Friday 23 February 2018

Kaye from Kitten Stitching

This week's Blogger of the Week is one of my oldest blogging friends.  We sealed our friendship through a competition I ran in the early days of my blog to win a stitched card featuring the skyline of an exotic city - Coventry!  We have stayed firm friends ever since, joining in with each other's events, SALs and exchanges.  Our blogaversaries are a mere 2 months apart (April and June 2011).  So this week's post is a very special one for me.  Please welcome Kaye from



1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

Hello lovely bloggers,
My name is Kaye and I live in the beautiful leafy suburb of Eaglemont in the most liveable city in the world, Melbourne, Australia.  I live with my husband (TraderVic) of thirty-five years (eeks! Where did that time go?).  I have three grown up children and a gorgeous daughter-in-law, who all live scattered around the world.  DS1 and his wife have just moved to Brunei (on the island of Borneo) for a teaching job, DD lives and works in London and DS2, lives the closest to us, in Sydney, NSW.  We have two furbabies: Furio and Milo (inherited from our children) who feature a lot on my blog, plus DS1’s cat, Nobu, lived with us for a year before being adopted by a dear friend of mine who was in need of a cat in her life just at the right time: when DS1 and DDIL decided that a new adventure in Brunei was waiting for them.

TraderVic and I at the footy (his abiding passion), barracking for the Mighty Tigers!

I am an absolutely avid/besotted/obsessed (you pick the adjective) cross stitcher and blogger, although life does have a habit of getting in the way of the latter, so I do not blog as regularly as I would like to sometimes.


2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

My very first cross stitch project was putting red crosses on a blue gingham table mat for Needlecraft class when I was twelve.  At that time needlework was not a great success for me as I recieved my only ever “D“ in the whole of my schooling for Needlecraft.  So, I gave up on stitching and sewing for the next several years and took up my knitting needles instead.  I went back to stitching sometime in my early twenties, when the long stitch craze began.  I did a few of those, a few tapestries and then went back to cross stitch.   This was interspersed with patchwork, quilting, sewing (when I was home on maternity leave, I sewed many of my children’s clothes and costumes and even made a couple of fully-lined winter coats for myself), smocking and stamping – phew!  But, I must admit cross-stitch was always there and since I started my main blog, Kitten Stitching, in 2011, it has become an almost all-consuming passion for me.


Here are a few of my early tapestry finishes, from the early 1980s.





3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start? Is there a story behind your blog title?

I have been blogging since 2011, when I started Kitten Stitching, and I was inspired by an online friend, Jayne, who really encouraged me to start my blog.  Thank you, dear Jayne, you really changed my life.  My blog title was inspired by the fact that I am a bit of a crazy cat lady and at the time our two cats were still kittens, and they love to sit with me while I stitch - hence the title.


Furio is my stitching buddy.  He cannot wait for me to sit and stitch so that he can snuggle up and have a good snooze.  


Milo, whilst rather a skittish cat, has lately taken to snuggling up on my lap, too.


And here is the gorgeous Nobu:




Then, in 2015, I was inspired to start a number of new SAL blogs. They are:

Kitten Stitching and the Friday Frolics – every Friday night you can pull out a WIP/UFO and stitch-a-long with me and other Frolickers.

Christmas Ornie SAL – over each month you can stitch a themed piece and show off your finish on the blog.

Americana SAL – For some strange reason, I have a real passion for Americana and American Patriotic Stitchery (maybe because I studied American History in Year 11 at school and loved it?). The reason it is strange is that I live in Melbourne, Australia, not in the U.S. at all – lol!  So this SAL blog is for those of us who wish to indulge our patriotic passion – I try to stitch every Monday on something Americana – I call it ‘Merica Monday!

Tudor Tuesdays SAL – I also have a real passion for the Tudors, which is why I started this particular SAL, although I must admit that I have been a bit remiss re my Tudor Stitching lately.

Prairie Schooler SAL – This is a SAL blog I set up for those of us who love to stitch Prairie Schooler Designs. Although, I must admit, there has been no activity by anyone – not even me – on this SAL blog so far this year – oh no!

(If you are interested in joining in the fun on any of these blogs – please just follow the links above to check them out.)

NB: As the second half of 2017 was rather difficult for me – some of these SAL blogs have been a bit unloved but I am planning to rectify that in 2018!


4. How would you describe your stitching style? Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

I am most definitely a Serial Starter, as I love, love, love starting stitching on a new design.  Whilst I definitely try to be organised (with my SAL blogs, etc.), I am a bit of a random stitcher – often just picking up a WIP or UFO that catches my eye to stitch on of an evening.


5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

Oh, I have so many favourite designers – too many to list (but that won’t stop me trying to list them – lol!)
Prairie Schooler, Little House Needlework, Country Cottage Needlework, Blackbird Designs, The Little Stitcher, Homespun Elegance, The Primitive Hare, Madame Le Fee, Mon Ami Pierre, Just Nan, Needlework Press and the list just goes on and on.


6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

This would have to be my completed Wind in the Willows birth sampler – which I stitched to commemmorate the births of my three gorgeous children.




7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

At the moment, it would have to be my Cut Thru Castle by Bothy Designs. I made a mistake early on in the background and instead of biting the bullet and fixing it straight away, I kept stitching and stitching, thinking that I could somehow magic away the error by sheer force of will.  But it has been bugging me and bugging me and now I am finally going to ditch it and think about starting it over again in a year or two, maybe!


8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

Nothing really – Cross Stitch soothes my soul.


9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces? Or is everything FFO'd? What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

Oh boy, do I have a drawer full of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces!  However, I did make more of an effort to FFO in the first half of last year and plan to do more this year.  At the moment, my two favourite ways seem to be small cushions and self-framing in photo frames.


10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?

This is a hard question, there are so many different projects that are "me".  But to dodge the question, really, I would have to say whatever I am stitching on at the moment – lol! So, here is my latest focus piece.... A Prairie Schooler piece of course: Christmas Sampler from Book #63




11. Tell us a secret about yourself. Or a joke. About anything!

Hmmm! Not everyone might know this but while I HATE horror movies I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Zombie movies and TV shows - my favourite being The Walking Dead!


12. Anything you would like to add?

I would just like to say thank you to our lovely hostess and my wonderful stitchy friend, Jo.   She is such an inspiration to me – her stitching is always so wonderful and her finishes so inventive. She always picks the best designs to stitch and her blog hops are legendary and always so much fun. Thank you, thank you, thank you, dear Jo, for being my friend.

Love to you all,



















Friday 16 February 2018

Mary from Stitching Friends Forever

The subject of this week's Blogger of the Week will come as no surprise to regular followers of this blog.  Another fabulous finisher and keen commenter, Mary is the other half of the dynamic duo known as





1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

I’m Mary and I reside in the beautiful Hudson Valley area of New York.  I’m married with no children, 2 horses, one crazy dog and one very sweet cat.


2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

I have dabbled in Needle Arts since 3rd grade when my mother taught me to knit and sew. As a young wife in my early 20’s I wanted to decorate my apartment so I took up crewel work, stitched colonial knotwork pillows and embroidery.  I stitched this tablecloth for my mother in my early 20’s and it is now passed down to me. Many memorable dinners were shared over this tablecloth and it is now a treasured possession.

Candle banner from our very first post!

Christmas 2012, RJ gifted me this sweet framed “Good Friend” in French.  It was her first counted cross stitch after a long absence from stitching. I was so impressed with her meticulous stitching and intrigued that you do not follow a stamped pattern.  Fast forward to Summer of 2013, I had fallen off a ladder and needed to occupy my time as I was confined to bed for a few weeks.  With RJ’s encouragement, I tried counted cross stitch and was hooked!

  
RJ’s gift to me that started my cross stitch obsession.


3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you and RJ to start a joint blog?

RJ and I both have a love of French Country decorating and we met on an on-line decorating board. Our first shared interest was decorating, then stamping and ultimately, we both became obsessed with cross stitching.

One of the reasons we started the blog was to motivate ourselves to finish our stitched pieces and hopefully to inspire others to take up the hobby.


4. How would you describe your stitching style? Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

I’m pretty much of an OAAT stitcher and only recently started to rotate projects.


5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

Over the past few years we have discovered so many talented designers and the designer that speaks to me is Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle and Thread.


6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

I am most proud of Valentine Sampler by Brenda Gervais, as it was my first attempt at stitching on 40 count linen, a major accomplishment for myself. As it was a gift for RJ, and my finishing skills are lacking, I had Faye from Carolina Stitcher blog finish it for me.




7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

I have had several stitching disasters of late but this one was the worst.  I had searched high and low to purchase Blessings be Thine by Blackbird Designs to stitch for RJ. When I could not find the pattern I decided to stitch it by following a photo I found online. I spent many hours IFO the computer deciphering the pattern and stitching. One day I noticed a small spot on the stitch and tried to hand wash it out, disaster struck!

I chalk it up to bad karma for following a photo to stitch.


8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

I hope that some day I will enjoy the process of finishing my stitching and I would like to incorporate embroidery stitches and become more creative in my finishing.


9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces? Or is everything FFO'd? What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

I love to stitch but dread finishing so I certainly have a box of UFO’s!  Most of my finishes have been little pillow ornaments but one of our blog goals is to show a variety of ways to use cross stitch in decorating.


10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?

One of my favorite stitches this year was a whimsical stitch called Pumpkin Hollow by Fanci That.




11. Tell us a secret about yourself. Or a joke. About anything!

I take my dog for long walks in the woods each day and I always hope that I will run into a bear on my hikes.  I am bear crazy!!


12. Anything you would like to add?

Thank you Jo for inviting Stitching Friends Forever to participate in Blogger of the Week.  RJ and I are truly honored!  We are so blessed to have met so many new stitching friends through our little blog.  Most rewarding has been sharing this adventure with my dearest friend RJ. 



Friday 9 February 2018

RJ from Stitching Friends Forever

This week we have half a Blogger of the Week with the second half next week!  The dynamic duo burst upon the blogging scene less than a year ago but have won many loyal followers by a combination of gorgeous stitching, great finishing and simply commenting on all our blogs on a regular basis.  Please welcome RJ, the first half of the duo from




1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

Hi my name is RJ and I live in sunny Florida.   I married my college sweetheart who was a pilot in the Air Force.   We spent 30 years moving around the country during our 17 moves.  We also got great opportunities to see a lot of Europe and Australia.  It was a great experience that I miss now that we are retired.   We have one grown son who lives in Texas.   He stayed there for college while we had four new assignments and decided to make it his forever home.  We go out to the Lone Star state as much as we can.


2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

I learned to stitch from another Air Force wife when I was in my late twenties.   I stitched on and off for the next 30 years.  We had some assignments that had great cross stitch stores and then others that did not have one single store of any kind.   About five years ago I decided to make Noah’s Ark for a baby shower and realized how much I missed stitching.   I found that now there are so many online sources and so many outstanding charts to choose from that there will never be a lull in my stitching again.



3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you and Mary to start a joint blog?

Right after making Noah’s Ark, I started looking for more charts to stitch.   I found adorable Christmas ornaments by Little House Needleworks and started to mail them to Mary to see how she liked them.  She loved them too.   That is when I taught her to cross stitch through the internet.   I mailed her a ton of supplies and she was off and running.  Before long she was stitching on linen which she said she would never be able to do.   From there, we both started finding blogs and they looked like so much fun.   But both of us were kind of afraid to start one even though we really wanted to.   One night I said “Why don’t we do one together”?  She said yes and that is how Stitching Friends Forever got its start.   It’s harder than it looks organizing two people but it’s also double the fun when it all comes together.  




4. How would you describe your stitching style? Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

For the most part I would call myself an OAAT.   I like to be organized and plan ahead.  


5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

This is a hard question because I like so many designers but I can’t resist With thy Needle and Thread patterns.  My pocket book knows this even better than me.    I also got to visit Shepherd’s Bush two years ago and was amazed at their talent.   I just tackled my first larger kit of theirs and am totally hooked on their designs and all I’m learning about new embroidery stitches.

December Word Play by With thy Needle and Thread


Shepherd Bush design



6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

The stitch I am most proud of and my very favorite is 'Tis the Season by Blackbird Designs.   I fell in love with the beautiful red cardinal and the French writing.   But a life circumstance that happened to me during the time I was stitching gave it exceptional meaning and a special place in my heart.   It is only stitched so far but will be finished later this year for a blog post.


'Tis the Season by Blackbird Designs



7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

My worst disaster is the typical - a diet coke was spilled on it.   We were leaving a base for a new assignment and would be staying with friends the last few days later in the week.   I wanted to make them a nice farewell gift.   I bought a chart about where you live.   I totally charted it to fit the description of San Antonio and it was looking really good when the accident happened.   Another friend was visiting with her little boy who knocked over the drink so I didn’t want to make a big deal of it while they were there.   So it just sat with the stain.   When they left, I rushed it to the sink and laid it in sudsy warm water.   It was before overdyed threads so it did not run.   Much to my surprise the coke stain all came out and the gift was saved.




8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

I would love to learn how to do cording and as many embroidered stitches as I can to vary my finishes.   And, I’ve promised myself this year I will learn how to do a flat finish.  




9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces? Or is everything FFO'd? What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

I have a box of about 100 or so stitches that have not been finished.   It is one of the main reasons I wanted to do a blog to push me to finish my stitches.   Only problem is I keep starting new stitches for the blog.  I really like to find new ways to finish stitches as I have little wall space.   The first week of our blog we do a post on new finishes and this is my favorite week.    We have done things like pinafores, sewing machine covers and candle banners among others.


Sunflower House pinafore by Plum Street Samplers


This is my Happy Place by The Scarlett House sewing machine cover


Spring Day candle banner by Heart in Hand



10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?

I love patriotic stitches and because of our 30 years in the Air Force they probably most represent me.


Glory by Shepherd Bush

Brave Hearts framed by Little House Needleworks

Home is Where the Air Force Sends You
with parts taken from Brave Hearts and the rest by me



11. Tell us a secret about yourself. Or a joke. About anything!

Lately a lot of people have asked Mary what is RJ’s real name.    I have not been called this in 25 years but my real name is Roberta Jean.  I had been called Roe, Rob, Bert, Berta and Bertie and really did not like any of them and then one day my husband said “How about RJ”?   We were about to move to a  new base and he began to introduce me as RJ and it has stuck.   It sounds funny when friends we knew earlier in our life call me Roberta now.  


12. Anything you would like to add?

I would thank Jo so much for asking us to be bloggers of the week.  It a honor to be considered.   But more than that, I want to thank Jo for all the help she gave us when we were starting out.  She taught me how to do our blog roll and also taught us how to not be no reply bloggers.   She is a great teacher and I think could instruct anyone anything about blogging.  For two novices like Mary and me we truly appreciated such expert help and friendship. 

Thank you RJ!  It's a pleasure to help.







Friday 2 February 2018

Clare from Aimetu's Stitching

I first met this week's Blogger of the Week on the Needlecraft Haven Forum which she runs.  Before I had my blog I belonged to a number of cross stitch forums and discovered blogging from the signatures of the contributors there.  She runs the forum online and organises meet-ups and exchanges in real life too so there is always plenty to see on her blog.  One of my favourites activities is her themed Christmas Tree for her local church which I have sent in an ornament for the last two years.  Looking forward to this year's theme!  Please welcome Clare from:



1. Please introduce yourself.

I'm Clare, known online as Aimetu which is a made up name from the French words for 'friend/like' and 'you/your'.  I live in the Midlands with my Hubby and grown up son, we've lived here over 30 years.  Our grown up daughter lives in Wales which is beginning to feel like a second home.  Life was quite difficult in 2017 as I had an accident and broke my left ankle in three places and my right foot.  I am still not 100% mobile but everything is improving.  Life for us in 2018 will be changing as at the end of January as Hubby is retiring, we are looking forward to days out, holidays and just being able to chill a little.

Wedding gift for Niece and Husband


2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

I have been stitching since I was in my late teens; I'm not sure how or why I started.  My Grandmother was very crafty, her main hobby was flower arranging.  My Mum loves crafts too, her main hobby is quilting but she has made lace, tatting, knits, does machine embroidery and card making.  Her quilts have been shown in international exhibitions.

Mum's Birthday


3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start?  Is there a story behind your blog title?

I have two blogs; Aimetu's (about my travels and our wine tasting hobby) and Aimetu's Stitching (about my crafts).  I started my crafting blog on 30th March 2008 so this year is my 10th birthday. Why did I start blogging?  I have been involved with online forums for a while and for the last 7 years have hosted Needlecaft Haven - blogging seemed a great way of keeping an online diary in one place about my main crafts whilst the forums have many sections.



4. How would you describe your stitching style? Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

I stitch for purpose, usually gifts.  It is rare for me to stitch for myself.  I love exchanges and in the past have enjoyed Round Robins.  I stitch in the Four Seasons SAL on Needlecraft Haven and try to complete the Monthly Challenge.  I do enjoy gift stitching, it's fun to source a chart for a particular person and occasion, always enjoyable to stitch any piece and then there is the added pleasure of seeing the gift received.

Four Seasons SAL


5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

I don't have a particular designer; Lizzie Kate, Jardin Prive and Sue Hillis are designers I go to first and I do enjoy stitching Mable Figworthy hardanger designs.

Lizzie*Kate - Promise Me


6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

That's a tricky one, the biggest piece I stitched was the Millennium Sampler, it took me 18 months and came on many holidays so I have memories of where each square was stitched.  I stitched The Quiltmaker for my Mum's 65th birthday which was a challenge as there is so much blue in the skirt. It was pure pleasure to stitch a sampler for my daughter's graduation and tricky work keeping my Hubby's family tree secret.

Lavender & Lace - The Quiltmaker


7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

I remember once stitching on a piece of hardanger in the garden and paused to enjoy a cup of coffee ... and spilt it on my work.  I wouldn't wash out so after the piece was finished I dyed it in coffee - not quite the finish I wanted but it looked ok.


8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

I am always trying to think of new things to use my stitching so finishing ideas are always good.  The use of my hands is limited as I have Multiple Sclerosis so really stitching, card making, baking and sewing is enough for me, I can manage a little beading but knitting or crochet are impossible as I do not have the dexterity in my fingers.


9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces? Or is everything FFO'd? What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

I do have a few pieces unfinished, I'm not sure if they will ever get done.  I also have quite a few stitched pieces that have not been made into anything.  I have recently finally framed a Round Robin piece from 2012 and a year sampler I stitched over 10 years ago.  I should finally finish the others too.



10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?

I guess the table cloth in my very first blog as it is a mix of stitching and hardanger. I took time to plot this so the sayings faced everyone around the table.  All the sayings mean something to me; I love to see it on the table.



11. Tell us a secret about yourself. Or a joke. About anything!

No secrets, no jokes, I'm just me and some would say that is more than enough !!