Scissor keep and another Winter Wonderland

I really enjoyed making the scissor keep for Gill for the Needlecraft Haven Meet Up Exchange. I hadn't made one before in this style, but found it quite easy to stitch. It is the same idea as stitching a biscornu or coaster, a symmetrical square.

stitched square

I used an online chart to stitch my square, Gill had written that blue was her favourite colour so I used DMC Satin S931 and piece of blue evenweave from my stash (although I cannot remember now if it was 32ct or 28ct). I stitched it over one and followed the chart on my tablet as opposed to printing it off.

I chose a pale blue for the lining and cut both pieces to the same size, then attached then front side together. Turning was a little tricky, especially to get the corners out. Joining two edges together to make the pocket gave a neat line which I attached a button to make a fastener. All in all a lovely piece to stitch and finish.

stitching and backing fabric

stitched with button

finished piece

complete with scissors

I have been working on my next Winter Wonderland piece - Bluebird Cabin by Country Cottage Needleworks and have today finished it. There was quite a lot of snow which took a while, I do like it but I'm not sure I'll do the snow on the others that Justine gave me as it takes so long and I need quick pieces for my tree.

Bluebird Cabin

My next stitching is ...... well I'm not sure really. I have my autumn piece for the Four Season SAL on Needlecraft Haven, I have more pieces for Winter Wonderland, I have a few test pieces to have a go at and I have a gift to do ..... so after writing this I'll be spending an hour looking at those projects and choosing which comes first.

Two exchanges

A quiet month spent at home slowly recovering. We did have a few days away in Kent and Calais which you can read about at Aimetu's, it certainly did us good as we both needed a bit of away time. 

Hubby and I on Herne Bay Pier

It's been exchange time at Needlecraft Haven - Holiday Exchange and Meet Up Exchange.

The Holiday Exchange is in two parts: the first part we needed to choose and print a free online chart on a Christmas theme. This needed to be parceled up with suitable fabric and the relevant skeins of thread and sent to our partner for Opening Day on 1st July.

We had to include a card or note and although with or without your name, as there were only a few of us and we are spread around the world it would have been easy to see who your parcel was from anyway.

I received a lovely snowman chart which I'll add to my Winter Wonderland collection for church. The design was Snowman in my Window by Homespun Collectibles The fabric in my parcel was 28ct Mountain Blue evenweave with DMC 434, 501, 720, 822 and 844 as well as a skein of white and black.

My Holiday Exchange parcel 

The second part of this exchange is to now stitch the design and finish it how ever you choose ready to include a photo in the Holiday Exchange Gallery when it opens on 1st September. That's when we find out officially who sent our exchange parcel.

The other exchange, Meet Up Exchange, is the one we set up at each meet up. We write our details in a card along with a few extra details relevant to the exchange theme. This time the item to be stitched was either a scissor fob or scissor holder and should be in the colour stated in the card.

We picked cards at random making sure we didn't choose our own. The meet up was 22nd April and opening day was today.

I've received a lovely fob stitched by Angi in my favourite colour lilac. The flowers are beautiful and such a clever idea to stitch on both sides - thank you Angi.

I'll share photos of the scissor fob/holder I stitched in my next blog as my partner has not yet posted about it. 

I have also stitched a gift piece but I can't share that just yet. At the moment I'm working Country Cottage Needleworks 'Bluebird Cabin' which was gifted to me by Justine. It will be another ornament for my Winter Wonderland tree at church, it's coming along nicely.

Bluebird Cabin 

Thanks for calling by to read my news - happy stitching