More Alpine Seasons progress

Last week, I spent most of my stitching time on Alpine Seasons Garden and now I am approximately halfway around the mountains section.
I'm not sure if it is coincidence or not but since I am stitching with silk threads, I find that my hands get very dry. I don't have this problem with DMC. Has anyone else experienced this?

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine
as at 12 September 2016
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen
Threads: Recommended silk threads

I missed last Wednesday's night in Needlecraft Haven's Parlour but I managed to set aside some time for CNN's 'Silent Night' at the weekend. I finished the two smaller trees and added the snowflakes. Tonight I plan to start stitching the church.

Silent Night - Country Cottage Needleworks
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Pearl linen
Threads: Recommended DMC, Weeks Dye Works and sampler threads

Alpine Seasons Garden progress

It's been months since I had this design out. I worked pretty solidly on it during the past week and went from this

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine
as at 29 August 2016
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen
Threads: Recommended silk threads

to this by Monday morning. The two photos made me realise that I had made more progress than I had realised. It's slow going but I'll get there. I'm looking forward to the day this will be framed and hanging in my living room.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine

as at 5 September 2016

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen

Threads: Recommended silk threads

On Wednesday evening I stitched in Needlecraft Haven's Parlour and made some progress on CNN's 'Silent Night'. I finished the large tree and added its leaves and star.

Silent Night - Country Cottage Needleworks
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Pearl linen
Threads: Recommended DMC, Weeks Dye Works and sampler threads

Some Christmas stitching

Last week I decided to do some Christmas stitching. This gingerbread boy design will be for my youngest niece. It was a quick stitch from the 2012 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament magazine.

Sweet Hugs Gingerbread Boy - Keepsake Stitches
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Flax linen
Threads: Suggested DMC and DMC alternatives

I also started 'Silent Night' by Country Cottage Needleworks. I love how the thread colours show up on this fabric. The fabric, threads and chart were a Secret Santa gift from Jennifer at The Stitch Specialists in 2012. This will now be my Wednesday Parlour night stitching at Needlecraft Haven.

Silent Night - Country Cottage Needleworks
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Pearl linen
Threads: Recommended DMC, Weeks Dye Works and sampler threads

Unfinished exchange

Over at Friendly Stitchers we had an unfinished exchange where you stitched something small and sent it with fabric / other notions to your partner who will decide how it should be completed.

My partner was Joyce (Joyce's Love of Life) and she sent me this lovely autumn design with some woollen material and ribbon. I haven't decided how I will finish it - maybe as a hanging ornament?

Autumn design - Unfinished exchange from Joyce

I stitched this Told In A Garden design 'Friendship quilt' and sent it with some backing fabric and a small canvas and easel stand (not shown). I'm curious to see how Joyce will finish it.

Friendship Quilt - Told In A Garden, The Bookmark Collection
Fabric: 28ct evenweave in a natural like colour
Threads: recommended DMC threads

Joyful World SAL and a little quilting

I finished August in the Joyful World SAL this week. This one was special to me as it reminded me of my father's last dog. He was a great canine friend. I was pleased with how my lazy daisy stitches came out. Usually they never lie as I would like.

August, Joyful World SAL - The Snowflower Diaries
Fabric: 40ct Newcastle Vintage Mocha
Threads: Suggested DMC threads

I've made progress on quilting my hexagon quilt.

Design: Josette, found in Magic Patch hors serie, no.91,
'15 quilts miniatures'
Fabric, Moda charm pack  'Icicle kisses'

Since it is just the inner and outer edge of the centre rosette that is being quilted, it is not obvious in the above photo what I have done. So here are a couple of close-ups. I'm finding it hard to produce even stitches.  I've read in Kathleen Tracy's latest Sentimental Quilter blog post about Tiger Tape. This is supposed to help you learn to space your stitches evenly. I'm tempted to give it a try but I suppose what I really need to do is just practise and be patient.

Potted Poinsettia - Travelling pattern winner

In time honoured fashion, my dear husband chose the next recipient for this pattern by choosing between the letter 'D' or 'S'. He was bemused by my request as I didn't explain why he was doing it until he had chosen.

He chose the letter 'D' for Deb. If you email me your address, I will be able to post the pattern to you on Wednesday, Deb. I hope you enjoy stitching it as much as I did.

Latest stitching

It's been a week of stitching little bits and pieces on different things as I had a couple of items which were almost stitched.

I finished my hardanger piece at the beginning of the week and though I say so myself, I really like the colours. In fact I decided that I would use it as a coaster so I went looking for some coaster covers I had. I found them - three different sizes, but they were all round! So I'm back to my original idea of finishing this as a lavender sachet.

Hardanger Coaster - Abi Gurden, Bee's Needleworks
Fabric: 25ct white evenweave
Threads: Anchor #5 perle 386, Anchor #5 perle 1304, DMC 3823

I had only the border to complete on April's Joyful World SAL so I finished that one evening.

April, Joyful World SAL - The Snowflower Diaries
Fabric: 40ct Newcastle Vintage Mocha
Threads: Suggested DMC threads

The following day I completed the outstanding stitching on Snow Days from Little House Needleworks.

Snow White- Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 28ct unknown linen in a thyme-green colour
Threads: DMC 3865

For now, I've skipped May, June and July and I'm stitching August from the Joyful World SAL.

August, Joyful World SAL - The Snowflower Diaries
Fabric: 40ct Newcastle Vintage Mocha
Threads: Recommended DMC threads

All in all a satisfying week, stitching wise.

Back to Hardanger

It's been a while since I did any hardanger so I pulled out this design by Abi Gurden of Bee's Needleworks.
It was a complimentary design when I signed up for her Confetti of Hardanger SAL a couple of years ago. I hope to complete the stitching over the weekend.
When it is finished I think I will complete it as a lavender sachet/cushion rather than a coaster.

Hardanger Coaster - Abi Gurden, Bee's Needleworks
Fabric: 25ct white evenweave
Threads: Anchor #5 perle 386, Anchor #5 perle 1304, DMC 3823

Potted Poinsettia - Finished and A Giveaway

It's taken a few weeks to get there but I've finally finished my stitching on LHN's 'Potted Poinsettia', also known as the Perambulating Poinsettia. This has become a travelling, gifted chart and so it has acquired an alternative name.

I was gifted this chart from Christine (The Alchymyst's Study) and I now would like to gift it on. If you'd like to be the next person to stitch it, please let me know via the comments box below. If more than one person is interested, I'll draw a name by the end of Sunday 14 August 2016. I will also include a small 'stitchy related' gift which will fit in a standard size envelope. Give the cost of overseas postage these days, I think we all find ourselves being practical, hence the self-imposed size restriction.

I haven't decided on how I will finish it yet, but here it is.

Little House Needleworks - Potted Poinsettia
Fabric: 28ct Cashel Flax linen
Threads: Atalie - Les 4 Saisons, Carmen and Desert

Here comes the bride ... (Juliet mouse)

Romeo the Groom Mouse doesn't need to wait any longer for his Juliet. She has arrived!

Just Nan - Juliet the Bride Mouse
Fabric: 32ct Silvery Moon Belfast linen
Threads: Recommended DMC, Kreinik #4 Braid #3231 and accessory pack

Here are Romeo and Juliet together. I hope these will be a fond reminder of their wedding day for our cousin's son and his bride.

Just Nan - Romeo the Groom Mouse and Juliet the Bride Mouse
Fabric: 32ct Silvery Moon Belfast linen
Threads: Recommended DMC, Kreinik #4 Braid #3231 and accessory pack

It wasn't any easier inserting Juliet's tail than it was Romeo's. I'm sure there is a knack to it but I don't know what it is. As I struggled with the tail I kept my fingers crossed (literally speaking) that I wouldn't tear the fabric. If you know an easy way of doing this, please let me know as I have the Christmas mice on my 'to do' list.

Romeo is waiting on Juliet

During this spell of hot, sunny weather, I have been stitching ... slowly.
Just Nan's Romeo the Groom Mouse has now been stitched and finished but as you see in the photo below, poor Juliet is still waiting to be made up.

Just Nan - Romeo the Groom Mouse and an unfinished Juliet the Bride Mouse
Fabric: 32ct Silvery Moon Belfast linen
Threads: Recommended DMC, Kreinik #4 Braid #3231 and accessory pack

With the exception of inserting his tail, this was easier to make up than I expected. It makes me wonder why I kept putting it off during this past week. Below you can see a close-up of Romeo on his own, waiting for his Juliet.

Just Nan - Romeo the Groom Mouse

Fabric: 32ct Silvery Moon Belfast linen

Threads: Recommended DMC, Kreinik #4 Braid #3231 and accessory pack

I've made some progress on LHN's "The Potted Poinsettia" but it is not yet finished. It's larger than I would like but that is my fault for stitching it on 28ct and not 32ct as planned. By the time I realised my mistake, I had stitched too much to feel like starting again.

Little House Needleworks - Potted Poinsettia
Fabric: 28ct Cashel Flax linen
Threads: Atalie - Les 4 Saisons, Carmen and Desert

Christmas in July

Just wanted to share that Carole who blogs 'From My Carolina Home' is holding a 12 days of Christmas tour from the 14-25 July to get started ahead of time with ideas for handmade gifts, table toppers, recipes, mini quilts and lots of other crafty things. In addition she will be joining in a blog hop and having giveaways too. See here for more information.