The final Small of 2014

December's finish was a cross stitched card for a dear neighbour and friend.

I was worried I wouldn't have time to stitch a card for her this year then I remembered one I started last year.  It didn't take long to finish it and I delivered it to her door while the glue was barely dry!

The Assisi style design is from a magazine though I'm not sure which one - I had copied and enlarged the chart to make it easier to see and in doing so I cut off the magazine name which is usually at the base of the page.  I  think it was either WOCS or Cross Stitch Card Shop and I will probably come across it when I'm looking for something else.  There were a series of similar designs and I may stitch one or two more as I enjoyed doing this one.

My neighbour does a lot of beautiful papercraft and this is the lovely decoupage card she gave to me:

I've really enjoyed taking part in this Smalls SAL and have joined up for the 2015 version.

Happy New Year to all

2014 Online Advent Calendar

Only 2 more sleeps to go...........

Welcome to everyone who has taken the time to stop by at this busy time of year and a huge thank you to Jo at Serendipitous Stitching for organising this festive blog hop.

I love Christmas and I love stitching Christmas themed designs.   Christmas stitching is quite a large part of our decorations now so I will just pick out a few to show you.  Some of the photos aren't as good as I would like due to the poor light at this time of year.  I call this "pit pony weather" as I only see daylight at the weekends.

Christmas Angel by Passione Ricamo

This was stitched a couple of years ago but I only got it framed in 2014 so this is the first Christmas it has been on display.  It's stitched on an oatmeal 14 count aida and I love the rich red colours of the cloak.

This next photo is of a cushion using stitchery and patchwork on a Christmas theme.  I did it as a class so I don't know who the designer is.

I like to put stitched pieces into coasters - here are 3 which started out as Christmas cards from fellow stitchers

And finally here are 2 of the many stockings I have stitched over the years.  Most of the ones I have stitched are from the Shepherd's Bush designs and they are scattered over the country hanging up waiting for Santa to fill them soon.

2 Stockings - design by Lizzie Kate

As you can see I used the same pattern but adapted the colours so that each sister has a slightly different version.  Both are stitched on 20 count evenweave using #5 perle thread.  You can't see it in the photo but both fabrics have sparkly threads - one gold and one silver.

As well as displaying some Christmas stitching Jo asked us to write about our best ever Christmas present.    This was tough.   I was fortunate enough to have a happy childhood with lots of lovely Christmas gifts and then a husband who, while he was able, bought me lovely gifts.  

But I suppose that using the "what would you save first from a fire" test I would pick out the necklace given to me by my paternal grandmother one Christmas.   It is a lovely Victorian design of gold, amethyst and seed pearls and while not particularly valuable it has a great sentimental value to me as it was given to my grandmother on her 21st birthday.  She gave it to me "to make sure I got it" and I have always treasured it.  It is always much admired when I wear it and I hope at some future date to pass it on to my own granddaughter.


And the final hop in this advent calendar is to Shirlee

I wish each and everyone of you a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas and New Year with just the right amount of stitching time and stitching goodies.

Where has December gone?

It happens at the same time every year but I still get caught out by how little time there is to fit in everything that needs to be done in December.

This blog has been a victim of my prioritising what must be done compared to what I would like to do.  And alas very little stitching has been achieved.

I did finish my card for the exchange

It was also my Smalls piece for November.  It's a lovely design by Sue Hillis.

This is the fabulous card I received in exchange

Unfortunately the photo doesn't do it justice as it includes sparkly thread and beads.  It is just gorgeous and has pride of place among my Christmas decorations.

I've made a little bit of progress on Christmas Village by Prairie Schooler but not as much as I would have liked.  My goal is to finish it during the Christmas break so that it can be framed for display next year.

I shouldn't really have started another Christmas design but I just couldn't resist Let's Find Rudolph

It's a design by Ursula Michaels and is stitched on some sparkly evenweave with DMC threads from my stash.

Which leads me nicely to the fact that I have signed up for the 2015 Stitch from Stash SAL.   There is a limit of $25 per month to spend on stash (excluding subscriptions of which I have a few - some magazines, one fabric and one threads).

The Stitch from Stash is run by Mel via her Epic Stitching blog and I hope the discipline will help me to do exactly what it says - stitch from stash instead of buying more.

I have already have plans for 2015 which will take up most if not all of my stitching time.

I am joining the Mirabilia SAL organised by MrsMilkyBarKid and I have chosen to stitch At the Met which is one of the newest designs.   I've collected the various supplies, some from stash, some purchased, and am ready to go on 1st January.    I had almost decided on one of the mermaids but when this new design appeared I fell in love with it.   Also looking back on which Mirabilia/Nora Corbett designs I've stitched in the past, I've done mermaids, fairies, queens, angels and fairy tales but not the elegant ladies.

The fabric I've chosen is "Leo" 32 count Belfast hand dyed by Sparklies.   Other than that I am using the recommended DMC, Caron Waterlillies and Mill Hill beads.

Some starts and finishes

This is always a really busy time of the year - I know that and I try to plan ahead as much as possible but I still run out of time to do everything.  A familiar refrain for many.

Anyway I have managed to do some stitching.

I finally finished my square for LoveQuiltsUK - just ahead of the deadline.

It's a very simple design taken from an alphabet of Superheroes by weelittlestitches (purchased from their Etsy shop) but the "frog"  loved it and I kept getting distracted.

I also finished the cross stitching on Peace Scissors by Sue Hillis which now needs to be mounted in a card.

The fabric is actually more mulberry than the red shown here plus I have re-stitched the bobbins as I wasn't happy with them.    I might do the red on white version as shown in the pattern "sometime" but this was a perfect size piece of linen in my stash and I think will look effective in a white card.

I made a start on Merry & Bright by Lizzie Kate - the design that was in Cross Stitch Crazy magazine

I'm using some "vintage beige" aida - again from my stash and rather like the effect of it.  Instead of the DMC I am using a selection of Gentle Arts Sampler Threads - a limited edition pack of Winter themed colours plus one Weeks Dye Works (the light green as there wasn't anything suitable in the pack).  As always I am loving stitching this.  Lizzie Kate has always been one of my favourite designers.

Another new start was the last thing I needed but I just couldn't resist this design by Ursula Michaels - "Let's Find Rudolph"   I'm a huge fan of her words designs and this one only has 4 shades which I picked from stash together with a piece of sparkly evenweave.

This is the pattern 

And this is my first update photo (although I have stitched a bit more since).  I'm pleased with the way the sparkle shows in the photo

My final start - which is nearing completion - is this month's Smalls project,  It's a small lavender sachet stitched on white Cashel linen which was a kit from Itching to Stitch which I bought at a craft show.    The centre will have an initial.  Sorry for the rubbish photo.   I don't see any natural daylight at home during the week at this time of the year.

Finally - for this post anyway - I have signed up for the Christmas Advent Calendar Blog Hop organised by the lovely Jo who also organised the Halloween blog hop and then for her Gifted Gorgeousness SAL for 2015.  How scary to write that date and realise it is only a month away!

Halloween

My letter is

C

I just finished this cute piece by Shepherds Bush called Beware on tea dyed fabric 

The next blog to visit for the next letter is

http://chaosatlanta.blogspot.co.uk

Happy Halloween 😃🎃

World of Cross Stitching magazine and other musings

I must confess to being somewhat underwhelmed by the latest issue of The World of Cross Stitching

However when my sister in law picked it up she instantly fell in love with the Gorjuss design and has put out loads of hints about me stitching it for her.   She did try cross stitching a couple of years ago but we don't live close and she picked something totally unsuitable for a beginner and so she got disheartened and has decided it isn't for her.

I do like the Gorjuss design so perhaps in the new year I may add it to my WiPs.

I've even got a suitable piece of very pale blue/grey evenweave which would be ideal so it could happen.

My Smalls finish for the SAL is French Country Witch by JBW Designs

I stitched it on a piece of hand dyed opalescent from a grab bag from Polstitches Designs using Nevermore which is a hand dyed thread by Jodyri Designs. You can't really see the variegation in either the fabric or thread in the photo which is a shame.

I loved stitching this but haven't managed to finish it, in spite of having a suitable piece of Halloween style fabric.  I haven't had the sewing  machine out for ages.

Also on the Halloween theme I am stitching Beware by Shepherd's Bush

I am delighted that this will be entirely stitched from stash.  I've had the chart for a while, the fabric is 20 count lurex evenweave which I tea dyed and the #5 perle threads are all from stash.  I don't have a complete set of #5 perle but do have a lot of bits left over from SB stockings I have stitched so I subbed a couple of the colours.    I haven't decided which button from my stash I will use instead of the one called for.

Having just about decided that I would be stitching Shimmering Mermaid for Mira2015 SAL organised by MrsMilkyBarKid I have totally fallen in love with the latest Mirabilia design and may be tempted by this one instead

I've printed off the supplies list so will check whether I have the required Waterlillies and beads (I know I have the DMC)   It doesn't call for lots of MillHill Treasures which can really add to the cost. And I think that the design is so detailed that the fabric doesn't need to be anything too distracting so I will probably have something suitable in my stash .........

Cross Stitch Collection 241 October 14

Both CSC and Cross Stitcher have a new format this month with the usual magazine on one side and another section when you flip it over

So from the usual magazine I love Durene Jones poppies design 

I also like the Sheena Rogers pincushion    It's the first in a series.  I love a series and it looks like there may be 12!

There's an interesting article about Permin plus a Santa stocking which is nice but not likely to make my to do list

I really like watercolour floral designs and this one by Lesley Teare is beautiful 

This stocking advent calendar by Angela Poole is lovely but a lot of work.  Can't help thinking that it would be much quicker using fabric 😃

Now flipping to the other side it's Christmas gifts

The ones I like are the bookmark and notebook 

The paper is also different. It's matte instead of glossy. I like it.

National Poetry Day

It's National Poetry Day so I thought I would share some designs I have in my stash which celebrate poetry in the English language

Endymion by John Keats;  Cross stitch design by The Primitive Hare

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The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clark Moore;  Cross Stitch design by Sue Hillis

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Stitcher Poem Sampler designed by Handblessings

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TUSAL update

I totally forgot about posting this latest photo of my ORT jar after I photographed it around the time of the New Moon.

Decided to do a different view this time - from the top.

Cross Stitch Gold 114

Cross Stitch Gold specialises in larger projects - as does Cross Stitch Collection which in general has more designs I prefer so I only get Gold from time to time.

This issue 114 has a few designs I like

O Christmas Tree triptych by Lesley Teare.   3 panels looks stunning but individual elements would be useful as well

Also by Lesley Teare a personalised cushion design

Again I like the individual motifs as well as the total design

Some shaped ornaments by Maria Diaz.  Would probably change the colours if I was stitching for display in my home

This last design I picked out is another cushion    This one is designed by Carol Thornton

  

I really like the design but I also realised that it would look great stitched on some new fabric I just purchased from Sewitall.  It's white silvered evenweave from Fabric Flair with printed holly leaves and berries and I was thinking I could just Stich the ribbon, bow and tag

So this is going into my Stitch from Stash list 😊

This month's (very) small finish

As apart of the Small SAL I finished this little coaster for a friend of mine who is a collector of scissors

The design is taken from a needlecase kit I bought from Itching to Stitch at the Craft Show I attended last week.

I used DMC on some tea dyed linen.

It wasn't the smalls project I intended to stitch for September but the piece I started is for me and of course the gift for my friend took priority.    I will be passing it over tomorrow - hope she likes it.

Delighted we are still a United Kingdom and further update from the Craft Show

I am so pleased that Scotland voted to stay as part of the United Kingdom.   I was born and raised in England but consider my nationality to be British and like many English people part of my heritage (in my case a quarter) is Scottish.   Like many other Scots (and Irish) my grandfather left his native land for work in England but remained proud of his heritage his whole life including serving in the Royal Scots regiment in WW1.  So I changed the photo at the top of the blog to a floral Union flag in celebration.

Moving on to stitching matters - I have more updates from my spending spree at the Craft Show.

I enjoy doing needlepoint with wool occasionally and loved this London design which I had seen at a show earlier in the year and regretted not buying it then.  So it was my first purchase this time.

I had been reading on the Blackbird Designs blog about the set of 6 patterns Barb designed in celebration of the Beatles' appearance on the Ed Sullivan show.   As I was a huge Beatles fan I couldn't resist 3 of the designs when I saw them at the show.  There is another one that has been published  (Blackbird);  the other 2 are caught up in copyright issues over the song titles!

Eleanor Rigby

Strawberry Fields Forever

The Long & Winding Road

I also love the quilt fabrics that Blackbird Designs produce for Moda fabrics and my large sampler quilt is made from one of their ranges.  

The Beatles theme designs aren't a uniform size so it wouldn't be easy but wouldn't they look wonderful as part of a quilt? -  using Blackbird Designs fabric of course.  If I am even vaguely considering this I need to use DMC not overdyes which as I know from painful experience run.

After buying 3 newly released patterns I spotted an older design I have loved for years so of course I had to have it.   It combines my 2 main passions - stitching and reading.

The Bookshelf by Little Hose Needleworks

I may change a couple of the names to better reflect my preferences.   I will probably stick with the theme of female writers so am thinking Eliot instead of Wilder and Gaskell instead of Burnett.

And last but by no means least from the same stand I bought:

Christmas Jumble by The Drawn Thread