Gifted Gorgeousness and a Valentine Exchange - February 2025

It's time for my monthly Gifted Gorgeousness link up with Jo of Serendipitous Stitching.  Each month we show anything received or sent that we can squeeze the word gift into. If you are unfamiliar with this blog link up all the details are here. 

First up is the Valentine/Friendship exchange at Needlecraft Haven. Our theme this year was to send our partner something they could use in their stitching or knitting.

I sent Gill a pair of scissors, a scissor fob and size 26 needles (not pictured).

  

Wescott 7.6cm scissors for Gill

Pearls & Rosebuds - The Drawn Thread

Fabric: The Crafty Kitten 32ct Murano Strawberry Daiquiri

Threads: Suggested DMC threads except DMC 233 replaced with DMC 3722

Embellishments: MH 03021, size 8 white pearl beads, 2-3mm width soft pink organza ribbon

I received a beautiful collection of fabric, buttons, pins and a sparkly Perle deep pink thread form Clare. I already have ideas on how I will use these.

My gift from Clare

During the past month I've been stitching on my Christmas gift from Clare as part of our Needlecraft Haven Christmas Crew SAL. It is being stitched on white fabric that she gifted me a number of years ago. This is my progress as at the end of January which is when we share our progress.

Christmas Crew - Faby Reilly

Fabric: 28ct white evenweave

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

I made some progress this month on Chatelaine's Alpine Seasons Garden. It's been more than a year since I last stitched on this. My husband who bought me this as a kit sometimes wonders if he will see it completed. When I last showed it the outer border had been completed and I was about to start the floral inner corners. This left corner has been my focus this past month.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine as at 15 February 2025

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen

Threads: Recommended silk threads

To close this post, I stitched 'You have my Heart', the free anniversary design from Hands on Design. As I only managed to complete it on the evening before Valentine's day, it is not fully finished but here it is.

You have my Heart - Hands on Design

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Flax linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads except DMC 3833 replaced with DMC 3832

All in all, I've had quite a busy stitching month. Now if only I can keep this up for the rest of the year.

Gifted Gorgeousness - November 2023

It's  a good job that Jo keeps the link up page for Gifted Gorgeousness open until the end of the month, otherwise I would have missed another month. If you visit Jo's blog you can find the other Gifted Gorgeousness posts for November.

Needlecraft Haven held an Autumn exchange at the end of October and I took part. I stitched this flat ornament for Julie. I now need to stitch this design again so that I have it for myself. I already have Spring and Summer completed as small pillows.

Spot of Autumn- The Drawn Thread

Fabric - 32ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads - Suggested DMC threads

Charm - Acorn charm from stash

I received this pillow from Christine. I love the Hips (I think they are hips and not haws) as they remind me of walking home from primary school along a country backroad.

For those of you who might be interested, an explanation of the difference between the two berries can be found here.

Needlecraft Haven Autumn Exchange

Received from Christine

I've not stitched much this year but I have returned to working on Just Nan's Tea with Honey. This is a travelling pattern that has been temporarily gifted to me from Jo.

Tea with Honey - Just Nan

Fabric: 28ct Zweigart Flax Cashel linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Until next time, enjoy your stitching.

Last Stitches 2020, First Finish 2021

Hello everyone. Happy New Year and may 2021 be a better year for all of us.

Well, this was meant to be my last finish of 2020 and I had planned to fill it with my orts. However, my orts were too colourful and I could see them through my fabric; so I had to remove them and refill this ornament with soft toy filling. As a result this Drawn Thread freebie became my first finish of 2021. 

Heart Throb - The Drawn Thread

Fabric: 25ct Crafty Kitten Just Peachy Lugana

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

In an effort to be more productive this year I have decided to take part in some online stitching activities. These are the:

• 12 Days of Christmas SAL on Needlecraft Haven (and also on a FaceBook group) 
• Just Nan's Winter Blues SAL (Just Nan Facebook group) and
• Stick 6in2021 with Martina (stitch 6 designs in 2021)

Updates on these as well as Gifted Gorgeousness, the Smalls SAL and Fully Finished Gallery will hopefully see me write more regular updates on my stitching and other craft activities. 

Fully Finished Gallery SAL - May 2020

After reading Clare's post on her fully finished item (FFO), I decided that I would join in this month as I have one! Generally I'm slow to finish my stitching as something unless I have a reason for it, usually an exchange or gift.
The Fully Finished Gallery SAL is hosted by Rachel, Ten Hour Stitcher and it is an opportunity to show off our FFO.

I have a lack of summer stitching to display so I stitched The Drawn's Thread 'Spot of Summer' and finished it as a pillow. I've had this kitted up for a while so I have no excuses really for not stitching it sooner. It was a quicker stitch than I was expecting.

Spot of Summer - The Drawn Thread
Fabric - 32ct Zweigart Sand linen
Threads - Suggested DMC threads
Charm - Sunflower charm included with chart

Take care everyone.

Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop

Hurrah, my Internet connection is letting me load me pictures this morning. So, a belated welcome to the Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop organised by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching. Each blog taking part features some Easter and/or Spring themed stitching and a letter which will spell out a mystery phrase. Hop over to Jo's Easter Treasure Hunt blog post to start your search to find where to collect all the letters for the phrase. When you know what the phrase is, return to Jo's blog and leave a comment with your answer.

My Easter stitching isn't quite finished so here is a Spring design that I finally finished as an ornament recently.

Spot of Spring - The Drawn Thread

Last, but not least here is my letter 'R' for the mystery phrase. If you 'hop' over to Tickled Pink in Stitches you can collect your next letter.

Last exchange of 2016

I took part in a Christmas/Winter exchange at Friendly Stitchers and received these two beautiful ornaments and thread from Meg (Committed Stitcher).

Christmas/Winter exchange 2016 - Friendly Stitchers

In exchange I stitched The Drawn Thread's 'A Spot of Winter'. I had considered finishing it as a flat ornament or hanging ornament but felt it looked too large; so it was finished as a pillow. I replaced the snowflake charm with mistletoe as the charm I had was too large.

A Spot of Winter - The Drawn Thread
stitched on 32ct Smokey Pearl Belfast with recommended threads