And we're off .....

I started my rotation this week and it's going really really well. I can't share my Monday and Thursday night's stitching as it's from an exchange but I can share my other night's work.

Tuesday night is The Drawn Thread and I started my July piece - I am very behind with these. I will be altering this chart slightly as it focuses on USA Independence Day. Here's my start:

The Drawn Thread - July

Wednesday Night is usually spent in The Parlour on Needlecraft Haven with Miss Barb and friends. In the past I've stitched 'A Place We Call Home' as this room is for Little House Needleworks, Country Cottage Needleworks and The Sampler Girl designs.

I have finally started my Santa's Village by Country Cottage Needleworks. I am very late because I haven't had time to plot it out - I can hear you asking why? well my plotting is finally done - any ideas


Santa's Village - plotted out

I'm making a table cloth but it certainly will not be ready for this year so Miss Barb I will be in The Parlour every week next year :) I have now finished in all the ends and am ready to start stitching next Wednesday. It took nearly a whole day to measure and plot, then finish in ends. One problem was my first choice of tape measure - can you see what's wrong??? It now lives with Stig (of the Dump) !!

So confusing

It's been exchange time too on Needlecraft Haven - Autumn Exchange and Spooky Exchange. My partner hasn't posted up about the Autumn parcel I sent yet so I won't share the photo this time. However I can share the gorgeous exchange Jane sent to me - the exchange was a stitched coaster, some speciality threads, something to pamper and a little treat. I love the teapot card Jane send too.



Autumn Exchange from Jane

I haven't received my Spooky Exchange parcel yet but I know it's on it's way. I sent to Barb and had great fun stitching this for her; I know she has opened her parcel so I can share the photo. Have you seen the Freddo chocolates with popping candy in? They were a great idea for Halloween so I popped a few in the parcel for Barb's grandchildren.





Spooky Exchange with Freddo's

Spooky Exchange for Barb

I finally arranged for my old bike and some of Dad's old tools to be taken by a charity - http://www. krizevac.org  They take bikes and tools and refurbish them for use in Malawi, The tools were very old and needed a lot of attention but this gives work for some of the villagers and then the refurbished tools are of course very useful. Again repairing bikes gives someone work and the bikes make a huge difference to peoples lives - being able to go to school because you have a bike and it was too far to walk is a huge step forward.

 

The charity rang to arrange a collection time and a lovely chap arrived as agreed and was so pleased with the items which I thought were beyond use. I'm very pleased I contacted them and I think Dad would be happy knowing his tools had gone to good use.

Here's my Orts Jar for this month - you can see some orange from stitching the exchange pieces - I wonder is red and green will dominate now as I move into Christmas stitching.

 

31st October Orts jar

Finally here is my Autumn/Halloween Mantle - it's looking quite full this year. I'm going to leave it up a while as I'm not sure what November items I have.

 

Autumn Mantle

That's all my news for now but I will be blogging again quite soon as tomorrow is Needlecraft Haven's Autumn Meet-up - I love these days.

Thanks for calling by today and reading my news :)