Hmm, what's caught my eye this time!

 It's been quite some time since I have recorded my thoughts here. Life seems to have been chaotic. But recently I have been thinking about recording my stitching so here goes.

I have a large stash, sometimes I find it overwhelming. Especially when deadlines are looming and there is always something else to stitch or do and it needs to be done now.

I have decided to try and chip away at my stash as I love the projects I have collected to stitch, they have been after all hand picked by me. So here we go, here are some of the new and old beauties from my stash that I have touched in the last couple of weeks.

Lately I have fallen victim to the Mini Masterpieces SAL. It wasn't difficult really, I love art and have been to many galleries around the world. The first month's pattern was Starry, Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. I have seen this piece in person. Van Gogh is one of my most favourite artists. I studied him for the final year of art I did at high school, his work informed a year long project I did.

The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, 1889. MoMA

I chose to do my piece on 32 count Zweigart white linen in the called for DMC threads. It measures 6cm x 4.5cm and I have finished this piece.

I have started this months piece. I have seen it in person as well, but I only have a little progress on it so far. I'm not going to show it just yet.

I have spent most of a week on Hands Across The Sea Samplers - The Rose and the Giant Pear. I have most of it done, but I am waiting on one colour to arrive. I started stitching this in January. Last weekend I completed the flowers around the border. I always stitch my borders first and then fill in the sampler. For the 3 or 4 nights after I stitched the house, rose and most of the pear. I will stitch the rest of it and leave it for the last colour which is ordered but I expect to be more than a month away.

I have stitched my sampler on Vintage Antique Zweigart linen in ____ count with the called for 100/3 Au ver a Soie colours. I have used 2 threads of the 100/3 as I felt the coverage was better.

A friend has enabled me into purchasing a pattern and the silks for The Scarlet Letter's A Peacock, A Unicorn, A Badger chart. I have drooled over this piece for many years. But was totally put off by the full coverage stitching - I find it so boring. But, my friend's one is so beautiful that I have given in. I have a small start on it. I intend this to be the project that travels with me this year. So hopefully that dreaded full coverage background will appear on trips.

Finally, my English Band Sampler is still calling to me and I am still answering her siren call. I have been working on the 4th band which is the most densely stitched and almost the deepest band. I am making good progress on her. But again I am trying to put her aside to knuckle down to some Japanese Embroidery which I want to make some progress on.

I can't wait to see what I work on in the next few weeks, I've been into my stash and found a few pieces that I'd like to put some stitches in so who knows what will make an appearance!