Christmas Eve update.

I made good progress on White Nights this week. The floss used in the windows of the middle building really makes them look like stained glass.

This week I also stitched a three of  Just Nan's 'Holly Knot'

This looks better in real life than it does here.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Pre Christmas update.

Despite not posting for nearly a fortnight I have been stitching. I've now finished ten of the Festive Fifteen squares. Here they all are.

I've made a start on one of the last five squares. There seems to be less work on these so I'm hoping for a Christmas Eve finish, fingers crossed.

Be Jolly By Golly arrived back from the framers.

On Saturday morning we woke up to 17cm of snow! This is the photographic proof.

 As a result of this snow fall I was prompted to finish Icy Hill by Just Nan. I started and finished the stitching on this one in the first week of January, the last time we had any significant snow.  I finished it as a bell pull. The pull ware is made by Framecraft. This picture is not too good but it gives you an idea.

This week I'm stitching White Nights during the day and carrying on with Christmas stitching in the evening, but I'll say more about the later, after the weekend.

Happy stitching!

A festive finish

Last week, despite other Internet commitments mentioned in my last post, I managed two finishes.  First was Sylvia's 'My Little Heart' SAL.  I changed the December picture from the nativity scene designed by Sylvia to a Christmas tree.

Here is the completed piece.  Thanks go to Sylvia for providing this fun SAL.

The second finish was 'Be Jolly By Golly' from Waxing Moon Designs. I stitched this on the recommended fabric, 28ct Wichelt 'Star Saphire' linen, with the suggested over dyed floss.

This should be off to the framers this week so, with a bit of luck I might get it back before Christmas.

I also managed a few stitches on a Mill Hill Festival of Trees decoration. I actually made better progress on this than shown. Only I made a massive error and had to frog quite a lot!

A fortnight ago progress on White Nights was not great so I'm leaving any photos of that project until next time.  Back on the rotation this week it's Just Nan's Festive Fifteen.

Happy stitching!

Disaster darling!

That's what Craig Revel Horwood from Strictly would say if he were to judge my stitching efforts last week!

So first up is 'Be Jolly By Golly'

Not much progress there then. A mitten and a bit of an arm.

The one success story of the week was that I did finish the November picture for Sylvia's 'My Little Heart SAL'.  This time I made some modifications to the chart to make it more suited to November in the UK. I kept the lady, stitching during the long November evenings, and added some fireworks for Bonfire Night, November 5, and some poppies for Remembrance Day.

As for The Railway's Green Book homework? I did do some, but not enough. Will try harder this week on both the Green Book and the stitching, as it's back to White Nights.  This is where I left it.

The reason for this disastrous week? See below!

Christmas stitching

As soon as I had published my last stitchy post I asked The Other Half for his advice, now this doesn't happen very often!  Should it be the Mill Hill or the Waxing Moon? As anticipated his choice was the Mill Hill design. As anticipated because he doesn't like things with words or alphabets on! So I chose to do the Waxing Moon design 'Be Jolly By Golly'.

Next week on the rotation it should be the turn of the Santa tree skirt .  There's no way this will be finished in time for Christmas 2010 as I still have one and a half Santas to do, plus all the fancy couching, not looking forward to this bit either, as I've not done any couching before.  So I,m going to continue with Be Jolly By Golly and Festive Fifteen.  I'll leave you with a photo of my 'homework'. I really do have to get my nose stuck into this ready for a test in the New Year.  Wish me luck!

And finally my Shepherd's Bush Pumpkin Stew came back from the framers this week. It's been ready for ages but I'd not had a chance to collect it. Photo in the sidebar gallery.

Remembering

Festive Fifteen is started

Last week my Christmas stitching began with Just Nan's Festive Fifteen. I managed to complete five of the squares but not all the beading.

 Here are some close  up pictures of the squares with beads.



This week I might start  another Christmas design from either Waxing Moon Designs or Mill Hill.  The Mill Hill will probably win as I'm looking for a reasonably quick finish as I've  lost one evenings stitching this week because of having to do stuff for work.  Then again I may change my mind! As they say in Stingray 'Anything can happen in the next half hour'!

Thanks for all your great comments. I really appreciate them!

The last halloween ornaments of 2010

Last week it was the half term holiday so no work for me, of the payed variety.  We did, however, decorate the kitchen and do one or two other bits and bobs around the house.  I was able to finish two more Halloween stockings from Blackbird Designs, Candy Corn and Haunted House.

I did take a picture of my light tree decorated for Halloween but it didn't come out too well for some reason.  Sticking with the Autumn theme I was also able start and finish the Just Nan Autumn Humbug ~ Autumn Glory.

I still have the Spring one of these to do but that won't be until next year now, as it's time to start the Christmas stitching!  This week it's Just Nan week on the rotation and I've started Festive Fifteen but there's not enough to show just yet.  Last week it was the Santa Tree Skirt.  I'm quite pleased with the progress I made on this although I'm not sure it will be finished for Christmas this year!

White Nights Part 7 is finished!

Another White Nights happy dance!

This week it's half term so I have a week off. I can't decide whether to carry on with White Nights in the day, to get a head start on part 8, or to stitch the Santa Tree Skirt, which is on the rotation this week, in the day and during the evening.  Anyway, before such decisions have to be made I have some more Halloween stockings to finish.

This morning I finished the Just Nan Tricky Tweets, Jackie Lantern, which was one of my birthday stash enhancements from last weekend.

I stitched this on 28 count Dawn Cashel linen from Picture This Plus using the recommended DMC floss. The five pence piece is shown to give some idea of size. 

This weekend was a Railway Weekend.  Whilst walking up the main street in Llangollen  I saw, in a shop window, some items which could enhance my Halloween display. One of the items was duly bought.  Here she is.

Called Alizon Device after one of the real Witches of Pendle she is part of the, you've guessed it, Witches of Pendle range, from Sawley Fine Arts.  Whilst looking at their site, which I recommend you do, I noticed that one of the witches in the range was called Jennet Device.  This was a must have as we share the same first name, only mine only has one N, a long story, but my Dad is to blame for the missing letter. By the way, in real life Jennet Device was not actually a witch. So an eBay purchase later and another Lancashire Witch is on it's way back to Lancashire!

I'm off to finish the ornaments as my Weeks Dye Works Carrot should now be dry, having been through the washing machine in a Floss-a-way bag as it was in the back pocket of my jeans!

Spooky Scissor Fob

Last weekend we stayed at my Mum and Dad's so I was able to get a lot of stitching done.  I was able to start and finish the Spooky Scissor Fob from Shepherd's Bush. I finished this into an ornament for the light tree. This is the front.

This is the back.

Last week on the rotation it was the turn of Witches Riding By.  I'm really pleased with the progress I'm making on this one.  The dark parts of the sky, owl, broom and the dark parts of her dress are finished.

At the weekend it was my birthday.  I got lots of lovely things, including some stash enhancements.  The Other Half also bought me some handmade chocolates and a bottle of Champagne.  The chocolates look too good to eat!

I also received a teddy bear dressed as a witch.  Here she is with the Spooky Scissor Fob.

Happy stitching, Halloween or otherwise, to everyone!

Ghastly, Ghostly Ghouls!

Ghastly, Ghostly Ghouls! was my Just Nan stitching for this week.

I stitched this on 28ct Zweigart Cashel Linen, Cobblestone , using the recommended DMC floss. The coffin charm is quite bulky and hides a surprise.

Here is a close up of the coffin when it is shut

and open!

Today was a finishing off day.  Firstly I made 'By the Full Moon' into a pillow to hang on the light tree.

I also finished the Trick or Treat stocking into an ornament. I've run out of black beads so the cotton perle hanger is a temporary one.

Next week's stitching has a Spooky feel to it as it is back to Witches Riding By.  But there are still a few stitching hours left today so it could be a new start, probably with a spooky theme!

Happy Stitching