Monday 18 March 2024

IHSW March 2024

International Hermit and Stitch Weekend is based on Facebook, hosted by Jo, Joyce, Ee Koon and Bonnie IHSW on Facebook

I'm enjoying heing part of IHSW and seeing everyone's progress from stitchers around the world.

My tablecloth was originally a Round Robin in 2010 and was on the theme of the four seasons. It's been in my UFO bag for years. 

This is where I was at the end of February IHSW

I've been completing the kloster blocks for the edging and satin stitching the embellishing for each design. 

Although this weekend I didn't get much time to stitch I did stitch around another design and I turned a corner on the edging.

I'll be working on this when I can, I hope to take it on our cruise in April as it isn't much to pack. 

My Mum is quite unwell at the moment, she has been for the last 18 months. We're taking everything day by day so I can't really make firm stitching plans.


Friday 15 March 2024

Gifted Gorgeousness March 2024

 

Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted each month by the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching. GG, on the 15th of each month, is when we share our latest gifts. These can be gifts given or received, or any item made using fabric, threads, buttons, ribbon, chart, backing fabric that has been gifted. If you visit Jo's blog you'll find the links to everyone's Gifted Gorgeousness posts, thanks Jo.

Our lovely daughter turned 30 last month. I always stitch something for her birthday and wanted to stitch something special for her special birthday. I found this dandelion chart on Etsy and added the wording. I love how it's turned out and very pleased with the frame I chose.


I've done a little more on my biscornu, the blues are so lovely.

I had fun stitching this little key ring that was a gift for my birthday last year. As usual with mini kits the fabric was a bit tight in size do I needed to get it placed just right but there was loads of spare thread. I've used it for my scout HQ keys.

My final gifts are from DJ, two beautiful Santas for my tree. Thank you so much DJ they are perfect.



If you would like to stitch a Santa for my tree at this year's Festival at St Laurence's Church, you can stitch on plastic canvas or perforated paper if you have any but if you'd prefer to stitch on fabric please use a design that is just Santa and is no more than 3" x 3" in size. 

If you send me your finished Santa on whatever you've used in a card it should be normal letter post. If sending from overseas please value your letter if asked for customs to £10 or equivalent. If a high value is put I may have to pay a custom charge, thanks.

I will add backing and hanging ribbon and make up any fabric ones. 

Let me know if you need anymore info, it would be so nice if you have time to stitch and send a Santa, it does make the tree special with ornaments from everyone, thank you.

This year I will be donating the Santas to charity, probably nearer the following Christmas and it will be to either a children's hospice, our local hospice or an old peoples' home. It seems a waste for the ornaments to sit in my attic in a tin so over the year I will be looking at where best they could be given.

Sunday 10 March 2024

March's Fully Finished Objects

Rachel, Ten Hour Stitcher, is the super host of Fully Finished Objects. It's a great opportunity for us to show and tell about the crafty items we have completely finished. It does make me feel like I've achieved something when I see my finishes.

This month I have three more Santas fully finished. You may have seen them in my Smalls post in February but they were not fully finished then and I appreciate not all my posts are seen and commented on. 

So here's my Santas.

I've received two gorgeous Santas from DJ, thank you. I'll be sharing them soon. Thank you to everyone who has pledged a Santa, the tree will look amazing.

I have now fully finished my Hen House which was for a challenge on Needlecraft Haven. I should have thought more where it was going before including the hanger, I may take it off and just have it free standing. 



This year I am trying to use up bits and pieces and recycling some items I have received, especially cards. 

Both these were cards from my good friend Mary, the egg was from a few years ago and I couldn't quite work out the finish shape. I bought an egg shaped tin this year which was the perfect template size. 

The robin was my Christmas card from Mary last year. Mary had already mounted it so I remived it from the card and remounted it as an ornament.



My final item for this month's FFO is a very special gift for our daughter's 30th birthday. I saw this design on Etsy and added the wording. It was a litte tricky to stitch with so many small sections but I love the effect.


Thank you again Rachel for hosting Fully Finished Objects and thank you to everyone who leaves a comment, I really do appreciate them all.

Friday 1 March 2024

March plans

 This month I hope to: 

  • work on my tablecloth 
  • stitch on my biscornu 
  • stitch two Santa ornaments
  • stitch my Easter Exchange card
  • stitch everyday on my embroidery
My main project is this month's WIPocalypse challenge to stitch on my embroidery every day.

This WIP is an online stitching course with Sarah at Hello Hooray. It's a circle of speciality stitches learning a new stitch each segment. I'm using my spare threads from old finished kits and I plan to make it into a circular table mat, that finish will be quite a challenge. I last worked on this in May 2022.

This is how far I am so far.


We don't have many plans at the start of the month, my Mum is unwell and is back in hospital. We are hoping to visit Cardiff later in the month to watch our son-in-law play rugby, his team is in the cup semifinal.

Hopefully I will have plenty of stitching time though as I have a few things that need doing.

Thank you for calling by, I do enjoy reading everyone's comments and messages

Sunday 25 February 2024

WIPocalypse February

WIPocalypse is hosted by Mel at Measi's Mutterings   I currently have two WIP projects I want to focus on. 

I have only worked on my tablecloth this month. Now I have completed the buttonhole stitch all the way around I can start on the hardanger design. I don't have a chart but it seems to fall naturally into a pattern, even the corner. I am satin stitching around the cross stitched designs.

This is how far I have done this month.



Next month I will be working on my embroidery piece for the stitch a day in March. This is an online SAL with Clare at Hello! Hooray! 

I haven't done any since 2022 and I'd really like to finish it. I'm enjoying learning about the various stitches, I already knew quite a few but it's always good to refresh. 

I mark the fabric section with my erasable fabric pen - it disappear after a while, and I'm using the threads from my 'left over' bag. They are threads left from doing kits, I must of had them for ages as it's been a long time since I did a kitted piece.

I'm hoping by doing a stitch a day in March for the WIPocalypse SAL I will get quite a bit done.

This month's question is about how many SALs we do, I've been quite surprised by my list.

10th of each month is Fully Finished Objects with Rachel and Large Project or UFO with Needlecraft Haven 

15th of each month is Gifted Gorgeousness with Jo

20th of each month is Biscornu with Needlecraft Haven

3rd Friday of each month is International Hermit and Stitch Weekend (IHSW) with Jo

Last Friday of each month is Smalls with Rachel 

Last Sunday of each month is WIPocalypse with Mel 

I also stitch the JCS Stitchalong on Facebook with Jo and the Seasonal Challenges with Needlecraft Haven.

What a lot of SALs but they do keep me focussed on my projects.


Friday 23 February 2024

February Smalls

 


Rachel at Ten Hour Stitcher is the host of Smalls SAL 2024, I love this SAL at the end of each month to see what little things everyone has stitched. 

I have stitched three more Santa Smalls for my 2024 tree for the Ansley Church (St. Laurence's) Christmas Tree Festival. 



They are small, between 2 and 3 inches high, and I'll be finishing them with felt backing and gold hanging. I need to stitch at least 2 a month to have enough for the tree, hopefully I can do a few more.

If you would like to stitch a Santa I could call the tree Santas from Around the World which would be amazing.

You can stitch on plastic canvas or perforated paper if you have any but if you'd prefer to stitch on fabric please use a design that is just Santa and is no more than 3" x 3" in size. 

If you send me your finished Santa on whatever you've used in a card it should be normal letter post. I will add backing and hanging ribbon and make up any fabric ones. 

Let me know if you need anymore info, it would be so nice if you have time to stitch and send a Santa, it does make the tree special with ornaments from everyone, thank you.

I have also stitched one of this year's Seasonal Challenges on Needlecraft Haven. This year we have four Christmas designs and 4 other designs that we can stitch over the year.

I decided to stitch Hen House, a free design from Pinker n Punkin I haven't stitched the wording as it would make the design too big for what I plan to use it for.

I'll be sharing my finushed Santas and Hen House in my March FFO post.... how is it the third month of 2024 already.


Sunday 18 February 2024

IHSW February 2024

International Hermit and Stitch Weekend is based on Facebook, hosted by Jo, Joyce, Ee Koon and Bonnie IHSW on Facebook

This is my second IHSW, it's lovely see everyone's progress especially as it's stitchers from around the world, it's great to be part of an  International craft.

My tablecloth was originally a Round Robin in 2010 and was on the theme of the four seasons. It's been in my UFO bag for years. 

The hardanger edging took me ages to work out, but thankfully it did meet when I finally got round it all. 

I'm completing the kloster blocks for the edging and satin stitching the embellishing for each design.  

This is where I was at the end of January IHSW 

And this is how it looks now

I'm so pleased with it, not just how it looks but how much I have done. I will hopefully have all the blocks done by the end of April. I would like to take this on our cruise holiday as I only need one thread and no chart.