It's Time for Tea - finished!

A completed project at last! Happy Dance !


Pattern by Alma Lynne. Stitched on 28ct Graziano Riviera linen using DMC & Anchor flosses. Some colour changes - obviously one of the colour change is the border. It was supposed to be a checkered-like border (with 3 to 4 flosses of pink colour scheme). Since the pattern was stitched on checks linen, I changed the border to pink variegated floss. This is definitely one of my fav piece. Already sent to the framer with another 5 pieces (previously stitched, some are from last year).

Progress report on other WIPs:
baby quillow - another 5% done, made up 50% completed
ED's For a Dear Friend - another 10%, now is 60% completed
Stitcher's Alphabet (Brookes Publishing) - stagnant (10% completed so far)
MS Hello Archie! - stagnant (10% completed so far)

Newly started project : Needlecase - materials are ready. Target to finish by mid May.

Designer Mail Art Exchange - part 2

Early this week, the Mail Art that I stitched had finally reached the recipient, Aida.


Plum Berry Sampler by Bent Creek. Stitched on 18ct aida using DMC, lined with leaf print cotton. Handsewn all the way!
I actually had to re-route the MA b'coz the lady at the Post Office branch nearby didn't want to process it. Luckily, Margaret, a stitching friend offered a lending hand. She mailed it out on behalf of me from her place. Initially, it was kind of frustrating situation for me. Then thinking of such problem is one of common problems faced by mail artists (participants), one PO branch refused to process a mail art is not a big deal anymore.

Ironically, as per explanation in TheFreeDictionary.com Mail art is art which uses the postal system as a medium. Click HERE to read more on Mail Arts.

MYS Exchange 2006 round 2 - part II

On Tuesday, I received a pleasant surprise from Wendy. A lovely cheery bookmark.


She stitched on 28ct lugana using vibrant colours of flosses. I love it very much and asked a framer to frame it.

This is what I love about MYS Exchange 2006; the element of surprise. For round 2, I stitched a bookmark for Angie and I'm surprised by 3 lovely items (needlebook, tuck/flanged pillow & bookmark) received from other participants.

Designer Mail Art Exchange - part 1

Again, April 1st is the mailout date for another exchange - Designer Mail Art Exchange organised in Mail Art Friends Yahoo Group (Mail Art by thread & needle). The participants were asked to stitch either Lizzie*Kate or Bent Creek pattern according to their recipients' preference. Anyway, many of us didn't want to pick a fav, we let our exchange partner decided on the patterns.

Last week, I received a lovely MailArt from Wendy. Even Mr Postman was smitten with admiration, he had a big smile on his face when he delivered the MA to me.

It is a Lizzie*Kate pattern stitched on linen. OOOhhh ! I just love the colours, so vibrant and cheery. Wendy is fondly nicknamed as the 'Queen of Mail Arts' in another Yahoo Group b'coz she had made & sent out many beautiful Mail Arts, be it for exchanges or personal swaps, even kindly sending them out to her families.

My recipient is yet to receive a MailArt from me. Will upload a pic, once it is safe in the hand of the recipient.

MYS Exchange 2006 round 2

April 1st was the mailout date for Round 2 of MYS Exchange 2006

For this round, I sent a bookmark to Angie :


It is one of Joan Elliott charts in last year World of Cross Stitching magazine. However, due to some miscalculation, inavailabilty of some flosses & a matter of preference, there are some adjustments made to the chart. I stitched on silver perforated paper using DMC & overdyed flosses.

In this round I received a pleasant surprise - a needlebook from Angie


The pic doesn't do justice to her stitching which is very neat in real life. She stitched on 18ct beige damask aida. Wow! I have to say, it is rather impressive! I had some difficulties when I tried stitching on black damask aida last time. I love the shiny effect that the fabric have though.

And today, I received a beautiful flanged pillow from Roz.


I simply love the colour combination & pattern. YES, it is very TRUE, Simple Pleasures Are Best. Thanks Roz, you really brightened up my day.

Fabric Paperweight - Tutorial

Hi !

I've uploaded some pics & instructions on 'How to sew a pyramid-shaped paperweight' to my Tutorial Album. Please click HERE for the link.

Happy Crafting and have a nice weekend.

This & that - April

Last week, I was too lazy to pick up a needle. I did some browsing, then decided to change the look of my blog. My hubby said it looks neater than the previous one. I'm happy with the way the blog header turned out though the blog wrapper is not the exact colour that I wanted.

Much later of the week, I continued sewing the baby quillow but somehow put off by the applique' blocks. It is my first time of sewing the turned edge applique' and yet to get the hang of it. Before, I've done the blanket stitch edge applique', I feel that it is much more easier and faster to sew. Certainly I need another to finish sewing the baby quillow since it is a handsewn & handquilted project. Wish me luck

Itching to see a finished item, I sewed up a small stitched piece (previously done in January) into a mini pyramid-shaped cushion. Since I filled it up with some poly-pellets, it can be used as a paperweight. Poly-pellets are the bead-like stuffing that we used in making softie/plush toys. I just found a packet of poly-pellets which I bought few years ago.There were 2 packets, I used one of them in flower arrangement, I filled up the flower vase with poly-pellets after I put the imitation flowers in the vase.


And then, I resumed stitching one of my WIPs - It's time for Tea by Alma Lynne. Surprisingly, I managed to stitch about 40% more with a faster stitching pace if I had to compare with the last time I was on this particular project. Another 30% to go, hopefully by end of this week I will be able to finish it.


And I also started a NEW project, a quick to finish 'cute hedgehog' from a magazine. Stitched on 14ct lilac aida using DMC flosses. It requires wholestitch only hence it's soooo cute, I barely took one morning (not the whole morning but few hours) to finish it


It seems, a stick-in-the-mud start for last week but happily ended with smile on my face

Blog Facelift in Progress

I'm in the middle of adding new look to my blog. With 3 darling princesses in the house, I will certainly need a longer period to complete the task. At least another couple of days