Happy New Year!

I thought over the break I may have picked up some stitching but instead I've had my nose stuck in a book (or 12).  Nothing stitch related at all, pure escapism type stuff... bliss!

I did do a bit of appliqué to make a wee earring holder for Miss P, but not a lot of stitching.  She loves it and it does the job it was designed to do so a success!

TAST has restarted this week along with the new 'Beyond TAST'.  Both are using the Running stitch. I believe the idea of Beyond TAST is that you have a month to experiment with the stitch a bit, Sharons suggestion was to try 'pattern darning'.  I did a bit of a google for some ideas and then decided without an even weave piece of fabric that any form of 'pattern' would drive me batty as I wouldn't be able to get the stitches even.  So what to do?

Well, checking my chicken stash I came across this fellow.  Isn't he lovely??

Anyway I wondered about using the running stitch to create his feathers.  Running stitch as a filler stitch.  I don't have to get the stitches even, in fact it would look weird if they were and it will no doubt stretch my skills (and my sanity).  I'm not too worried about the feathers, I'm more worried about the beak and comb etc.  So we'll see, I've picked some colours and just need to sketch him out and get at it.  Or maybe I'll print him and then stitch over the printed image, he wasn't that easy to trace so that may get around some of the issues around shading and shaping etc hopefully.

Am also debating following along with the regular TAST and using it as a bit of a push to actually create a stitch sampler which I've been meaning to do for ages I just can't come up with an idea I like.  But as Miss P is keen to try TAST as well maybe if I stitch along with that as well it may keep her interested to actually stick with it.  She's only 8 so I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't even make it into week 2.  But for now she's as keen as.  Here's her first TAST.

But back to work this week, so things like life might get in the way of all these grand ideas.  Time will tell!  Until next time... thanks for stopping by.  😊