Gifted Gorgeousness SAL 2015 January update

This is a new SAL hosted by Serendipitous Stitching which gives us the opportunity to blog about anything we've stitched which is or has elements of being a gift.  And as, in my experience stitchers are incredibly generous folk I anticipate that I will have no shortage of things to share.

As I'm participating in a few different SALs I think there may be duplication for which I apologise.

The main project I would like to show you is Christmas Village by Prairie Schooler which is almost finished.

By the time I do my Wipocalypse update at the beginning of February it will be finished so there will be a different photo.

This piece was gifted to me by a friend who had a "clear out" and passed me what she described as a "few cross stitch bits and pieces".  Actually there was a cornucopia of charts, threads, fabric, buttons and a small number of UFOs, this being one which I fell in love with and immediately set about completing.  It is stitched on antique white evenweave using DMC in a lovely set of colours - this was a large part of the appeal of the design for me.

My intention is to have it framed in time for display in December.



I also stitched a little birthday card as a gift for a friend who loves tea

It was a free kit from a long since discontinued magazine called Jane Greenoff's Cross Stitch.



And finally I am going to include one of my new starts in 2015 - Mirabilia's At The Met because 2 of the 4 Caron Waterlillies needed for this fabulous design were part of the gifted stash from the friend who had the "clear out"

I am stitching this as part of a SAL for Mirabilia stitchers and am really enjoying it.  I have stitched quite a few Mirabilias in the past but it's been a while since I tackled a larger design.   I was really sorry to put her down and move on to the next project in my rotation but she will be waiting for me next month.

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 .........

Mirabilia SAL 2015

MrsMilkyBarKids vlogs on You Tube are fascinating and one of them includes a suggestion for a SAL starting in January 2015 for Mirabilia designs - any design by the wonderful Nora Corbett.

I've stitched some Mirabilia designs in the past and they are among my very favourite pieces with Titania (stitched on opalescent pink hand dyed fabric) and Sleeping Beauty (stitched on lavender hand dyed linen) being 2 I would pick as designs which gave me great pleasure stitching them and then looking at them.  Although Titania is currently in residence at my parents' home as my Dad asked for it one year.

So I know how much time they take to stitch and I don't have anything like as much stitching time available at the moment as I did when I stitched the Mirabilias.  But I just couldn't resist the idea of the SAL, especially when I started to read about the choices of other stitchers.   So I've signed up and created an Instagram account which is where I will share my progress pics.   Just need to decided on which design and then collect the supplies together before January 1st.

If I was going to stitch one of the big designs then Cinderella would probably be top of the list

But that dress would take a long of stitching time.

The other larger design I am considering is Elizabeth

Still a lot of stitching but no background, not as many colours as some Mirabilia designs and not very many beads either.   I love the effect of beads but find they take me ages to do.

So I am considering stitching one of the mermaids.  I have stitched 3 and they don't take as long because their fins aren't as big as the dresses.

I have a piece of Polstitches fabric called Dolphin Delight which I would love to use for a mermaid.

Having spent some time on the Fabric Viewer site the 2 I think would be best on this fabric are Shimmering Mermaid and Mediterranean Mermaid.

And if life really gets in the way of a Mirabilia commitment then I will choose one of the smaller Nora Corbett designs with these 3 top of the list:  Gigi, Needle Fairy and Bluebell.

I would love to stitch them all one day.........

Any comments which might influence my final choice welcomed.