2018 SALs and a Freebie

Regular readers of this blog will know about the Weavers Tapestry Band Sampler SAL that's due to start on the 3rd of January (If you didn't know about it you can read all about it here). I have been blown away by how many people are interested in this SAL!

WIP Wednesday - Extended Version

It's been quite some time since I last did a WIP Wednesday post due to the summer holiday, some health issues and stitching up a storm trying to catch up and keep up with things - I even missed the TUSAL posts! Today is finally that post I keep starting and not completing due to lack of time to do the big ass post required for it.

June TUSAL

My little jar where I keep the ORT's

My jar is looking a bit full as I've been very busy again this month which means this post will be very picture heavy! For those of you wondering what on earth a TUSAL is: it stands for Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long and its just keeping all your threads etc. from stitching in a jar and then posting once a month (or so) what you stitched since the last post.

WIP Wednesday

Last week was the first of the odd shaped boxes for the Vakje per week, this week the next. The pattern given last Friday was a darning pattern and because some people were having trouble with the darning patterns on Aida they also gave a cross stitched alternate version.

WIP Wednesday

This is where I left off last week with the Vakje per week: just one box left to fill the row. Last week's pattern was fortunately a LOT easier to do, with the most difficult part being where to place the repeat.

WIP Wednesday: The SAL's and non WIP's

Having realised I was running out of space faster than expected last week I started a row of smaller squares - this week I continued that on the opposite side as that way I'd be able to get more of the crowns in that were this week's pattern. My plan for this row is a row of 1 x 20 stitches square box , 2 x 19 wide by 20 high boxes and then finishing with a 1 x 20 stitch square box.

WIP Wednesday - The SALs and more!

The nice thing about the Vakje per week SAL is that it's easy enough to spot the difference between one week and the next just by looking at the pictures. This week's pattern was simple but finding the easy path to use as little thread as possible without having to start and stop for every bit was a bigger challenge - I can't say I was fully successful but I did my best.

WIP Wednesday - The SAL's

So... having finished the giant shawl I was itching to get stitching, I picked up the raven I'd started last year which I'd set aside at exactly the half way point to do the shawl. The pattern itself Raven Spirit is one I found on Ravelry - not exactly the place you'd expect cross stitch patterns but I've found that tapestry crochet pattens work nicely for cross stitch too. The Floss is "Nevermore" by Jodyri Designs and the fabric is a bit of white Aida I had dyed with some orange Dylon paint. You can can see how to do that here.

Neglected Floss SAL

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the SAL I'm hosting in the cross stitch group Stitching Pirates on deviantArt. The idea behind the SAL is to use up threads you have in your stash that either need using up or have never been used, perhaps because you don't know what to use it for or because it's a variegated, silk or metallic thread you have not yet dared to use on a bigger project. The patterns are generally small, though occasionally the patterns tessellate well and I then give a larger pattern as a bonus. Sometimes I make a biscornu pattern and include a back, which could be a front too!