Work in Progress Wednesday - 13 Nov 2013

Has it really been almost two weeks already??  After a mammoth posting session throughout October, November has been a bit quiet blog-wise so far, but I have been working on my 'Autumn' cross stitch project, although I haven't got to the feather as yet.  I've been rather busy getting caught up with a few things and so on since viral nasties in October, so I haven't got to posting.  Anyway, here are a few WIP shots for you to (hopefully) enjoy.=)

Actually, the real trouble with the feather is that I can only really work at it seated at a table as I don't have a hands-free frame as yet.  I have it on my desk in my room, but it's not often very warm in there at times when I would be free to stitch.  Maybe this evening???

In the meantime, I've cracked well on with this piece and am a good half way through it now.  I hope to get it (AND the feather) finished this month.

I've made one or two changes to this design as I felt the overall look of the piece tended far too much towards Hallowe'en.  The house looked rather on the spooky side and the black cat of the original design fell in with that look.  So, the cat I did in grey instead (but I think I need to re-do the eyes as there isn't enough contrast and they don't show up well) and I'm 'normalising' the look of the birdhouse somewhat.  I won't be doing a light on in a creepily shaped window, for instance.  Since when do birdhouses have lights on anyway??  And the window will be the same as all the others - rectangular, rather than somewhat coffin shaped!  Honestly, there are enough things to portray a natural season with, must it be so tightly centred around holidays?  From which you may gather I'm not a fan of most of them, but especially not Hallowe'en!

Other than that, I've prepared my shopping list for the Knitting and Stitching Show next Friday afternoon and am working out bus times to fit everything in nicely.  I've also been enjoying looking though some of Trish Burr's books, two of which I own and the other, the Colour Confidence one, the library bought in at my request.  There seem to be about 24 designs in those three titles alone that I want to have a go at!!  Plus two new releases that she's recently added to her shop, although I can't really afford almost £10 just for a digital download, so I'm hoping that at least one of those will appear in a future book.=)  She has one in progress at the mo and I'm guessing it's either on miniature thread painting, or is the promised follow up to the 'Fresh Ideas for Beginners' one.  Pleasant anticipation there.  Anyway, I want to get at least one into commission this week and to try a similar design with stranded cottons, my new Pipers Silks and also gently variegated threads like the ones that I use in this current series of cross stitch pieces - Gentle Arts Sampler Threads and maybe some from Weeks Dye Works.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013