Gifted Gorgeousness - December 2023

It's hard to believe it is nearly the end of the year, making this the final blog post for Gifted Gorgeousness in 2023.  Hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching, this is a good opportunity to share the crafty gifts we have made and/or received each month.

December the first was our exchange opening day at Needlecraft Haven. I stitched Clare a snowman ornament and a robin Christmas card. The robin is a free design from La Comtesse & Le Point de Croix which can be found here and the snowman is from a Brittercup Design that was gifted to me by Ursh, a former Needlecraft Haven member. The snowman is stitched on a fabric that was gifted. I've shown the back of the ornament as well as I was pleased to find I had a piece of fabric that would suit.

Christmas Robin - La Comtesse & Le Point de Croix

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Newcastle white linen

Threads: DMC 349, 630, 869, 3363, 3767, 3831, 3841

Winter is in the air (scissor fob design) - Brittercup Designs

Fabric: 25ct Unknown  evenweave latte fabric

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Back of Snowman ornament featuring another Snowman

I received this pretty ornament and other items from Gill. The threads are gorgeous and I'm looking forward to using them. In real life the bells on this ornament look 3D. The chocolate didn't last too long (LOL).

Needlecraft Haven Christmas exchange from Gill

I have completed the stitching on the Just Nan travelling pattern Tea with Honey. I have stitched 2023 as the year of completion on the base. That is my incentive to fully finish it as a cube before the year ends.

Overview of completed stitching and beading

Tea with Honey - Just Nan

Fabric: 28ct Zweigart Flax Cashel linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Base of Tea with Honey with year added

Centre design of Tea with Honey

In 2022 Jardin Privé offered a free floral Temperature SAL on her site. I finally completed the stitching at the beginning of this week. I still intend to fully finish it as a cushion cover.

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

I am stitching something for myself. My intention is to complete this reindeer design from Punch Needle & Primitive Stitching (PNPS) as a drum pincushion.

Reindeers Winter - Liezbeth Gottschall of Thistles,

in PNPS Winter 2015

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Belfast Natural linen with a gold thread

Threads: Suggested DMC threads except 3023 for 3024 and 3053 for 3052

I wish you all a Happy Christmas.

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 with finishes - September

2017 has so far been the year of 'smalls' for me and this month's Gifted Gorgeousness is more of the same.

I have three finishes to show and it would have been four if I could have found one project that I had 'safely' put away. I think that this missing piece is telling me in no uncertain terms that I need to reorganise my crafting materials. Some labelled storage boxes would help rather than my current method of putting stuff in folders and hope that I remember what I put where!

But on to my finishes. First up is Lizzie Kate's 'Dog leave paw prints'. This is the fourth time I've stitched this. This one is a gift for a dog-mad cousin who I will be visiting shortly in Canada. It is sitting on the fabric that I used for mounting.

Dogs leave paw prints - Lizzie Kate
Fabric: Zweigart 32ct Belfast Light Mocha (I think)
Threads: Recommended Weeks dye threads except for Kris' Bon Bon
which was replaced with DMC 898

We had a Holiday Exchange at Needlecraft Haven where you received from your partner a Christmas design with fabric and threads to stitch and complete as you wish. Christine of The Alchymyst's Study sent me the materials for this 'Joy' design (a copy can be found here) which I stitched and finished as a mounted flat fold. As usual, when trying a new to me finish, I used Vonna, The Twisted Stitcher's YouTube finishing instructions.

Joy - La Comtesse & Le Point De Croix
Fabric: The Crafty Kitten 32ct Murano Moondust 
Threads: Anchor 19, 876, 879, 1042, 1086

Finally, I stitched 'Promises' from Just Nan. Yes - another Just Nan design!
This has been finished as a wedding card as I will be attending a wedding whilst in Canada.

Promises - Just Nan
Fabric: Zweigart 28ct Cashel flax linen
Threads: Recommended DMC threads and beads

 If you are unfamiliar with Gifted Gorgeousness where we share gifted crafty items, pop over to Jo of Serendipitous Stitching to learn more and find out how to take part.