WIPocalypse 2012

Here's my quick post at last.

Firstly my Tribute to Ackworth, what a shame this will be when its finished!!

Then I've also finished another Thimble with my Sticklounge group: here it is

Sweet isn't it!!

I'm about to start a new project but more on that next post!!

June WIPocalypse

Here at last is my post, better late than never.

I've been busy with my Tribute to Ackworth (designed by Luv2Stitch2) below, love how this is progressing

I've tried to finish a Christmas ornie (on plastic canvas) see below, still some stitching and backstitching to go

As well, I have restarted a Bedfordshire lace piece, but can't photograph yet as there are too many pins to see the pattern! Also have managed to pick up an older piece of Hardanger by Yvette Stanton, I'll photograph it for next time.

WIPocalypse May posting

Another month started and my pieces are showing some progress. Today I scanned my projects instead of photographing them, I'll see how these look, however I did manage to do crooked scans on most of them LOL.

Here is my Tribute to Ackworth by Luv2Stitch, isn't it just lovely. I keep thinking that I have just done my favourite motif, and then I like the next one even more!

Next bigger project is LongDogs "The Token" another gorgeous piece as you can see.

I also got back to the Cherry Biscornu from Sweetheart Tree, a tiny bit of progress which I managed on a sunny afternoon. Pretty colours aren't they

And lastly a small Thimble from my Sticklounge group designed by Karen from Sunshine Stitches, there is a series of them and I will try and do a row of them on a bookmark.

So there you have it, a good bit of variety.

I am so glad I joined the Wipocalypse, its great seeing progress every month and I must say I get spurred on as the posting date approaches

Review of "The Letters of Emily Dickinson 1845-1886 by Emily Dickinson and Mabel Loomis Todd

This was the first Emily Dickinson book I have borrowed from the library, but it is oddly written as the book was made by automating the typing, proof reading and design using Optical Character Recognition software on scanned copies of the original rare book. Consequently I have found it really hard to read as there are lots of mistakes and missing bits. It was hard to achieve continuity of the text becasue of this, so I have to say that I unfortunately abandoned reading it except for snatches here and there which were more legible.

Good luck if you attempt this one!

now to find some of her poetry!!

Ive also started "Afternoons with Emily" by Rose MacMurray, this was her only novel, which her children published posthumously after she died unexpectedly in 1997, how sad.

April WIPocalypse

Here at last are my progress pictures for the WIPocalypse:

Firstly my Sticklounge group piece by Luv2Stitch, I am keeping up which is great.

Secondly my Beds bobbin lace piece which has increased in size, and isn't too hard once I had prepared the 80 bobbins! If you look closely you can see the tiny "picots" in the centre a few rows down. They will be more obvious once all the pins are removed.

And lastly a picture of the Mill Hill kit I've started recently, today I added the last beads. Next I need to stitch the cuff and then do the finishing, so most of it is done.

The reindeers are cute aren't they, I couldnt stop till I'd added the antlers, eyes and noses!

Here I am a bit late posting my WIPocalypse things.  Firstly my Sticklounge piece, Tribute to Ackworth by Luv2Stitch!!

Isn't it a great pattern? Just loving stitching it.

Only a few stitches on my LongDogs The Token, and I did add many beads on my Mill Hill stocking, but no photos of these until I've done a bit more.

BUT, I finally started a Bedfordshire lace piece which has 40 pairs of bobbins (yikes 80 bobbins!! more than I think I've ever used before). To stop them getting muddled up, I'm using a few stitch holders but I must say its a bit cumbersome putting them on and off the holders. Nevertheless you get the idea, its a very small piece LOL!!

I'll do a closeup of the actual work later when I get a bit further on.

Anyway, I was in a bit of a lace slump, so I'm really glad that I got it started.

Review of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

I started reading Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson in February, I found an illustrated edition with pictures by one of our famous Australians, Robert Ingpen. What a wonderful edition, I had never read it before (Ingpen actually states in his dedication that it was written for boys, starting with Stevenson's step-son Lloyd Osbourne in 1883), but I do like nautical books loving the Aubrey/Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian, and Hornblower, and I also enjoyed Treasure Island. Interestingly it was quite more descriptive of people being killed than I would have thought, I would have thought some bits would have been a bit too violent for small boys, specially in the late 1800s!! And I wonder if poor Jim was missed badly by his mother!!

All in all a great read, with lavish illustrations. Robert Ingpen writes that "The early chapters of Treasure Island remain the most compelling reading in adventure literature. It is often said by experts in literature for children that if a child can read and feel the drama of the happenings at the "Admiral Benbow" Inn as imagined by Stevenson, then they will be readers forever." What a great comment!!