Once Upon A Time Character Alphabet - it's a new pattern!

Today's new pattern was suggested as a comment on one of my blog posts - Kellie asked if I was going to do a Once Upon A Time character alphabet, as she wanted to stitch one for the April A to Z blog challenge.  My first thought was "what's the A to Z challenge?" (which I've also now signed up for); my second thought was "That's such a cool idea!".  So, after a OUAT marathon to remind myself of the characters (and to catch up on season 3) I now give to you

The Once Upon A Time Character Alphabet!

I couldn't choose between the Enchanted Forest and the Storybrook versions of the characters, so instead I used both.  And it looks so much better that way, in my opinion. :)

A is Princess Aurora
B is Belle and Belle French
C is Cora the Queen of Hearts
D is Prince Charming and David Nolan
E is Emma Swan
F is the Blue Fairy and Mother Superior
G is Rumplestiltskin and Mr Gold
H is Robin Hood
I is Ingrid the Snow Queen and Sarah Fisher
J is The Mad Hatter and Jefferson
K is Captain Hook, originally Killian Jones
L is Grumpy and Leroy
M is Henry Mills
N is Baelfire and Neal Cassidy
O is Pinocchio and August Booth
P is Peter Pan, originally Malcolm
Q is the Evil Queen and Regina Mills
R is Red Riding Hood and Ruby
S is The Genie/Magic Mirror and Sidney Glass
T is Tinkerbell
U is Ursula the Sea Witch
V is Victor Frankenstein and Dr Walsh
W is Snow White and Mary Margaret Blanchard
X is Felix the lost boy
Y is Jiminy Cricket and Archie
Z is The Wicked Witch and Zelda

Happy Stitching

Craft Swap Addictions

Have you been involved in any craft swaps?

I'd vaguely heard about them, mostly through my mother Ozzypip participating in quilting ones - she'd send off a couple of blocks and receive some in return to make a quilt with.  It sounded like fun, but since I don't quilt I figured that was that.

Then I discovered Instagram.

And craft swaps.

So many craft swaps!

The Instagram craft swaps tend to be an "all crafts welcome" affair with people completing any crafty item they like under the theme.  The idea is that you receive a swap partner, and make something for them.  There is a theme for the craft items, and you receive details about things your partner likes/dislikes in accordance with that theme.  A lot of people also make inspirational mosaics to post on Instagram to give more ideas to their swap partner.  Then you make something for them, send it off (usually with a few other goodies thrown in) and all the while somebody else is making something to send to you (not the same person you made for - that way it's a surprise).

It's a lot of fun, particularly seeing the creation process of different people, the vast depth of creativity of people all around the globe, and it is a lot of fun watching items come to life, all the while trying to work out which item is destined for you.

Best of all, most of the ones I've seen on Instagram tend to be very heavily cross stitched-based.  It's great having an outlet in which to share my love of geeky cross stitch with like-minded people.

Having never participated in a craft swap until this year, I've now signed up for my fourth one.

The first was the #SuperHeroSwap, in which I made a needle-keeper, pair of earrings, and hanging decoration all in the theme of Thor, my swap partner's identified favourite super hero.  I'm still waiting for my package to arrive - darn bush post!

What I made for the Superhero swap.  The batgirl
fabric formed the inside of the needle keeper
and back of the padded hanging decoration.

The second one is a Harry Potter/Hogwarts Swap.  My swap partner is yet to post an inspiration mosaic, however from the questionaire answers I was sent I've already started forming some ideas...

Ideas are forming for my craft for the #hogwartsswap2015

 The third is a Villain Swap, or Viva La Villain Swap as it is known. For this one, my swap partner has indicated a liking for Daleks, Weeping Angels and Snape.  I'm pretty sure I can work with that!

Possible pattern idea for #VivaLaVillainsSwap

 After the 3rd one, I promised myself no more swaps.  At least, not until after July when the other two should be finished...

On Friday I signed up for my fourth swap.  It's Doctor Who themed.  Like I was going to be able to resist that one!

#doctorwhocraftswap2015

I wonder if any of these Fangirl Stitches patterns
will work for the Doctor Who Swap

I know.  I've become addicted.

I wonder if they make a patch for this kind of thing?

I'd love to hear about what craft swaps you've been involved in, and how you go about determining what to make.

The Mario Alphabet

Time to show off another new pattern - this time one designed for my bible study group.  It's The Alphabet according to Mario.

When I first moved back to my home town in 2009, I started a bible study group with my fellow young adults (aged 18 to "I feel too old"). We'd meet on Thursday nights to have dinner together and do a reading and study (if there was more than 2 of us, which often there wasn't, there being only about 5 of us at the time). After I moved overseas in 2011, this group more and more became Mario Kart. It was refered to as "The Gospel According to Mario".  When I returned again in 2014, I found Mario Kart had become Thursday Night Dinner as other people had left and joined our little group (which is now up to about 10 or 12 people - huge!) but it is still occasionally referred to as Mario Kart by some of the older members of our church.

This alphabet is for them.

Cross stitch pattern now available on Etsy.

Happy Stitching!

A Whovian Wedding - it's a new pattern!

It's about time I posted about another new pattern.  This one leads on from my prevous blog post about stitching presents for friends' weddings.

For a long time I wasn't sure how to design a geeky wedding sampler - I just couldn't get it to feel/look right.  Then someone contacted me via Etsy to ask about a custom wedding pattern featuring Rory and Amelia Pond and the TARDIS, and the pattern finally came together in my head.  The person never got back in touch to finalise their order but that's okay because now I have what I think is an awesome Whovian Wedding Sampler!

Patterns now available from my Esty store

There are two different styles to choose from - casual Amy and Rory, and formal Amy and Rory... mostly because I couldn't decide which one I liked best!  Also included is the alphabet and number guide so you can customise it to suit your own needs.

Happy Stitching

Wedding Stitches

A close friend of mine recently got married to another good friend.  I've known her since she was born (we were at the same church) - she's about 10 years younger than me and has always been like a little sister.  Him I did Little Theatre with for a number of years with all the usual shenanigans.

Their wedding was beautiful - such love and celebration.  They're both committed Christians which gave the whole ceremony a loving feel - lots of thanksgiving and worship intermingled throughout.

As a wedding gift, I cross-stitched "Tandem Wedding", a pattern from an old issue of the World of Cross Stitch magazine.  It's one I've stitched before when another friend got married in 2010.  This time I changed the colours to suit their wedding theme - rather than strong pinks and blues throughout, I changed them to soft greens and peach.  I also changed the colour of the groom's hair to match.

Tandem Wedding, stitched in 2015

 The first time I stitched this pattern, I changed the colour of the hearts to match that friend's theme, and used metallic threads to add some extra sparkle.

Stitched in 2010

I've put together a bit of a time-lapse video of the stitch as it progressed.  I had 8 days to stitch and frame the gift, so was doing a bit of a count-down on Instagram as I went.  It's the first time I've done one of these so I hope it works!

Otherwise it'll just have to be the still version

The only other time I have stitched a wedding present for a friend (not too many of my close friends have gotten married (or I just haven't been invited)) was in 2011 when another close Theatre friend got married.  I'd loved this pattern for years, so was very excited to finally have a reason to stitch it.  The classic style of this really suited my friend and her husband and was the perfect pattern.

To Have and To Hold - Verachtert
Stitched in 2011

Do you stitch wedding presents for friends?  How do you choose the right pattern to stitch, given the plethora of wedding cross-stitch patterns available?

Happy Stitching!