On the Go

I stitched the very last of my 2020 Christmas ornaments last night, well I think it is, I need to do a count up this weekend, ha ha. Then I have a pile of finishing to do! 

I have so many projects lined up to get more stitching done on, or to start, and I'm also going to participate in the Jolly Housewives SAL with Kimberly from the Fat Quarter Shop and Priscilla and Chelsea. I've got several of the Stitching with the Housewives designs printed off ready to go, and I also thought I might squeeze in a couple of the charts I didn't get to during Jolly July.

But my first new start is going to be this lovely chart by Pineberry Lane, Merry & Bright. I was so happy last week to see it was available on the Pineberry Lane website, it can now be purchased as a pdf, after being a club exclusive design for the past year.

I've been trying to get few rows in every week on the cosy stripe blanket, the colours are so vibrant.

I'm up to the very last part on Jack Frost Tree Farm series, started at the end of 2019, I am really hoping to have it stitched by the end of this month.

This super cute and sparkly needle minder was sent to me recently by Deanna of Cherryhill Stitchery, isn't it gorgeous.

Recently I decided to restart Blessed Bee, which was one of my Stitchmaynia starts. I'm much happier with the 32 count fabric, vintage mocha belfast.

How's your Christmas gift stitching going, if you do any, or have you started any new projects lately? 

See you soon x

Christmas Ornament finishing

My little pile of stitched ornaments has finally received some attention. These have been stitched throughout the year, mostly over our winter months, Sundays (santasundayxs) and Mondays (merrymondayxs), which are stitch alongs on Instagram.

Cool Yule by Hands on Designs - I used the recommended DMC threads on black 32 count belfast linen.

Chicken Joy, a free design by Priscilla and Chelsea, Stitching with the Housewives, I also used black belfast linen with most of the recommended threads.

Warm Wishes is a design by Lizzie Kate from Tiny Tidings XVIII, stitched on cream linen using recommended threads.

Be Jolly is by Hands on Designs and is from the Chalkboard Ornaments - Christmas Collection Part 1, stitched on 32 count black belfast linen.

Be Jolly by Pine Mountain Designs I stitched on 32 count vintage mocha belfast linen using the recommended threads.

 There are still several more to finish, which I'm working on right now.  

See you soon x

Pin Cushions for Friends

 My sewing machine has been getting a good work out lately!

First up, Choose Happy is a freebie from Hands on Designs as part of the #bewellandstitch patterns that were released by many of our favourite designers. You can find it here

This is also a design by Hands on Designs, Stitching is my Heart's Desire

The Rarest Bird is by Blackbird Designs

This one is a freebie from Lizzie Kate which you can find here

These are pin cushions that have a pocket for storing scissors, pens, highlighters, etc. 

While I was at my sewing machine I also made up this sweet design by Shepherd's Bush into a scissor fob, this pattern can be found here

All of these little designs have been stitched throughout the year and have just been waiting to be finished and now are all ready for friends for Christmas. 

See you soon x

On the Go & new stash

It's the end of another month so it's time for a round up of some of the projects I have on the go -

first up, Merrily Merrily We Welcome Spring by Blackbird Designs, I'm using the recommended fabric, 36 count Oaken by Picture this Plus and threads. I've reached the bottom left hand corner so its back to the top to continue along the top rows.

Kringles by Little House Needleworks, this has been quite neglected as ornament stitching has taken over but I pull this out every now and then.

The Last Ripe Berries by Blackbird Designs, this was my birthday start back in April, so a stitch here and there.

Lizzie Kate Christmas ornaments for family and friends

Jolly St Nick and Rudolph was a Jolly July start and I'm using a mix of DMC and Classic Colourworks threads on chalkboard linen.

The one project I forgot to take a progress photo of was Oh Joyous Day by Blackbird Designs.

This week my crochet mojo returned and I pulled out the Cosy Stripe blanket, pattern by Attic 24.  It's over half way so I'll try and get this finished by the end of the year. 

A parcel from 123 Stitch arrived recently - two new charts and this year's JCS ornaments magazine.

 

I had a very productive time at my sewing machine over the recent long weekend and made quite a dent in the pile of this year's stitched finishes so I'll share some of these next time. 

See you soon x

Mistletoe Lane Project Bag

This design, Mistletoe Lane, was a mystery stitch along from the Fat Quarter Shop during Jolly July this year.  Each week the month of July, a piece of the chart was released until the whole design was revealed.  I love being able to participate in these stitch alongs, you just purchase the chart, and then print off when the pdf chart arrives in your inbox, so easy!

I used a piece of grey 32 count Lugana linen from my stash and the recommended DMC threads.

For the finishing, I followed Lisa from Kindred Stitcher's easy project bag tutorial on You Tube which you can watch here. I've made this style of project bag several times now and they are the perfect size for all your stitching necessities.

This project bag is already in use, it's filled with all the charts I've been buying from Priscilla and Chelsea's Etsy shop, Stitching with the Housewives. There's some real cute ones!

See you soon x

The Smallest Things

One of my 2020 Stitch Maynia projects was this sweet little baby sampler design by Heart in Hand Needleart. This was also the stitching project I took with me to Christchurch back in July so I could have it all ready to go when my cousin's new baby was born.

I stitched the design on 32 count cream linen and used most of the recommended threads. 

I just love the little wooden buttons that came with the chart. The sparkly star was from my own button box.

I backed the stitching onto a piece of foam board with a layer of light pellon, then stitched the cream lacey trim around the outside before sticking onto the frame. 

And here is the little cherub himself, this little boy is so loved and cherished, we just love spending time with him and his parents too. 

See you soon x

Catching Up

 It's been a few weeks since my last post and time seems to be just rolling on by. The school holidays and my annual leave have been and gone, and its now mid October ?? Crazy!

Today I'm catching up on some of the happenings around here, I do have a lot of stitching and sewing going on, but all stuff I can't share right now.  

A few books enjoyed this month:

Wild by Kristin Hannah, which I thought was a new book by this author but it's an older one rebranded. This was the perfect read during my days off, the story of a little girl lost in the woods, who appears out of nowhere and the two sisters who take on the care of the little girl and try to solve the mystery and find the little girl's family. 

First Family by David Baldacci, another in the King & Maxwell Private Investigators series, this action packed story has lots of suspense, a few twists and turns, a very enjoyable book.

With a bit of warmer weather lately, everything in the greenhouse and gardens are GROWING! I repotted some of the succulents we have on our deck into new pots for bit of a freshen up recently and some new plants potted up too.

Vege gardens tidied and cleared, ready for more plants to go in soon.

Last weekend there was a spring market held in a neighbouring town and Hannah got to try her very first toffee apple!

Our spare bedroom recently had a makeover, thanks to my Dad.

New wallpaper, new side tables and headboard made by Glenn, and we just need to have our electrician put in the new bedside lights.

We enjoyed a day out during the holidays to Hastings, doing some shopping and having lunch out.

Cool drinks on a warm afternoon in town 

Hannah's dancing exams went really well this year, ballet, tap and jazz, the results will be coming in a few week's time. 

And lastly, aren't these blossoms just gorgeous? They are on a property that used to belong to family members and I just love seeing them at this time of the year.

I'll be back soon with some stitching news and a few new recipes to share that I've enjoyed making lately.

See you soon x