The first Santa is finished - totally!

After a slow start last week I finished, and I mean truly finished, the Blue Santa.  Truly finishing meant completing the remaining backstitch (most of it), beading (I am replacing the French knots with beads for some extra sparkle) and the couching (a first for me).  Here he is followed by some close ups.

On Friday evening I made an unexpected new start. Every other week we finish school early, 2.30 instead of 3.35. These weekends tend to be 'Railway Weekends' and the weekend just gone was no exception.  As we are still living in two houses I meet up with DH late on Friday evening. So prior to this I go and visit my Mum and Dad who live about twenty minutes away  from the railway.  Whilst driving down to my parents the traffic news was reporting that the M62 Westbound was closed due to a serious accident. It later transpired that the road was not due to reopen until  nine o'clock, too late for the DH to travel down. So I had an unexpected evening at my parents, but I hadn't packed any stitching.  My Mum came to the rescue and I started 'Have a Heart' from The Drawn Thread, this will be on the rotation next week.

Today I made up Lady Scarlet's Scissor Roll.  Here it is with Lady Scarlet.

I have a finish of a different type of finish to show you. I saw the kits for these handbags in October, when we spent a few days in Bruges. I came home and put one of them on my list for Father Christmas.  This was a very quick stitch and my Mum, who has made handbags, offered to make it up for me. I have to say she greatly improved the original design.  Yes I like the pattern, but was the kit (Vervaco) worth the money? No. I could have bought a Cath Kidston bag for the same price, but I do have a one off and I'm sure I'll get lots of use out of it.

This week it's back to Halloween Rules.  More progrss ics next week.

Happy stiching!