Tigermum's April WIPocalypse postings

Afternoon everyone.
I have to admit that all in all things have been a bit quiet on the cross stitch front this month. Other things have taken priority!

Over Easter my DD and her family came to see us for the day. It was the first time we'd seen them since before our cruise, and I have to say I've really missed them (even though I enjoyed the holiday). We bought Jess a chocolate bunny - she's really got into chocolate this year! (This photo's taken in a local supermarket cafe on a different day).

When they'd left I started again on the quilt for her birthday - I'd put it away to make it a total surprise for my DD too. I've got most of the body of the quilt done (after a chat with my BF who's a quilter). I didn't have much fabric left, so I decided (we decided) to make a border of small blocks. If I can find some more fabric I want to make it a bit bigger so that it can be used on a "grown-up" bed when she's bigger, but as it stands it's almost toddler bed size. I've found an old quilt cover in cream which had a stain on the front, so I'm going to cut that up for the backing. Here's a picture of it hanging on the front of my wardrobe.

As to the rest of my work this month - I've done a tiny bit on the mandala and a bit more on Egypt. One of these days I'll get to the second side of Egypt and that might spur me on to finish it! (Do you think??)

(Apologies - not very good photos there!)

What else have I been up to? Well, I've decided to cut down the vine which covers the pergola in our back garden, so that's been chopped near the root so that it doesn't grow any more and I'm gradually cutting it back. Last year I made some grape juice from it, but it was so sour - not like the previous years'. And because I left quite a few bunches on the vine we were completely over-run with thrushes who cleared them in a couple of days. It was like a scene from Hitchcock's "The Birds"!! Then I have to clear the fallen leaves away from the patio, so this year I decided that I need an evergreen climber to replace it. Once it's all removed I shall take a trip to the local garden centre to see what's around. Anyone have any experience with climbing plants?? Today I have blisters on my fingers from cutting through the thick stems, so a couple of days rest is planned.

Just bought a program from Create and Craft called Serif Craft Artist. It seems a really good paper-crafting CD, but I need to do a bit of housekeeping (AKA clean-up) on the laptop before I install it. Yet another thing that I need another pair of hands for!

Must go - dinner calls!

love

Sandie

I'm DONE!

Finally got another finish this year! After struggling with the choice between sewing and gardening over the last few days of good weather here (joke - no contest really!), I had to show you my finished Rose Fairy!

I'm really pleased with the way it's come out - the original pattern was made for Aida, so contained a lot of fractional stitches. I had to leave them out (as I stitched it 1 x 1 on 28 count), but it doesn't seem to have made too much difference to the overall piece. The only alteration I made (apart from those fractionals) was to do all of the backstitch in the wings in E316 - gives it a bit of added sparkle.

I decided to add the dedication here. While I was researching Flower Fairies on the web I found a copy of the Rose Fairy poem, and also a Flower Fairy Code. "Always try to be Cheerful, Neat, Polite, Friendly, Generous, Honest, Kind, Humourous, Keep secrets and Work hard". Sounds like a good wish for a child's future. So I think I'll try and incorporate both (somehow) into the reverse of the quilt. Any ideas on that would be appreciated.

Gotta go now - I think I need a glass of wine to celebrate!

love

Sandie