Followers

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Birds in the garden, birds in the house

It seems appropriate that I've finished Backbird Designs' Spring Song while all the birds have been scoffing seeds and fat balls (they are especially greedy this year!) at our feeding station and as the coal tits nesting next door and the many house sparrows in the area started to fledge. I really enjoyed this design, and the photo really doesn't do it justice. My only alteration was to add two extra rows of the blue 'training fabric' threads. I'm delighted with the result.



My latest new start is The Curse of the Raven by Carriage House Samplings. I'm stitching it in the suggested floss, but instead of the called for 40 count camofudge I'm using a piece of 28ct echo that I picked up in a sale. My plan is to stitch The Raven's Roost by the Goode Huswife on the same piece of fabric. Annoyingly only half my order of floss came in. And I placed the order in late April. After a quick call to the company I found out it was a delay from a US supplier when sending to the UK. I've just reordered with a different company, I hope the have the right colours in stock.



So this makes me wonder, where do people buy their stash from? I try to use UK sellers(avoiding the dangers of import tax and associated fees), but find many only have partial listings in their web sites, so it's hard to know if you've looked at all of the charts by certain designers. I used to use sewandso all the time, but find their range of charts don't really match my current tastes, and their over dyed floss is expensive. I've used Wye needlecraft, often in person if I'm in Bakewell, but less often by post (no idea why, and I always get the JCS ornies issue from them). I've been using Thread Bear recently, but have had a few supply issues (did I mention my entire Christmas present from Eddy, which he placed in November, didn't come in until the end of Jan - no presents under the tree for me, I was not impressed). So this time I'm trying The Patchwork Rabbit, where I have often browsed but rarely bought. I'd love to hear where other people shop!

I'm off work this week, so have been busy in the garden and just generally chillaxing. Today's rain has designated it a crafting day. So far I've browse the internet a lot, but at least I finally posted my happy dance. Time for lunch, then a good stash dive I think. Or maybe some finishing. Or...

Happy stitching folks x


6 comments:

Giovanna said...

Congrats on the pretty finish! It looks good with the two extra blue lines. Very nice new start too.

For supplies, if you're willing to go out of the UK, but stay in the EU (if you'll excuse the bad language, lol...), there's the Italian www.casacenina.com: they have a very good inventory and they can communicate in English. I'm a satisfied customer (no other affiliation).

Blu said...

Lovely finish!

Miss Lilly said...

Lovely finish!
The Patchwork Rabbit is great. I get a lot of fabric and threads from there now. Karla who runs it really nice too ^^

Miamina said...

Your finish looks beautiful!

I buy stash from a number of different places. DMC threads I buy from Cross Stitch Heaven, specialist threads from Sew & So and charts & hand dyed fabric I tend to get from Crafty Kitten. Dawn at Crafty Kitten doesn't keep a lot in stock, but can get hold of most things at very competitive prices (generally cheaper than Sew & So). I do shop around a bit and see where is cheaper at the time.

Karoline said...

Great finish!

I've not done much stash shopping of late but when I do I've tended to go to West End Embroidery for threads and Fobbles for charts

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Thanks for the comment on my blog. You've come up as "no reply" though.

For shopping I second Dawn from Crafty Kitten, she has a nice range on her website and will add almost anything you ask for. She does a great layaway service too, where you pay her money whenever you can and she reserves items for you until they are fully paid for.