Happy Christmas 2020

What a year it has been. I hope that next year will be kinder to all of us. In the meantime I wish everyone a Happy Christmas and I will share with you my final Christmas themed stitching for 2020. Only the first of these is fully  finished.

Christmas Lace - Tracy Horner of Ink Circles

Gift of Stitching, Dec. 2007

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Light Mocha/Mushroom linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

It's Snow Cold - Little House Needleworks

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Smokey Pearl

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Daschund Through the Snow - Durene Jones

CrossStitcher Nov. 2020

Fabric: 25ct Crafty Kitten Pixie Dust Lugana

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Gifted Gorgeousness and Fully Finished SAL - December 2020

Once again I'm combining two blog events as there is a lot of overlap in what I am showing today. Jo of Serendipitous Stitching hosts Gifted Gorgeousness and you can found out how it works here. In summary it is an opportunity to show any stitching/craft related gifts you have made and/or received. 

Rachel of Ten Hour Stitcher is our host for our Fully Finished Gallery. The purpose of this gallery is to encourage stitchers to fully finish some, if not all, of their projects. I'm not great at finishing something when I've completed the stitching as I want to move on to the next thing instead. It's good for me to have an incentive to complete my smaller projects. 

First up is my gifted stitching.  For Advent I took part in Wichtelaktion (Advent Elf card exchange) organised by Martina. I wrote of this more fully in an earlier blog post but here is a reminder of the cards sent and received. 

 

Sent to Lynda Ruth (Purple Dixie)

 Received from June (Butterfly Wings)               

In addition, I received these extras from June.

Like many stitchers I've been busy stitching for Christmas over the past couple of months. The designs below are fully finished and have all been gifted. Three of these designs are from The Gift of Stitching magazine. I bought all the back copies years ago and in September I decided to choose some ornaments from this magazine. Just last month I discovered that there has been renewed interest in it and that it now has its own Facebook group. It's not like me to be 'on trend' :)

Prairie Schooler Santa - Prairie Schooler

Gift of Stitching, November 2008

Fabric: 32ct Raw unbleached linen

Threads: Suggested DMC

Snowed In - Something in Common in

Gift of Stitching, December 2006

Fabric: 32ct Flax linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

When I saw Snowed In on Margaret's Blog, I knew I had to stitch it. For some reason my photo is skewed. 

Snow Keeper - The Drawn Thread (freebie)

Fabric - Unknown light beige evenweave

Threads: Suggested DMC

Beaded Candle - unknown

Fabric: 18ct Antique White Aida

Mulberry Snowflake - Just Nan

Fabric: 32ct Natural Linen

Threads: Suggested DMC

Beads: Unknown petite brown/gold colour

Christmas Eve Deer - Prairie Schooler

Gift of Stitching, November 2009

Fabric: 32ct Raw unbleached linen

Threads: Suggested DMC

2020 Advent Calendar Blog Hop

It's the fourth day in Jo's advent blog hop.

My Christmas stitching that I'd like to share today is this Christmas tree. I love the effect of the variegated thread in this design.

Christmas Tree Ornament - Debbie Draper Designs (Gift of Stitching, Dec 2007)

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart white linen

Thread: Crescent Colors Bing Cherry. Cording in DMC 3685

Jo asked us to think about Christmas books that we enjoy. I don't have a 'go to' Christmas read but as a child I always looked forward to Christmas as Santa would leave me a Christmas Annual of my then favourite weekly comic. I think the first one I received was Bunty. This weekly magazine comprised of several short comic-strip stories, broken up by letters pages, competitions, featured readers, puzzle pages, promotions, next-week previews or advertisements. The back page initially featured a cut-out doll and paper clothes. I loved that.  As I got older, my tastes changed and my favourite weekly comic became Tina, later called Princess Tina as it and Princess magazine merged. The contents were broadly similar to Bunty but for a young teen audience. Of course these are now out of print.

 

Check back to Jo's blog to find out who has/is posting on each day in December. 

Wichtelaktion 2020 - Advent Elf card exchange - UPDATED

This year I took part in Wichtelaktion (the Advent Elf card exchange) arranged by Martina (Mein allerei Hobby). Each participant stitched a card to send to their partner with the intention that it would arrange by Advent. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photograph of the card I stitched before posting it but here is a photo of the packaging. Martina has kindly sent me a copy of the card I stitched which I have now added.

 

Clare gifted this kit to me a number of years ago and I was delighted to stitch it for my partner. There is a lot of detail in this small design (3.5 cm x 4.6 cm) and I fully intend to stitch it again.

I received this pretty card from June (Butterfly Wings)

along with these festive extras. Thank you June.

All the other Advent Elf cards made in this exchange can be viewed on Martina's blog, here.

Thank you Martina for arranging this.

Ready for winter

I started knitting this jumper back in February but then the weather suddenly improved and it was too hot to knit. So after finishing my shawl in October I pulled my knitting out again and finally finished this jumper last weekend. I've tried it on and I'm pleased with the fit. According to our weather forecast we are due a week of cooler weather next week (in single figure Celsius) so it's more than likely that I will be wearing it then.

Pattern: Hayfield 9219

Wool: Stylecraft Special aran with wool, New Denim

Gifted Gorgeousness and Fully Finished SAL - November 2020

I'm linking up with two blogs for November, Jo of Serendipitous Stitching and Rachel, the Ten Hour Stitcher as my recent stitching fits both of these nicely.

My fully finished pieces were also gifts that I sent as part of a Halloween Exchange with Clare. I sent Clare this Halloween scissor fob and a card which had a detachable hanging ornament.

Owls in Moonlight - Blue Ribbon Designs

Taken from Just Cross Stitch magazine, October 2014

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads. Stitched 1 thread over 2

Scream Girls - Just Nan

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Natural Line

Threads: Suggested DMC threads, 

DMC 310 used for BOO lettering instead of Krenik #4 005

I received these gifts. Firstly from Christine I received this cute scissor fob. This is a Durene Jones freebie which can be found on her Facebook page.

Witches Cat - Durene Jones

I also had a surprise gift of an initialed Halloween scissor fob from Clare. As I am into scissor fobs at the moment, it's another delightful addition to my collection.

Finally, I was the lucky recipient of DJ's (Tickled Pink in Stitches) Breast Cancer Awareness Giveaway. Here is the lovely biscornu and scissor fob that I received. Thank you DJ.

Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2020

It's scream time and time for the Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop. I have two spooky finishes this year. The first is Just Nan's Scream Girls which I finished as a flat ornament and attached to a card.

Scream Girls - Just Nan

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Natural Line

Threads: Suggested DMC threads, 

DMC 310 used for BOO lettering instead of Krenik #4 005

The second finish has been completed as a scissor fob.

Owls in Moonlight - Blue Ribbon Designs

Taken from Just Cross Stitch magazine, October 2014

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads. Stitched 1 thread over 2

The Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop is organised by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching. Follow the blog hop to find a list of all the blog participants and to collect a letter from each of them to complete a mystery phrase.  

This year I am the final blog listed and I have the letter L:

Source: SunCatcherStudio.com

Work out what the mystery phrase is and hop back to Jo's blog to give her your answer. While there take some time to watch the slideshow of Jo's Spooky Scrapbook stitching.

A stitching and crochet update

Most of my stitching (that is, Alpine Seasons Garden and Mary Stead 1824) is on a temporary hold as I have started on my Christmas stitching. I won't be able to share much of this stitching until late December.

However, I have one update that I can share which is my virus shawl. I'm pleased with how this crochet shawl looks. I wish my photograph did it justice. I downloaded this free pattern via Ravelry from Woolpedia. 

Virus Shawl - Julia Marquardt

Wool - LANG Mille Colori (Pink/Damson/Grey)

Crochet hook - 4mm

Gifted Gorgeousness - September 2020

It's time for Gifted Gorgeousness this month. This is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching and is an opportunity to show stitching related gifts that we have made or received.

Earlier this month it was Clare's (Aimtu's Stitching) birthday and I sent her a small stitched sampler card. You can see it here on her blog as I forgot to take a photograph of it before I posted it.

My main stitching focus this month continues to be Alpine Seasons. I am now stitching the outer border which you can see in the crinkled photo below. 

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine as at 18 September 2020

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen

Threads: Recommended silk threads

It's not a Gifted Gorgeousness project but I've also been stitching on Mary Stead 1824 as part of  @Senoritastitches September Sampler Soiree on Instagram. There are just five colours in this project and I like how they blend together.

Mary Stead 1824 - Hands Across The Sea Samplers

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Light Mocha/Mushroom linen

Threads: Recommended DMC

Alpine Seasons Garden update

I'm pleased to say that I've completed the detailed tree and mountain seasonal stitching on this project. The next couple of sections should be stitched more quickly ... in theory.

This will probably be the largest and most detailed design that I will ever stitch but it is worth it.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine as at  7 September 2020

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen
Threads: Recommended silk threads

September Sampler Soiree

@Senoritastitches is hosting the September Sampler Soiree on Instagram. Given that I've finished my Little Sheep Virtues this is just the prompt that I needed to start Hands Across the Sea's Mary Stead 1824. This is part of their Little Gems series which I really like and it includes some more designs that I would like to buy at some stage.

After two days, here is my progress on Mary Stead 1824.

Mary Stead 1824 - Hands Across The Sea Samplers

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Light Mocha/Mushroom linen

Threads: Recommended DMC 

I'm still stitching on Alpine Seasons Garden and I'm close to completing the seasonal circle of trees and mountains. Once this is finished, the dense cross-stitch coverage will be completed.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine

as at  2 September 2020

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen

Threads: Recommended silk threads

Smalls SAL August 2020 - It's A Finish!

It's the last Friday of the month and time for a Smalls SAL update. This is hosted by Mary of Mary's Thread and all details of how it works can be found here.

I've been treating each of my Little Sheep Virtues as 'smalls'. Simplicity, Kindness, Gratitude and Joyfulness were all stitched in August to complete this project.

I started Little Sheep Virtues and Sheep in the Meadow in February on Ash Wednesday and six months later on Wednesday night, I finished it. This has been a lovely project to work on and was ideal for keeping my hands busy while watching television.

I haven't decided how I will finish it. It's a toss up between framing or a quilted wall hanging. One thing I do know is that there's no rush on deciding what to do.

Thanks to Julie of I'll Cross That Leg When I Get To It and Giovanna of Giovanna's stitches for inspiring me to stitch these designs like this.

Little Sheep Virtues - Little House Needleworks and

Sheep in the Meadow - Country Cottage Needleworks

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Natural line

Threads: Recommended DMC and Weeks Dye Works threads

Gifted Gorgeousness - August 2020

The 15th of each month seems to keep coming round more quickly as the year progresses. Nevertheless, it is a good opportunity to showcase the stitching and/or craft gifts that we have made or received. All the details on how Gifted Gorgeousness works can be found at Serendipitous Stitching, the blog of Jo, our host.

Now that our heatwave is over (for the time being), I have been stitching on my Alpine Seasons Garden. As it was my husband's Christmas present to me several years ago, he likes to see my progress. He's also looking forward to the day when it is completed and framed so that we can both admire it. We've already decided where it will hang.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine

as at  17 August 2020

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen

Threads: Recommended silk threads

Stitching Friends Summer Blog Hop

 

This year's Summer Blog Hop from Jo of Serendipitous Stitching is an opportunity to get to know our stitching friends. We each write something to describe our stitching friend and choose a design we think they might like. I will reveal my partner at the end of this blog post.

My stitching friend lives in France and has been delighting her blog readers for almost nine years. She regularly takes part in Jo's blog hops, especially Gifted Gorgeousness.

She has many interests which include stitching, painting, sewing, crochet gardening and photography. As she also enjoys travelling I thought she might enjoy this free design 'Love Paris' from Madame La Fee

Love Paris - Madame La Fee

or perhaps she might like to escape to some Alpine Mountains like those in my Chatelaine 'Alpine Seasons Garden' which is slowing being stitched.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine
as at 08 August 2020
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen
Threads: Recommended silk threads

If you haven't yet guessed, my Summer Stitching friend is ...

Jocondine 

All the participants in the 2020 Summer Blog Hop can be found in this post from Jo.

Smalls SAL - July 2020

Two more 'smalls' have been completed in my Little Sheep Virtues/Sheep in the Meadow project. I have completed Patience and Faith. As you can see below I am now stitching the central piece of Sheep in the Meadow. This centre section is almost finished but I haven't taken a more recent photo yet.

Little Sheep Virtues - Little House Needleworks and
Sheep in the Meadow - Country Cottage Needleworks
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Natural line
Threads: Recommended DMC and Weeks Dye Works threads

I also stitched my first Redwork embroidery piece during July.  The FaceBook group Love & Hugs from Australia are running a Love & Hugs for Christmas SAL and this was the first design block published. I have decided that I will stitch each block in DMC 498. My plan is complete this as a wall hanging so the surrounding fabric decision will be made later.

Designed by Helen Stubbings Hugs ‘n Kisses
Fabric: White poplin
Thread: DMC 498

Let the People Choose! - July 2020

This is the first time that I've taken part in Jo's (Serendipitous Stitching) Let the People Choose! SAL but it was one that I could not miss - 'The designer that you have stitched the most'. Those of you familiar with me will know that my favourite designer is Just Nan so it is no surprise that she is the designer that I have stitched the most.

However I have a long way to go before I can compete with Jo's 80 finishes as I have 32 to date. All but 12 of these were given away in exchanges. Some of my finishes are missing from the collages below as there are at least four designs that I've completed that were given away before I took a photo. So here are my Just Nan finishes:

The top left design in the collage below is a WIP called Mermaid Heart. Pulling it out for this photo reminded me that it still needed to be finished.

Gifted Gorgeousness - July 2020

I'm pleased to have something to show for Gifted Gorgeousness (GG) this month. GG is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching and is an opportunity to show your crafting where basically anything connected to the word "gift" is allowed, whether it was a gift to or from you. Full details on how it works can be found here.

I've finished the Silver Wedding Anniversary design gifted to me by Julie of Julie's StitchyKnitter Journal. This is a lovely design. Thank you Julie, I've enjoyed stitching it. I'm hoping that the card will arrive in time as post from France to the UK is taking 12 to 14 days to arrive instead of the usual 3 to 4 days.

Silver Anniversary - Nia cross stitch
Fabric: 40ct cream Zweigart Newcastle linen
Threads: Recommended DMC and Anchor Marlitt threads

I've stitched the design suggested by Christine in Needlecraft Haven's Stay Safe Exchange. I just need to decide on how it will be finished.

Think Happy Little Thoughts - La Comtesse & Le Point de Croix
Fabric: 32ct Crafty Kitten Murano Just Pink
Threads: DMC 729, 817;
Olde Willow Stitchery linen threads 222L Octagon Blue
and  unknown 2013 Bleu Pastel

Finally, I intend to finish this design by Hinzeit as a scissor fob. It was stitched one over one and I omitted the 'Cure' letters on the the key. The fabric is a beige evenweave that was gifted to me at my sewing group. This free design can be found on Hinzeit's website, here.

Hope Cure 2020 - Hinzeit
Fabric: Unknown 28ct Beige evenweave
Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Gifted Gorgeousness - June 2020

Another month, another Gifted Gorgeousness. Hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching this is an opportunity to share stitching projects/items that have been gifted to us or that we will be gifting. 

I'm stitching a silver anniversary wedding card using a chart gifted to me from Julie of Julie's StitchyKnitter Journal.  I've had the chart for over a year as originally I thought the silver anniversary was last year. Once I realised it wasn't, the project went on the back boiler until now. I love how the thread colours are blending with each other.

Silver Anniversary - Nia cross stitch
Fabric: 40ct cream Zweigart Newcastle linen
Threads: Recommended DMC and Anchor Marlitt threads

My Alpine Seasons Garden was a Christmas present from my husband several years ago. It has had very little attention during the past weeks as the weather has been so dull. The only addition has been about 20 light grey stitches on the extreme right of the snow capped mountains. I prefer stitching on it when it is bright as I think I concentrate better. Well, that's my excuse.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine
as at 16 June 2020
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen
Threads: Recommended silk threads

My evening stitching continues to be Little Sheep Virtues. I have now completed 'Hope' and I've started stitching 'Patience'. There will no more stitching on this until I have finished the Silver Anniversary card.

Little Sheep Virtues - Little House Needleworks and
Sheep in the Meadow - Country Cottage Needleworks
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Natural line
Threads: Recommended DMC and Weeks Dye Works threads

I've also baked a one pot yogurt cake as recommended by Christine. I didn't have a suitable cake tin so I found a slight variation of the recipe she suggested, here and baked it in a 2lb loaf tin. I used Greek yogurt and added a splash of lemon juice and some lemon zest and it tastes good. Half of the cake has gone in the freezer, for eating at a later date.

One pot yogurt cake with lemon flavouring