New Start | Rocky Point

I mentioned in my last update that I wasn't very fond of Rocky Point. I had frogged it four times before finally deciding I was going to stitch it. Thankfully it is growing on me. I think I'm going to enjoy using the parking technique with this one.

Those are my little butterfly barrettes holding my parked threads.

I really happy with how the colors are turning out. This is a reminder of the finished piece:

I'm concerned that half of the piece is water, but I think it will be worth it.

Currently Stitching | June 29

It has been a long time since I've posted on my blog! It's been on my mind lately since I've been cross stitching a lot. I think it's time I finally post some updates!

I'm happy to see so many of you still posting. I'm trying to get the blogs I like to visit into my new blog reader so make sure you say hi if you stop by so I can be sure to get you added.

Since my last post, I finished High Tide.

I'm sorry about the evening shadows. Hopefully I'll get a better picture once I attempt to frame it.

I recently framed Seashell Beauty and gifted it to my mom. I love how it turned out. It was a Dimensions Daydreams kit. It came with an 8x8 mat which layered perfectly under an 8x10 mat and frame.

I'm now stitching on Hibiscus Duo again.

Wimbledon tennis starts this week so I will definitely get in a lot of stitching time over the next two weeks.

What about you? What are you stitching on this week? Let me know in the comments or leave me link.

In My Stash | LHN, CCN, HAED

I feel like the luckiest stitcher on the planet right now. I've been very fortunate to win a few giveaways in the last couple of weeks.

First was Lesleyanne's biscornu kit giveaway to which she added some really awesome charts.

The Diamond Flower Biscornu kit is from Yiotas XStitch. The kit includes the cross stitch pattern, instructions, 14 count aida, threads, buttons, beads and filling for the biscornu.

I'm really excited as I've never stitched a biscornu before!

Lesleyanne also included a few of the "All Dolled Up" ornaments of the month charts from Little House Needleworks. I love these!



She also included this gorgeous Country Cottage Needleworks chart called Home Sweet Home.

Then I won another huge giveaway from the super sweet The Crafty Princess: a $40 gift certificate to HAED! Awesome, right? I'm trying to be strong and wait until HAED has a sale so I can maximize my winnings. (Great idea, Alicia!)

I haven't purchased any charts yet, but I have a feeling it will look something like this:





There's also a good chance they will all be Hannah Lynn's.

And last but not least, I also won a .pdf of My Witch's Brew from Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe.

I am so in love with that Halloween tree!

Thank you again so much ladies for the fabulous prizes. I can't wait to show you my progress and finished pieces.

WIP | High Tide Sailboat Backstitched

The backstitching on the sailboat is complete!

I have started on the first of the borders that go around the entire piece. I'm on the home stretch.

IHSW | High Tide Sailboat Section Complete

This past weekend was International Hermit and Stitch Weekend. While I didn't get in as much stitching as I did last weekend while watching French Open tennis, I did hit a good milestone on High Tide. The Sailboat section is now complete (excluding the backstitching).

Once I backstitch this section, I will only have the border around High Tide left to do!

I hope you guys had a beautiful and productive weekend!

WIP | Oh, Sharla

Last summer I started stitching my first HAED Sharla. I have a thing for mermaids and Hannah Lynn, so it was easy to choose my first HAED project:

I quickly realized it would take an entire lifetime to complete her stitching 1 over 1. This is as far as I managed to get with Sharla:

Not very impressive. I pondered for months whether I should switch to 2 over 1 tent stitch. I did some test stitching, and I really liked how the 2 over 1 tent stitches came out. I finally made the decision to frog what I had done and start over.

I gotta tell you - frogging that much 1 over 1 was a nightmare. To top it off, on my very last little 10x10 square I cut a thread on the fabric. I don't even know how I did it. There were some other close calls I could have understood if I broke the thread, but nothing bad should have occurred when it did.

My husband suggested I move Sharla down the fabric since the cut thread was on the top row of the pattern.  I got out the measuring tape to find out not only did I have enough room to move Sharla past the cut thread, I probably had enough room to just move Sharla past the entire section I just frogged. I didn't need to frog any of it. I could have cut off the stitched portion or just flipped the fabric upside down.

In the end I wound up flipping the fabric upside down anyway. My cut thread is now at the bottom below where I will reach. That was a big lesson to me. Never, ever frog an entire piece without first measuring to see if I can just recut my fabric!

The good news is this is my best season for stitching: grand slam tennis time. The last two weeks the French Open has been on. Since men's matches are usually about 3-5 hours each, I can get in a lot of stitching time glued to the couch. This year's final match had 3 rain delays! Talk about getting in some stitching time. :)

This is my new progress picture of Sharla:

I'm loving the tent stitch so I'm happy I decided to start over.

High Tide: Backstitched Beach Section

The backstitching on the beach section of High Tide is complete.  The grass... was a challenge.  :)

My posts may be more sporadic for a little while.  My camera broke!!  It's a shame the universe can't tell you these things ahead of time...

Sorry for such an overexposed picture.  I had to use the scanner and it turned out super bright.

Hide Tide Beach Section

The High Tide beach section is done.  It obviously needs a lot of backstitching!  It doesn't look like I'm going to make my July goal, but I only have one section left and the overall border before High Tide is complete.

New Start: Harvest Moon and IHSW

This past weekend was International Hermit and Stitch Weekend (IHSW) over at Joyce's Random Ramblings.

I decided it was the perfect time to treat myself to a new start with Harvest Moon.

I was able to hermit up on Saturday with a bajillion episodes of Destination Truth on Netflix and get in a lot of stitching time.

My kids were unexpectedly excited to see me stitching on dark cloth. I brought out their lacing cards and let them stitch with me.

I didn't have as much time on Sunday to stitch, but I did get to spend some time finishing the bushes and stitching in the fence and a tree.

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend!  Did you watch anything great while you stitched?  I'm apparently addicted to Destination Truth now...

High Tide Fishing Section Complete

The fishing section is done!

This is the entire progress on High Tide:

New Start: Sharla (HAED)

I had a new start over the July 4th weekend!  It took me a while to take a picture so I could post about it!

This will be my first HEAD project.  Actually this will be my first BAP project of any kind.  I'm stitching Sharla.  She is a mermaid from artist Hannah Lynn Disney.  I've been a fan of Hannah Lynn's for many years.  I thought it would be really hard to select my first HAED until I saw they had charted some Hannah Lynns!

I'm stitching her one over one on 28 ct mushroom Lugana.  I've stitched on 28 ct Lugana before but never one over one.  It's so tiny!  I'm really enjoying it, though, (minus how horribly hard it is to unstitch a mistake).

I'm trying not to let her overtake High Tide as I'm hoping to finish High Tide this month. 

Sharla: started July 2nd.

Ignore the ugly waste knots.  :)  I'm using them to end my threads.

High Tide Outlined Sailboat and Bait Shop

The sailboat and waves have been backstitched.  The sailboat was supposed to have some rope hanging over the side, but I didn't like how it looked so I made an executive to decision to leave it off.

I love how the bait shop and FISHING sign turned out after backstitching the outlines! 

I still need to backstitch the shading on the shop, roof, and pier posts, so the bait shop isn't quite finished yet.

High Tide Fishing Section

Yay!  The fishing section of High Tide is finished and ready for backstitching!  (I'm backstitching each section as I go.  It just makes me happier that way.)

High Tide Bait Shop

The bait shop is done.  I love the shading on the shop and on the roof.  I think it's going to turn out great.  I can't wait to backstitch it when I am finished with this section.

Fabric for Harvest Moon

Next up in my queue is Harvest Moon.

I have the chart and the thread ready to go.  Today I ordered the fabric - so I'm almost set!  Since the fabric will only show in various parts of the sky, I decided to go with some Zweigart Aida 14 ct. (Colonial Blue).  The rest of the fabric will be completely covered.

I'm so in love with this pumpkin farm. I can't wait for my fabric to arrive so I can add Harvest Moon to the rotation.

High Tide Sailboat and Dock

We have a sailboat and dock!

I need to go back in with the white for the life preserver. I really love the wacky colors of High Tide.

Best stitches,
Delphyne

Resurrecting "Delphyne in Stitches"

Some of you may remember my needlework blog "Delphyne in Stitches".  It was mostly a cross stitch blog with some knitting and crochet mixed in.  I got thrown a real life curve ball that greatly affected my stitching.  Since I was no longer stitching, I eventually deleted my blog.  I'm happy to report I've rediscovered my love of stitching, and I'm anxious to begin blogging and sharing my work again.

I was in the middle of High Tide when I last left you:

Best stitches,
Delphyne