Valentine Exchange and Gifted Gorgeousness - February 2024

I'm just getting in before the end of the month with my Gifted Gorgeousness. As always, the details of how Gifted Gorgeousness(GG) works can be found on Jo's blog, Serendipitous Stitching.

I delayed posting this month as I wanted to show my absolutely completed finish of Just Nan's Tea with Honey with a halfway decent photograph. However, the weather has been so dull I find it hard to take reasonable photographs. It's early afternoon while I'm writing this and it's dark enough to need a lamp on. So that photo will have to wait until next month.

First up is my Valentine Exchange at Needlecraft Haven. This year we had a non-stitchy Valentine exchange. Participants sent their partner a card, socks, a free or used chart and a sweet treat.

I received these socks and sweets from Christine along with this pretty Pinker 'n Punkin Quilting cottage chart. Given my sweet tooth, the sweet treats didn't last long!

Needlecraft Haven Valentine Exchange from Christine

 I sent a stitched card to Clare and Gill.

LEFT: Valentine's Freebie - Erin Elizabeth Designs

Fabric: Unknown 32ct in a milk chocolate like colour

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

RIGHT: Full Valentine 2010 Dragon - J.L. Aikman-Smith, Dragon Dreams Inc

Fabric: Zweigart 32ct Antique Ivory Belfast linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads except DMC 326 replaced with Au Voie d'Alger 3025

Clare was my exchange partner and though I sent the other exchange items to her I forgot to take a photo but you can see them on Clare's blog here.

Since my last GG post it's been my birthday and I received these stitching related gifts.

Pattern for a thread catcher bag and two skeins of thread from Clare

Four Christmas themed embroidery designs with their hoop frames from a family member

It's several years since I stitched traditional embroidery so I'm looking forward to sewing these. Realistically, I will only be stitching on one of them this year.

The following items you will have seen in my previous post for the Fully Finished Gallery and Small SAL so I will add no further comment on them.

You are Loved - Robin Sample, October House Fiber Arts

Fabric:  Unknown 35ct White linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads except DMC 3833 replaced with DMC 961

Dragon from Full Valentine 2010 Dragon - Dragon Dreams Inc

Fabric: Zweigart 32ct Antique Ivory Belfast linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads 

So, a busier than usual month for me with sending and receiving gifts and I love them all.

Fully Finished Gallery and Smalls SAL - February

I'm doing these two link-up posts as one because the contents for each are the same this month.

Thank you Rachel for hosting the Smalls SAL. I don't always have something for it but I enjoy taking part.

I stitched these Valentine cards for Gill and Clare at Needlecraft Haven. Both of these are free designs. The Valentine Freebie can be found on Erin Elizabeth's Instagram feed for 6 Jan 2024 or her Facebook page and the Valentine Dragon can be found on Dragon Dreams Inc. Facebook page.

LEFT: Valentine's Freebie - Erin Elizabeth Designs

Fabric: Unknown 32ct in a milk chocolate like colour

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

RIGHT: Full Valentine 2010 Dragon - J.L. Aikman-Smith, Dragon Dreams Inc

Fabric: Zweigart 32ct Antique Ivory Belfast linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads except DMC 326 replaced with Au Voie d'Alger 3025

My sister received this hanging heart, a free design from October House Fiber Arts.

You are Loved - Robin Sample, October House Fiber Arts

Fabric:  Unknown 35ct White linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads except DMC 3833 replaced with DMC 961

Finally, for the Chinese New Year I stitched a dragon keyring for my Chinese friends. This is the dragon from the 2010 dragon Valentine design on Clare's card.

Dragon from Full Valentine 2010 Dragon - Dragon Dreams Inc

Fabric: Zweigart 32ct Antique Ivory Belfast linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads 

Fully Finished Gallery and an Easter Exchange

I hope you all had a good Easter Sunday. As I participated in Needlecraft Haven's Easter exchange (hosted by Clare) I have some Fully Finished items to show.

I stitched this free 2011 Easter Heart design from Aliolka for Christine.

Easter Heart - Aliolka

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Vintage pale blue Belfast linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads but substituted DMC 3078 for 727

As Christine often shares cat images I couldn't resist stitching this free Janie Hubble design of a cat in an eggshell for her as well. Sadly this design no longer seems to be available.

Krazy Kitty's Easter - Janie Hubble Designs

Fabric: 32ct Zweigrart White Belfast linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads but substituted DMC 703 for 704 and DMC 415 for 318

Though she organised the exchange, Clare didn't take part, so as a Thank you I stitched this free design from My Fanny. I omitted the word 'Easter' from the original design.

Easter - My Fanny Design

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Antique White linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

I also included this Hardanger card.

Hardanger cross - Designer unknown

Fabric - 32ct Fabric Flair unknown colour

Threads: DMC Perle 8 Ecru, unknown DMC soft pink and green

Over the Valentine season Clare and I stitched a card for each other. I stitched this Friendship card which was special to me as I had received the design kit in a previous Valentine Exchange from Angie, one of Needlecraft Haven's departed members.

Friendship - Carolyn Meachan, Serendipity Designs Kit

Fabric: 28ct Zweigart Natural Linen (replacing Aida in kit)

Threads: DMC as provided in kit

Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop

Hello again and welcome to the next step in the Easter Treasure Hunt.  This Blog Hop is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching. To learn more about this Hop and find all the letters to complete the mystery phrase, please head over to Jo's where she lists all the participants with links to their blog.

My letter for the blog hop is:

K

The next letter in the Hop can be found with Mouse of Tales of a Stitching Mouse. 

Most of my Easter stitching has been gifts which I will show later but for now I will share this Hardanger card which I have stitched a number of times. 

Hardanger cross - Designer unknown

Fabric - 32ct Fabric Flair unknown colour

Threads: DMC Perle 8 Ecru, unknown DMC soft pink and green

Wishing you all a Happy Easter.

Gifted Gorgeousness and Fully Finished Gallery SAL - July

Between visiting family and this heatwave I managed to squeeze in some stitching during the past month.

For those of you unfamiliar with Jo's Gifted Gorgeousness and Rachel's Fully Finished Gallery SALs, further details can be found here and here.

Increasingly I find it difficult to find birthday cards that I like to send. My taste hasn't kept pace with that of the card industry. As a result I stitched this card for a 60th birthday and it is both my Gifted Gorgeousness and Fully Finished item this month. The cupcake design is free on Durene Jones's Facebook page.

Cupcake - Durene Jones

Fabric: 28ct Crafty Kitten Jobelan Just Peachy

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

There has been no progress on my Alpine Seasons Garden this month but I have managed to catch up on my Jardin Privé Temperature SAL. Here is the midway point at the end of June.

Projet Météo 2022 - Jardin Privé

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Light Lilac linen

Threads: Suggested range of cool, warm and other DMC colours

and using a 4 degree Celsius range between colours

As the heatwave continues, stay cool and safe.

Happy Easter and Gifted Gorgeousness - April 2022

Happy Easter. We had an Easter card exchange at Needlecraft Haven and I received this pretty card from Clare. These colours are so delicate. I wish I had an Easter egg tree in my my garden :)

Easter card from Clare, Needlecraft Haven

For this exchange Clare was my partner and I stitched an egg design from The Cricket Collection.

Tisket-a-Tasket Egg - The Cricket Collection

Fabric: 28ct Jobelan, The Crafty Kitten, January 2018 Limited Edition

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

I'm still stitching on my Jardin Privé Temperature SAL and this is my progress as at 31 March 2022. The range between my daily and minimum temperatures in March is broad.

Projet Météo 2022 - Jardin Privé

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Light Lilac linen

Threads: Suggested range of cool, warm and other DMC colours

and using a 4 degree Celsius range between colours

In recent weeks I wasn't able to stitch as much as I would have liked on Chatelaine's Alpine Seasons Garden nor Wiehenburg's Cottage Garden SAL but at least some progress was made.

The final side of the border on Alpine Seasons Garden has met up (bottom border) and I am currently filling it in. When that is completed I'll have 'just' the corner flowers to stitch and then it will be time to start beading.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine as at 9 September 2022

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen

Threads: Recommended silk threads

I'm still stitching the first part of the Cottage Garden SAL. While I like it on the cream fabric I wonder if it would 'pop' more if I had used a fabric that was slightly darker. I'm not inclined to restart it so I will continue on cream.

Cottage Garden SAL - Wiehenburg

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Ivoire/Cream

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

To see who else has taken part in April's Gifted Gorgeousness and to learn more about it, please visit Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.

NH Easter Exchange 2021

Happy Easter everyone. I hope you have a lovely day. The sun is shining with me and it's lovely and warm. Sadly the forecast is for cooler weather as the week progresses.

Though postal services can still be erratic, over at Needlecraft Haven we exchanged Easter cards and some Spring/Easter coloured threads.

I received this cute card and beautiful threads from Gill.

Easter card and threads from Gill

Needlecraft Haven Easter Exchange 2021

I stitched this card for Christine and enclosed three DMC threads which I did not photograph.

 

Una Piccola Pasqua (part of) - Cuore e Batticuore

Fabric: 32ct Crafty Kitten, Belfast May 2018 Ltd. edition linen

Threads: DMC 433, 744. Au Soie d'Alger Blanc, 2114, 3011, 3023

Fully Finished SAL - March 2021

For a change I'm ready to share my fully finished objects on the opening day for this thread. This SAL is hosted by Rachel (Ten Hour Stitcher) and the links to this month's other participants can be found here. 

I have two finishes this month. The first is a simple and straightforward padded card finish. As it needs to be in the post by Friday, I didn't dare delay finishing it any longer. It is a Just Nan design that I completed earlier in the year.

(Happy Birthday) Heartfelt Trio - Just Nan

Fabric: 28ct pale blue (not Zweigart) linen

Threads/Embellishments: Suggested DMC threads plus sequins

My second finish is a recycle of an earlier finish from 2015 when I stitched all the Prairie Schooler seasons designs from the February 2008 issue of The Gift of Stitching.  Originally I had finished this to sit on a little easel. 

However I was never really satisfied with this and had planned to change it for some time. I've now made it into a small pillow and will complete the other seasons in a similar manner throughout the year.

Spring - Prairie Schooler 

The Gift of Stitching, February 2008

Fabric: 18ct Flax Aida

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

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.

Gifted Gorgeousness - April 2020

Even though I'm confined to the house, time is still passing quickly. It seems no time since I last posted for Gifted Gorgeousness. This is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching and details on how it works and how to take part can be found here.

I took part in Needlecraft Haven's Easter Exchange. With postal services being disrupted we had a virtual exchange on Easter Sunday where we posted a photo of the exchange pieces we had stitched but without saying who they were for.

I had stitched both a card and an ornament. With staying at home I thought it would be pleasant to imagine a trip up the Eiffel Tower at Easter.

Pâques à Paris (part of design) - Les Brodeuses Parisiennes
Fabric: 28 ct Zweigart White linen
Threads: Suggested DMC threads, stitched one over one
Spring! - Just Nan
Fabric: 28 ct Sky Blue (I think)
Threads: Suggested DMC threads with a
gold brown bead used for matt gold beads

I hope everyone had a good Easter and that you are staying safe and well.

Gifted Gorgeousness 2020 and Needlecraft Haven Valentine Exchange

Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching where we display the crafted gifts we have made, used or received. Full details about how it works and how you can join in can be found here.

As it's February we had a Valentine's Exchange at Needlecraft Haven. No stitching was required this year. Instead we exchanged socks with a heart or floral theme and included two skeins of threads that matched the colours in the socks. This is what I sent to Katie.

Needlecraft Haven Valentine Gift
sent to Katie

Justine sent me this lovely selection. As always the chocolate didn't last long.

Needlecraft Haven Valentine Exchange
received from Justine

I think it was back in late 2017, maybe early 2018 that I stitched this mini quilt top for a doll's bed. As part of my intention to complete outstanding projects this year I finally finished it this week. It will be posted to its new home shortly. While making this mini quilt I found that half square triangles are not as straight forward as I thought they would be!

Doll's quilt

A friend of my sister is competing with their dog in the agility section at Crufts this year so I stitched this card for them. I hope they do well.

Good luck card for Crufts 2020

Gifted Gorgeousness - May 2019

Where has the past month gone? It seems no time since my last Gifted Gorgeousness post. Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching where we display the crafted gifts we have made, used or received. Full details about how it works and how you can join in can be found here.

The hand quilting on Holly's baby quilt is about half done. It will be now be put away for a couple of weeks as I won't be around to work on it.

Holly's baby quilt

Fabric: 'TAO' Modele Depose, 'Black Tie' Oasis Fabrics

design 60-137, teal fabric with orange/white stripe

My main focus recently has been stitching this Good Luck card for my sister and our mum's dog, Sonny. They took part in the dog World Agility Open Championships at Ermelo (Netherlands) earlier this month in the N. Ireland team. She and Sonny didn't win any prizes but they managed to reach one final which I thought was good given that this was their first time in an international competition.

Poodle on dog walk frame - design worked from a scanned photograph

Fabric: 32ct Jobelan Sunlit Pool, The Crafty Kitten

Threads: DMC- 318, 3799, 3787, 931, 927, 612, 677,

738, 728, 402, 950, 841

Needlecraft Haven Valentine Exchange and February's Gifted Gorgeousness

Our friendship themed Valentine exchange at Needlecraft Haven (organised by Clare of Aimtu's Stitching ties in with this month's Gifted Gorgeousness (details can be found here). Our exchange had to include a friendship/heart themed card , a skein of thread to match your stitching and a sweet treat.

I received this lovely heart brooch card, chocolate and threads from Clare.

For my partner, Gill (no blog) I stitched 'Be True' from Little House Needleworks and included a skein of DMC 746 and a bar of Poulain milk chocolate. Gill kindly let me use her photograph as I forgot to take one before posting.

Be True - Little House Needleworks

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Belfast linen Natural

Threads: Suggested DMC conversion

I'm working on two other gifts at the moment. The first is a baby quilt and this is my progress so far. I hope to start quilting by the end of the week.

Simon's baby quilt

Fabric: Llama 801, Atacama 801 and Inca 801 by Indigo Fabrics

supplemented with navy and white fabrics

The second gift is Snowflowers by Just Nan. This will be a 50th birthday present. It's almost 50% stitched and then I will add the beads. This needs to be completed by April.

Snowflowers - Just Nan

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Exotic Or hid Belfast linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

So it's not hard to guess what I will be working on over the next month.

Gifted Gorgeousness - August and Smalls SAL

Gifted Gorgeousness is the brainchild of Jo (Serendipitous Stitching) and if you are not familiar with this monthly blog post, you can read all about it here.

As it continues to be very hot, very little stitching has been done here. In addition we have had visitors most of the past month, so there hasn't been time for it either. Nevertheless I managed to stitch this small card for a wedding greeting later this month. It's taken from Told In A Garden 'The Bookmark Collection'. This is a delightful collection of small designs by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum.

Two Hearts - Told In A Garden

from The Bookmark Collection

Fabric: 28ct Cashel Natural (I think)

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

As mentioned in the previous post, I received this summer themed card and gifts from Justine. Hopefully the sun will stay so that we can get to the beach in September when the new school year has started. We tend to go then as it won't be so busy during the week.

A Summer Exchange

Over at Needlecraft Haven, our summer exchange this year was slightly different. We stitched a summer themed card for our partner and included a summer recipe and a sweet treat.

I received this lovely card and delicious chocolate from Justine. I haven't tried the strawberry recipe yet but I will. I thought the tissue paper was pretty so I've included it in the photograph as well.

For Justine I stitched a free summer design from Il Telaio Povolaro which can be found here. I stitched it using Weeks Dye Works 4141- Clam Shell on Crafty Kitten 32ct Murano Moondust. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photograph of my finished stitching.

Smalls SAL - March and Needlecraft Haven Monthly Challenge

For the second time I've been able to combine these two stitching updates.

The Smalls SAL 2018 is hosted by Heather and the Needlecraft Haven's monthly challenge is provided by Christine.

This month I kept to a simple finish and completed this free design from Cuore e Batticuore as a card.

Christmas Joy - 

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Belfast Vintage Blue linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads but snowflakes were

stitched with 1 strand of DMC E5200, pearlescent thread

A friendship exchange

Yesterday was opening day for Needlecraft Haven's Friendship exchange. The exchange was organised by Clare (Aimetu's Stitching).

I received my parcel from Julie of Julie's Stitchyknitter Journal. Her parcel had a purple theme as the flower for February is violet. This was ideal for me as purple is my favourite colour. In addition to some purple variegated threads and a friendship saying on slate, I am now the proud owner of Miss Violet, one of Julie's knitted rabbits.

Friendship exchange gifts from Julie

My partner was Christine. I stitched a friendship card, made a patchwork mug rug and included some threads. The chart for the card is a free design from Le Chalet des Pérelles and can be found here.

Un peu d'amour et d'amitié - Le Chalet des Pérelles

Fabric - 32ct Belfast white lined

Threads: Recommended DMC

Mug rug with using the friendship quilt block

Everyone made and received a lovely variety of gifts in this exchange.