Come Back Stitchy Bug!!!

Not much stitching done this week, for one reason or another...

"Black Magic" by Just Nan

This is stitched over 1, using 1 thread.  I just don't seem to have had the time to stitch over the last few days - mainly due to being full of a cold (and wanting to sleep a lot!), but also because I've been busy with work and exercise!  I'm hoping my stitchy bug comes back next week...

I'm stitching on "Tiger" by Ross Originals next week:

"Tiger" by Ross Originals as of 23rd February 2014

I should be able to get quite a lot done on this, especially as we are going down to Cardiff next weekend to see the girls...

My power walking is going well.  I can now easily manage 4 miles, and will build up to 5 miles this week.  I have now bought reflective clothing so I can be seen in the dark - I go along some dark country roads on the longer routes, and it can be quite scary when cars go flying past me (and it's more scary than actually being seen power walking now!).  I went out tonight in the full kit - trainers, long Nike trousers, t-shirt, reflective jacket, running gloves, hat and headphones that fit around my ears - and I managed to walk my fastest average to date!  It shows that having the right kit helps!

I also went for a walk near Littleborough (near Rochdale) yesterday with a walking group.  I went on the train to Manchester, and met the group for the first time at Victoria Station.  We then caught the train to Littleborough, and set off on what was billed as an 8-mile walk, but I think we did more like 9, if not more!  The weather was very kind to us, although it was quite windy on the top of the hills:

Walking up to Blackstone Edge

Blackstone Edge

Walking over the M62

Very muddy boots!

A welcome sight at the end of the walk...

Happy Stitching!

Stitch from Stash 2014 Update - February

I have been good again this month... I have only spent £2.70 of my allowance, and that was on 3 DMC skeins that I needed for one of my WIPs!  I still need to buy some GAST threads for it, but I'm going to wait until I need some other GAST, WDW or Crescent Colours before I send an order in...

I have stitched on the following UFO/WIPs and New Starts from Stash this month:

"A Good Marriage" by Lizzie*Kate (finished!)

"Hootzi Humbug" by Just Nan (New Start)

"Black Magic" by Just Nan (New Start)

I have also stitched on a RR piece, and an exchange piece this month.

I have a couple of challenging events in March, where there is a possibility I may buy some stash... The first challenge is a trip to Cardiff next weekend, when I may visit a craft shop or two...and the second is a meet up in Nuneaton with some fellow stitchers - I always come away with at least one "must have" item!

Looking forward to seeing how all the other "Stitch from Stash" participants are coping!

Hootzi Progress, Walking and Holidays!

Hootzi hasn't grown as much as I hoped this week - mainly due to not having all the threads that the design requires in my stash:

Just Nan: "Hootzi Humbug"

I managed to get the DMC threads I needed yesterday (spending £2.70 of my Stitch from Stash allowance...), but I still need to order some GASTs, which I need to get online...

I've got a new start this week, too, and it's another Just Nan design - "Black Magic":

Just Nan: "Black Magic"

I bought this design whilst in New York, back in 2011, and it has been in my stash box since then.

My cardigan is almost finished...Only the making up to do now, so it should be done within the next day or two.  I'll post a picture when it is finished...

My husband and I went for a walk today, as it has been the first fine Sunday in at least a month!  We went to Rivington, as we knew that there were lots of tracks to walk on - much of the ground here is still sodden due to weeks of constant rain.  We walked a total of 4.5 miles (clocked using the MapmyWalk app), and went to Rivington Terraced Gardens (known locally as "The Bunks") and Rivington Pike:

Remains of an internal floor

Seven Arches Bridge

Old Summer House

Pigeon Tower

Rivington Pike

An abundance of berries on the trees!

It was quite busy around the area - obviously lots of people had the same idea as we did!

We are busy looking for places to go on holiday this year...  We are going to go to New York City (USA) again this year, but we would also like to have a couple of nights in Chicago, and hopefully fit in a trip to Niagara Falls.  (I'm hoping to meet up with some fellow stitchers whilst in the States, too!)  We don't know when we will be going yet, though... We'll get around to visiting the travel agents at some point!  Other than that, we are off to Cardiff to see the girls at the end of February, and have plans to go to a couple of European capital cities for weekend breaks.  We don't do beach holidays - lying on a beach all day is our idea of hell!

Happy Stitching!

Knitting, Framing, Rotations and Fitness!

Not much stitching completed on the Round Robin piece this week... I've been busy at work, and I've been trying to get my cardigan finished.  That has come to a standstill, however, as I need another ball of wool!  One side of the collar and side band has taken a full ball, and I only have some part balls left, so don't want to start the other side until I have a full ball.  I've ordered a ball online, so it should get here by the end of next week... The part balls will then be used for making up.  I am knitting the long-length cardigan, using the recommended Sirdar Connemara Chunky yarn, in this picture:

Sirdar Connemara Chunky cardigan

I'll hopefully have a finished photo next week!

I've also framed some of my old finishes this last week:

"Potpourri Heart" by The Sweetheart Tree

"The Hikers" by Heritage Stitchcraft

"A Good Marriage" by Lizzie*Kate

"Pecking Order" by Lanarte

I've added some new projects to my Rotation List, since I've finished two of my UFOs!  This is the list as it stands at the moment:

1.   Santa’s Journey Afghan – Margaret Sherry
2.   Crafty Cat – Margaret Sherry
3.   Mermaids of the Deep Blue – Mirabilia
4.   One Nation – ByGone Stitches
5.   Black Magic – Just Nan (New Project)
6.   Me First – DMC Country Companions
7.   Sweet Dreams – L&L
8.   Hootzi Humbug – Just Nan (New Project)
9.   Which Side? – Raise the Roof
10. Cha Cha – Heritage Stitchcraft
11. Song of Christmas – Lavender & Lace
12. Cat Lessons for People – Lizzie*Kate
13. Official Crazy Cat Lady – Raise the Roof
14. Spot of Summer – The Drawn Thread (New Project)
15. Tiger – Ross Originals
16. Mirabilia RR
17. Fairy Moon - Mirabilia (New Project)
18. Three Little Maids – Heritage Stitchcraft
19. QS Plum Gothic – HAED
20. Holiday IV Toy Shop – Mill Hill
21. Count Your Blessings – Silver Creek Samplers
22. Living with Charm – Lizzie*Kate
23. QS Scarlet Witch – HAED
24. Heirloom Christmas Sampler – Victoria Sampler
25. Season of Hope – LHN

I've made the list up to 25 items.

My rotation works in the following way:

• On a Sunday morning, I use the Random Number Generator in the column on the right to select a number between 1 and 25.
• That number then tells me which item I'm working on for the next week.
• During that week, I stitch on the item as much as possible - every stitch is a stitch closer to the end!
• On Saturday, I take a progress picture and post it on here, Facebook and Needlecraft Haven.
• The first week of every month is for Round Robin or Exchange stitching (if I am participating in any), so I am off rotation for that week.

The random number generator tells me that I'm stitching on number 8 next week - Hootzi Humbug.  It will be nice stitching on a new project for a change!

I have started a fitness regime...now in its 3rd week.  I go to the gym on a Tuesday evening, straight from work, and I am also using the Nike+ Running app on my iPhone to attempt to start running.  At the moment, I am following their "5k Beginner" coach programme, which has me out at least 5 nights a week, but I am brisk walking the distance it tells me to do (including some steep uphill climbs - can't go anywhere in Darwen without going up and down hills!) - I need to lose some more weight before I start running!  I am also trying to get out on a Sunday for a longer distance hike, but the weather has been atrocious over the last few weeks, so I haven't got out for that...

Happy Stitching!