Thursday 10 May 2012

Cross stitch ....

I thought I would do a different post today than a normal review. When I'm not revising one of my favourite things to do is cross stitch. I really enjoy lots of crafts, like knitting and sewing, but my favourite really has to be cross stitch. It's just so easy to pick up whenever you want to and carry around with you. I do it on the train up to Manchester a lot, as long as I'm not sitting next to anyone because I'm not sure they would want a needle coming towards their face :)  I thought I would show you a few of my favourite things I have made. One of my absolute favourite things I have ever made was a knitted sheep for my nephew that had loops of wool for his woolly coat. It took forever and everyone at uni laughed at me for doing it and then when I'd finished it everyone wanted one :) The first one I'm going to show you is probably my second favourite complete project (after the sheep) ...



I made this clutch bag over last summer as I had way more time on my hands. It took me a long time (about 4 weeks working quite frequently), but I'm so glad I stuck with it. It's taken from a Cath Kidston cross stitch book (none of the designs are my own and I do not sell any, they are just for my personal use), and it's a rose design in half stitch. I wear this out a lot if I'm going to a meal or I've even taken it to a club and it has really held up well. I need to redo the inside because it is getting a bit mangled but that's the great thing about it. I made it, so I know how to change bits and fiddle with it, and I can see the actual stitching being incorporated into lots of different things over time. I often get compliments on it when I go out, especially when I say I made it, and it makes me so proud because it does take time and is not always super simple. 


This is the inside of the bag. It is just a simple flap clutch bag with a popper for extra security. Inside it is lined with a silky material and I put pockets in for my phone etc. It's lovely to be able to design it for exactly what I want.  Just to show you that I did actually make this, this is one I'm halfway through making for my sister 


Instead of using green for the background colour, my sister asked for black, so after revision I'm going to pick it up again. 


This is a picture of me with the bag on a night out. I seem to be getting groped from a fair few angles there and I have only noticed just now which is a bit worrying. The guy with his arm around me is a friend but I have no clue who the guy in the red is, so I cropped him out, but I picked this picture because it is one of the only ones of my bag on a night out really. 


This is the Stitch! book by Cath Kidston. It is really good if you are just starting cross stitch. It is so easy to follow and the projects are lovely. I bought it with my discount at the shop I used to work at, but it says it is £15.00 on the book but I have seen it for £10.50 in Waterstones. 


This is another design I made from the Cath Kidston book. It is a purse with a really sweet spotty lining. I'm also really proud of this, but it did take less time than the bag. And this is the latest project, which I'm still halfway through, but will be lovely when it is finished. I can't wait!!


It is going to be a bunch of bluebells, but this one is cross stitch not half stitch, and it is taking forever! Anyway, this was just a different post to mix it up a  bit so let me know what you think ....


xxx









5 comments:

  1. Wow you're so good! The designs you've chosen are really lovely. Love the bag and purse too.
    I used to love cross stitch when I was little but kinda grew out of it, would love to produce something like this!

    Love, Elizabeth xx

    http://butterflyboo.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Thank you! I really enjoy doing it and now my exams are over I will probably be doing more. It's so easy to do. You should give it a go xxx

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  2. I've got this book, I love it :) x x

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    1. It is really good. I'm so glad I have got a bit more time to do it now xx

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