Another finish or two!

Here's a few quick stitches I did for some friends in the lead up to Christmas. The stocking was a pre-made one I added the name to using gold metallic thread and waste canvas. The bookmarks I designed myself using alphabets and designs from the internet, finished on aida banding with felt backs.

Another XS finish

This one was done a few months ago using a scrap of perforated paper leftover from another project that I am yet to post about as well. Oops!

• Name of the design is, well, penguin!
• Chart is from an old UK magazine
• Fabric is leftover perforated paper
• Thread is DMC cotton
• Stitch count is, well, small!
• Started in November 2014
• Completed in November 2014

Belated Merry Christmas!

Oops, I'm slacking again. Better late than never, right? I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas spent with loved ones. I spent Christmas Day at my sister's place and had Boxing Day lunch at home with hubby's brother and his wife.

As promised last time, I'll add crafty pics until I'm up to date, and then hopefully keep on top of things. This is one I don't think I've posted in its complete form yet. It was a WIP for a while, then became a UFO because I don't know what DMC thread I used and after trying unsuccessfully to match it I put it in the "too hard" basket. I finally made myself match the colour (somewhat unsuccessfully I think) and finish it. I think it became a birthday gift for my mum.

• Name of the design is "L" I guess
• Chart is a freebie from this blog
• Fabric is 28 count lime green evenweave fabric from Stitches and Spice
• Thread is DMC something or other. I think it might actually be 2 different green threads
• Stitch count is 82 x 118
• Started in October 2011 I think!
• Completed in August 2014

A new finish and a new blogoversary winner

First off, I have heard nothing from the original December winner so I've chosen a new one - Barb aka Crazybeads. I will be in touch shortly, or you can email me Barb.

Next up, I have another finish. I started this back in September for the "Christmas Joy" exchange I joined. It soon became apparent that I would run out of thread to finish it, so I ordered more from the USA in late October. It was shipped on November 7th but it took it's sweet time arriving so I gave it up and fished out an old finish to turn into an ornament so I could mail it in time. The thread FINALLY arrived on January 7th - 2 months after it was mailed. I had originally planned to stitch the word "joy" in the tree with silver thread to suit the theme, but it seems pointless now.

• Name of the design is Boule De Noel
• Chart is a freebie from this blog
• Fabric is a variegated green evenweave with yellow tinges
• Thread is silver metallic thread that came free with a magazine plus "Aquamarine" silk thread from Carrie's Creations
• Stitch count is 102 x 112
• Started in September 2013
• Completed in January 2014

It's Christmas again..... and again.... and again.... and again....

Yep, Christmas 4 times over! When hubby asked me what I'd like for Christmas, I sent him some links to a few of my favourite online stores and he chose to buy vouchers to all 4 places! So, not only did I get surprise vouchers for Christmas, I got to shop 4 times, and look forward to 4 packages in the mail. First to arrive was this lot of monaco from Fabtastic Fabrics:

Indian Paintbrush, Wicked Brew, Berry Frost & Hollyleaf Cherry

Next came my order from 123 Stitch:

Mantel Mischief by Imaginating, Gingerbread Street by Sue Hillis & Bear Christmas Ornament by Dimensions

Then I got my order from Steph's Fabbys:

Butterfly by AAN & Lady of the Lake thread

Then finally my order from Colour Cascade Fabrics, again both monaco fabric:

Pink & Purple ice dye & My Island Home

Another finish for 2014

Here's a kit I've had for years and made a very, very small start on at some point. I recently discovered it in my stash and decided it needed to be finished. There's a few similar designs in the series which I may buy. At some point I might even stitch them too!

• Name of the design is Sweet Greeting Gingerbread
• Chart is a beaded kit from Mill Hill. I changed the wording to "sweet treats" from "sweet greetings"
• Fabric is the included 16 count aida band, but I backed the whole thing with stiff white felt
• Thread is the included DMC cotton
• Stitch count is 42 x 79
• Started on January 11th 2014 - this time around
• Completed on January 20th 2014

My first finish for 2014

This one took far less time than I was expecting as it's a large project - well, to my anyway. I started this one in late 2013 and finished in early 2014. It's not a great pic, but here it is:

• Name of the design is "Happy Snowman" although I made a few small changes and left some parts out
• Chart is a design by AAN
• Fabric is 28 count snowflake patterned opalescent evenweave from Sew-It-All in Australia
• Thread is DMC #807 for the main cross stitch and #3765 for the back stitched areas
• Stitch count is 157 x 191
• Started on December 28th 2013
• Completed on January 7th 2014

Some tiny finishes - and still seeking Kay!

I've been very slack on posting finishes lately. I have about 6 to share but I'll start with a collection of 4 minis from late December. I've had the frames for about a decade so I thought it was time to dust them off and put them to good use. From memory they were a whole 70 cents each.
Here they are:

Details of them, from left to right:

• Name of the design is Candy Cane I guess, it wasn't listed
• Chart came from a random leaflet or magazine, I didn't keep the details
• Fabric is an offcut of white opalescent evenweave
• Thread is DMC cotton
• Stitch count is 20 x 22
• Started & completed in late December 2013

• Name of the design is another unknown freebie so I've called it blackwork heart
• Chart is a freebie I saved from the internet with no details
• Fabric is a random offcut of evenweave 
• Thread is a variegated sulky thread
• Stitch count is 17 x 17
• Started & completed in late December 2013

• Name of the design is Joy I guess, it had no name
• Chart came from a random leaflet or magazine, I didn't keep the details
• Fabric is an offcut of white evenweave
• Thread is DMC cotton
• Stitch count is 21 x 20
• Started & completed in late December 2013

• Name of the design is not listed so I've called it blackwork owl
• Chart is a freebie from Kincavel Krosses  
• Fabric is an offcut of light mauve evenweave, maybe from Fabtastic fabrics ?
• Thread is a random variagated pink thread, maybe a silk?
• Stitch count is 25 x 29
• Started & completed in late December 2013

Christmas Joy Exchange

A while back I took part in a "Christmas Joy" exchange through the "Stitch, Create, Exchange" blog. I started a design for this back in September but realised I'd soon run out of the silk thread I was using. I ordered more from the USA late October, and it was shipped early November. I hoped I'd get it in time to finish the project but that soon became evident it wasn't going to happen as the deadline to mail was December 1st and I had to mail to Hungary.

As the guidelines indicated I had to stitch something of a fairly decent size I was worried about starting something new with not much time left. I took a look through some old finishes and came across something that would do. I finished into a large ornament and managed to mail it at the last possible minute.

Here's what I ended up sending to Barbara in Hungary - not my best finishing as I didn't have much in the way of excess fabric around the edges.

This was a secret exchange so the person who sent to me was not the person I sent to. This is what my partner Lisa in Australia sent to me.

Oh, and it was a good thing I didn't wait for the silk to arrive - it came on January 3rd, 2 months after it was sent. Here's a pic of my WIP on the original piece. I planned on adding the word "Joy" in silver inside the Christmas tree to go with the theme, and making the bow which goes at the top in silver too.

Merry Christmas!

Better late than never, right? I did intend to post prior to the big day, but you know how that goes. I wanted to thank everyone for their warm wishes and to send out my own to everyone who reads or follows this blog. I hope your day was enjoyable and spent just how you wanted to spend it, with no dramas and nothing but good food, good company and good memories. Here's how I spent my Christmas with my husband, kids, sister, nieces and parents: