Gifted Gorgeousness - June 2020

Another month, another Gifted Gorgeousness. Hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching this is an opportunity to share stitching projects/items that have been gifted to us or that we will be gifting. 

I'm stitching a silver anniversary wedding card using a chart gifted to me from Julie of Julie's StitchyKnitter Journal.  I've had the chart for over a year as originally I thought the silver anniversary was last year. Once I realised it wasn't, the project went on the back boiler until now. I love how the thread colours are blending with each other.

Silver Anniversary - Nia cross stitch
Fabric: 40ct cream Zweigart Newcastle linen
Threads: Recommended DMC and Anchor Marlitt threads

My Alpine Seasons Garden was a Christmas present from my husband several years ago. It has had very little attention during the past weeks as the weather has been so dull. The only addition has been about 20 light grey stitches on the extreme right of the snow capped mountains. I prefer stitching on it when it is bright as I think I concentrate better. Well, that's my excuse.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine
as at 16 June 2020
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen
Threads: Recommended silk threads

My evening stitching continues to be Little Sheep Virtues. I have now completed 'Hope' and I've started stitching 'Patience'. There will no more stitching on this until I have finished the Silver Anniversary card.

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

I've also baked a one pot yogurt cake as recommended by Christine. I didn't have a suitable cake tin so I found a slight variation of the recipe she suggested, here and baked it in a 2lb loaf tin. I used Greek yogurt and added a splash of lemon juice and some lemon zest and it tastes good. Half of the cake has gone in the freezer, for eating at a later date.

One pot yogurt cake with lemon flavouring

Stay Safe exchange

Clare at Needlecraft Haven is inventive and given the disruption/delays to postal services over the past couple of months, she decided to arrange a Stay Safe exchange. To our partner we each had to email a link to a free cross stitch design, a cake or biscuit recipe and recommend a film or T.V. series. My Stay Safe email partner was Clare and it was difficult making my selections as there are so many things I thought Clare would enjoy. If I was sending the email today it is more than likely it would be different!

My stitching design was Sweet Summer by Lizzie Kate.

I sent two recipes for my cake choice as these are both favourites of mine. The first is a no-bake Baileys Cheesecake. I used 2 tablespoons of Baileys rather than a miniature bottle and I found that plenty. My chocolate cake recipe is one that I've used for years.

Baileys Cheesecake with a
flaked chocolate decoration

My favourite chocolate sandwich

My film choices were The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and The Green Book.

After World War II, a writer forms
 an unexpected bond with the residents
of Guernsey Island when she decides
 to write a book about their
experiences during the war.

A working-class Italian-American bouncer
 becomes the driver of an
African-American classical pianist
 on a tour of venues through
the 1960s American South

I received my Stay Safe exchange email from Christine. Christine's design from La Comtesse et Le Point De Point is ideal to encourage positive thinking.

My fabric and thread choices
(for now)

La Comtesse & Le Point De Croix

A lemon flavoured yogurt will be added to my shopping list at the end of the week so that I can try this Yogurt Pot Cake from Nigella Lawson.

Based on her suggestions among my viewing choices this summer will be The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Misbehaviour.

A group of women hatch
 a plan to disrupt the 1970
Miss World beauty competition in London

A housewife in 1958 decides
to become a stand-up comic

 













Thank you Clare for organising this exchange which enables us to share those things that we enjoy.

Smalls SAL - May 2020

Most of my stitching this past month has been done in the evening as during the day I've been busy doing family history research. I sit down at the laptop for a short while in the afternoon and the next thing I know, it's dinner time!

However, I managed to 'finish' a couple of smalls. I stitched Peace and Love on my Little Sheep Virtues sampler. I still find this a relaxing project for the evenings.

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

My second project was Shepherd's Bush All Seasons Scissor Fob. I love the colours and delicate look of this design. I still have to fully finish it but I'm getting there.

All Seasons Scissor Fob - Shepherd's Bush
This was a kit so all fabric, threads and embellishments were included

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.

Smalls SAL - April 2020

It's the end of the month and now's the time for another Smalls SAL check-in. This is hosted by Mary of Mary's Thread.
I stitched three small items this month but I've still to decide how I would like to finish them.

First up is La Poule. I received this chart from Clare of Aimtu's Stitching for Christmas.

La Poule - JBW Designs
Fabric - 28ct Zweigart Natural linen
Threads - Recommended DMC threads

Shepherd's Bush has this free design available which I fell for. I stitched it on a mottled green scrap of fabric that I had.

Ewe be well - Shepherd's Bush
Fabric - 32ct Fabric Flair mottled green
Threads - Suggested DMC threads

Finally I stitched this rose. I am considering finishing this as a rose scented sachet. That won't happen until the lockdown restrictions are eased and I can buy something rose scented to include in the filling. So who knows what my thinking will be by then!

Rose - Teaching model at a beginner's class in 1993
Fabric - 28ct White evenweave
Threads - DMC 309, 776, 899, 3346, 3347, 3348

Works in Progress

During the past month I've started a new project and went back to an older one.

I had put Alpine Seasons Garden away as I was finding it cumbersome to stitch it in a hoop, in hand. So earlier in the year I ordered a Lowry Workstand and some Elbsee easyclip scroll bars. I'm finding it easier to stitch on this project though I'm not yet comfortable with such long scroll bars. The important thing is (from my point of view) that Alpine Seasons Garden is seeing some progress again. Over the past two weeks I've stitched the top left section of the trees. With all the colour changes it's coming along slowly but I still love it.

This is where I started

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine
as at 02 April 2020
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen
Threads: Recommended silk threads

and here it is today.

Alpine Seasons Garden - Chatelaine
as at 28 April 2020
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Sand linen
Threads: Recommended silk threads

I'm glad I took a photograph of my starting point as it shows me that I am making progress.

My new project is Julie M's ( I'll cross that leg when I get to it ) mixing of Little House Needleworks' Little Sheep Virtues and Country Cottage Needleworks' Sheep in the Meadow. I've admired it since 2014 (!) but I was only able to buy the charts last year. It's a lovely project to work on and I find it relaxing.

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

So as you can see, I've plenty of stitching to keep me busy.

Gifted Gorgeousness - April 2020

Even though I'm confined to the house, time is still passing quickly. It seems no time since I last posted for Gifted Gorgeousness. This is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching and details on how it works and how to take part can be found here.

I took part in Needlecraft Haven's Easter Exchange. With postal services being disrupted we had a virtual exchange on Easter Sunday where we posted a photo of the exchange pieces we had stitched but without saying who they were for.

I had stitched both a card and an ornament. With staying at home I thought it would be pleasant to imagine a trip up the Eiffel Tower at Easter.

Pâques à Paris (part of design) - Les Brodeuses Parisiennes
Fabric: 28 ct Zweigart White linen
Threads: Suggested DMC threads, stitched one over one
Spring! - Just Nan
Fabric: 28 ct Sky Blue (I think)
Threads: Suggested DMC threads with a
gold brown bead used for matt gold beads

I hope everyone had a good Easter and that you are staying safe and well.

Easter Treasure Blog Hop 2020

Jo of Serendipitous Stitching is again hosting the Easter Treasure Blog Hop. This is an opportunity for those taking part to display some Spring and/or Easter stitching and a letter of the alphabet which will form part of a mystery phrase. Please visit Jo's blog here to see the list of all those who are taking part and visit their blogs to collect your letters to find out what the mystery phrase is.

This year for the blog hop I have stitched a free design from Lizzie Kate called Celebrate Spring.
You can find this design on Lizzie Kate's blog here. I have finished it as a flat ornament to hang from a small frame. When things are back to normal I'll buy a couple of small hangers. In the meantime it will have to stand on the mantlepiece.

Celebrate Spring - Lizzie Kate
Fabric: 28ct Permin Natural Linen
Threads: DMC 3687, 597,720,3354, 580, 307, Blanc, 310, 3836

My Letter for the mystery phrase is

P

Please visit the Wicked Stitcher at http://primpair.blogspot.com/  for the next letter in the mystery phrase.

Happy Easter!
                     

Jane Marshall 1857 is finished

The world has changed so much in recent weeks with the spread of coronavirus. It seems no time since our news was full of reports on the fires in Australia. Like many others at that time I bought the Jane Marshall 1857 sampler to support Hands Across the Sea Samplers' initiative to donate the proceeds of this chart to two brigades of the NSW rural Fire Service.
I enjoyed stitching this sampler. In fact, I liked it so much that I purchased Mary Stead 1854 from them last week.

Jane Marshall 1857 - Hands Across the Sea Samplers
Fabric: 32ct Zweigart Antique Ivory linen
Threads: Suggested DMC threads

Smalls SAL - March 2020

Mary's Thread hosts the Smalls SAL and details can be found here.
Since I had two small ornaments completed for St. Patrick's Day, I couldn't resist showing them again. So here they are.

Leprechaun Cottage - Blue Ribbon Designs
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Natural linen
Threads: Recommended DMC threads

March Quaker - ??
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Silvery Moon linen (7011)
Thread: DMC 3818

Gifted Gorgeousness - March 2020

Most of my March work has been for me but I finally quilted and finished this cushion cover for my sister. The cushion top has been completed since April last year. I have no idea when she will get it as all my local post offices are closed during the coronavirus restrictions in France. At least it is something that will keep :)
For further information on how Gifted Gorgeousness work, all the details can be found here on Jo's Serendipitous Stitching blog.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day and 'Sláinte' as I raise a glass to you. (If I'm completely honest, it's a cup of tea 😄 ).

This year I was determined to get some stitching completed for St. Patrick's day and I managed to finish two small pieces.
My first piece is Leprechaun Cottage from Blue Ribbon Designs. I've had this on my 'To do' list for a number of years. I finally stitched it.

Leprechaun Cottage - Blue Ribbon Designs
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Natural linen
Threads: Recommended DMC threads

This second design is called March Quaker and I have been unable to find out who designed it. It's ages since I've made a biscornu so I enjoyed making this finish.

March Quaker - ??
Fabric: 40ct Zweigart Silvery Moon linen (7011)
Thread: DMC 3818

May you all stay safe and healthy in these unsettling times.