Stitch from Stash - February

My month's slightly overlap because otherwise I would miss the deadline for emailing Mel. I am really enjoying this challenge - although I was never really a big stash enhancer.

It's a great way to see how much I have achieved over the month and how many bits and bobs I've used up :) so here's my February's update:

Charts

• The Drawn Thread July - previously purchased
• The Drawn Thread August - previously purchased
• alphabet from 2001 design book - I was given this book by my Mum and used the design for this thank you card

Fabric

• 28 count pale blue (Thank You card)
• 28 count ecru (Monthly Challenge - I can't share a picture of this yet) 
• 32 count off white (spring exchange)
• 28 count country blush (August - The Drawn Thread)

Thread

• DMC colours as required for charts
• DMC perle 12 & 8 ecru as required for charts

Finishing

• Blue 5mm ribbon (Thank You card)
• Blank card and envelope (Thank You card)
• Christmas material (Monthly Challenge)
• Christmas material  (LHN Pear Tree ornament) 
• Gold cord (LHN Pear Tree ornament)
• Gold ribbon (Monthly Challenge)

I had stitched this but hadn't finished it -
backing fabric and ribbon from my stash

All my other stitching this month has been on my on going projects - The Drawn Thread August, Poinsettia House from Santa's Village, Welcome RR and spring exchange. All threads for these have been from my stash.

Additions to Stash 

• LHN Home of a Needleworker chart (bought with 123stitch gift certificate)

• Cross Stitcher magazine - gift from friend
• Weeks Dye Works Begonia - Valentine exchange gift
• Amour - French Country - Valentine exchange gift

• Cross Stitch Card Collection by Clare Crompton - book from Mum
• 2001 Cross Stitch Designs - book from Mum
• Cath Kidston ribbon - used a gift voucher but had to pay £1.00

I had £3 left on a gift card and
this ribbon was £4 so I spent £1

• CCN Gingerbread Emporium - promised purchase from 2013
• CCN Santa's Sleighworks - promised purchase from 2013
• LHN Simplicity - promised purchase from 2013
• LHN Faith - promised purchase from 2013



These charts cost me £2.50 each but I had already promised
to buy them back in 2013

Here's my over view of my Stitch from Stash February - I'm certainly pleased with my additional stash and stash used :)

 

Amount Spend: £1.00 (but £11.00 if past promised purchases are included)

 

New Starts from Stash: August The Drawn Thread, Monthly Challenge(finished),  Spring Exchange, Thank You card (finished)

 

WIPs or UFOs worked on: Santa’s Village, Angel Blessings, Welcome RR

 

Month of Entry: February

 

I'll have quite a few finishes next month to share as much of my work this month has been secret - one item I declared in January was the Valentine Exchange which I sent to Dusty. Here is the scissor fob I stitched for her - its a Drawn Thread free chart and I stitched it over one.

 

Scissor fob for Dusty

Thanks Mel for organising this - now to start recording my stash for March - happy stitching everyone x x

 

 

New start - fun times

It's been a busy week - well 10 days actually. We took Hubby's Mum and her partner to Cardiff the other weekend to visit Philly at Uni. Nanna had not been to see her in Wales as last year she was too unwell to travel. We combined it with seeing Philly for her birthday (Monday this week - I can't believe she is now 20). We had a great time - lots of giggles.



Philly's snapchat on her phone to her friends
- I think she'd missed me :)
 

Me - Philly - Hubby

  

The three giggling girls

Café Rouge meal for Philly's birthday

The photos were taken on Philly's phone - a little blurry but they certainly show the fun we had.

Back home my February mantle looks amazing this year - lovely cards from and for Hubby, and two from friends. I have two ornaments from previous exchanges, my February Drawn Thread and a beautiful heart glass given to me by a good friend when I left work.

February Mantle

 You can see my gorgeous dozen of red roses in the mirror - DH arrived home with them of Friday and they have lasted so well. I took this photo this morning.

A dozen red roses from my lovely Hubby

Yesterday I did some baking but oil was a bit of a cheat. Aldi stores sell Wright's cake mix for £1.50 which is as cheap as the ingredients. If I need a sponge or special cake I make from scratch but Wright's mixes fro ginger, carrot, toffee and madeira cake are great for a quick bake. You can make them in the bread maker but yesterday I made a batch of ginger muffins - mixed and baked in 25 minutes - eaten in 5 !!

Ginger muffins

Last night I started my August piece from The Drawn Thread. I finished the border on my July piece when we were in Cardiff with Philly. I made quite a good start last night but it's away now until next Tuesday.

July stitched

August started

 The rest of my stitching this week has been on my secret spring exchange which I can't share. But I can share my UFO piece which I work on at the weekend. I am so near the finish with this - Angel Blessings - just one angel face to do and the back stitching so hopefully a HD this weekend.

Angel Blessings

Dusty has received the Valentine exchange and oh my it was so funny. I actually stitched for her what she stitched for her partner !! I stitched her scissor fob over one so it was slightly different as I had to alter a few stitches.

Scissor fob for Dusty stitched over one

Parcel for Dusty - LK chart, choccies, ribbon, thread,
scissor fob and handmade card

Dusty is also the current stitcher on my Welcome RR with Needlecraft Haven. She has so kindly done a little extra and has stitched two letters on each piece. Here's her photo of the pieces she's done.

My Welcome RR

Phew lots of news - I didn't think I had that much to write this time haha. Thank you for reading my latest news and for leaving your comments - I love knowing your thoughts so thank you for sharing them.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all my friends and family - it's a special day for Hubby and I as we were engaged on Valentine's Day in 1986 !!

It's Opening Day for the Needlecraft Valentine Exchange - the theme was hearts and friendship. The task was to stitch a scissor fob for your partner and also send three small gifts on the given theme.

I had great fun choosing my chart and stitching my fob - although I can't share just yet as my partner has not opened her gift. I hope she likes it :)

I have opened mine - it's been looking at me for over a week so I was very, very excited to be able to open it this morning.

My partner was Deb who is new to Needlecraft Haven but is an active member with lots of posts.

I have been very spoilt - Deb sent :

 

stitched a beautiful fob with scissors

an absolutely gorgeous beaded heart brooch

a quilted table mat

an apple scented candle

two quirky hearts

'Amour' by French Country

Weeks Dye Works Begonia

 

scissor fob with scissors

beaded heart

Valentine's Exchange parcel

I just love all my gifts - thank you so much Deb - I will be wearing my heart today as Hubby and I are off to the cinema this afternoon.

Enjoy your Valentine's Day - hug all you loved ones and hold them close x x x

Rotation update

This year as well as joining Stitch From Stash I am also stitching on a rotation along with my friends at Needlecraft Haven. It is certainly helping me stitch more - January was full of finishes and I made good progress on long term projects.

Here's my rotation with an update for each day:

Monday is exchange or gift stitching - this week I started my  NH spring exchange piece. We do chat a little eon the forum about fabric, threads and finishing fabrics but we don't show charts, finishes or say who we're stitching for. Here are the threads for my piece

threads for my spring exchange

Tuesday is catching up on my The Drawn Thread calendar pieces - they are for the mantle each month but last year I stopped at May so I'm trying to catch up. I have early finished July, just the border to go. I did change it slightly as there should be an American flag for Independence Day.

The Drawn Thread - July

Wednesday is one of my favourite stitching days as Barb hosts The Parlour at Needlecraft Haven where we stitch any design from Little House Needleworks, Country Cottage Needleworks or The Sampler Girl.

If you're a regular visitor you'll know I'm doing Santa's Village as a table cloth - a very long term project. I made quite good progress this week on my Poinsettia House, it's stitched over 1 so takes me a little longer.

Poinsettia House

Thursday is again exchange or gift stitching and Friday is time to work on my Round Robin. This week I did my Round Robin on Thursday as we had friends over for dinner on Friday.

There are 5 of us doing the NH Welcome Round Robin - Dusty, Gillie, Lynn, Urszula and myself. I am working on Urszula's at the moment, the start of the roof is my work so far.

Urszula's Round Robin

We had a lovely meal with our friends - we haven't seen them for quite a few years. After two cancelled dates we finally got together, lots of catching up :)

I made baked camembert starter, chicken in tarragon sauce for main and poached pears with chocolate sauce for dessert.

Baked camembert

Poached pears with chocolate sauce

The weekend is for UFO stitching with Julie and Mr Stick. I'm working on Angel Blessing but this week end I'll have to skip as we're off to Cardiff with Nick's Mum and partner to visit Philly for her birthday. I'm taking some stitching with me though - July to do the border :)

I am hoping for another successful rotation week this week - it is certainly a way for me to keep up with all my projects and I'm not rushing to finish for deadlines. In fact I have already stitched and finished this months Challenge set on NH by Christine - but I can't share that just yet.

Please add your comments about rotationing, its always good to read what others think - thank you for calling by at Aimetu's Stitching

February starts

February already - my rotation did not go so well for the last week of January but I did catch myself up.

I took a day out to do the Thank You card (previous post) so I missed Wednesday in The Parlour with Miss Barb and the Needlecraft Haven ladies. I did pop by late on Friday to do a little on my Poinsettia House - it was quiet nice to sit and quietly stitch but I'll be back on Wednesday this week to chat with the girls.

Poinsettia House

Yesterday Hubby and I popped to Leakes to have a browse - it had everything for the home, we came home with some great ideas. A new towel rail for the downstairs loo was our only purchase - fitted and looking good.

Yesterday afternoon was pure pleasure - RUGBY - the start of the Six Nations. The first match was Wales v Italy from Cardiff Millennium Stadium (Wales won) and the second match was France v England from Stade de France Paris. France were in the lead but the boys pulled it back to win by a small margin. Brilliant afternoon of sport and stitching, although I didn't get much stitching done as I was engrossed with watching the rugby boys.

Here's my progress on my UFO - Julie and Mr Stick will be pleased. I finished the top corner, the centres of the trellis and started the bottom corner. I'll be doing a little more this evening too so it should grow a bit more.

Angel Blessings

 I have my Valentine exchange parcel to put together tonight ready for posting tomorrow. My rotation should be back on track from tomorrow which means I'll be stitching on the Spring Exchange for Needlecraft Haven.

Thanks for reading my news - good luck to everyone doing Stitch from Stash with Mel