Don't bug me, I'm stitching

Here is a cute little stitch, finished last night:

"Don't bug me, I'm stitching", by Barbara Ana
Stitched with DMC Color Variations on 28 count Sparklies Summer Sky.

The weekend also saw a finish-finish, as my friend Camila helped turn Chatelaine's Tiny Rose Mandala into an ornament:

Chatelaine Finish

Tiny Rose Mandala, by Chatelaine Designs

Antique white 28 count Lugana

DMC floss, Mill Hill beads

A Productive Weekend

Well that was a nice weekend. I got to finish all the stitching on Tiny Rose Mandala, it's now waiting for beads to arrive before being completed. This was my first time doing specialty stitches other than French knots, and I thoroughly enjoyed doing something else than crosses. Here is some eye candy for you:

I experimented a bit with the rose eyelets, thinking at first that 2 strands didn't provide enough coverage. I then tried 4 strands and thought it too bulky so back to 2 I went and I actually really like it now, it makes them delicate just like a rose should be. 

A close up of the little rose corner gardens, the colors are just so beautiful together:

For the gates I stitched at first with 2 strands out of habit but ended up frogging that I switching to a single strand; I thought the iron work looked finer this way.

After I was done with this I picked up Winnie the Pooh and threw in a few stitches but I quickly got bored with it and moved on to Celtic Fire. No piccies yet as there is not much to see for now, but I am so excited to have started my first HAED that I just had to share :)

Working 1 over 1 is awesome in that I don't have to worry about the stitches not laying properly (no railroading, yeah!), but I still need to figure out the best way for me to start and end threads. Practice makes perfect!

Lily of the Valley Update & Chatelaine New Start

Is there such a thing as a half happy dance? Because if there is, then I'm doing it for Lily:

I have done all I could using DMC and Anchor floss, but she now needs to go on the UFO pile until I am able to order the metallics and beads I need to finish her. Unfortunately, supplies and commercial shipping are so expensive to get to here in Ireland that this will have to wait several weeks (or months) until I need to place a larger order to justify the shipping cost.

Note to myself, since I keep losing bits of paper and I can access this blog anytime anywhere: need to buy Kreinik very fine braid 015, Kreinik BF 011HL, Mill Hill 02002, 03046, 10049, 16010, 16603, 42031 (2 packs).

Anyway, here is my first update on Chatelaine's Tiny Rose Mandala:

I completely enjoy the geometric symmetry in stitching this!

Also, last but not least: thank you to everyone commenting and following this little blog. It is very heart warming to read your encouraging notes and I really appreciate that you take the time to do it.

Chatelaine Floss Toss

I have just kitted up my next start, which will be the Tiny Rose Mandala by Chatelaine Designs, worked on 28 count antique white lugana with DMC.


Mock-Up:

Floss Toss: