Sunday, March 6, 2011

There's a Mouse in my House!

Indeed more than one.
I found them while I was tidying up my endless boxes and baskets of sewing stuff.
I have only very vague recollections of doing them,
But I suspect it was over the many hours spent in hospitals with Callum,
when one day pretty much merged into the next and I was very grateful to have cross stitch to occupy me.
That was in the days before I could afford to make quilts.
In fact my first quilts, and some of my favourites still to this day, were made from scraps of material from Sarah's dresses and scraps from things my Mum had made for us.
Each scrap tells a story.

I remember when I made this one.
I was expecting Callum, and I made it for him, not knowing if he was going to survive.
I had it framed, but it was done very badly, so I took it apart a few years ago and used the frame for something else and kept the cross stitch with the others.





The mice are all from the same cross stitch book. I found a half finished one too, which i will endeavour to finish eventually!
Never thought this would happen, but have to confess I can't see the colours very well at night now, which makes me lose momentum with cross stitch these days.









I also found Mrs Tiggywinkle at the bottom of the pile.
She was very delicate and difficult to do. The detail is so fine.
I can't use the 18ct anymore, because I just can't see well enough.
My daughter does it beautifully, and so quickly, and laughs at me for my bumbling about eyesight, the way I used to when I thought that would never happen to me.



Gosh I did that ten years ago!
Mrs Tiggy is one of my favourite people.
She's an ironing freak, just like me!






11 comments:

  1. They are so cute. Such a lot of work. I know what you mean about the eyesight though, I only knit with certain colours in the evening now, and then I am never sure how good it is until I look in daylight. How great you have kept them all.

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  2. Wow, they are lovely - I had a book/pamphlet that has almost identical projects in it to those you have shown. I was only blogging about my unfinished projects a couple of days ago and found one of the above 'not quite finished'. I started them when my daughter was a baby (she is now 22!) Oh well, as with you I cannot see anything past 18ct and past 4pm when the light is not so bright there is no hope! Sue x

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  3. These are so lovely. Ive got 3 cross stitch projects on the go that I never seem to get round to finishing, one which was started when I was pregnant, maybe one day I will finish it :o) Scarlett x

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  4. Thank goodness I'm not the only one! I find it difficult to cross stitch in the winter evenings now - the light just never seems right!
    Roll on summer! Your projects are lovely.
    Liz

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  5. Those are truely adorable i love them, And the needle work is so tiny. Beautiful, dee x

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  6. I did cross-stitch when I could still see. I'm so grateful that I didn't put those projects off--otherwise they'd be a hot mess nowadays.

    I love your little mice--you have to frame them so everyone can enjoy!

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  7. Awwww Jacqui I'm totally in love with your mice ESPECIALLY the one above Mrs Tiddlywink - have you thought about incorporating them into a quilt?

    Hey I'm struggling to cross stitch at night - at 30 'something' . . . but have just re found this craft - blame it on Cath Kidston STITCH - and am LOVING it!! !! !!

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  8. Gosh those are very nice looking cross stitches. I always enjoyed cross stitch, but alas, I too am a bit cross eyed at night. I have to hold things away from me to see them now!! Old before our time, I'm quite sure. I love the writing on the last picture. I thought quilt when I saw them all too.

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  9. What a relief to know everyone has the same eye sight issues with cross stitch! Perhapse i am not really turning into an old lady after all.

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  10. Lovely stitching - thanks for your comment and mum didn't change a thing!

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  11. What lovely cross stitch designs.

    I'm just getting back into my various hand crafts again after an 11 year old hiatus. Cross stitch being one of them and boy bad eyesight, that's an understatement. I had to go and purchase an illuminated, hands-free magnifyer.

    Oh the tribulations of middle age :)

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