my other HAED Cats but am struggling with the 25 count fabric. Sandra has sent me a sample of her 40 count fabric so I can try this out and see if it makes the stitching easier for me. The original size of the finished work using 25 count is approx 9″ x 18″ and on 40 count will be 11″ by 22″ so not a massive difference but I will probably have to use a full stitch rather than the half stitch I am using on the 25ct.
I seem to be restarting and unpicking more than I’ve stitched. The weather here is quite dismal at the moment but at least it means I’m staying inside and getting some stitching done. Next week Ian has a week off work so I’ll probably be on a stitching stop again.
Hope you have a good weekend and look forward to seeing your progress on your blogs.
That’s what I call a project July 6, 2009
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I came across this blog whilst browsing, as you do and just had to post about it. Please take the time to have a look at what Sheri is about to undertake – I think she deserves loads of support from as many stitchers as possible to encourage her on her long journey so spread the word. How brave is she…..my brain is frazzled just thinking about it!!
Does this count as a finish?! July 2, 2009
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I was determined to unpick my CDT as quickly as possible as I know that if I didn’t it could end up tucked away never to be seen again. I did a little unpicking on Sunday and am pleased to say that I now have a blank piece of fabric even though I sat up until 1.30 am to finish it. It was quite satisfying to unpick the last stitch but I think when I eventually get around to finishing it I will be doing a very very “HAPPY DANCE”. The additional threads have arrived and as they may be a slightly different dye I have mixed all the threads together so it shouldn’t show any definite change in colours. Here is a pic
I’ve done a triple check on my measurements and yes – it does fit when the fabric is the right way around – so I will put a few stitches in today just to start if off. I should really be working on one of my HAED projects as Thursday is our SAL day so I hope to pick up Queen Lily and start a new page. I’m also stitching on Midnight Garden so may have a few new pics soon.
As a reward for completing my unpicking so quickly I did a little retail therapy on Tuesday and bought myself a “few new clothes” I have to be in the right frame of mind to go shopping for clothes as there is very little choice in the town but I had a lovely day out and it cheered me up a lot. Maybe I should make a few more mistakes NO NO NO!!!!
These things happen June 29, 2009
Posted by totallythreadup in Uncategorized.Tags: Cirque des Triangles, HAED Cats
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Yet another really busy week where I’ve done very little stitching. Apart from working for a few hours every day last week we have been spending the evenings making the most of the warm weather and building our little vegetable plot with Ian doing the hard work and me “supervising” We finished this at the weekend and have a good selection of vegetables planted which we are hoping will all grow and we get something to eat from it.
I received a ticking off from Sandra for not blogging more often now I’ve got my new computer so Saturday morning I got out my camera to take a few pics of my progress. I’ve mostly been working on Cirque des Triangles and this is really coming along nicely and I’ve just started Page 2. Here’s an update and a close up pic giving a better look at the colours.
When I laid out the fabric to take the pic I took a quick look at the chart to see how many more triangles I had to do to complete the page and found there was just one more – so good news. Then …..frown….hmmm this doesn’t look quite right. I was immediately on the phone to Sandra – “guess what” I said to her. “Oh no” was her reply you’ve missed a stitch. Try again I say – “oh no” says she – you’re triangle is in the wrong place. Try again. There was silence as she guessed what I had done. STARTED MY FABRIC THE WRONG WAY AROUND!!!!!!! I laughed – or was I just hysterical Load of people have done that she said trying to make me feel better. So…..EVERYTHING has to be unpicked and I’ve just learned a hard lesson but… even though Sandra offered to unpick it for me I’ve decided to do this myself and start again. It could have been much much worse. Having ordered more thread today from Polstitches Jo told me a few stories which had me cringing, one in particular when someone had spend 18 months stitching and finished a project and then somehow managed to tear the fabric! Then she started the project again – well done that woman – I would have flung it as far as I could!
Back to actual stitching – I’ve done a little on my HAED Cat with Our Friends HAED SAL and even though it doesn’t look a lot it is progress
From now on I will be blogging on my “unpicking” . I know this is not really that funny and I still don’t know how I managed to make such a stupid mistake – I am Welsh btw but I hope it gave you a bit of a laugh. Happy stitching !
