Temperature SAL and April Round Up

The end of March saw a pause in my Temperature SAL cake band. I'm stitching one for winter which is January to March and October to December, and one summer band April to September. 

I have completed 13 weeks on my winter band, you can see we did have some warm days. 

I've completed three weeks on my summer band, I stitch on this on a Sunday so I have another flower to do tomorrow. This flower will be the temperature on our recent holiday in South East England, you can read about our adventures on my travel blog although I still have some posts to write. 

Oh dear what a poor month. I just don't seem to have got going with many things, hopefully May will be better. 

I have stitched 7 items but the only finishing was the card for the Easter Exchange. I have been stitching on my tablecloth and doing other crafts such as baking but I do hope I can stitch more next month. 

April Smalls

 

Mary at Mary's Thread is the lovely host of the Smalls SAL. On the last Friday of the month we share our small stitching items that we have completed but not necessarily fully finished. 

Mary has a link up post on her blog so we can pop over to see everyone's work, it's super to see all the lovely stitching. Thank you Mary for hosting this great SAL. 

I have not stitched as much this month, it's been an unsettling time. It was my mother-in-law's funeral earlier in the month, a busy time with family coming over from USA.

We had a weekend in Cardiff to see our daughter, Easter time with friends and a week in Sussex where the light in our lodge was not great for stitching.

So I only have a few smalls this month. The S is for my mother-in-law. I did the lettering in white and used yellow for the flower, she had yellow roses at her wedding. 

K is my step-dad, the Es are for both my granddads and the I for my grandmother. 

I have more family initials to do, hopefully in time for next month's Smalls SAL.

TTSAL April -Something for Yourself

 

This month's Topsy  Turvy SAL is 'own choice', a time to do something for yourself. I am always stitching gifts, exchanges or ornaments for my church tree so it's nice to have a chance to just stitch for pleasure.

I decided earlier in the year to do The Happy Stitch Project with Clare Albans at Hello Hooray. It's a great project as each week there is a new stitch to learn with a tutorial video to help. 

I am really enjoying learning the various stitches, it is nice to just stitch although I'm not sure what it will be when it's finished. 

You can take part in the Topsy Turvy SAL on your own by just following each month's theme or by joining the Facebook Group. The only rule is to wait until 20th of each month to share your project .... happy Topsy Turvy stitching. 

Gifted Gorgeousness in April

 

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.

My first gift is not stitching but stitching related. I recently finished my Baked Goods by Little House Needleworks for the Travelling Chart with Needlecraft Haven and made it into a box lid for keeping my icing bag and nozzles in. It was so lovely to use my new box when I made a few Easter chocolate dairy free (ish) cupcakes for our daughter and partner.

My new sewing machine has been put to use again. I made a Coffee Koozie for my Hubby. No patchwork this time, I used a single piece of fabric and stitched a few vertical lines to keep the wedding in place.

I have received two more super letters from Gill, one of the lovely ladies at Needlecraft Haven. Her best friend is also a member but due to I'll health has not been stitching for quite a while. Gill has stitched her I initials for the tree, what a lovely gesture of true friendship, thank you Gill. 

I have also received these beautiful letters from DJ, they are perfect. Thank you so much DJ, you are very kind. 

Another month of lovely gifts, it is so nice that my hobby not only provides a pastime for me but is also a way to share love and kindness with others ... it's quite a special thing isn't it! 

Easter Treaure Hunt Blog Hop 2022

🐣🐰🐣🐰🐣 It's Easter Treasure Hunt time 🐣🐰🐣🐰🐣

Thanks Jo for organising another Blog Hop. I love visiting everyone's blog looking for the letters to make up the message - it's a lovely way to say hello to blogging friends and meet a few new ones along the way.

If you'd like to go blog hopping you'll need to visit Jo's blog Serendipitous Stitching where you'll find the links to all the bloggers taking part, of course you can just visit the first blog and follow their links as we all post who to visit next.

But before we start hopping here's my Easter stitching, it is the Easter card I made for the 2021 Needlecraft Haven Easter Exchange.

My letter this year is my maiden name and our son's initial, it's always nice when the letter means something. 

Keep it safe and get ready to hop over to Leonore's blog for you next letter ... good luck! 

🐣🐰🐣🐰🐣 Happy Easter 🐣🐰🐣🐰🐣

Fully Finished Objects in April

 

Rachel, Ten Hour Stitcher, hosts Fully Finished Objects, a super chance for us to show and tell about the crafty items we have completely finished. Thanks Rachel, your FFO prompt each month really helps me finish my projects, especially my letters for this year6church tree.

I have finished four of my own letters and seven letters I received in the post from my stitchy friends. The first two of my letters are my initials C F, Clare Frances.

The other two letters are for my parents, Janet and Ronald. We have many J's and R's however they are all different designs.

The first of my gifted letters is a beautiful S from June, it's a super design but I wasn't sure which way round it went as it looked lovely either way. Thank you June.  

Needlecraft Haven is such a friendly forum, although we live in various parts of the UK, Europe and USA we are close friends. Gill stitched four letters for the tree, her own initials and N H for our forum (NH are also my Hubbys's initials). Thank you Gill.

Julie is the nearest Needlecraft Haven member geographically to me, we have in the past enjoyed meeting up for coffee and hopefully we can again soon. Julie has stitched J and P which are her and her Hubby's initials. Thank you Julie.

Last month's Topsy Turvy SAL was all about summer, there's some lovely stitching in the Facebook Album, thanks everyone. I decided to stitch a Lizzie Kate freebie with free colour choice, I did frog a bit as my original colours looks more autumnal than summer. It will soon be time to hang it on my tree which is currently full of Easter decorations. 

My final Fully Finished is Baked Goods by Little House Needleworks. This is the Needlecraft  Haven travelling chart for 2022 which started with Mary in France.

You won't be surprised to see I have covered a box with it, hee hee. It is the perfect size and design for an old watch box that now had my icing bag and nozzles in, it's good too that the box has a plastic-ish coating so is wipeable. 

I don't usually record my stitching, certainly not time or stitches - everyone's pie charts are so impressive but recording stuff everytime I pick up a needle is too much faff for me, although I would enjoy making the charts.

I have however started recording my work and when I have blogged it as I was getting very confused with what I had included where. I have a page at the top of my blog for my finishes but I felt I needed a blog post record... it's working well. 

So far this year I have finished 38 items, this is including letters sent to me. I have quite surprised myself! 

Happy stitching everyone ... it's Eastertime soon 🐣

Topsy Turvy SAL - Something for Yourself

 

It's treat month this time, any small design for yourself. It can be absolutely anything but something for you. 

Maybe you have always wanted a coaster or a bookmark but never had time to stitch one.

Maybe you have seen a design you'd love to stitch but haven't. 

I am always stitching for others: usually the church ornaments and birthday, anniversary or Christmas gifts. I have stitched things for me but always with a reason like covering my boxes.

I have quite a few designs I have seen that I would like to stitch, I need to make sure I don't pick a large one as I'd like to finish it and not have it left in a drawer .... time to go stash hunting! 

So I have no photos or suggestions as this month is personal to you 😘 

An Album will be open on 20th in the Facebook Group and at Needlecraft  Haven. Please share your stitching on your blog on or after the 20th too.

Happy stitching!