Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop 2021

Jo has organised the Secret Stitching Sweetheart blog hop again. Each participant receives a photo to post online from a secret stitcher. We hop around the blogs of those taking part to see who received our photo and to reveal ourselves as the Secret Stitching Sweetheart. 

To find out who has taken part and to visit their blogs, Jo has listed all the participants here.

I have received this beautiful Valentine alphabet.  It is exactly the kind of thing that I would stitch for myself. I'm looking forward to finding out who stitched this as I want to know the name of the design and designer. I think I will have to get this design for myself!

In some last minute Valentine stitching I made this scissor fob. This is a free design from Jean Farish and can be found here. Her blog post also has a YouTube video link showing you how to complete the fob. If I stitch this design again I will choose a darker fabric or a darker thread to provide more contrast.

Vintage Hearts - Jean Farish

Fabric: 28ct white evenweave

Thread: Dragon Floss-Friendship

Have a lovely day everyone.

Smalls SAL - January 2021

Mary is again hosting the Smalls SAL where, on the last Friday of the month, we show any small projects that we've worked on. Full details can be found here. 

Like I often do in January, I've stitched a number of small projects. This year it has been helped because I'm taking part in both the Needlecraft Haven and Facebook groups for The Twelve Days of Christmas SAL. So I should maintain a certain momentum in my stitching throughout the year; assuming of course that I don't fall by the wayside.

I'm working on both the Jardin Privé and Plum Street Samplers designs for the Twelve Days of Christmas.

I've chosen the red version for the Jardin Privé and I'm stitching it as a single piece. It was the border for this design that attracted me to it so it had to be completed as a single project. Here is my day one.

First Day

The Twelve Days of Chrismas - Jardin Privé

Fabric: 28ct Zweigart Vintage Country Mocha linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

I wanted something different for my Plum Street Samplers project which I had decided to complete as individual pieces. After a lot of searching I found a blue/silver, white and gold interpretation on this Japanese Blog that I fell in love with and decided that I wanted to do something similar. 

I haven't decided on my final finish for these so I have omitted the border for now. I might add it later if I decide that is what I want.

First Day

The Twelve Days of Chrismas - Plum Street Samplers

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart White linen

Threads: DMC 415, 932, 3750, 3820

As it's always useful to have a supply of birthday and other occasion cards I thought that it would be nice to send close family and friends a stitched card this year. This little design from Just Nan was an ideal starter. I only need to finish it as a card now.

(Happy Birthday) Heartfelt Trio - Just Nan

Fabric: 28ct pale blue (not Zweigart) linen

Threads/Embellishments: Suggested DMC threads plus sequins

Finally this little Pineberry Lane sampler was a quick stitch. It only took two evenings and that included the time to chart the names that I wanted to use.

Good Dog Marking Sampler - Pineberry Lane

Fabric: 28ct Crafty Kitten Sept 2018 Limited Edition linen

Threads: Suggested DMC except 3031 used for 3021

 

Birthday Surprises

It was my birthday recently and I received these lovely surprises for the occasion.

Julie sent me these fingerless mitts which, as you can see, are perfect with my woolen winter coat. 

Birthday present and card from Julie

Clare sent me this blackwork scissor fob and decoupage card .

Present and card from Clare

Despite the post being unreliable these days, these arrived in good time and brighten my otherwise quiet celebration.

Thank you Julie and Clare. Your kindness and thoughtfulness are appreciated.

Gifted Gorgeousness - January 2021

Jo of Serendipitous Stitching is again hosting Gifted Gorgeousness this year which enables us to share stitching/craft related gifts that we have made or received. We have from the 15th to the end of each month to share our gifting related craft work. Further details and to sign up can be found here. 

I have two gifts that I received over the Christmas period that I haven't yet shared with you.

The first is this beautiful coaster from Clare (Aimetu's Stitching). It is a block from the Stitching the Night Away SAL that she completed in 2020. All the blocks that Clare stitched can be found in this blog post that she wrote in late December.

Gift from Clare, December 2020

I also received this lovely patchwork ornament from Deb (no blog); another Needlecraft Haven friend.

Gift from Deb, December 2020

I am  currently stitching some gift items but these will have to wait until a later post as I am unable to share them now.

Have a good stitching week everyone.

Winter Blues

Not the winter blues we experience from the cold, dark days of winter but Just Nan's Winter Blues sampler. I'm taking part in the SAL arranged by Jo on the Just Nan Facebook page and this is my progress at the end of week two. We are broadly completely two bands per week. I bought this chart when it first came out so it's about time I started it.

Winter Blues - Just Nan

Fabric: 28ct Zweigart White Cashel linen

Threads: Suggested DMC and Kreinik threads

Embellishment pack included with chart

Earlier this week I completed stitching Just Nan's Mermaid Heart. I started this 1st January 2017 as my project for the Ten stitches a day SAL. However I lost interest in it after a few months as 10 stitches a day was too few for my liking. I then stitched 70 stitches once a week but that didn't work for me either. I finally took it out again before Christmas and when I saw how little needed to be done to complete it, I made up my mind that it would be finished. So here it is. I just need to decide on how I will fully finish it. Hopefully that won't take me three years!

Sadly, despite numerous attempts, the colours didn't come out well in my photos (this was the best one) but I can assure you that they are rich and vibrant.

Mermaid Heart - Just Nan

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Rue Green Belfast Linen

Threads: Suggested Ver au Soie threads

Embellishment pack included with chart

Let The People Choose - The Designer Most Enjoyed in 2020

This is my second blog post in Jo's Let The People Choose ... blog hop.  This month's theme resonated with me as the designer I most enjoyed stitching in 2020 has to be Little House Needleworks (LHN). In March 2020 I started stitching LHN's The Little Sheep Virtues and Country Cottage Needleworks' Sheep in the Meadow as a single project. It took me six months to complete this. I intend to have it framed, hopefully later this year.

Little Sheep Virtues - Little House Needleworks and

Sheep in the Meadow - Country Cottage Needleworks

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Natural linen

The reason I enjoyed stitching this so much was because it was such a soothing project to work on when we were all adjusting to our changed lives as a result of Covid-19. I found that my thoughts dwelt on each of the themes, Friendship, Hope, Love, etc as I stitched them and remembered people and events that I associated with each one.

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. 

Happy Christmas 2020

What a year it has been. I hope that next year will be kinder to all of us. In the meantime I wish everyone a Happy Christmas and I will share with you my final Christmas themed stitching for 2020. Only the first of these is fully  finished.

Christmas Lace - Tracy Horner of Ink Circles

Gift of Stitching, Dec. 2007

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Light Mocha/Mushroom linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

It's Snow Cold - Little House Needleworks

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Smokey Pearl

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Daschund Through the Snow - Durene Jones

CrossStitcher Nov. 2020

Fabric: 25ct Crafty Kitten Pixie Dust Lugana

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Gifted Gorgeousness and Fully Finished SAL - December 2020

Once again I'm combining two blog events as there is a lot of overlap in what I am showing today. Jo of Serendipitous Stitching hosts Gifted Gorgeousness and you can found out how it works here. In summary it is an opportunity to show any stitching/craft related gifts you have made and/or received. 

Rachel of Ten Hour Stitcher is our host for our Fully Finished Gallery. The purpose of this gallery is to encourage stitchers to fully finish some, if not all, of their projects. I'm not great at finishing something when I've completed the stitching as I want to move on to the next thing instead. It's good for me to have an incentive to complete my smaller projects. 

First up is my gifted stitching.  For Advent I took part in Wichtelaktion (Advent Elf card exchange) organised by Martina. I wrote of this more fully in an earlier blog post but here is a reminder of the cards sent and received. 

 

Sent to Lynda Ruth (Purple Dixie)

 Received from June (Butterfly Wings)               

In addition, I received these extras from June.

Like many stitchers I've been busy stitching for Christmas over the past couple of months. The designs below are fully finished and have all been gifted. Three of these designs are from The Gift of Stitching magazine. I bought all the back copies years ago and in September I decided to choose some ornaments from this magazine. Just last month I discovered that there has been renewed interest in it and that it now has its own Facebook group. It's not like me to be 'on trend' :)

Prairie Schooler Santa - Prairie Schooler

Gift of Stitching, November 2008

Fabric: 32ct Raw unbleached linen

Threads: Suggested DMC

Snowed In - Something in Common in

Gift of Stitching, December 2006

Fabric: 32ct Flax linen

Threads: Suggested DMC threads

When I saw Snowed In on Margaret's Blog, I knew I had to stitch it. For some reason my photo is skewed. 

Snow Keeper - The Drawn Thread (freebie)

Fabric - Unknown light beige evenweave

Threads: Suggested DMC

Beaded Candle - unknown

Fabric: 18ct Antique White Aida

Mulberry Snowflake - Just Nan

Fabric: 32ct Natural Linen

Threads: Suggested DMC

Beads: Unknown petite brown/gold colour

Christmas Eve Deer - Prairie Schooler

Gift of Stitching, November 2009

Fabric: 32ct Raw unbleached linen

Threads: Suggested DMC

2020 Advent Calendar Blog Hop

It's the fourth day in Jo's advent blog hop.

My Christmas stitching that I'd like to share today is this Christmas tree. I love the effect of the variegated thread in this design.

Christmas Tree Ornament - Debbie Draper Designs (Gift of Stitching, Dec 2007)

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart white linen

Thread: Crescent Colors Bing Cherry. Cording in DMC 3685

Jo asked us to think about Christmas books that we enjoy. I don't have a 'go to' Christmas read but as a child I always looked forward to Christmas as Santa would leave me a Christmas Annual of my then favourite weekly comic. I think the first one I received was Bunty. This weekly magazine comprised of several short comic-strip stories, broken up by letters pages, competitions, featured readers, puzzle pages, promotions, next-week previews or advertisements. The back page initially featured a cut-out doll and paper clothes. I loved that.  As I got older, my tastes changed and my favourite weekly comic became Tina, later called Princess Tina as it and Princess magazine merged. The contents were broadly similar to Bunty but for a young teen audience. Of course these are now out of print.

 

Check back to Jo's blog to find out who has/is posting on each day in December. 

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.

Ready for winter

I started knitting this jumper back in February but then the weather suddenly improved and it was too hot to knit. So after finishing my shawl in October I pulled my knitting out again and finally finished this jumper last weekend. I've tried it on and I'm pleased with the fit. According to our weather forecast we are due a week of cooler weather next week (in single figure Celsius) so it's more than likely that I will be wearing it then.

Pattern: Hayfield 9219

Wool: Stylecraft Special aran with wool, New Denim