Gifted Gorgeousness - January 2025

Welcome to Gifted Gorgeousness (GG) for 2025. I hope to have more to show this year than last. GG is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching and here is the link to the sign-up page and details of what makes a gifted item. In essence it is an opportunity to celebrate any stitching related gifted item that you've made or received. It's hard to believe that it is ten years since Jo started hosting it.

This will be a relatively picture heavy blog post as I sent and received a number of stitching gifts at Christmas. I sent the following ornaments to my friends at Needlecraft Haven.

For Julie:

Snow Birds - Country Cottage Needleworks, 

Just CrossStitch Christmas Ornaments 2013

Fabric: Zweigart 32ct Belfast Pearl linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads, except 3347 substituted for 3346

Embellishments: White chenille aran wool used for trim

For Clare:

Oh Christmas Tree - Little House Needleworks 

Fabric: Zweigart 32ct Natural opalescent linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Embellishments: DMC ecru and 814 thread for cord trim

For Gill:

Snow Globe Cookie Small - Shannon Christine Designs 

Fabric: The Crafty Kitten Brittney Ltd. Ed. Opal,

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Embellishments: White chenille aran wool used for trim

For Christine:

Britty Christmas Kitten - Brittercup Designs, 

Just CrossStitch Christmas Ornaments 2005

Fabric: Zweigart 32ct Belfast Flax linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads, stitched 2 over 2

Embellishments: DMC 523 and 3012 thread for cord trim

I received these beautiful gifts for Christmas.

From Christine:

Seasonal red and green Anchor threads on an owl thread keeper.

I can keep my lip gloss to hand while stitching as it now has its own holder

From Clare: 

Ornaments, chart, threads and chocolate

From Gill:

A Fuchsia bookmark kit

From Gill:

My Needlecraft Haven Christmas exchange ornament

From Julie:

A scarf for wearing to my crossstitch group (and on other occasions)

From Family:

This kit will be my first attempt at Needle Felting

For Christmas 2023, Clare gifted me Faby Reilly's Lily of the Valley biscornu chart. I had high hopes of finishing it for May Day 2024. Instead it became my first finish of 2025. My finish isn't quite square but it looks good.

Lily of the Valley Biscornu - Faby Reilly

Fabric: 32ct Natural linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

Embellishments: Recommended metallic thread and beads

Gifted Gorgeousness - October 2024

It's hard to believe that I have done so little crafting this year but my blog is certainly testament to that.

Nevertheless I have a Gifted Gorgeousness (GG) Update. GG is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching and it is an opportunity to share any stitching related gifts that we have sent or received.

I've taken part in an Autumn exchange so I will have that to show next month but in the meantime here is my progress on the Lily of the Valley biscornu that was gifted to me by Clare. My progress has been slower than I would like but I'm enjoying stitching this.

Lily of the Valley Biscornu - Faby Reilly

Fabric: 32ct Natural linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

Part of the reason for so little cross-stitching is that most of my time was taken with making a quilt for my sister's friend who is currently undergoing cancer treatment. This was gifted to her in August. I made the quilt smaller than the pattern design as I wanted it to be more of a body length throw. I'm so taken with this design that I would like to make it again for a king size bed.

Half and Half Twist - Missouri Star Quilt Company

Fabric: 1 Layer Cake Wildflower Batiks from Island Batik, 

Moda white background and border, 

Method: Machine pieced and hand quilted

Fabric: Backing fabric, Wildflower Batiks Ginko Leaves Purple Blurple

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

Smalls SAL - March 2020

Mary's Thread hosts the Smalls SAL and details can be found here.
Since I had two small ornaments completed for St. Patrick's Day, I couldn't resist showing them again. So here they are.

Leprechaun Cottage - Blue Ribbon Designs
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Natural linen
Threads: Recommended DMC threads

March Quaker - ??
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Silvery Moon linen (7011)
Thread: DMC 3818

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day and 'Sláinte' as I raise a glass to you. (If I'm completely honest, it's a cup of tea 😄 ).

This year I was determined to get some stitching completed for St. Patrick's day and I managed to finish two small pieces.
My first piece is Leprechaun Cottage from Blue Ribbon Designs. I've had this on my 'To do' list for a number of years. I finally stitched it.

Leprechaun Cottage - Blue Ribbon Designs
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Natural linen
Threads: Recommended DMC threads

This second design is called March Quaker and I have been unable to find out who designed it. It's ages since I've made a biscornu so I enjoyed making this finish.

March Quaker - ??
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Silvery Moon linen (7011)
Thread: DMC 3818

May you all stay safe and healthy in these unsettling times.

Gifted Gorgeousness - April

Let me start by saying sorry to those of you who have commented on my blog and perhaps left a question. I have just discovered that not all my comments come through to my primary email, some go to my gmail account only. That is why you have not heard from me. Why this happens I have no idea and it only seems to have started since I changed phones some weeks ago. I must have made some change to my phone settings without realising it.

Now on to Gifted Gorgeousness which is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching. Full details of how Gifted Gorgeousness works can be found here.  This month's stitching is a gift from Jo. I guessed the phrase in last year's Easter blog hop and she sent me this Just Nan design as well as the charm pin.  Given my love of Just Nan, this was an ideal gift for me. Isn't the rabbit charm pin just delightful?

Tiny Bunny Biscornu - Just Nan

Fabric: 32ct Belfast pale lilac linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

Chart embellishment pack

In answer to your question, Jo, here is my finished Just Nan's Diamond Bouquet. This was completed around 1998 and was my second Just Nan sampler (Bee Blossoms was my first).

Diamond Bouquet - Just Nan

completed as a class project at local needlework shop

Happy St. Patrick's Day

This year I decided to do some St. Patrick's day stitching with this Celtic knot design biscornu.

As for celebrating the day? Since I don't like Guinness it will be a glass of wine this evening to celebrate.

Celtic knot (top) - Designer unknown

Fabric: 28ct Cashel White linen

Thread: Carrie's Threads - Irish Kiss

Celtic knot (bottom) - Designer unknown

Fabric: 28ct Cashel White linen

Thread: Carrie's Threads - Irish Kiss

I wanted a relatively small, quick project, so this week I stitched and made up this Just Nan biscornu. I didn't add the suggested ribbon on the corners as I wasn't keen on it. However, it is ages since I made a biscornu so I overstuffed this one. I realised that when I found it difficult to get the central button sitting as I wanted, but I got there in the end.

Jingle biscornu - Just Nan

Fabric: 28ct evenweave White

Threads: recommended DMC threads and embellishment pack

I'm still doing the Ten-a-day Facebook group challenge and here is my current progress (Day 250) on Just Nan's Mermaid Heart. It will be finished before the end of this year as I think it has less than 3,650 stitches.

Mermaid Heart - Just Nan
Fabric: 32ct Rue Green Belfast linen
Threads: Recommended Au Ver a Soie

I have a couple of other small projects which have been stitched but now need to be finished, finished. I will hopefully show them in my Gifted Gorgeousness post, later this month.

Memories of Autumn

With Christmas almost here, it seems odd to be casting my mind back to Autumn but I haven't been able before now to share what I sent and received in the Needlecraft Haven Autumn exchange.
The exchange was for a pincushion and my partner Dusty and I stitched each other a biscornu.
This is the lovely biscornu I received from Dusty accompanied with autumnal themed napkins.

Needlecraft Haven Autumn Exchange 2015
received from Dusty

 I stitched and sent this autumn design that I found on www.palkolap.blogspot.com.

Autumn - www.palkolap.blogspot.com
stitched on 28ct Cashel Platinum,
DMC threads- white, 350, 400, 831, 3822, 3828 

Back again!

"Back again!" - When my niece was learning to talk, this was a favourite expression of hers when visiting her Granny. She always exclaimed it with such joy.

With work and holidays, I've had little time for stitching over the summer but I decided it was time to come back again and share what little I had.

During June/July, Friendly Stitchers had a biscornu exchange. My partner was Gillie and I received this lovely biscornu and skein of thread from her.

Biscornu and thread from Gillie
Friendly Stitchers Exchange

For Gillie, I stitched a Teresa Wentzler freebie, Peacock Tapestry ornament. I love how rich the colours are in this design. It caused a lot of conversation in my sewing group as the big debating point was whether or not to include a charm or button in the centre. The consensus was no and I decided that I preferred it without a charm too. Sadly I did not get a good photograph of the finished biscornu. I like this design so much I intend to stitch it for myself. Maybe I'll get a better photograph of the finished piece then.

Peacock Tapestry ornament - Teresa Wentzler
stitched on recommended fabric and threads

Needlecraft Haven holiday exchange

As those who read my posts know, I love exchanges. During the summer holidays I took part in Needlecraft Haven's holiday exchange and here is what I received from Clare. A lovely sea themed biscornu (the other side has lighthouses); a postcard of Tywyn, Wales; 2 variegated threads which are aptly named, Beachcomber and Clam Shell; as well as this All the World Sampler.
Once again, thank you Clare.

Needlecraft Haven Holiday Exchange 2014
Gifts received from Clare

Just Nan SAL 2014 August Update

Another month, another Just Nan finish.

I've admired Beach Roses for a long time and when I decided to take part in the holiday exchange at Needlecraft Haven, I knew exactly what I wanted to stitch. The only question was - did the design suit being made into a biscornu as that was how the stitching had to be finished.

While stitching Beach Roses, I recalled many happy day trips to the seaside when I was a child. As children we loved to walk along the beach to see what we could find - seashells, shellfish, sand crabs ... but never beach roses :)

All in all, I'm pleased with the end result.

Beach Roses - Just Nan
Sttiched on 28ct Permin Lambswool

Beach Roses - Just Nan
Finished as a biscornu 18 Aug 2014
Stitched for Needlecraft Haven Holiday Exchange 2014

Just Nan 2014 SAL June Update

After the high of completing Just Nan's Patience sampler in May, I decided to stitch one of her smaller pieces this month. I chose Sunny Summer, Happy Garden as I thought it would be perfect for my Friendly Stitchers summer exchange with Sharon. As I know she has received it, I attach photos below of the stitched design and of it finished as a biscornu.

I enjoyed stitching this and it made up more quickly than I expected. I'm currently working on JN's True Blue Heart, which I expect to complete shortly.

Sharon sent me a beautiful stitched pillow and a wonderful selection of other goodies, but I'll share these in a separate post.

Sunny Summer Happy Garden - Just Nan
Stitched on 28ct Cashel Light Blue linen

Sunny Summer Happy Garden - Just Nan
Finished as a biscornu