I'm a cross stitcher!

One of my hobbies is cross stitching (the other main ones being gardening and family history) and it's fortuitous that this challenge is on while I'm in KL as there are quite a few examples here, including the most recent one and the one still 'a work in progress'. 

When and why did I start? Well probably nearly 40 years ago because it gave me something to do in the evenings, and I don't knit. The first ones were very easy mottos.  I still have them, hung up in the spare room.  Over the years I've done easy ones, and really difficult ones.  The most challenging was the Santa Claus I put up every year.  It's about 20 years old and it took ages as there were so many different shades of red.  I even had to buy a daylight bulb for that one. I've done ones for all 3 sons (far left above was the first one of those) and for weddings and anniversaries.  I've done ones for myself (cats and irises on the walls at home) and or friends.  I've now done for a son's wedding and 2 granddaughters. 

I realised in thinking about this blip challenge that I don't have a complete list of every one I've done so it's about memory. I've done for my ex brother in law's second wedding and for my parent's in law's Ruby wedding.  I'm pretty sure I did one for my my friend's daughter's wedding and I did a special millenial one, twice.  Once for my parents' Golden Wedding and one for my family - all 5 of us and the cat.  It was specially chosen as grandchildren could be added.  I left it in France.  There was a reason at the time.  Suppose I thought I could go back and retrieve it one day, but I won't.  I'd like it back though.  It means a lot to me.

I've stitched by the fire, in good light, in bad light (and my eyes are now beginning to go), in the back of a car (cats on the way back from Spain), on a plane (Santa Claus on the way back from Japan), on trains (West Coast line only.  East Coast is too bumpy). I've made little mistakes, noticed quickly, and big mistakes noticed much later (having to take out a redo about 12 cats because I'd miscounted one was not fun). 

I do enjoy it when I have time to have a run at it, which is why it's my hobby out her in KL.  I sit on the balcony and sew.  The light isn't good at night though, and no daylight bulb here.

The 'work in progress' is based on that famous painting of the Rev Walker on Duddingston Loch.  I think I'm on year 3 and the bulk of it has been done here.  Will I finish for Christmas 2017?  Maybe.  Just some background to fill in and then a lot of outlining to do.  But I think I've mixed up two of the blues on one recent bit so I may have to look closely at that.  Fingers crossed it's ok. 

Will I go on ?  Probably, for a bit.  I think I have two kits at home to do and then there are 2 unmarried sons so maybe more weddings, and grandchildren.  That's if my eyesight Holds up. For the first time this trip I've had to start wearing my glasses to see clearly.  Or I may give up and go back to water colour! And I do have a brilliant bag for my works in progress (see extra).

In the rest of my world - no swimming today as very wet this morning.  A quick return Uber trip to TTDI to pick up the framing (SO cheap - I may bring Santa back in March to be framed) and then shortly we are off to the Genting Highlands for a look around and dinner, but no gambling.

Have a nice day and look forward to see other blippers' hobbies.

PS The trip to Genting Highlands was interesting. Much, much cooler. We went to the Premium Outlet Stores Mall, very new but not cheap. WH's firm designed the interior of the 'George and Dragon Cafe' owned by the parents of G's colleague Nick from Johor Bahru. There are two more cafes in JB. We didn't take the cable car to the to as it was very low cloud which later showed up a design fault in the US designed Mall. It is not fully covered in and when the tropical downpour started everyone gets very wet. The strong wind didn't help either. Well, you are in top of a mountain. It was after 10 when we got home and my back was protesting. Libby enjoyed her taxi though.