Here and now

Thanks very much for all your kind comments on my last post. After I came back from holiday, I was in two minds whether or not to continue blogging. (A hangover from my earlier apathy.) Your comments have reminded me what it is that I love about blogging – the sense of community and sharing. I can be really bad, when I feel down, at withdrawing into myself and cutting myself off from other people. I need to really push myself to get back out again and connect with the people around me. So thank you all for reminding me about our wonderful blogging community!

Over the weekend, I finally finished my August biscornu for the SAL.



It’s a design by Sue Hawkins in the Aug/Sept issue of Stitch magazine, using Polstitches varigated floss in Fireworks and Wizard on 18ct mono canvas.

After reading your lovely comments last week, I had an idea for a blog to show off the best of our stitching, where only a very limited number of pieces by each person would be featured and most of the pieces would be ‘voted in’ by readers of the blog. I think sometimes that the best of what we do can get lost under the sheer volume of ‘stuff’ that gets posted, whether on blogs, in forums, or in photo sharing. I still kind of like the idea and being more selective, but I’m not entirely sure whether it might not just be a bit too much like reinventing the wheel……


I’ve also decided that I’m going to ask at Alexander’s school about teaching an after-school club once a week after October half term – Cross Stitch for Christmas! Maybe teach a small number of the kids to cross stitch and help them make their stitching into ornaments. I was thinking about this over the spring when I was probably struggling a bit with the work/life balance, but I’m definitely going to do it this time!

And, typically when I only have limited time available, my mind is now buzzing with ideas for new designs, new things to make, new projects to try .....

Who knew that tribal tattoo designs could be such an inspiration?

A Patchwork of Stars

I didn’t manage to stitch a biscornu for the SAL in May, but I’m back on track again in June!



A Patchwork of Stars 15 sided biscornu
The design is entirely my own, inspired by the way I saw the backstitched squares being distorted as I stitched together my 15 sided Snowflakes biscornu in January. I wanted to make one where the outline squares were important, with something simple to decorate the centre of each square.

I also thought it would be fun and interesting to use different colours of fabric for the different squares, so I kept the floss colours very simple.


Here are the details of the design. All stitches are over two fabric threads unless specifically stated otherwise. Three squares of each design should be stitched.

My biscornu uses Polstitches fabric as I had the different colours in my stash already - all are documented below. I'd love to see the fabric/colour combinations others come up with.


1. Cross stitch


Floss: #12 white perle cotton, Kreinik #8 fine braid shade 032.
Fabric: 32 ct jobelan ‘Rumbles of Thunder’ from Polstitches
Embellishment: 1 silver star sequin and 1 Mill Hill seed bead.

Stitch 3 concentric backstitch squares then one squares of cross stitches as marked by the black squares in the diagram.

The red square marks the centre of the design. At this point, I attach a silver star sequin using a bead to hold it in place, the needle going up through the fabric and the sequin, through the bead and then back down through the hole in the sequin and the fabric.



2. Smyrna cross


Floss: #12 white perle cotton, Kreinik #8 fine braid shade 032.
Fabric: 32 ct jobelan ‘Neptune’ from Polstitches
Embellishment: 1 silver star sequin and 1 Mill Hill seed bead.

Stitch 3 concentric backstitch squares then one squares of Smyrna cross stitches as marked by the starred squares in the diagram.

The red square marks the centre of the design. At this point, attach a silver star sequin using a bead to hold it in place, the needle going up through the fabric and the sequin, through the bead and then back down through the hole in the sequin and the fabric.



3. Interlace

I was very pleased and surprised at how this square worked out – the interlaced running stitch is perfect for what I wanted and it’s so simple to stitch.


Floss: #12 white perle cotton, Kreinik #8 fine braid shade 032.
Fabric: 32 ct jobelan ‘Imagination’ from Polstitches
Embellishment: 1 silver star sequin and 1 Mill Hill seed bead.

Stitch 3 concentric backstitch squares as in the diagram.

Next stitch a square of running stitch mid way between the two inner backstitch squares using white #12 perle cotton. Note that the length of each running stitch is 1½ times the length of each backstitch, ie. each running stitch goes over 3 fabric threads.

The interlacing is done using Kreinik braid by weaving in and out of each running stitch. Work around the running stitch square twice, once following the red curves, once following the green curves.

More information on interlaced running stitch, with diagrams, can be found here.

Attach a sequin in the centre, as for the other squares.



4. Eyelets

I really like these elongated eyelets in the middle of each side!


Floss: #12 white perle cotton, Kreinik #8 fine braid shade 032.
Fabric: 32 ct jobelan from Polstitches (can’t remember the colour at the moment – need to check when I go home!)
Embellishment: 1 silver star sequin and 1 Mill Hill seed bead.

Stitch 3 concentric backstitch squares as in the diagram.

Using the Kreinik braid, stitch the square and elongated eyelets according to the diagram, the needle coming up through the fabric at the outer edge, and back down in the centre.

Attach a sequin in the centre, as for the other squares.



5. Double herringbone


Floss: #12 white perle cotton, Kreinik #8 fine braid shade 032.
Fabric: 32 ct jobelan ‘Mummies Curse’ from Polstitches
Embellishment: 1 silver star sequin and 1 Mill Hill seed bead.

Stitch the 3 concentric backstitch squares as in the diagram.

Between the two inner squares, stitch a square of double herringbone stitch following the diagram below. Stitch following the black line first using #12 perle cotton. Second, stitch the second, red line on top using the Kreinik braid.

Attach a sequin in the centre, as for the other squares.




Instructions for making up a 15 sided biscornu can be found here.

Alternatively, all 15 squares could be stitched using the same design, if you particularly like one of those above, or if you don't feel adventurous enough to try the different stitches. And of course, each of the small square designs could be used on their own to make a scissor-fob or mini-biscornu!


I hope all this makes sense! If any of it is unclear - please let me know!


And if you stitch any of these little designs, or the whole biscornu, then let me know and send me a photo! (Email address in my profile!)


Now, what sort of biscornu will I stitch for July? Hmmmm.......

A little something

About 10 days ago, I was temporarily forced to abandon my existing crafty goings-on as I was suffering from withdrawal symptoms!

Withdrawal from what? Ummm, cross stitch and making biscornus?

I hadn’t planned to stitch a biscornu this month as I already had enough going on, but as usual, things didn’t go entirely to plan. As a compromise, I decided to make my biscornu smaller than usual, but that led to me challenging myself to see how small I could go!

And the end result?


It actually has me wondering whether it would be possible to make tiny mini sized biscornus and use them instead of buttons on a ‘normal’ sized biscornu. Hmmm ……

The design is very simple. Part of my inspiration for the larger biscornu was this photo from Loreta – I love the way the buttons stand out.


Two squares, each 30 stitches x 30 stitches. Divide each side in 3 to create a grid of 9 squares. I then filled in alternate squares of the grid with cross stitch, using a varigated DMC floss and then attached a button to the centre of each square except the middle one. The biscornu was then made up as usual with further buttons attached to the centre of each side.

The tiny biscornu is based on a square 10 stitches by 10 stitches, each filled with a Jessica stitch. I wasn't sure how the Jessica stitch would stand up to the bending when the biscornu was made up, but it's working well.


I love the way the biscornus look in my Granny's pansy bowl. I thought the pansy colours would look nice with the biscornu colours.

I’ve also succumbed and joined for Totally Useless SAL! I’d been watching for a while, but it was time I joined in.


Here’s my collection for this month. Not a lot yet - there are various bits of whitish floss and thread and some more colourful yarn from the easter eggs I made for Alexander to hunt in the garden.

Lesley is ......

I saw this meme at this blog (after I got Google to translate it into English) and thought it looked like fun, so here we are.

Do this: Google your name plus "is" in quotation marks, that is, "Lesley is" for me. Copy the first five matches in which sentences containing "Lesley is ...." and upload them to your blog.

I was curious to see what Google came up with!

1. "Lesley is stalkin me" - oops!
2. "Lesley is now in a promoted post in administration at the bank" - ooh thanks! Not that I know anything about banking, but who does, these days?
3. "Lesley is 19 stone lighter" - I wish! LOL! Although if I really was 19 stone lighter, there wouldn't be any of me left!
4. "Lesley is about to star on the West End stage" - Yay - fantastic idea!
5. "Lesley is Moore" - Huh??? Roger? Julianne? Demi? I think I'll go for Julianne if I've got to be someone else.


On a different note, Lesley is also dead chuffed with the beautiful biscornu she received from Ronel in the Tiny Treasures Exchange.



Isn't it lovely? Ronel sent some lovely goodies too - some DMC floss, ribbon, beads fabric, and a lovely letter which almost had me blushing! LOL She seems to think I'm some kind of biscornu expert which I can assure you is far from the truth! I just love to play around with different ways of doing things!



And finally, evidence that I have stitched something other than biscornus over the last few weeks.


My first 'icicle'! I stitched this one on my 28ct yellow checked Graziano linen using varigated DMC floss and following a chart from Les chroniques de Frimousse.

This icicle has now been sent off to make a new home elsewhere, but I think I'll have to stitch up a lot more of them - they're such fun and a quick stitch!

Inspired by Felt!

I've been really inspired by felt this week - just look at the above which I found on Flickr! I'd particularly like to show you Kerrin Quall's felt art - it is simply gorgeous!

'Strawberry Sundae' wall art

Sending Kisses closeup

Originally uploaded by Kerrin Quall, a little bit of just because

Aren't they beautiful? When I (eventually) find the time, I'll definately have a go at playing around with felt shapes and sequins.

In the mean time, I'm planning on playing around with felt and sequins anyway! My other sister (not the one who got married last year) is getting married this year and I've offered to make a ring pillow for her too. I was planning on making something from this book but just haven't been feeling particularly enthused at the thought. Then I saw all that felt lovliness and realised I could probably do something quicker and just as nice in felt. Only problem is, guess where the felt is?

And a certain someone has a birthday next month (already!) so I'm planning something girly and felty there too.

And today, I'm actually allowed to show you something I've made recently as Jenna has received her biscornu in the Tiny Treasures Exchange!



The biscornu is stitched on 28ct yellow checked Graziano linen using a design from the French magazine Mains et Merveilles. I stuck with the charted colour scheme, but changed the flowers to use varigated DMC floss rather than solid colours.

Very cleverly, I managed to completely forget to photograph everything I sent to Jenna, so if you head over to her blog, you can see everything there.

You'll notice that earlier this week I set up Disqus for commenting on my blog after seeing it set up on Chrissie's blog. I really like the way it has the potential to change a casual comment into a conversation and makes it so much easier to respond to comments and keep in touch with commenters!

Off to the shop now to see if I can get hold of a certain magazine!

Edited @ 1.30pm - got it! See page 14 of 'The World of Cross Stitching', issue 150 - it's my Tutti Frutti biscornu!

Slightly different (alternative 15 sided biscornu)

While I was off work last week, I finished off my biscornu using the blackwork designs from Anita at Stitch Creations. I still finished it as a kind of 15 sided biscornu, but slightly different!



Following this idea, I attached the top on a different orientation - very simply but a very different result!

I've stitched it on 32ct Vintage Blue Zweigart linen using DMC 3840 (I think) - I should maybe have used a darker blue floss, but I still like it as it is. The beads are Mill Mill seed and pebble beads.

The way to make this kind of shape is very similar to making the more rounded 15 sided biscornu.

• Stitch your 15 squares, all the same size.
  


• Join 5 together to for the top and another 5 for the bottom - you will have 5 left for the sides. Join the five sides to either the top or the bottom - this will give you a kind of bowl shape.
  
• I realised something at this point that I could do to illustrate the difference between the two kinds of 15 sided biscornu -
  
  For the 'normal' rounded version, join the 'peaks' of the flattish side to the 'valleys' of the bowl.
  
  For the alternative version, join the 'peaks' of the flattish side to the 'peaks' of the bowl.
  
  Remember to leave a gap to stuff your biscornu and then sinish stitching together. I found the final stitching together a bit more awkward for this alternative version than previously. Of course, it didn't help that it wasn't until I had finished sewing it all together that I decided to add the beads to the top!

I hope this sense - just the simple change in the orientation of the top makes a complete difference to the final item!



My original 15 sided biscornu tutorial with more detailed instructions can be found here.

Another day, another biscornu

Here’s my February biscornu for the Basket of Biscornu SAL.


It’s Flowers on the Square from Elizabeth's designs with a beaded edge and tassels at the corners - it's the first time I've added tassels to a biscornu and I'm rather pleased with the end result!

I think this design was used for one of the first biscornus I ever saw! You can see Chelle’s biscornu here. I stitched it exactly as charted using the charted floss. Like Chelle, I like the combination of pastel colours and the dark beads and I think the dark tassels work well with it too – I used DMC flosses for them in the colours used in the design with some added darker shades.

One of my plans for the SAL was to try and do something different and new with each biscornu. So far it’s working as my first had 15 sides and this one has tassels. I’m not sure what my next one will be – possibly something I’ve designed myself, or one of the Atalie ones. And I’m not guaranteeing to have it finished by the end of March!





Grumble time – is anyone else as sick of Blogger’s new commenting kafuffle as I am? It’s getting to the point where I’m unable to comment on blogs using the new method as the word verification never loads! Grrrrrr!

Snowflakes in the Snow (with 15 sided biscornu tutorial)

Long post with lots of photos, but hopefully useful information!



I've been a bit distracted from my planned stitching recently (this seems to be happening faaar too regularly these days) by the above 15 sided biscornu or banurukotti. I first saw these last year here on this Russian blog and then saw that Anita had designed this lovely one too. Somehow the idea of making this kind of thing with a snowflake pattern caught my imagination, but I just didn't manage to find the right snowflakes to stitch.

At last, a couple of weeks ago, I saw this post from Janet Perry for the snowflakes on her December twinchy. That got me started! Janet's snowflakes were just perfect for what I wanted to do, so I printed off the charts and got started.



As I got going, I started playing around with Janet's snowflakes, adding beads and trying out different shapes and stitches. And before I knew it, I had ended up with 15 squares each with a different showflake!

Four of the snowflakes are Janet's, one or two were copied from images I found on the internet and the rest are my own. I might chart some of them sometime to share.

As all the tutorials I've seen for this type of biscornu have not been in English, I thought I'd write my own for anyone who's interested.



Step 1 - You need 15 stitched squares all the same size. The squares I used were all 20 x 20 stitches. As with a 'normal' biscornu, the outline round the edge of each square was done in backstitch and I used a #12 perle cotton.

When you have your 15 squares, cut them all out leaving a border of at least about half a centimeter.



Step 2 - I then divided my squares into 3 groups of 5 squares - 5 squares for the top, 5 squares for the bottom and 5 for the sides.




I then whipstitched the 5 squares for the top together.



When you have joined the 5 squares together, you will have a kind of 5 pointed star. Note that it will not lie flat, however hard you try.

Now, join the 5 squares for the bottom.




Step 3 - The next step is to join the side squares to either top or bottom. I've tried to show in the photo below how this works with the arrows showing which sides wshould be joined to each other.



You will end up with something like this.



Step 4 - Now you can start to join the bottom/top to the top/bottom plus sides in a similar way to that in which the sides were already joined. I haven't got a photo of this step - not quite sure how I would show it!

Only join about three quarters of the way round so that you leave a gap for stuffing. I use a general toy stuffing to stuff my biscornus.

Now, this is a point that I've never seen written anywhere for biscornus or anything else. When I make a biscornu, I sew on the central buttons before I've completed stuffing. I like to have my button in a reasonable indent in the middle of my pin cushion, so, in this case, I half stuffed my biscornu and then attached my button. Then I completed stuffing, working the stuffing around the threads holding the buttons, and stitched the opening closed.

Et voila!



And if anyone saw a mad woman yesterday morning, wandering round Vicky Park with a pin cushion and a camera, yes, I confess, it was me!

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And before I forget, you can still sign up for my PIF! I'll leave signups open until next Monday and then let you know the result. And for those who've asked, I'm quite happy to post overseas, so don't let that put you off!

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The snowflake patterns I used in making my biscornu can be found on the following web pages of my blog:

• Family Sampler (with added snowflakes)
• Life without stash

Remember, I also used Janet Perry's December twinchy snowflakes. This gives you 12 snowflakes. I don't have another 3 to share at the moment, so you can either make up your own or wait patiently until I get around to thinking of some more.

My notes on an alternative 15 sided biscornu are here.

Fun with Science and a Geeky Giveaway

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and

This was Alexander's favourite game from the holiday (inspired by Mr Fyde, the science teacher in Captain Underpants). I had to keep a good stock of baking soda and vinegar!

We had Alexander's best friend over for dinner this week and Alexander was demonstrating. The friend was distinctly unimpressed - obviously not a geek then!

We've now got my Dad busy thinking of other simple sciencey experiments for Alexander to do. Apparently, Dad's having great fun with this task! And I've suggested to Alexander that we could grow crystals. However, Alexander seems to be under the impression that crystals mean diamond-type shiny things that are very valuable!

I've actually done some stitching, for a change, over the last few days and have finished off my latest biscornu, designed by me with the blackwork pattern nicked from a book. I call it my Tutti Frutti Biscornu.

Front

Back

This isn't quite what I'd planned for this biscornu as I changed my mind midway. It then became an exercise in crowding on as many beads as I could in the space available using different shapes and sizes of beads. It was fun to do and I do like the end result!

So, for my Geeky Giveaway, how many beads do you think I've used on this biscornu? Leave me a comment with your best guess. I can't give you any clues as I've no idea myself. But if you leave a comment before the end of next Friday (3rd October), I'll send something I've made to the person who makes the closest guess. It won't be the biscornu, but it may well be something I've featured on my blog this year.