Peacock Lady WIP 2

She's starting to look good, isn't she? It's been a bit slow going lately, mainly because of the peacock's tail, but I'm still having a lot of fun with her.

Peacock Lady WIP

I mentioned in my last post that I would show a progress photo of Joan Elliott's Peacock Lady, and here it is!

I am stitching her on a pale blue Zweigart 16ct aida using the recommended DMC colours. 

She's stitching up amazingly quickly, but as you can see I'm still missing quite a few colours. I'm being good and only buying them bit-by-bit, rather than all at once, so it will take a little longer to finish her. I'm also looking forward to getting some seed beads to use on her as I've never used them before. 

This is what she should look like once she's done. 

I am thinking about leaving the border out, as that is almost entirely stitched in DMC metallics and I don't fancy doing that. 

I have noticed that in the pattern half of the table's leg base is missing (for the table to be able to stand you should see it to the right of her shoe as well!), so I'll have to do something about that. 

Felixstowe: Craft Fair and Charity Shops

Felixstowe is a small seaside town in Suffolk. It's about a 15 minute train journey away from Ipswich, so Michael and I like to visit now and again. We went on Saturday as there was to be a craft fair at one of the amusement arcades. Unfortunately the craft fair was a little disappointing as it was very small and we walked around it in about five minutes. There were a couple of nice stalls there though, selling handmade jewellery and cushions.

My favourite was a stall from Hand On Heart Designs, where I got these sweet Flump earrings. I would have loved some of the cushion covers from another stall as well, but we don't have any cushions to put them on at the moment!

After the craft fair we had a browse around the charity shops. I was lucky enough to pick up this huge stack of cross stitching magazines for £2 from the YMCA shop. I've been dying to stitch up one of Joan Elliott's ladies, and there were a few designs in these magazines. I've started on Peacock Lady and I'll be posting pictures of her soon.

Joan Elliot's Dragon Dreams finished

I finished Dragon Dreams by Joan Elliott, available from Cross-Stitching.com. I think I stitched him up quite quickly as I really did enjoy him.

He's not finished as in the pattern says he's finished, as he's supposed to have a castle outline back-stitched behind him and some French knots on his flanks and wings, but I think he' looks better without.

I used all the recommended threads, except for the metallics, I used some Madeira threads I had lying around.

Holiday time!

Off to the UK for me and my boyfriend today. We're going to Ipswich first, to see his family, and then to Birmingham to see my mum. It's been over a year since I've been back to England, and I am excited!

Above is the little kit I put together for myself to make while I'm away. I'm going to be stitching Dragon Dreams by Joan Elliott. It's a free chart from Cross-Stitching.com (you have to have (also free) membership to download it).

I will be gone for two weeks, but I have a couple of posts scheduled to come up, so you won't miss me too much!

Fingers crossed they won't take my scissors at security!