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

Needlecraft Haven Autumn Exchange

Despite increasing postal costs, at Needlecraft Haven we still continue to participate in seasonal exchanges. It is lovely that I can take part as it increases my sense of belonging to a stitching community.

I received this lovely selection of gifts from Gill (no blog). With my sweet tooth, it goes without saying that the chocolate didn't last long.

Autumn Exchange from Gill

My exchange partner was Clare. I sent her the items as shown below.

My exchange gifts to Clare

A close up of my exchange ornament to Clare.

Autumn Bliss - Tracey Richards of Wrought Iron Stitching, Just CrossStitch, Autumn 2024

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Mocha Belfast linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Embellishments: Black pompom

I also sent Clare two Santa ornaments for her church Christmas tree. It was my first time stitching on perforated paper and it was easier than I expected. For some reason I imagined that it would tear easily. Thankfully it didn't.  These are both free designs; Santa Cookie Small can be found on Shannon Christie Designs Instagram page and the Santa on the right is from Durene Jones's Facebook page.

Santa Cookie Small - Shannon Christie Designs and Santa - Durene Jones

Fabric: 14ct Antique Brown perforated paper

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

I think I might be back to stitching regularly again.