I'm just a butterfly

The title says it all really.  At the moment I don't seem to be able to settle to any one design so this update is photo heavy as there is a little progress on a few different things.  Before I get on to stitching, if you leave a comment can you mention whether the word verification thing is on?  I am sure I turned it off but just want to check.  I find that I am leaving less and less comments for people as I just cannot be bothered to fight with putting the random words in 2 or 3 times before I get it right.  If I used to comment on your blog but haven't lately this is probably why...but don't worry, I'm still reading!

Ok...on to stitching news...first up is Lizzie Kate's flip it series.  This is January and is either the 2003 or 2004 designs.  I have done a few of the outlines for the blocks but this one is the only one with actual stitching in it.

I have also worked on Papillon Creations Around the World.  I am only on part 2 and I am finding it really tricky.  I have lost the ability to count and read stitch instructions.  On the top tulip the big purple diamond should be all white with the middle in purple and the yellow heart in the bottom one should be white with a yellow middle.  I am trying to decide whether to pull it out or leave it.  It is a three layer stitch and it I take it out I am worried that the fabric may be distorted beyond use and also I really like the effect in real life.  On the other hand though will the colours be too bold to suit the piece further down the line?  I think I may leave it for now and see how the rest of the design pans out.  I can always change it if it starts to annoy me.  Part 2 isn't finished yet so I may pull it back out tomorrow to work on and yet done.  Hopefully part 3 will be easier!  (I am doing the cut version btw).

A happy dance!!!  I have finished Abi Gurden's The Great Escape.  I am really pleased with how it turned out and how most of my specialty stitches look considering most of them I haven't done before.  The colours have worked well I think.  I particularly like the little moths which have a string of beads for the body.  In real life they don't look crooked like they do in the photo.

I then picked up Abi Gurden's latest SAL which is Confetti of Hardanger.  There are already 2 parts out and some of the ladies who have posted their progress have picked amazing colours.  As you know I am a rubbish photographer and the fabric I am working on is nothing like the picture.  It is actually lavender with DMC perle 211 and 554.  The fabric is pretty much DMC 211 itself and looks gorgeous.  This is my progress after part 1.  I had a terrible job with the counting - apparently counting is beyond me at the moment - and have unpicked nearly as much as I stitched!

Another project I have worked on this week is CCN's A Place We Call Home.  I am really hoping that I have enough Cidermill Brown to complete the words.  I think I have but if I need to unpick it, I may not.  I do have another one but it is not a perfect match.  The fabric is really nice to work with and it is nothing special, just a piece of DMC evenweave in ivory.  This was another design that I lost the ability to count on.  The base of the house is 11 stitches and I only stitched 10.  I unpicked the pointed bit of the roof several times before I discovered it was actually the bottom that was wrong and that I had missed out a row.  

Here is where I am up to with Cinderella.  I love stitching on this one and the colours are so pretty.  I know I have to put it down though or I will get bored and never go back to it.  As it isn't for me, that would NOT be good!  In this picture the colours aren't far off being true.

During the week I pulled my sewing machine out and managed to make this.  It's a Q Snap cover in case you're wondering.  I found the instructions HERE which were clear and easy to follow. I only used a cheap piece of fabric that I had in my stash and had to adapt the design a bit as the fabric wasn't long enough.  I am pleased with how it turned out overall and will definitely make some more.  Whilst the machine was out I also took the opportunity to run a hem round all the fabric for my WIP's/UFO's so they won't fray.  I used to ALWAYS do it by hand years ago then switched to masking tape and then finally just didn't bother at all.  Now they all look neat and tidy and it was good practice at sewing in a straight line on something that didn't matter to much if it had a little wobble in it.

And to finish off with I have included a few pictures from the garden.  This is one of my favourite roses which has lost it's tag so I can't tell you what it is called.  It has the most wonderful scent as well as looking very pretty.  Then we have 2 of our gladioli followed by possibly my all time favourite plant, a fuchsia.  It tends to swap between fuchsia's and sweet peas as to which are my favourites!  I have quite a collection of fuchsia's although my best one died about 3 years ago and I have never been able to find a replacement.  It was a small bush type with salmon middle and cream outside called Anita.

Anyone who has made it to the bottom of this mega long post deserves a medal.  Congratulations and please leave a comment to let me know!