My 2024 stitching

What a lovely stitchy year I had, not so many finishes as other years but I really enjoyed working on many different projects. My absolute favourite was the dandelion I stitched for our daughter's 30th birthday in February, how time flies.

February was a busy stitching month as our son's girlfriend also turned 30. I upcycled one of my boxes and made a sewing kit for her with a padded top, I find watch and old jewellery boxes perfect for upcycling. 

My friend and her hubby celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in October , I loved stitching this beaded sampler for them. I also enjoyed stitching a wedding card for their son and fiancé who got married in May - quite a year of celebrations for them all. 

I really enjoy the exchanges with my super friends at Needlecraft Haven, our Valentine's Exchange was non-stitchy but we did have three ornament exchanges: Easter, Autumn and Christmas. They are always such fun even if we know who is sending to who as being a small group we recognise everyone's postcode on the parcels - hee hee 

I did quite a lot of upcycling this year, I have many stitched cards from over the last few years of exchanging and I managed to make them into ornaments. It was tricky at times as there wasn't always much spare fabric at the edges, I also stitched together two of my Mum's lace samples to make a coaster and changed a mini pillow into a small mat. I'm hoping to do a bit more upcycling this year as I still have bits and bobs about, especially cards. I made new Christmas cards for 2024 from the previous years and will be doing the same for Christmas 2025.

We have a Seasonal Challenge each year at Needlecraft Haven, Christine posts links to for Christmas themed and four general freebie charts and we can stitch them throughout the year. This year I managed to stitched the Hen House which now lives by my egg rack and three of the Christmas designs. The robin is my Orts Ornie for 2024 and is stuff with all my orts from last year. 

I'm trying to reduce my crafting stash, hence the upcycling and card making, I also managed to stitch up a few kits I had been given over recent years. The Wales keyring is perfect for my Scout HQ keys and I gave the butterfly to our friends' granddaughter for her new bedroom when they moved house. 

As you know much of my stitching is gifted, I rarely stitch anything that hasn't already got a designated purpose or recipient. This Christmas I stitched two humbugs, one for our daughter and hubby, the other for our son and his girlfriend. There are four in this series so I think they have guessed what may be stitched next year, although who knows as I might find other designs. 

With Mum passing away last summer I have inherited more craft items. Although I didn't do the same crafts as my Mum fabric and thread can be used in many ways. Mum had a lot of felt and this Christmas I made gnomes for my friends and family. I still have plenty of felt left so I might make a few more to be sold at our Christmas Fair at Scouts next year. 

For Christmas 2023 I gifted my Needlecraft Haven friends a biscornu chart with a different flower for each of us. My chart was a blue iris which was my Grandmother's favourite flower and her name. I'm hoping this year to stitch the other biscornus in the series, they are by Faby Reilly who also designs the humbugs and designed the chart I gave to everyone at Needlecraft Haven this year - the Christmas Crew. It is actually a design of all the characters together but I stitched them individually on plastic canvas and gifted one to each of my friends along with the chart for us to have a 2025 SAL as we did in 2024 with the biscornus. 

My biggest stitching finish of 2024 was finally completing my tablecloth. This was a Round Robin many years ago and it had been waiting for me to finish the edging. It's always tricky marking out hardanger, I worry about if it will meet up. I only did kloster blocks this time, no wrapped bars as they take too long. I'm so pleased with it, it now has pride of place on our table. 

My 2024 tree for the church festival was a Santa Tree, huge thank you to everyone who stitched and sent a Santa. My 2025 tree will be a non-stitchy tree as I want to focus on more of my own projects - there is an opportunity for you to join in if you wish, I'll be posting details in my January Gifted Gorgeousness post.

I've had a super 2024 and hope next year will be filled with many stitchy moments. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and busy needles in 2025.