Gift stitching ... piccies

That's the only thing I hate about secret stitching ... I can't share piccies until after it's been received, darn it! Seeing as it won't give the game away, I've decided to show you a sneak preview of my current gift stitching, though. It's about 2/3 finished now, but I can't complete it until I get a spool of Kreinik braid ... fingers crossed that'll be in my first parcel from SB&B that's on its way and should be here within a week's time ... if not, that's the time to start panicking ;)

Actually, I just heard from Jenna that her birthday gifts have arrived safely, so I can also add an extra piccie to this post ... I didn't take photos of the extra goodies I sent, but I did take one of the lavender sachet I stitched. I haven't done any hardanger really since I took a beginner's class about 5-6 years ago, and haven't tried wrapped bars before (ie just wrapping all 4 threads together), but it worked out OK - it was strange using such large count fabric and pearl cotton (#3 and #5), but the finished product is really pretty. I chose it because lavender is a natural therapy for headaches, and poor Jenna is regularly plagued with them - thankfully USA Customs restrictions aren't as strict as here, and you can send lavender into the country, yay. The design is a freebie from the Classic Stitches website. I'm so happy it arrived safe and sound, and that Jenna likes her goodies :D

Other than that, not much has been happening in this neck of the woods - after my appalling night's sleep yesterday, I managed to get tuckered out and went back to bed at midday for another 3 hours - I felt much more human after that ... but at least it got my kitted up projects entered into a spreadsheet, which has proved helpful already as I searched for a DMC thread for my gift stitching yesterday - I had a quick look at the spreadsheet then went straight to the right project to grab the skein out ... awesome!

Tonight it's back to early nights for sleeping, I need to be in bed by 7.30pm to try and get 8 hours before being up at 4am for work ... 4 days of 5am's this week, finished with one 9am shift at the end - only 5 days straight again, oh boy am I loving that!!

Thanks to a conversation Isabelle and I have been having, I've been contemplating making a patchwork quilt next year ... I've been dreaming about it for a number of years now, but never started one for myself, and I'm thinking 2007 might be the year to try it out. I've been looking through my quilting books and choosing some possible designs ... once I've narrowed my choices down I'll share some piccies.

Rightio, back to listening to the last part of Jeffrey Deaver's Cold Moon novel (I'm really enjoying this one) and Bordeaux Sampler (I'm giving it some well-deserved stitching time, seeing as it's been neglected for a few weeks) ... it's OK, though, Carol, I'm not motoring too far along with it today, just enough to show some difference ;)