Resolution #3 - that monthly ornament one!

Hi everyone!  Time to share the Christmas ornaments that I’ve stitched through the year.  I really don’t know what I was thinking back in January, there was definitely some over-enthusiasm for stitching resolutions going on, and I think it’s fair to say that in 2012 I’ll be making a resolution more along the lines of not thinking up three monthly stitching commitments!  One will do nicely!

Here’s the one I stitched for this month.  Part of a freebie chart which you can find here. 

Stitched on some linen from my stash and DMC 815

And then, here's a recap on all twelve!

January – Bright Needle Love in a Manger

February – BOAF Santa from Memories of Christmas*

March – BOAF Christmas Tree from Memories of Christmas*

April – Homespun Elegance Blessings*

May – Homespun Elegance Merry Yule^

June – Prairie Schooler Christmas Tree from A Christmas Visit*

July – Little House Needlework Silent Night*

August – Samplerbird Stitchery Holiday Spirit^

September – Prairie Schooler Christmas Welcome from A Christmas Visit*

October – Shepherds Bush Merry Be^

November – Shepherds Bush Santa’s Fill

December – La Comtesse  & le Point de Croix freebie found here

Those marked * finished by Deb of Artistic Needle

Those marked ^ finished by Karen of My Favourite Things

The rest?  My own attempts at finishing!

  

Thanks for all the lovely comments you left about my PS 12 Days of Christmas.  Even though I got a little carried away with resolutions this year I am pleased that I completed them all and love that this wreath is hanging in our home this Christmas.

DS#1 and DD arrived home yesterday and DS#2 was on a very early flight this morning from Newcastle and is now home. So, our house is full once again.  It’s been a year since everyone has been home together and yet now that they are all here it seems like no time at all since last Christmas.  So, we are settling in for several days of enjoying Christmas and hopefully I can get a little bit of stitching squeezed in there too! Whatever your plans for Christmas I hope you have a wonderful time.

Until next time ……  

Resolution #2 - PS Twelve Days of Christmas

Hi everyone!  A second resolution completed…….

Yes, I’ve managed to keep on track with stitching the whole of the PS chart The Twelve Days of Christmas through this year.  Never mind  twelve days of Christmas, it pretty much took me  twelve days to actually get these little pillows put together and on the wreath as I didn’t manage to set aside a day to sit down and work on getting them all assembled from start to finish.

But, it is now completed and I’m thrilled to have ticked another resolution off that list and to have this wreath hanging up for Christmas.  I can’t take credit for the idea of putting them on a wreath and displaying them this way.  I saw KarenV’s  wreath on her blog last December and thought it was a perfect way to display these. All pictures are clickable if you want a closer look.

Back soon, still have the monthly Christmas ornaments to share now that I finally have the Christmas tree up!  My ornament for December is stitched, just have to finish finish it and then I’ll be good to go. Thanks for all your lovely comments last time round on my Nikycreations pillows.  Two resolutions down, one to go!

Until next time …… 

One resolution down, two more to go.....

Hi everyone!  One of my resolutions way back in January this year was to stitch the little pillows from Nikyscreations Primitive Calendar.  I loved the idea of stitching one each month and that they would be little seasonal pieces to have on display.  As you can see below I finished the December one a couple of days ago.

So, having managed to stitch all twelve here’s a little recap of each of them.

 All of them were stitched on either 32ct lambswool or vintage country mocha using the suggested DMC threads. 

All filled with rice.

Mostly my own interpretation of the little finishing touches.

And all them were fun, quick projects to stitch.

While we are very definitely into December and heading full-speed towards Christmas I do still need to share my November ornament!  This one was stitched in November but the actual finishing crept into the first few days of this month.

This design is one of the shop exclusive kits from SB.  I stitched this years ago but still had enough threads to do it again.  I added the little stars on the stocking instead of the beads that were originally used.  Stitched on a scrap of fabric from my stash.     

Seems like these days most of my stitching is Christmas related. I need to get busy on an ornament for December (still have to decide on what I'd like to stitch for that!).  Yesterday I pulled out the sewing machine and started putting the PS 12 Days of Christmas pillows together so, hopefully next time I blog I'll be sharing those.  Hope all is well with you and yours.  As always, thanks for dropping by!

Until next time.

Making a start......

Hi everyone!  Well, I’ve made a start on the latest BBD LF’s Autumn.  Not much progress to share but it was good to pick this one up again.  Given that we’re almost  into December and that Christmas is looming on the horizon I’ve the feeling that this one may not get my full attention for a few weeks. 

Next up are two of my recent finishes which I sent to KarenV to work her magic on.  I asked her to finish DT Button Tree as a wall hanging and here it is….

Next up is GH’s Three Crows. Karen suggested using the wide ricrac round the edge and I love how it has turned out.

Thanks Karen!  As ever, I’m thrilled with both of these finishes and thanks, not just for these two, but for the other pieces you have worked your magic on for me during this year!

Finally,  guess who's finished stitching the blocks from PS 12 Days of Christmas! Ta da!!!!!  Yes, I managed to stitch both #11 and #12 this month.  The fabric in the background is what I plan to back all twelve with.

Now the hard part (for me!!). Finishing these as little pillows!! My plan is to attach them to a wreath but, who knows, that might change!!! I’m also seeing the possibility of them hung on a garland across the fireplace.  All I do know is that I need to set aside a day to get these all put together.  The stitching part has been fun, not so sure that the finishing won’t put years on me!!!!  

Hope all is well with you and yours.  Our daughter and her boyfriend got engaged two weeks ago and we are thrilled for them!  Talk of a wedding in 2013 and, while that still seems some way off, I can see the time just flying in!

Until next time….

The latest stitching that's been going on around here

Hi everyone!  Time for an update I think!  I was so close to finishing Quaker Christmas Tree Sampler when I ran out of thread.  The closer I was getting to finishing this one the more I knew it was going to be tight but was keeping my fingers crossed that I’d have enough.  Not so.  I ran out when I’d only one motif left to stitch!!!! So, had to wait a few days until I was able to buy another skein but here it is, all finished. 

Stitched on 32ct BOAF Sandpiper using suggested DMC

In taking so long to do a blog post I do have some other things to share.  First of all, I received these back from Deb at Artistic Needle and once again she’s done a wonderful job.  The LHN one is the ornament I stitched in July and the PS one was stitched in September.

LHN Silent Night  and PS Welcome from Book #48 A Christmas Visit

Next up, the November pillow from Nikyscreations Primitive Calendar. I enjoyed stitching this one. Those squirrels are definitely doing a happy dance at finding these acorns! 

Nov pillow stitched on 32ct vintage country mocha using suggested DMC

And finally, the latest BBD LF chart has popped through my letter box so I’m looking forward to picking this one up again.

Until next time!

Seems to be a tree 'thing'....

that I’ve got going on at the moment!  DT’s Button Tree is finished and I’ll share a pic of that in a moment.  First of all though, here’s a pic of my latest start.  Yes, another tree, CHS Companion Quaker Christmas Tree Sampler to give it its full name…..

I’m stitching this on 32ct BOAF Sandpiper using the suggested DMC threads.

And here is DT’s Button Tree...  

And …..

Stitched on 32ct Summer Khaki linen using suggested DMC and WDW Blue Spruce

If anyone has stitched this and is wondering where the birds at the bottom are?  I decided against stitching them as I liked how the tree looked just standing on its own.  I have to tell you though, it took me several days to decide on the button placement. I ended up leaving it laid out on the table and anytime I walked past I’d have a look and maybe change round a button or two.  It does show you where to place them on the chart and which size goes where but I still found I needed to play around a little bit with them. 

Guess what I’ve got caught up on?!?!?!  Yes, I’m back on track with the PS 12 Days of Christmas blocks.  Here’s #10….

Stitched on 32ct Natural Light linen using suggested DMC

Plan is to stitch the final two next month and get them all put together…..fingers crossed!!!

I can’t believe we’re nearly to the end of another month, and almost to the end of another year!  Seems like 2011 has just flown by. Thanks for all the lovely comments you left last time and I hope that you’re all getting lots of stitching time in this weekend! 

Until next time …..   

One of those 'this 'n that' posts.....

The only stitching that’s been going on with me lately has been bits and pieces.  I’ve been keeping an eye out for news on the release of the next part of the BBD’s LF and seeing that it is now due out in a few weeks has had me holding off starting anything on the larger side.  Getting on with the smaller stuff though does mean that I’m track with those things for this month.  First up is this one, SB's Merry Be pin cushion. 

Slightly on the large side to be considered as an ornament but hey, that’s how I’m looking on it - my Christmas ornament for this month!  I have a great fondness for SB Christmas designs and this one was no different, I really enjoyed stitching it and working with the silks again.  I can take no credit for the lovely finishing.  This one I sent to KarenV and it arrived back home again on Monday. Thanks Karen for another great finishing job!

Then these two, the October chart from Nikyscreations Primitive Calendar and the next block from PS 12 Days of Christmas.  I loved the colours in the little October pillow, those red apples just popped off the fabric!  Block #9 of 12 Days of Christmas. My plan is to also stitch the 10^th block this month so, with a bit of luck, I should be back on track with these by the end of the month.  The PS block is stitched using the suggested fabric (32ct natural light linen) and DMC threads.  The little pillow is stitched on 32ct  vintage country mocha and suggested DMC threads.

 And in amongst those is a new start.  DT’s Button Tree using the suggested fabric and threads – 32ct summer khaki and a mix of DMC and WDW.   

Although it’s a couple of weeks ago now, thanks for all your good wishes for DS#1 and his running.  It was a miserable, wet day but he finished the distance and he has definitely been bitten by the running bug and plans to keep doing it.

Thanks also for the lovely comments you left last time round on my finishes. You sure know how to make a girl feel good!!! 

Until next time …..   

Some September finishes

Hi everyone!  I’m so glad I persevered with the satin stitch border on Three Crows.  Even though it was driving me crazy, once those basting stitches were in, it helped keep me straight.  I finished it a couple of days ago so in time to list it as a September finish.

Goode Huswife Three Crows stitched on 32ct Puck by Elne of Lynnyn using suggested DMC

Thanks for all the nice comments left last time round on my wooden bobbin finish.  Quite a few people asked about where I’d found the bobbin. I bought both it and the chart from Casa Cenina in Italy under the listing for Marie Suarez.  I’ve had nothing but good experiences in ordering from this company so have no hesitation in recommending them to order from should you want to give them a go.  You can follow the link above or click here.

It may be the first day of a new month but time for me to share my finishes from a couple of my monthly projects for September.  Both Christmas related.  First up is the ornament I picked for September from the PS chart A Christmas Visit. I stitched two from this booklet last year and pretty much love each design that’s in it so decided it was time to have another one stitched for this Christmas.

PS Christmas Welcome stitched on 32ct natural linen using suggested DMC

Then there’s my on-going PS 12 Days of Christmas blocks.  This, as you can see, is #8 so I’m still running behind. Given that I really would like to have these all completed (and not just stitched but made into little pillows!) for this Christmas I need to switch up a gear and get back on track with them.

PS 12 Days of Christmas stitched on 32ct natural light linen using suggested DMC

As always, thanks for dropping by!  Whatever your plans are for the weekend hope they are good.  DS#1 is taking part in his first 10km run tomorrow, in Edinburgh.  He took up running about 6 months ago and decided he needed to have something to aim for and signed up for that.  So, we’ll be cheering him on from a distance and hoping it goes well.

Until next time …. 

A froggy came a-calling….

Let’s keep the whole ‘frog thing’ to later on in this post I think! First up? This one.

Marie Suarez Bobines Cherie stitched on 32ct natural and white using suggested DMC

I stitched this as a birthday gift and, as it has now been received, I can share it here. This was a fun stitch, first time I’ve attempted something like this and I thought it was a cute way to hold your scissors. The stitching is over one and attaching it to the wooden bobbin was much more straightforward than I thought. Now the little fob?!?!? That was a bit more fiddly but I got there!

Next up is my Christmas ornament for August. I did have this stitched in August but thought I’d wait and share until I had it all completed. This is Holiday Spirit by Samplerbird Stitchery and I sent it to KarenV to finish it in a tree shape for me. Another lovely job by Karen, this is how it looked when she returned it to me

and this is how I finished it…

Holiday Spirit by Samplerbird Stitchery (found here) on white 32ct with CC Bandana & Mill Hill beads

The little flowerpot I found in Hobbycraft when we were in England in July. I decided to keep going with the white and red theme so painted this white and attached the ribbon.

All was going well with Three Crows until I started the satin stitch border. Has anyone else stitched this one and found that the satin stitch border was a pain in the neck or was it just me?!?!?! Having frogged twice – now in reality I didn’t get that far each time, just a couple of triangles and then I’d discover I was ‘off’ – I realised that if I wasn’t going to be completely bald from tearing my hair out I needed to think about this logically and come at it from a different angle. I decided to do some basting lines and that has made my life much easier! This is what I did first of all.

A line for the top of the triangle, a line for where each triangle started and finished and then a line for the middle so I would know I was spot on for the longest satin stitch.
And this is where I am now (and hopefully the frog has gone on its merry way!) …

The basting lines have made all the difference so if you’re ever stitching this one and the satin stitch border is doing your head in, this might work for you too.

Another weekend almost here! Where do the weeks go?!?!?! Wishing you all a good weekend. Thanks for dropping by and I hope all is well in your part of the world.

Until next time …..

Crow love to start, quilt love to finish

Some crow love going on around here with this one and yes, several of you guessed correctly last time, this is indeed Goode Huswife’s Three Crows. I'm stitching this on 32ct Elne of Lynnyn linen in Puck using the suggested DMC.

I’m planning on finishing this as a pillow and did start out thinking that I’d just stitch the crows and the alphabet and leave it at that. Now that I’ve reached that part I’ve changed my mind and plan on stitching the border of satin stitched triangles.

I’m still on track with stitching the little monthly pillows from A Primitive Calendar by Nikyscreations. So here is the one for September.

Stitched on 32ct Belfast Vintage Country Mocha using suggested DMC

This was a fun stitch, it reminded me of stitching all those quirky folk on CHS Sampler Folk last year.

Wouldn’t you love to waken up to this view every morning?

And what looks out on this view?

A quilt shop! Imagine having your very own quilt shop in your very own garden. That is exactly what this is, found down a country lane with farms and fields all around.
Recently the shop celebrated its 5th birthday so some friends and I took a bit of a road trip to join in the birthday celebrations. I was pretty good in restraining my spending, picked up some fabric that I think could work as the backing for the PS 12 Days of Christmas blocks, another piece of fabric that caught my eye and some lace trim. After that it was into the adjoining workshop for tea, coffee and home baked goodies! There were lots of lovely quilts on display that had been worked on in classes and workshops through the year.
So, having started with some crow love let me leave you with a little bit of quilt love with this ……
this ....

and this ....

Until next time …..

First part completed

I was happy dancing a little bit last week as I put the final stitches in the first part of the current BBD’s Loose Feathers.

Stitched on 32ct Antique Ivory using the suggested overdyeds

It ended up that once I reached the alphabet I flew through that and now, here I am anxiously awaiting the second part being released so that I can get back to stitching on it!

Some more lovely finishing by KarenV to share this time round. I was so pleased with how she’d finished my BBD Glad Tidings that I asked her to do the same thing with CHS Her Sampler which I’d stitched last year and hadn’t got round to doing anything with. I loved this one so much when I stitched it so it was a shame that it was just lying in my finished pile and had been lying there for so long!

Stitched on 32ct cream linen using suggested DMC

Then there was the PS freebie ornament I’d stitched as my June Christmas ornament. I asked Karen to finish it with the contrasting red and green felt backing and I think this one turned out so cute!

Stitched on 32ct lambswool linen using suggested DMC

Another birthday has come and gone and I received this as part of a lovely birthday package from my stitching friend Leigh. I was thrilled when I saw this BBD pillow, I have admired this on many a blog but it was a chart that somehow never managed to make its way into my stash. Leigh also made this sweet scissor fob, isn’t it lovely?

Finally, a sneak peak at what I’ve started to stitch, back to one of my favourite designers. Recognise it anyone?!


As always, thanks for taking the time to drop by. Hope all is well with you and yours. Here we’re being warned that we’re in for some autumnal weather this week. I see lots more time to stitch on the horizon!

Until next time ….