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

Gifted Gorgeousness and Fully Finished SAL - November 2020

I'm linking up with two blogs for November, Jo of Serendipitous Stitching and Rachel, the Ten Hour Stitcher as my recent stitching fits both of these nicely.

My fully finished pieces were also gifts that I sent as part of a Halloween Exchange with Clare. I sent Clare this Halloween scissor fob and a card which had a detachable hanging ornament.

Owls in Moonlight - Blue Ribbon Designs

Taken from Just Cross Stitch magazine, October 2014

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads. Stitched 1 thread over 2

Scream Girls - Just Nan

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Natural Line

Threads: Suggested DMC threads, 

DMC 310 used for BOO lettering instead of Krenik #4 005

I received these gifts. Firstly from Christine I received this cute scissor fob. This is a Durene Jones freebie which can be found on her Facebook page.

Witches Cat - Durene Jones

I also had a surprise gift of an initialed Halloween scissor fob from Clare. As I am into scissor fobs at the moment, it's another delightful addition to my collection.

Finally, I was the lucky recipient of DJ's (Tickled Pink in Stitches) Breast Cancer Awareness Giveaway. Here is the lovely biscornu and scissor fob that I received. Thank you DJ.

Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2020

It's scream time and time for the Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop. I have two spooky finishes this year. The first is Just Nan's Scream Girls which I finished as a flat ornament and attached to a card.

Scream Girls - Just Nan

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Natural Line

Threads: Suggested DMC threads, 

DMC 310 used for BOO lettering instead of Krenik #4 005

The second finish has been completed as a scissor fob.

Owls in Moonlight - Blue Ribbon Designs

Taken from Just Cross Stitch magazine, October 2014

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Light Mocha linen

Threads: Recommended DMC threads. Stitched 1 thread over 2

The Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop is organised by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching. Follow the blog hop to find a list of all the blog participants and to collect a letter from each of them to complete a mystery phrase.  

This year I am the final blog listed and I have the letter L:

Source: SunCatcherStudio.com

Work out what the mystery phrase is and hop back to Jo's blog to give her your answer. While there take some time to watch the slideshow of Jo's Spooky Scrapbook stitching.

A stitching and crochet update

Most of my stitching (that is, Alpine Seasons Garden and Mary Stead 1824) is on a temporary hold as I have started on my Christmas stitching. I won't be able to share much of this stitching until late December.

However, I have one update that I can share which is my virus shawl. I'm pleased with how this crochet shawl looks. I wish my photograph did it justice. I downloaded this free pattern via Ravelry from Woolpedia. 

Virus Shawl - Julia Marquardt

Wool - LANG Mille Colori (Pink/Damson/Grey)

Crochet hook - 4mm

Gifted Gorgeousness - September 2020

It's time for Gifted Gorgeousness this month. This is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching and is an opportunity to show stitching related gifts that we have made or received.

Earlier this month it was Clare's (Aimtu's Stitching) birthday and I sent her a small stitched sampler card. You can see it here on her blog as I forgot to take a photograph of it before I posted it.

My main stitching focus this month continues to be Alpine Seasons. I am now stitching the outer border which you can see in the crinkled photo below. 

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine as at 18 September 2020

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen

Threads: Recommended silk threads

It's not a Gifted Gorgeousness project but I've also been stitching on Mary Stead 1824 as part of  @Senoritastitches September Sampler Soiree on Instagram. There are just five colours in this project and I like how they blend together.

Mary Stead 1824 - Hands Across The Sea Samplers

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Light Mocha/Mushroom linen

Threads: Recommended DMC

Alpine Seasons Garden update

I'm pleased to say that I've completed the detailed tree and mountain seasonal stitching on this project. The next couple of sections should be stitched more quickly ... in theory.

This will probably be the largest and most detailed design that I will ever stitch but it is worth it.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine as at  7 September 2020

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen
Threads: Recommended silk threads

September Sampler Soiree

@Senoritastitches is hosting the September Sampler Soiree on Instagram. Given that I've finished my Little Sheep Virtues this is just the prompt that I needed to start Hands Across the Sea's Mary Stead 1824. This is part of their Little Gems series which I really like and it includes some more designs that I would like to buy at some stage.

After two days, here is my progress on Mary Stead 1824.

Mary Stead 1824 - Hands Across The Sea Samplers

Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Light Mocha/Mushroom linen

Threads: Recommended DMC 

I'm still stitching on Alpine Seasons Garden and I'm close to completing the seasonal circle of trees and mountains. Once this is finished, the dense cross-stitch coverage will be completed.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine

as at  2 September 2020

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen

Threads: Recommended silk threads

Smalls SAL August 2020 - It's A Finish!

It's the last Friday of the month and time for a Smalls SAL update. This is hosted by Mary of Mary's Thread and all details of how it works can be found here.

I've been treating each of my Little Sheep Virtues as 'smalls'. Simplicity, Kindness, Gratitude and Joyfulness were all stitched in August to complete this project.

I started Little Sheep Virtues and Sheep in the Meadow in February on Ash Wednesday and six months later on Wednesday night, I finished it. This has been a lovely project to work on and was ideal for keeping my hands busy while watching television.

I haven't decided how I will finish it. It's a toss up between framing or a quilted wall hanging. One thing I do know is that there's no rush on deciding what to do.

Thanks to Julie of I'll Cross That Leg When I Get To It and Giovanna of Giovanna's stitches for inspiring me to stitch these designs like this.

Little Sheep Virtues - Little House Needleworks and

Sheep in the Meadow - Country Cottage Needleworks

Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Natural line

Threads: Recommended DMC and Weeks Dye Works threads