Smalls SAL - February 2025 linkup

 A short post to link up with Rachel's Smalls SAL for February.

I stitched two more of the Jeannette Douglas mini pincushions. I find the colours in each of these more attractive than the finished photos suggest.

Patriotic Mini Bouquet (July) - Jeannette Douglas

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Suggested DMC conversion with DMC 312 used for Navy

Hot Tomato Mini Bouquet (August) - Jeannette Douglas

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Suggested DMC conversion but with DMC 422 for Bee's Knees

and DMC3032 for Driftwood

Fully Finished Gallery - February 2025

 As I have two Fully Finished objects ready today, I'm linking up with Rachel, The Ten Hour Stitcher for February's Fully Finished Gallery.

These pincushions from Jeannette Douglas were stitched back in early 2022 but I only fully finished them yesterday. It's hard to believe that I spent most of the day on them, given that they aren't the largest pieces. Maybe if I hadn't chosen to hand stitch my trim on I would have finished more quickly.

Left pincushion:

Pineapple Mini Bouquet - Jeannette Douglas

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Suggested DMC conversion but with DMC 3011 for stem leaves

Embellishments: DMC 729 for cord trim

Right pincushion:

Valentine Mini Bouquet - Jeannette Douglas

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Suggested DMC conversion 

Embellishments: DMC Happy Chenille, shade 31 for trim

I'm saving my new stitching from the past month until the weekend for my Gifted Gorgeousness blog post.

Smalls SAL- January 2025

 The Small SAL in 2025 is hosted by Rachel, the Ten Hour Stitcher.

My intentions are good that I will have something to show each month but we shall see. Since I intend to stitch on either Just Nan's gingerbread mice or complete Jeannette Douglas's Mini Bouquet SAL from 2022, that gives me more of a plan than I usually have.

In January I stitched both the May Mini Bouquet and June's Jar Mini Bouquet. January to April were stitched back in 2022.

May Mini Bouquet - Jeannette Douglas

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Suggested DMC conversion with DMC 3781 used for Grapevine

June's Jar Mini Bouquet - Jeannette Douglas

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Suggested DMC conversion  but used DMC 3831 

for Apple Fritter and DMC 422 for Bee's Knees

If I put my mind to it, I might have some of these bouquets fully finished for later this month.

Gifted Gorgeousness and Fully Finished Gallery - September 2022

At Needlecraft Haven we exchanged summer themed pincushions. This is the pincushion that I sent to Julie using a free design from Hello at Liz Mathews and it is my sole Fully Finished item for the past month.

Summer Celebration Small - Hello from Liz Mathews

Fabric: 28ct Zweigart White linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

In return I received this beautiful sunflower pincushion and threads from Gill. The sunflower is appropriate as so much of the surrounding countryside is full of them during July and August.

I also sent to Clare these two initials (J and Q) for her church Christmas tree. If you read her blog you will have seen her finishing of these here. The J initial is a free design from Fox and Rabbit Designs' Cherry Monogram Pincushion.

 J from Cherry Monogram Pincushion- Fox and Rabbit Designs

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Vintage Blue linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads but substituted Atalie's Carmen for red

Q from Country Alphabet - Leisure Arts

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Silver Moon linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

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.

Until next time, enjoy your leisure interests.

Happy New Year and June-December 2019 catch-up

Happy New Year everyone. May the year ahead bring the best of what you wish for.

My Granny always said to start the year as you mean to go on, so I decided to write a catch-up blog post. During the summer we had terrible internet problems. More often than not, there was no internet nor telephone. Consequently I lost the habit of updating my blog and of reading blog posts. So it feels like I'm starting again.

I didn't do alot of crafting during the summer months as it was far too hot. Quite often, the temperature was in the high 30 degrees Celsius. If I hadn't taken part in some exchanges I might not have done anything.

For the Friendly Stitchers' Christmas in July exchange, I stitched Frosty Friends by Blue Ribbon Designs for Mouse and finished it as a flat, felt backed ornament. Sadly, I forgot to take a photo before posting.  I also forgot to take a photo of the mattress pincushion I made for Clare of Aimetu's Stitching but you can see it on her blog here. The pincushion had to have a cat or dog theme. We both chose dogs and would you believe it, we both chose the same pattern: Lizzie Kate's Dogs Leave Paw Prints. You can see Clare's exchange to me below.

Dogs Leave Paw Prints - Lizzie Kate

Received as a ring box  pincushion from Clare, Needlecraft Haven.

Next thing I knew it was time for Halloween at Needlecraft Haven. For Christine (The Alchymyst's Study) I stitched Penny's Potions from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. Naturally I changed the name Penny to Christine.

Penny's Potions - The Frosted Pumpkin stitchery
Just Cross Stitch, October 2019
Fabric: 32ct Murano The Crafty Kitten, Winter Sunset
Threads: Suggested DMC threads

I received this lovely set of goodies from Dusty. 

Finally it was time for Christmas. In Needlecraft Haven I stitched Joyeux Noel for Angi (no blog).

Joyeux Noel - 123 Citrouille
Mains & Merveilles, No.93, 2012
Fabric: 32ct  Zweigart Natural linen
Threads: Suggested DMC threads

I received this gnome ornament and stamped Christmas card from Christine.

Needlecraft Haven Christmas Exchange from Christine

Finally for the Friendly Stitchers Christmas exchange, I stitched Les Rennes Rouges for Meg.

Les Rennes Rouges - 123 Citrouille
Mains & Merveilles, No.93, 2012
Fabric: 32ct  Zweigart White linen
Thread: DMC 817

In exchange, Meg sent me this beautiful beaded ornament and some chocolates which are long gone.

Received from Meg
Christmas 2019

To close here is a photo of the Christmas presents I received from Clare and Deb (no blog).

Received from Clare
Christmas 2019

Received from Deb
Christmas 2019

A chicken pincushion in cross stitch

My sewing group seem to have a 'thing' about chickens. For the past three months, most of the group have been making a project sized zipped bag in the shape of a chicken. We've previously made chicken pincushions and keyrings. Having missed the first week of the project, I decided to give making the zipped bag a miss.

However, I recently came across this free design (scroll down the page) from Creative Workshops from Hetti for a humbug chicken and stitched it for our next meeting on Thursday. My beads are smaller than I would have liked but I decided to go for a right colour and wrong size combination rather than the right size but with the wrong colour for the design. I think this cross stitched chicken pincushion will be popular.

Chicken Humbug - Creative Workshops from Hetti
stitched on a 28ct light Taupe-like evenweave with unknown fils à SoSo thread

I'm so lucky

Today was opening day for Needlecraft Haven's summer exchange and I received this lovely bookmark and linen threads from Alison. This bookmark is perfect for me as I collect them.

Needlecraft Haven 2014 Summer Exchange
Received from Alison

By chance, Alison was my partner in this exchange and I sent her this pincushion Spot of Summer by Drawn Thread.

Spot of Summer - Drawn Thread
Stitched on 32ct Belfast Sand
Stitched for Alison, Needlecraft Haven 2014 Summer Exchange

I mentioned yesterday my summer exchange from Sharon at Friendly Stitchers. Well here it is. In addition to the pillow with a motif from the Summer Sampler by The Victoria Sampler, she sent me a supply of goodies that I will also put to good use.

Friendly Stitchers 2014 Summer Exchange
Received from Sharon

Once again, thank you to Alison and Sharon for their lovely stitching gifts. No wonder I say "I'm so lucky".

Quick and easy pincushion

Well that was the idea - something quick and easy. I decided that a hand stitched hexagon pincushion would fulfil both criteria, but I didn't take account of the fact that I'm a slow stitcher. However, after a couple of days, here is my new pincushion. Since it is just for me, I stuffed it with orts and scraps of material left from other projects rather than fibrefill. From doing this project, I've learnt that I need to be more precise in making my hexagon templates.

Hand stitched Hexagon Pincushion
Design source: Discovering Patchwork, BBC, 1977