A Mermaid and A Shawl

November 4, 2021 Stitchingginny@gmail.com15 Comments

Hello, friends! So today I am going to chat about what is on my needles now; both knitting and cross stitch. Let’s start with the knitting. When my Mother-in-law visited in September, we went to the local yarn shop. The shop was having a Berroco Trunk show, and MIL found a shawl that she loved. She asked if I would knit it for her. Of course I agreed. I already had the book that the pattern was in, and she purchased the yarn. Last week I started it.

The pattern is the Marit Shawl and is in Berroca Book 428 – Topaz. It is also available on Ravelry. So I started it and it is the weirdest construction I have ever done. I am told it is Entrelec knitting. It is a little confusing at first, but I have learned that if I look ahead to see whether the next row is knitted on the right side or the wrong side, I am good to go. I think I just start second guessing myself and then confuse myself. The diagram included also helps. So I started knitting away on a 7 US needle.

I was getting the hang of the pattern and enjoying the knitting. I am not so sure about the yarn. It is Topaz from Berroco. It goes from thin to thick, hence the lumpy look in many spots. I need to grow to love this yarn as I purchased quite a bit of it in another colorway for a cardigan for myself. And then I happened to look up the pattern on Ravelry (I don’t even remember why) and noticed that my squares were a bit smaller that the picture. So I started looking at the stats and the Ravelry pattern suggests a size 9 US needle. What?? The book pattern suggests a 7 US needle. Oh my gosh! So I had to rip it all out. Yep, frogged the whole thing, and it was not easy. This yarn is a bit fuzzy, so it took me quite some time to try to carefully rip it all out. OK. On to start number two.

So on Tuesday I re-started the shawl. My squares are definitely bigger and it is going faster this time around.

This is where I left off last night. I will say that this pattern is so fun and at times, I say to myself, “one more block.” And then I have knitted 3 more. I just want to keep going with it. But usually I knit in the morning while having my coffee. I didn’t get to do that this morning, so I may be knitting “a few blocks” tonight. But evenings and nights are usually reserved for cross stitching. Which brings me to talk about what I am stitching X’s on these days.

When I finished The Dark Queen, I immediately went to my WIP stack and pulled out Pearl, of The Orient Seas from Bella Filipina. I started her in August of 2019.

This is what she looked like when I picked her up in October.

This pattern is very heavily beaded and has lots of Kreinik threads. So there is going to be lots of holes left for adding many, many beads in the end.

She has a very skinny body leading down to her tail. Oh good, that should go rather quickly. And then there is beautiful tail! Here is where I am at now.

She is coming along nicely and I am determined to stick with her until finished. I am stitching her on a one of a Kind 16ct aida from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics.

So, that is what I have been up to. What are you working on?

Bella Filipina Designs · cross stitch · Cross Stitch Patterns · Elegant Ladies · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Mermaids · Project Bags · Storage · storage bags · WIP

Still At Home, Still Crafting

July 6, 2020July 6, 2020 Stitchingginny@gmail.com12 Comments

It’s been almost 4 months at home during this Pandemic. I am sad, frustrated, depressed, angry and lost. I am sad for all of those that have been sick with this virus and for those that have lost loved ones. I am frustrated and depressed because I can’t go out and do the things I used to do or go to the places I used to go. And I am angry because the numbers of cases are going up again and hospitals are reaching capacity in some states. I cry watching the news, wishing I could magically make everything ok. And I have periods where I just don’t want to do anything. My husband is going back to work tomorrow, and I am really sad about this. I will miss him being home and I worry about him being in a place where the risk goes up. So I turn to my crafting to take my mind off of things. So, what exactly have I been up to?

First, I want to talk about a product that I purchased on-line a month or so ago from a yarn shop. I saw this product last summer at a fiber fest, but chose to spend my money on yarn at the time. But it has been in the back of my mind as a great organizational piece. How do you store your circular needles? This is what I decided to use:

Sorry about the poor photo. It was the best I could get while it was empty. It is hand made by Wonderfully Made and I thought it was a great idea. So as soon as it arrived, I started pulling my needles out of their original packages and threading them onto the holder.

Now I am not so sure. Now I will have to put the needles in a needle gauge to find the size I want (which was included with this holder) and will have to measure to see how long they are. And I always forget if I am supposed to measure from tip to tip or just the cable. I think it was easier to flip through the packages in my accordion needle holder to find what I wanted. It looks nice and I love the concept. Maybe in time I will forget all of the packages. What do you think?

In my last post, I forgot to post my May project bag. It took 19 days to get to me by mail and from a driving distance of about 20 minutes. It really took the scenic route.

This is the front. I love the pink and yellow watercolor top of this one. And the striped border looks awesome with the Spring colors.

Here is the back. Just look at all of those pink boots! So fun and totally a surprise. And since then, I have received the June bag. It arrived in record time, getting to me in a day.

I was over the moon when I received this one. It is now my favorite 😉

And here is the back. SO SWEET! Kristine knows me well. And she does an awesome job with all of her project bags. Different shapes and styles for everything you want to store. She is Clevergirl Designs and you can find her on intsagram. Oh, and this bag is already filled with a project gifted to me from a very sweet friend.

I can’t wait to start stitching this beauty. I still need to find a fabric. So for now, I am still stitching on Lady Mirabilia and here is how she looks this morning.

She is getting there. She has been a joy to stitch and I find myself relaxing while stitching on her. Unlike my knitting project…

I pulled out the Wingspan yesterday and knitted 3 rows and was so done. This pattern is not hard, just requires my complete attention and I feel like I hold my breath and really tense up during every row. Ugh! But it is my only knitting project on needles right now and I really would love to get it finished. A few rows every day 😉 So far, I am very proud of myself that I have not started anything new. Still trying to get WIP’s finished.

I spent last weekend getting some of this and that done. And I crossed 2 bigger projects off of my to do list. I finally redid all of my cross stitch files. They were still mostly in boxes from when we remodeled the basement. They all wouldn’t fit in the 2 filing drawers I had planned, so they went into the old file cabinet and with a few more files added.

It took 2 1/2 drawers, but they are like I want them. And all patterns are filed. Woo Hoo!

I also reorganized most of my yarn. I put a lot of it in the 2 file drawers that would not hold all of my cross stitch files. the top drawer is all AJHC Wools yarn. Just love her yarn. The 2nd drawer is mostly 2 skein project yarns. It will be fun to rummage through the drawers when I want to start a new project.

My ottoman is also home to some pretty yarn, Mostly one skeiners.

So that is what I have been up to. Trying to keep myself a little busy and away from the tv, except to watch Vampire Diaries. How are you spending your time these days?

Bella Filipina Designs · cross stitch · Hand Dyed Fabrics · Knitting · Mermaids · Project Bags · Uncategorized · yarn

Shelter In Place and Craft

April 25, 2020 Stitchingginny@gmail.com20 Comments

Wow! It has been over a month since my last post. So much has happened in the world since then. Just 2 days after my last post, we decided to shelter in place. Hubby’s work suggested that people who can work from home, do so. The next week our state issued a stay at home order. Today is day 42. Home is my happy place, but I can’t say that it has been totally easy. There are some days that just get away from me without getting much done. I have so many things to do that sometimes I don’t know what to do and I do nothing. But I am trying to get something done everyday. Today, is my blog post 🙂 So I have pulled my pictures to share with you what I have been up to this last month. I actually have a couple of finishes! First, remember the black and white photo I shared of a project I had started last month?

Well, it is a baby blanket. The yarn is AJHC Wools in color Aether. It is so gorgeous and I knew it was the perfect color for a friend who was expecting a little boy.

The pattern is Simple Eyelet Baby Blanket by LeeLee Knits and is available on Ravelry. I really enjoyed working on this blanket. The pattern was nice and simple, but elegant looking.

Sadly, my friend lost her baby. My heart aches for her and her husband. I cannot even imagine what they are going through. I finished the blanket. It still needs to be blocked. Then I will tuck it away for now.

I also finished Aquamarina this last week and she turned out so beautiful and sparkly!

I am thrilled with how she turned out. She is my first Bella Filipina finish and I can honestly say she will not be my last. The fabric is 16ct Aida, a one of a kind from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics and is really is the perfect fabric for her.

So far I have not pulled another cross stitch out to work on, but I am really itching to. Instead, I have been knitting in the evenings on a cowl project I had started last September. The Wilma Cowl.

It is a project I picked up last September during a Shop Hop. The pattern is from a book and the yarn is Heritage from Cascade Yarns in colorway #502. It is supposed to have chevron pattern all around, but they really are not showing up well in this yarn, even though it is the yarn called for. When I stretch it I can see it somewhat, but for the most part it just looks like random knitting. The yarn is soft and the color is perfect for fall, so I will continue on with it in between working on this project:

Yeah, it is the Wingspan. And if I wasn’t turning gray from the Corona Virus, I would be from this project. I pulled it out and put in my second lifeline right away. Knitted 4 or 5 rows and had to rip back to the lifeline. Picked up the stitches and knit the rows back in. Now I am up to Section D, another transition section. So I add another lifeline. I hold my breath the entire row and UGH! I have 2 stitches left over. So I rip out to the lifeline and boy were they a bear to pick back up this time! Finally got them back on the needle and knitted the row again. Perfect. Thank heavens for Lifelines. But for now, the project is in a time out! I wanted to knit a couple of rows everyday so I can get this finished, but it is too stressful some days. So I will wait until later this week to take it out of time out. I thought I had been working on this project for 2 years, but turns out that I started in June 2019, so it hasn’t even been a year. Just maybe I can get it done before the year is up 😉 But then again…maybe not. There is a newproject start in my near future! More about that in a minute…

I have also pulled out my sewing machine and have been making masks for family and friends. I made 25 until I ran out of elastic. I received a small shipment of elastic on Thursday, so I need to get back to sewing to fill some more orders I have received. I will sew again until I run out of elastic and wait for my original shipment to arrive, hopefully soon. It is a little something I can do to help out during this pandemic.

Since I last posted, I have received my March and April project bags from CleverGirl Designs. They are so cute!

I love the knitting on the March bag on the left. And the April bag has such cheery colors!

This is the back side of both bags. March on the left with little kitties to go with the yarn balls. Fun, vintage typewriters on the back of the April bag. I love them both and have yet to fill them with a future cross stitch project. But don’t worry. I have a gazillion projects to choose from 😉 They won’t be empty for too long. I have really enjoyed getting these happy mail packages every month, especially now during stay at home.

So, this leads me to the very near future project I mentioned earlier. If you are a knitter, you probably have heard about Casapinka’s new shawl pattern that is out this weekend. This weekend was supposed to be National LYS day and she designed a pattern for the shops to give for FREE when purchasing the yarn for the shawl. This is the Breathe and Hope shawl:

I fell in love with this as soon as I saw it in my email!! I love the colors and the pattern. She is not telling us the yarn used, so that we can shop at the yarn shops. I do hope that someday she reveals the yarn used, as it definitely deserves recognition. The day before this photo arrived in my email, I had purchased a special bag and matching yarn from Tippy Tree Yarns. The spring bag made by Knit 2 Together, has a matching skein of yarn dyed by Tippy Tree Yarns. I contacted her after receiving the email from Casapinka asking if she had a solid color to match the yarn. She did and I ordered it and it should arrive this week. It is a dark coral and I think it will be perfect with the yarn I just received yesterday.

I am so excited for a new start this week. I know I shouldn’t, but the Breathe and Hope shawl is perfect for this situation we are all in.

So, that is what I have been up to. How are you spending your days while sheltering in place? Do you have any new projects started? Finish anything during our quarantine? I’d love to hear about it! And as always, be safe and stay healthy.

Bella Filipina Designs · cross stitch · Hand Dyed Fabrics · Knitting · Mermaids · Nora Corbett · Project Bags

Craft and Stay Calm

March 12, 2020 Stitchingginny@gmail.com19 Comments

Hello my blogging friends. With the Corona Virus news everywhere, it is hard to not wonder and worry. So I craft and try not to think about it too much. I do hope that you are safe and healthy where you are.

I have gotten out of the habit of getting on my computer and checking my mail and blogs on a daily basis and I do miss it. Can you believe that it is already about mid March? The year is flying by so quickly. One thing I am glad of is that Spring will be here soon. We have been flirting with 40’s and 50’s, but I am looking forward to the grass turning green, trees and shrubs budding and flowers breaking through the softening soil.

So, what have I been up to? Well, I finished the Rainbow of Hope Advent shawl.

It still needs blocking, but it is finished. It is so beautiful. AJ Wools did an awesome job with this Advent shawl. I am proud of myself for keeping up with it and finishing it on February 2. Another finish for 2020 😉

Remember the Travel shawl I was working on? I finally finished that one, too!

I used the Rainbow Shawl pattern from Katia, but I am not as thrilled with this one. I had trouble trying to figure out how to wear it. Lots of fabric at the back of my neck which I don’t like. But I love the colors and it is so soft. I used Knit One, Crochet Two Kettle Tweed in color Winter Blossom. I started this project in October 2018 and finished it March 1, 2020. So happy to have this one off of my needles.

I picked up a framing from the framer on February 15. Here is Wherefore Art Thou by Nora Corbett.

She turned out so beautifully! While this piece is not one of my very favorites that I have stitched, she is one of my favorite framings. Because of the large bead in the middle, it had to be framed almost like a shadow box. Juanita from Way Cool Mats did an awesome job, as usual. I just love it so much. I did find out a few days later that Juanita will be retiring from framing in May. I have no idea where I will take my stitchings to be framed in the future. She has framed just about all of my pieces for the last 25 years. I wish her well, but I will sure miss her.

That brings us to my current projects. I pulled out Aquamarina on January 17 and have been working on her as much as I can. I am stitching on 16ct Aida one of a kind fabric from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics.

I have been loving stitching on her. Her tail is massive and I didn’t think I would ever get through it. But I did, and here is where I am at with her today.

Her colors are much brighter than my photo. Not sure why they look like that. The photo on my camera is much brighter. Anway, I am hoping to finish her in time to get her to the framer before she retires. I would love for this one to be framed by her.

I am also working on a new knitting project. I know, I am on a stash diet. But I have a good reason for buying this yarn and starting this project. It is a baby blanket for someone special. And since she may just see this post, I have to turn it black and white. But believe me, the yarn is gorgeous!! It is from AJHC Wools and it is not your traditional baby color 😉

I will show more of this one later.

I received my February Project Bag and it is so pretty and already filled with a future project.

I think this is my favorite bag so far. It is pink 😉 And here is the back.

I am anxiously awaiting my March bag which I am sure will arrive any day now. I will be sure to share in my next post.

So…that is what I have been up to. And what I am doing to take my mind off of what it is out there in the world. What are you doing to keep yourself busy?

Bella Filipina Designs · Crochet · cross stitch · Knitted Shawl · Knitting · Mermaids

I’m Sad Summer Is Ending

August 29, 2019 Stitchingginny@gmail.com26 Comments

Hello blogging friends. I have just enough time to squeeze in a post for August before it is over. My blogging days have been few and far in between. I will do better 🙂 My summer has been a little busy. Lots of little day trips-mostly yarny trips. I went to a Wine and Wool Fest and I participated in the I-75 Yarn Crawl. I visited 10 shops during the yarn crawl and purchased something at each shop. And then last week I visited a new shop that I didn’t get to hit on the Yarn Crawl. It was a lot of fun, but expensive, as I couldn’t resist yarn where ever I went 😉 I have been stitching, too.

First, I finished the Mermaid’s Garden Shawl. It turned out beautiful! Here it is being blocked.

This was such an enjoyable KAL. The pattern is the Mermaid’s Garden Shawl by Lena Mathisson and is available on Ravelry. I will be making this one again for sure.

I recently joined other knitters at my local yarn shop and we are making the Veronika cardigan. Here is my start on this one:

That is not a shadow at the top of the cardigan. It appears that my yarn doesn’t quite match. Ugh. I will continue on. I am using Malabrigo Rios in Tranquilo. I’m not into switching skeins every other row, so I will leave it for now. I am using a size 9 needle as I couldn’t get gauge with an 8. And after using fingering weight yarn for so long, this worsted weight yarn and large needle has really done a number on my right hand. It is aching quite a bit today, so this piece is in time out for now. But I am loving the color. And see that cute bag in the back? It was a special order to CleverGirl Designs Co. It matches my tool bag.

Kristine does a great job making these bags. The smaller one has lots of pockets and holds a lot! You can find her on Instagram @clevergirldesignsco

I started a new cross stitch. I know, don’t say it, LOL. I couldn’t resist Bella Filapina’s “Pearl of the Orient Seas”. She is a beauty!

I am stitching her on 16ct aida, a OOAK from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics. While I love her, I have found out I am not a fan of stitching with red, orange and yellow. Hopefully I will be able to get through it as she is really stunning. I have become a big fan of Bella Filipina designs. He is so talented.

I am still stitching on the Pillow for a friend. It is coming along and my goal is to get it done by the end of summer. Which, as the title of my post says, is coming to an end. I better up my game now. I can’t show all of my progress because I want it to be a surprise for the recipient. But here is a peek: (Don’t look at the back of it!)

I am getting near the bottom! Woo Hoo!

And remember this crochet project?

Well, I finished it!!! A little less than 2 years and not perfect, but it is finished and I just love it!

This blanket will keep me warm while hanging out in the finished basement with hubby. Yep, the basement is all finished and put together. We still have lots of boxes and bins to go through for the storage room. We are hoping to get those unpacked within the next month. So that is what I have been up to these last few weeks of summer. What have you been up to? Did you recently finish a project you are happy to finally finish?

Bella Filipina Designs · cross stitch · Fabric · Hand Dyed Fabrics · Mermaids · Passione Ricamo · Shannon Christine designs

A Finish, A near Finish and A New Start!

November 29, 2018 Stitchingginny@gmail.com34 Comments

Hello my blogging friends! It’s a bit of a snowy day outside, so I am inside, organizing, cleaning and now it’s time for a blog post 🙂 Thanksgiving is over, and I kept my emotions under check better than I expected to. And ever since, I have been cleaning and organizing and making piles to give away and donate. I tend to do this when I am sad or angry. It feels good to get organized and having things put into place. I really cleaned my laundry room and my craft room, making room for new storage containers 😉 I am hoping my craft room will be better organized for me to get in there and get my Christmas cards made and get back to my scrapbooking. Now onto stitching stuff!

First, I have a finish. Pink Princess is complete and I am over the moon in love with her. I even found the little butterfly bead to put into her hand instead of stitching a butterfly. Not sure if you can see it in the photo. It is a beautiful bead with blues and greens and purples and pinks. Perfect for her hand.

I think she turned out so amazing! She is Dawn, the Fairy Spirit of Grace by Passione Ricamo. I stitched her without the wings, even though she is a beauty with them as well. I stitched her on 16ct Aida Tintagel from Fabrics by Stephanie. A gorgeous Princess on a gorgeous piece of fabric.

So now I am back to stitching on the Treasures of the Deep piece. November mermaid is up right now.

I finished all the stitching last night. I am hoping to get the backstiching all done tonight so that I can dive into a new project. Yeah, I know, another project, right? Anyway, this one is Treasures of the Deep SAL from Shannon Christine designs. The fabric is 16ct Aida Maldivian Dreams from Fiberlicious. Just December and January left of this SAL and then all the gorgeous, sparkly beads can be added. This one is really blinged to the max!

So, what is my new project you ask? Well, it is another mermaid. This one is Aquamarina from Bella Filapina. I ordered her in August and she arrived sometime in October. I quickly gathered up all the DMC threads, beads and Kreiniks for her and special ordered a fabric for her. Last night I received this gorgeous fabric and I squealed with delight!

Oh my gosh! Isn’t it just breathtaking? It is 16ct Aida from Fantasy Dyed Fabrics. Johanna did an amazing job on creating this one for me. So I am hoping to start this new project tomorrow, even if I have to stay up super late finishing the back stitching on the November mermaid.

So that is what I am up to today. What are you stitching on? Do you have a new project you want to get started on?

Tag: Bella Filipina Designs

A Mermaid and A Shawl

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Still At Home, Still Crafting

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Shelter In Place and Craft

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Craft and Stay Calm

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I’m Sad Summer Is Ending

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A Finish, A near Finish and A New Start!

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