World of Cross Stitching magazine

It doesn't seem like 4 weeks since the last issue of WOCS dropped onto my mat but it must be.

It isn't my favourite magazine as many of the designs are too "cutesy" for my taste but I still enjoying looking through it.

The free gift this month is 3 Christmas (!) designs by Margaret Sherry which I like and would consider stitching for an ornament or a coaster or as a card for a fellow stitcher that I knew would appreciate it and not discard it with the rest of the Christmas cards.  I've done a Christmas card exchange the past couple of years so these designs could be considered for this year as there are quite a few Margaret Sherry fans in the group.

The only other design I earmarked for possible future stitching was an Assisi alphabet using variegated thread (lovely).  I like the font used so I could see lots of possibilities for this - personalised coasters, scissor fobs, needlecases, fragrance sachets etc.

Christmas framing collected

LCollected 2 pieces of Christmas stitching from the framers.   I have quite a collection of Christmas stitched pictures, ornaments, cushions and quilts so even at that time of year it is obvious that "a stitcher lives here"

Both of these were completed a while ago.

This one is a design by Passione Ricamo.  It is stitched on rustic aida.  If I was stitching it now I would use Evenweave but it looks ok

The smaller piece was finished on 24 12 12.   The chart which came with the buttons was a gift as part of a stitching exchange from many years ago.   I remember getting the chart and pulling the threads and fabric immediately.   I stitched about 2/3 and then it became a UFO.   Don't know why.  Probably because other projects with deadlines took precedence.  After I joined the Cross Stitch Cafe on Moneysavingexpert I made more of an effort to finish some of my UFOs and this was one of them.

It is stitched on dark teal Belfast linen (32 count) with DMC for everything except the red border and door which is a Needle Necessities variegated cotton plus heart and star buttons and white seed beads for the snow.  I know that  Needle Necessities are now ThreadWorkz but mine is NN so must be quite old.    

I keep being distracted by all the activity at the bird table since I added a suet and fruit tray.  Avian squabbling broke out but I don't think there have been any casualties.