Happy Halloween!

First of all, Ulla, thank you for your posts but I couldn't find your blog. Have you got one?

I was busy during the past days. I decided to look after the house and I started to organize my recipes. I have a lot of them and I'm writing them again on cute recipe cards. I have to chose a cake to prepare for our friends. They're organizing a dinner for next Saturday and I want to try out a new cake.

During the weekend I had not time to stitch. We went to the cinema on Saturday and yesterday we went to S.Antimo and Montalcino. In S.Antimo there is a beautiful abbey, Montalcino is famous for the red wine, Brunello of Montalcino. Lore and I went to Montalcino during the spring but we came back with our friends because there was a festival in the town.
We really enjoyed our day but we were pretty tired when we came back home...

Tuscany's country


The abbey of S.Antimo




Montalcino




Tonight will be Halloween and my witches are not ready. I think I bored you with these witches. I've been talking about them since I started stitching and I've not finished the pattern yet...I'm sorry but I only stitched this pattern because I hoped to have it ready tonight. Well, I'm going to finish it this evening...

It' mine!!!

I feel better but I'm till tired...I stitched a bit: I started beading but it's a long work! I'm sure I'll not be able to finish the MH kit before Halloween.






This morning I received my Christmas Ornaments. Finally I've it! I liked it and I saw some interesting ornaments. Some beads arrived too: they're for the Celtic Summer and Once upon a time of PR. By the way I'm till stitching the roses but I'm going to upload a picture soon. And there're some threads for my Terre de France.

At the end I decided to purchase the new Mirabilia's kit...it's mine! I can't beleive it!!! I can't wait for having it at home. And I purchased two of the LHN patterns you voted: I chose Coffee Menu and The bookshelf. Thank you for your voting, it was interisting. I'll change the poll in the next days. I'm kitting Coffee Menu because I'd like to start it as soon as possible.

Witches again

I've not many thing to tell. I've not been feeling well for two days and I don't feel to do anything...
Because of this we stayed at home during the weekend and I could stitch a lot my Cookin' Up Magic of Mill Hill.
I've a big progress to share!!! It's turning out lovely and I'm enjoying myself. I have to start beading and I'm sure it'll take me a long time but I'm happy because I could finish it before Halloween...I hope so...




I'm also thinking about the new Mirabilia's kit. I love it and I want it!!! I don't know if I can be strong. I'm really tempted to purchase it...

Treats

A lot of treats!!!

Yesterday I saw that Laura of Passione Ricamo decided to take part in the Silkweaver Showcase.
And I saw a beautiful new kit of Mirabilia. I love it, but I don't know if I buy it soon...it seems to be pretty expensive.
Another treat...this means that I purchased a Medium "Treat Bag" from the Spooktacular Sale of Silkweaver. It looks funny! I can't wait for receiving it...

And I couldn't wait for starting my Mill Hill kit for Halloween. I don't think I'll be able to finish it for Halloween but I'm trying... I'm really enjoying it! I hope to finish it...

Here is the kit.



I started stitching with DMC 310 and DMC 550. I'm stitching the central witch.



I stitched a bit my Shepherd's Bush stocking. Not a big progress, but a progress. I stitched two hearts and a part of the apron.






Do you mark or hi-lite your patterns or can you follow them without any markings? Do you make copies to mark up, or do you mark originals?

I've never marked an original pattern and I don't usually use a copy to stitch. Sometimes I used a copy if I wanted to enlarge the pattern but I didn't mark the copy because I always prefer to stitch then to mark the copy. I decided to make a copy for my Once upon a time of Passione Ricamo and I'm marking it because the part of pattern with the roses is very difficult and I prefer to waste time to mark then to make many mistakes...but it's my first marked copy.

Halloween?

I'm really tired but I want to post something I received this morning.
What is there in this wonderful parcel? I received it from Silver Needle and it took only six days to arrive to Italy.

There are my Mill Hill kits!!! I'm so happy! They have already arrived and now I'm ready to start the one with the witches. It could be a good pattern for an Halloween ornament...I'm thinking about it...will I have enough time to finish it before Halloween? It doesn't seem simple, there are many colour changes...

I have a little progress for my Winter Topiary to share. And I went on with the Little Kate project. To tell the truth I shouldn't stitch it, it is not for Christmas, I don't need it before Christmas...but it's so cute and easy...

Autumn weekend

First of all I'd like to thank you for your comments about my marquoir and my stocking. You're so kind, ladies. And I love that you're voting my poll. Thanks.

During the weekend I was pretty busy. We went shopping but we didn't buy anything...just some red felt that I hope to use for some Christmas ornaments...but I think I'll not have enough time to do everything.
Then we went for a walk neighbourhood of our house. Saturday was a sunny day and we enjoyed our walk. At home I decided to put in order my Italian cross stitch magazines and some threads. In the night we went to an Irish pub (to remember our beautiful holidays!) but they didn't have Guinness!!!
On Sunday we went to Vicchio, a little town not far from Florence, and we had an afternoon snack at La Casa del prosciutto that means "the ham house". They have wonderful sandwiches and "focaccia", a kind of pizza without tomato and mozzarella. Then we went to Vicchio's chestnut festival. Lore ate chestnuts and I bought chestnuts flour to make a chestnut cake. I also bought some orange green tea. I love tea!!!

Vicchio

The ham house













ham!!!

I went on with my Christmas quilt and I sewed 8 triangles like the one of the picture. And I sewed other little blocks.



I decided to take part in the Silkweaver Showcase. I'm going to stitch a small pattern because I have few time to do it. I chose a Felicity Wishes pattern. I like Felicity Wishes patterns very much: they're cute and funny. I started stitching Day Dreams and I'm using a 28ct Lugana Blue Fusion. Very few stitches!



Saturday was the start day for the Passione Ricamo Topiaries SAL. I couldn't stitch on Saturday but I had already chosen the fabric and printed the free pattern. I'm using another Silkweaver fabric, Lemon Sparkle. If I finish also this pattern before Christmas I'll take part in the Silkweaver Showcase with this one too.



Yesterday I started stitching my Winter Topiary from the middle of the pattern. I worked with some green and yellow colours. The pic is not good but we can see the opalescent fabric!!!

You know I'm working on my Terre de France marquoir daily. I usually stitch it every day for a quarter because I want to catch up on the published blocks. A quarter is not enough time but I don't want to give up the sampler during these months. I'll be busy with Christmas projects but it must go on!!! So I have a new block.




Then I stitched my Teri's stocking. Today the progress is not important, but I also worked on a Christmas ornament that I can't share because it should be for my secret partner in the EMS exchange.



I stole an idea from Renee blog. I decided to add a mini poll. I'm going to purchase and stitch a LHN pattern. They are all lovely and I can't choose one.....so if you like you can vote your favourite one! I could choose just the one you voted...



How do you `non-hoopists' who use a rotation system handle it (as it seems to be lot easier if you are in good terms with hoop)? Do you have several scroll frames? Do you use Q-snaps or maybe something completely different? Or do you just have one or two big projects and others are small enough to be kept in hand while stitching?

Today my answer is simple. I don't use a rotation system even if I have a lot of WIPs and I usually stitch every kind of project keeping it in hand. I don't use Q-snaps or hoops.

Sewing

Today I have only patchwork pictures.

Some days ago an Italian friend and I decided to make a small exchange of patchwork postcards. We saw a lot of beautiful postcards online, instead my postcard is really simple. But it should be a test...
Here is the right side



and the back side (to tell the truth I also stitched it!!!)



Then I'm going on cutting the fabrics to sew the smaller blocks of my Christmas quilt. I also started sewing the smaller blocks. I need 24 small blocks and I sewed 8. In the picture one of the sewed blocks.



Now I'm going to stitch a bit...

Christmas again!

I have just read the most recent post of Karin on her blog and I'm really displeased about her decision. I decided to open a blog when I saw her blog, it was the first cross stitch blog I found online and I fell in love with it. But I can understand her. Sometimes I think I spend a lot of time reading blogs or stitching... but I love doing so and I forget it!

Yesterday I decided not to stitch in the afternoon because the autumn has arrived and I think it's the right season to prepare some good cakes and other things. I prepared my first dough for pizza of this autumn. So we ate pizza at home!

After dinner I stitched.
So I have a big progress to share. I'm pretty happy because Teri's Stocking is going on good!




I have also a small progress for my Celtic Summer. Today the picture is not good, but I went on stitching her dress with the blue.



Finally I'm going to answer my SBQ.



When you have almost finished a pattern and start thinking about the next one to stitch, how do you select it? (a list, most recent purchase, etc.)

I have a future works list and it's very long. But I don't usually select my next pattern from it...I'd like to do so, but I don't always do so. I often fall in love with new patterns (every day) and I write them in my future works list. Sometimes I choose a new project taking a look at my list and I select the one I'd like to start in that moment. Sometimes I start stitching a new pattern because somebody organizes a SAL or an exchange. And I can't tell "no" when there is a SAL or an exchange...

Christmas list

This is what happens when you read interesting blogs.
I fell in love with the kit by Mill Hill that Dani received last day. It's really lovely and I had to order it. I had decided not to stitch anything for Halloween because in Italy we don't have a big celebration for it. We have been having a celebration for Halloween for few years. When I saw Dani's kit I thought I could stitch a small pattern for Halloween and that one is right!!! So I ordered it...but I ordered other three kits for Christmas. And this is what happens when you read blogs!!!

I decided to make a list of my Christmas goals. If I write it I can take a look at them, I realize that the list is long and I have a valid reason for working on them.
Here is my list:

- a charity doll for Unicef that we call "Pigotta". Pigotta is an Italian name to call a fabrics doll. I have been sewing one every year since 2001. You can see them here.

- two stockings of Shepherd's Bush, one for me and one for Lore.

- one Christmas ornament for EMS exchange

- three Christmas Mill Hill kits for my Christmas tree

- five needlecases using the pattern "L'Atelier de Brodeuse"

- two patterns for sewing other two gifts

- my Christmas quilt

Yesterday I decided to work only on Christmas stitches and I'm going to share the progress of my stocking, Teri's Stocking.




I started stitching my first needlecase too. This one is for Lore's sister. I know she likes blue colours so I chose these colours. Tonight I'm going to finish the bottom of the pattern and the number "3". Then on the back side I'll stitch some words for her and it'll be finished! I'm optimist...

Goals

I think that Sew&So is usually expensive but I ordered some DMC threads because in Italy they are more expensive. I'm really happy because I received the pack this morning. I ordered the threads six days ago and now they are here! I purchased 39 threads and I payed each one only 0.77€. I usually pay each one 1.15€, so this time Sew&So was cheap!!!

About my goals, I don't usually make a list but I read many blogs and everyone makes a list. I decided some weeks ago to stitch daily both Terre de France and Once upon a time for a quarter. Done!!!

My October goals are about Christmas.
I would like to start stitching the four needlecase I have to prepare, then I'd like to stitch other two little patterns.
And I'm going to stitch till both Terre de France and Once upon a time. This kind of goal works with me.

Now I have some pictures to share.
I sewed a bit and I tried to make my first Dear Jane block. The result is not good and I'm going to make it again as soon as possible. I had joined an Italian group about Dear Jane and I was going to start it before summer but I had not enough time.
Here is the picture.




Then I started cutting some fabrics to sew the smaller blocks of my Christmas quilt. They will be 24 small blocks and I have to cut a lot of pieces... Here is the picture of the fabrics I'm going to use for them.




And finally I sewed L'Atelier de Brodeuse. I'm really happy about the fabric I chose. It turned out right for the colours I used in the pattern.

I'm sick but...

I have little progresses to share.

I worked on my Little Kate first pattern. We can't see a big progress because I used the white to stitch all the daisies and the fabric is white.



Then I realized that Christmas is coming quickly. I would like to prepare a lot of things but I've not started stitching the gifts yet. I should choose some colours because I want to use the pattern "L'atelier de brodeuse" to make some needlecase. I thought to make them with different colours. But I didn't feel to make the little conversions during these days, so I decided to go on with Teri's Stocking that I had already started last week. Here is the progress.



I'm happy about the progress but I have a lot of work to do before Christmas and I'm going to stitching!!!