Want it Wednesday: Don't Hate Me

Okay, whilst I squirrel away on a couple secret projects (Secret Squirrel how I loved that show) I can't help but think of all the lovely things I could make. A friend of mine Laura (another one!) of Lupin fame had posted on Facebook that she had purchased some lovely kits today and it happened to be someone whose work I also adore....and well I really want to buy one of her patterns. One day I will, perhaps when I get at least one of my secret projects done and then I might treat myself. Especially since completing the Hi Honey Pattern, which I am still rather stoked about.

Anyway side tracking, this is the lovely pattern by Alicia Paulson (Posie: Rosy Little Things). Isn't it charming! But don't hate me because it's on that festive theme that no one really likes think about when you've just had summer. But it's adorable, and I whilst I am back into doing the odd bit of cross-stitch this one really appeals.

Winterwoods ABCs Cross Stitch Sampler Kit

Experimenting & Playing with Stitches

So this weekend is mainly about playing. 

Also a bit of researching too, but I also consider this playing just with ideas more than actually physically stitching. I don't, to be honest, do samples or play with stitches before launching into my projects I tend to go with the flow, working out and challenging myself along the way to come up with solutions. But sometimes I make myself do it. 

I wanted to get sorted this year three main lines for my stores. The first one is the Paradise Bird, the second is what I am playing about with now, and the third one is down on paper just need to work out the logistics of it. So now I am done, not really, with the birds its now the time of the bees. The second line is all about bee appreciation and which will, I hope, enable me to support the British Bee Keepers Association and other worth while projects to do with saving the humble bee, humble not bumble!

The first of the bits for the bees I am looking at Black work for my inspiration. So you can see below I am playing with patterns, using colour to stop myself using black, and because it was to hand. I can be lazy.

Playing with colour here, attempting shading. Never have the right colours in my stash!

Here I am playing with the alternative way to shade, which is by breaking up the stitch.

Good overview of all the patterns and shading I did today. Didn't take me all that long to work out which one I am settled on, can you work out which one that would be?

Time for something different, this is the cross-stitch I am working on the side, it's for me. Can you tell it looks like gingham fabric yet? The whole pattern is various close ups of the fabric, awesome right?