Short Days, Long Nights

There is something about closing all the curtains, blocking out the world and letting the fire heat the room. Very relaxing - especially on the shortest day of the year. And I'm not going to lie - I am glad that we are now on the other side of that particular milestone. Yes, it will no doubt get colder but at least it will start getting lighter. For some reason that makes the world of difference.

I finish work every day at half past three in the afternoon, I start just before half six in the morning. Its black when I go in, the sun is setting when I leave for home... yes we make up for it with the endless light of summer, but that doesn't help my mood now.  Its that lack of light that is currently being credited with the shocking return of my reading bug after nearly a year being awol. Don't get me wrong, its not that I wasn't reading, just not at the levels that I always used to.

Marathoning Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series probably wasn't helpful either.

And by reading, I also mean listening to audio books rather than watching TV - because they have become my new addiction. I can craft and read at the same time. Crafty bits like knitting for instance 

Finished my hats!!

look at those stitches, its as though I've been doing it for years (tad proud)

The Man has been rocking round in the pink one all week, so they must be not so bad after all. For any of you that are interested, I am going to update the pages up above as soon as I hit publish on this bad boy to incorporate my reading into the blog. Nothing too special, just a rating and maybe anything of extra note for the books I've read so far this year.

From watching Floss Tube and all the lovely people on there that are entering the northern hemisphere summers, I think I must (like in many many other things) act in the polar opposite manner to everyone else. Summer seems to be the slower season for many crafters - far more exciting things to do out side after all. But I have never really lived anywhere that had good lighting. 

Winter is dark and without good lighting cross stitching hurts my eyes. Not to mention colds that turn into sinus infections with regularity and the resulting headaches (which I can feel brewing as we speak). Lighting I suppose is relatively easily fixed and when were finally get around to having our down lights replaced with LED maybe my habits will change, but until then...

That is not to say that I haven't been stitching. Just not as much as I would like. I will admit after the victory that was finish Garden Verses, I did take a couple of days off, but reading is warmer right now. Reading and winding bobbins. I was naughty and went slightly crazy on both 123 Stitch and Stitching Bits and Bob. I am now the owner of a complete set of DMCs. That is a lot of bobbins to wrap.

The love birds did get a little turn on the frames. I am finding though, that despite liking the coverage and the finish, pulling the three strands of thread through the 11 count is hurting my fingers. Don't know if I am using the wrong size needle or what, but its safe to say that this is going to take me a lot longer than originally anticipated.

Also managed another small finish. And now that it is done I think I can safely say that I am never EVER stitching over one on 32 count again. Yes, I am still under 30 but I wear glasses,especially for close work and even though this is a tiny piece (the ring in the corner is for scale), it nearly did my head in. Lesson learned.

After that trial, it would seem that Passione Ricamo is my new favourite. I am loving Once Upon a Time - even with all its confetti. It is also the first time that I have used Monaco fabric, and I have to say, I really really like it. I like that it is heavier than other even weaves. The added strength to it means that I am not getting any slipped stitches for my ridiculously tight tension and I'm not as worried about seeing carried threads (because I am definitely not a back snob). This one is a 28 count tea dyed and I can see further exploration with this fabric may be required in my future.

looking forward to beading this one, even now that I've noticed how many beads there are on it

And finally, because apparently I thought I didn't quite have enough WIP's, I made a last minute decision to join in the Steochalong. It's a free mystery stitch along with a new part every week. I have no clue what it will look like, but here is part one - 

Its just on some white 14 count (I think, maybe its 16?) that was hanging around in my stash basket. Figured why not? Whats another project to the list of unfinished.

I think I go through phases with my WIPs, just like I seem to with everything else. Sometime - and I am just coming out of this stage now - I am a serial started without a care in the world. Then all of a sudden I freak out and have to finish the bulk of them before starting anything else.

Maybe I'm just weird.

Actually, there's not really any maybe about that.

At least I will have some excuse to make so real progress this weekend. Off to a crafting retreat for a few days up by the shore. Not an official one or anything, just a batch and a bunch of crafty women. But it should be fun, I am really looking forward to it. Once I decide what project to take. That decision is always far far too hard.