Stitching finishes of 2009

Susimac is having a review of 2009 here.so I thought I would join in.

With a bit of luck I will manage my first finish of 2010 this weekend, I havn't started it yet. Watch this space.

Happy New Year!

Holiday stitching

Before I show you my holiday stitching efforts. Here are three Christmas decorations I made for members of my family.


The design,called Christmas Hearts, is a freebie from Just Nan here. Stitched as charted on 32ct opalescent white linen, I mounted them in small frames from Framecraft with the clear plastic taken out as the decorations are beaded.

Now for the holiday stitching. I apologise in advance for the poor pictures. These were take with the mobile phone as the camera has gone for repair. Firstly Mary Wigham.


Secondly my first ornament for Yoyo's SAL.


And finally, Father Christmas did enhance my stash. Here is Simply Snowdays from Waxing Moon Designs.


This will probably be my last post before the New Year. So best wishes to everyone for 2010!

Christmas Countdown - Christmas Layouts

Merry Christmas!

This morning, I finished the beading on White Nights Part 4. Earlier on in the week I managed to make a small start on Part 5, completing the corner sections. Next it's the eight large houses which make up the rest of Part 5.


I have also made a similarly small start on my Christmas Decorations for Yoyo's SAL.



This is going to be my stitching over the holiday, unless, of course, Father Christmas brings me something by the way of stash enhancement that I just have to start!

Here is a picture of the said gentleman, having a bit of time out from his deliveries. It's a French postcard sent by my Grandad to my Mum whilst he was away during the Second World War.



I wish everyone a Happy Christmas and I hope Santa enhances your stash!

Happy Christmas

Some more Christmas finishes

Here are some Christmas finishes I managed this week. Firstly having said that I wouldn't fork out for the Just Nan robin charm for the WhimZi feather tree, I did and the WhimZi frame to go with it! The instructions say that it doesn't matter whether you stitch on 32ct or 28ct linen both will fit the Whimzi frame. Not true. I started to stitch the design again on 28ct natural linen, found out it wouldn't fit properly so switched to 32ct lambswool. I went back and finished the 28ct version and made it in to a decoration as before. I have now stitched this design three times!


Here is a picture of my other finish Noella's Christmas berry, also by Just Nan.


This is what the stitching looked like before finishing.


To finish, here are two more Christmas finishes from the past




Both designs are by Margaret Sherry. The first appeared in World of Cross Stitching Issue 105 and the second is from Heritage Stitchcraft. The Twelve Days of Christmas Sampler by Joan Elliott here was from World of Cross Stitching Issue 118.

Here is the proof that last weekend I did, indeed, get to Lapland!

Totally Useless SAL at Christmas

Those of you who follow this blog on a regular basis will know that I am a member of Yoyo's Totally Useless SAL (TUSAL)and, yes, I have signed up for 2010. Throughout the year I have tried to take pictures of my ort jar, a large volumetric flask rescued from a dark cupboard at the back of a science lab in school, in some unusual positions/places. Well for this month's photo it was obvious. The ort jar could be the star on top of the Christmas tree! But, alas, try though I did, it's too big and too heavy. Rather than risk a smashed flask, which I have to say has been very useful, in that I no longer clog up the Dyson with bits of thread, this month's photo is of the flask beside the tree.


The question now to be answered is do I stick with the same jar for 2010 or try and find another one as interesting in shape? Answers on a postcard please....

I was good ...

... very good in fact. Instead of starting something new this week I stitched on unfinished projects.

Firstly Mary Wigham got an extra evening.


I have also spent two evenings, well one and a half really, on Open House.


What with one thing and another it's been a busy week with not much time spent stitching. The weekend is rather looking that way too as it's another 'Railway Weekend'. I'm Guard on the train on Saturday and this time the destination is Lapland!

Families travel on the train, with Father Christmas, to Lapland. The adults get sherry and a mince pie whilst the children get a gift from Father Christmas. Last year, at about this time, during a Monday morning lesson, one of the pupils in a class asked me If I had done anything interesting at the weekend. I said that I had taken lots of children to Lapland to see Father Christmas. Well, the comments came back like 'wow!' and 'really?'. My reply was, 'Yes, in fact, I went three times.' Only then did it dawn that, maybe, I hadn't been to the real Lapland!

As promised here is some more Christmas stitching. 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' by Joan Elliot. The chart appeared in 'World Of Cross Stitch' about two years ago.


Even if you don't get to Lapland I hope everyone has a great weekend.

It's finished!

The Cornflower Biscornu is finished! Here are pictures of the front and back.




Here is the usual picture taken on the mirror.


Now for the details. This was a bespoke chart from Faby Reilly. I stitched it on 32ct antique white linen using the suggested floss (DMC) and beads. I really, really enjoyed stitching this, the colours are fantastic.

I also managed another finish this weekend. The Pale Blue Santa! Here he is.


Today was also the day for putting up the Christmas decorations. Here is one that has been up since Tuesday.


Its called the Christmas Advent Calendar (with charms) and is from Bucilla. I finished this about six or so years ago at about 23.59 on 30 November!

I will post more of my Christmas finishes from the past next time, and hopefully a decent picture of the Christmas Tree. As its Sunday I'm off to stitch Mary Wigham for a few hours. I still have to decide what I'm going to stitch next week - watch this space.

Cornflower Biscornu

November's Biscornu is the Cornflower Biscornu by Faby Reilly, or it would be if I had managed to finish it.


I think I mentioned in a previous post that whilst poppies are the flower of remembrance here in the UK cornflowers are the flowers of remembrance in France. Since I started following the Basket Of Biscornu SAL I knew that I wanted to do something with a remembrance theme for November, poppies on one side, cornflowers on the other maybe. I had a suitable poppy chart but not a cornflower one, so the hunt began. I searched and I searched, in the end I gave up and decided to do Faby's Poppy Biscornu for November.


Then I got an email from my Mum and attached was the chart for the Cornflower Biscornu, one of Faby's bespoke charts, it is done in the same style as the poppy biscornu so as to make a pair. I understand that this chart will be appearing in her catalogue in the future.

Having stitched 'Bluet' the French for cornflower in one over one, I take my hat of to those of you who do this on a regular basis, it's not for me. I under estimated how long the one over one would take which is why it is not finished.

Yesterday I took a break from doing the biscornu and made this


It's the WhimZi Feather Tree from Just Nan. The chart is a freebie here. I added some Krienik blending filament to the snowflakes to give them that extra sparkle!

So this week I intend to spend an hour each evening on the biscornu and the rest of the time on the Pale Blue Santa. I'm off to rescue him from the stash room as I've forgotten what he looks like!

Progress on White Nights

This week was the turn of White Nights on the rotation. In all truth I had been dreading it as I knew that I would have loads of Algerian Eyelets to do. Late on Friday night I finished what I had hoped to do this week. Not bad for only four evenings stitching, well that's what I think.


This is a close up of one of the corners. The picture is not wonderfully clear as the zoom on my camera is not able to cope.



Today finished my holiday stitching, which was started on the flight to Naples, and yes, I did get my metal needle through airport security without any fuss. As this is a Christmas gift, no pictures for now.

Next week on the rotation it should be the St Nicholas Tree Skirt, back to the festive stitching. However, I haven't done my biscornu for November yet, so the Pale Blue Santa will have to stay in the stash room for another week. Never fear, this project has not turned into a UFO, it will return at the start of December!

A few people commented on the bespoke frame for Simply Christmas. It was made by Poppy Kreations for this design. My not so local LNS, The Nimble Thimble, over 75 miles away, which specialises in American designs is able to get them. All of my Waxing Moon stuff has been framed in the bespoke frame suggested and it really sets them off.

Yoyo's Christmas Design SAL

I have signed up for Yoyo's new SAL here

It is called the Christmas Design SAL. All you have to do is pick a Christmas design, sign up on Yoyo's blog by December 1st and then send her a picture every month of your progress.

I have chosen to do this design


The kit is called Timless Elegance Ornaments and is from Dimensions (The Gold Collection). As per the SAL the aim is to spend one week a month on them.

Back to the rotation. So far this week progress on White Nights has been good. No pictures today but I will post my progress next time.

Totally Useless SAL

Back to a more conventional picture for this month.

Another festive finish!

I did it! Despite four hours in the classroom yesterday I finished the December calendar from Mill Hill. As I think I mentioned before, this really does sparkle.


The picture is not the best but it will have to do for now. On Friday Simply Christmas came back from the framers!


The bespoke frame really sets this one off. The presents sparkle and the bobble on Santa's hat is fluffy!

Next week on the rotation it is back to White Nights and the algerian eylets, joy!


Just a little reminder that, here in the UK

Christmas Countdown - Christmas Layouts

O Christmas Tree!

Here is a picture of the December calendar so far.


The actual colour of the fabric is burgundy/red wine. The Christmas Tree is done in a very shiny, silky green ribbon which, unlike the Kreinik metallic ribbons, is a joy to stitch. With a bit of luck I might get it finished early next week.

This weekend it is 'back to school' for me. Now, I know I go to school five days a week, but this time the tables are being turned and I will be the pupil. I have decided to learn a new skill at 'The Railway' and begin signaling training on Saturday. Four hours in the classroom; I really will be experiencing things from the other side! They do say, however, that teachers make the worst pupils, probably because they know every disruptive behaviour in the book!

Talking of school. Today we had a visiting author, of the famous variety. When I shook his hand it was almost pulverised, and it was the one I stitch with! This was a very hush, hush visit with no publicity. When you see the next picture you might understand why.

Remembering

Poppies and cornflowers, the British and French flowers of remembrance, growing at The British and Commonwealth memorial comemorating the Missing of the First World War at Thiepval in France.

The first Christmas finish of 2009!

The stitching Saturday at my Mum's paid off. I made good progress on Simply Christmas, and was able to finish it yesterday.


This was stitched on 28ct lambswool Belfast Linen with the suggested threads. The variegated thread for the lettering is Noel from Weeks Dye Works.

Also stitched on lambswool, but this time 32ct, is Mary Wigham. She had been put to one side during October to make way for Spooky Stitching. So yesterday, after completing Simply Christmas, and it being Sunday, she was back in the rotation. I managed about half a day on her.


Simply Christmas was a birthday gift from my Mum and Dad, along with a number of other stitchy items. I could not resist showing you the birthday gift from my sister.



You can understand why she did not trust such a fantastic gift to the post! Thanks Sis it's beautiful! If you are interested in scrap booking and paper craft then check out her blog here.

For my birthday my Mum and Dad also gave my the final month in the Mill Hill 2003 Calendar Series, December, which I am off to start now. As you would expect it is a Christmas theme. Should I stop the rotation, not that it has restarted, and stitch only festive stuff between now and December 25? Tempting indeed. Maybe I'll wait 'till December itself.

Happy stitching, festive or otherwise.