Friday Finishing

I have a small container that is slowly getting filled with finished stitched pieces as over the past few months I have had very little time at my sewing machine. This often happens over the summer months. I hope to start working on these and get myself up to date with a few things.

Good Friday it rained here most of the day and once I'd completed a few chores around the house, I pulled out some pieces, some finishing supplies and popped on some floss tube and managed to get these three little projects done. They were all stitched during 2022. 

First up, Cannot Count My Day Complete, which is part of a free pattern by Lori Holt and can be found here: 

Stitched on 32 count vintage mocha Belfast linen with DMC 3328

Letters to Santa, which was a mystery stitch along by the Fat Quarter Shop. 

Stitched on 32 count chalkboard linen with the recommended Weeks or DMC threads:

This little red work design is by Marg Low. and the reindeer button is by Barb of Theodora Cleave buttons.

Three down, many more to go!

See you soon x

 

 

Lots of Stitching to Share

For the past few months, I've set myself a goal of spending time at my sewing machine at least once a week, even if its just for 30 minutes. I certainly did that a few weeks ago, with face mask production in full steam - making them for us, my parents, Glenn's dad, my sister in law, Hannah's friends, my friends, I think I made about 60 in total - all different styles and fabrics! 

I've been finishing up some of my Christmas stitching projects, some stitched recently and others earlier in the year.

First up, is All the Trimmings, a free pattern offered by the Fast Quarter Shop during September.  I stitched this pretty design on chalkboard linen using the recommended DMC threads. Made into a small pillow with Lady Dot Creates trim.

A few ornaments, pattern from Spirit of Christmas by Lila's Studio for some dear friends.

This is the ornament I stitched for my friend Carol in the US. I was so happy that Carol has now received this safely since mail has been a bit hit and miss to and from New Zealand. (At the moment, we can't receive any mail from the US - so sad I can't make any pre Christmas stash purchases). 

Anyways, this is Snow Joyful by Homespun Elegance

This is the ornament I stitched for another dear stitching friend, Andrea from the UK, which has also now arrived safely.  This is Dazzlin Deer by Heart in Hand.

This is Hannah's 2021 Christmas ornament, Mouse Decorates for Christmas by the Tiny Modernist. So cute!

Merry, a free pattern offered by Heart in Hand, stitched for a work friend.

2020 Prairie Schooler Santa ready to be added to the basket

Ho Ho Ho by Trellis and Thyme, stitched for a friend's grandaughter.

Lastly for today, a new start from earlier in the month, Little Deeds Sampler by the Scarlett House.
 

I'm using most of the recommended threads and 32 count Limestone belfast linen. This is going to be a gift for one of my younger cousins, who was meant to be having her graduation ceremony from Medical School at the end of November but it has now been postponed until May 2022. We're all very proud of her. She is now working as a Junior Doctor.

Have a fun weekend, and see you soon xx

Stitchography Project Bag

Hello dear friends, and welcome to another week. I'm so happy as the sun is out after nearly a whole week of dreary, drizzly rain and there's even some warmth to it. Feels like summer is on it's way!

Today's stitching project to share is a finished project bag.  Stitch -O-Graphy was a chart released by the Fat Quarter Shop back in early August to celebrate World Cross Stitch Day. It can still be purchased here

Mid August and New Zealand was back in Level 4 Lockdown, the strickest of our lock down measures, where we all had to stay home once again from work and school, and only leave our homes for essential shopping and services.  It was middle of winter too so with a bit of extra time on my hands, my stitching got plenty of attention and this design became my lockdown project. 

I stitched the design with my own thread choices on 32 count white linen.

Using some Lori Holt fabrics, I followed Elizabethanncanstitch's You Tube tutorial for making this style of project bag. 

I also attached a few little charms to the zipper pull.

A fun stitch to enjoy during the few weeks our area was in lock down once again.

See you soon x

 

Eat Sleep Stitch Repeat

Back in January I stitched this sweet little design by Lori Holt.  Following a tutorial by Kimberley from the Fat Quarter Shop, I turned it into a little bag. 

You can find this tutorial on Fat Quarter Shop's Floss tube number 35 video.

This is going to be the perfect size for storing threads, etc, and a good idea to use some of your unfinished small cross stitch pieces.  

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

Mistletoe Lane Part 3

This month I've been trying to get some of the projects I started in July finished, three are done, yay! I'm working on the finishing of these so will share pics soon.  

Last night I finished Part 3 on Mistletoe Lane, I'm aiming to have this finished by the end of the month too.

My fabric is a lighter grey colour but it's so hard to get good photos in the winter day light.  Spring is on its way though. 

I hope you have a good week friends.

See you soon xx

Mistletoe Lane Mystery SAL

When it was announced there was going to be a mystery stitchalong held throughout Jolly July by the Fat Quarter Shop, I couldn't resist signing up.

For the Mistletoe Lane project, I'm using some grey Belfast linen I found in my stash and the recommended DMCs.

Here's Part 1:

Last night I finished Part 2:

I've now started Part 3, so I'm a bit behind as the final part gets released this Friday.  It's been a really fun project to stitch.

See you soon x

Jolly July 2020

There's only a few more days left in July and I'm finally getting a Jolly July update done!  Jolly July is a month long stitch along organised by Kimberly of the Fat Quarter Shop and Priscilla and Chelsea, from Stitching with the Housewives.  

I had some big plans this month but I only ended up stitching on the following projects as well as some progress on Kringles. I'm definitely going to do a rerun during August.

First up, Christmas Typograph by Pine Mountain Designs. The funny thing about this one is that when I spotted that Kimberly was going to stitch this design it reminded me that I'd had the chart in my stash for many years. Of course I then couldn't find it so I was so pleased to be able to purchase a PDF chart for it from here. 

I'm using the recommended DMC threads on white linen. I've left out the third row of the pattern for now as I'm going to adjust the "white Christmas" line to something else.

Moving along with Be Merry & Bright, this is such a lovely design.

Jolly St Nick and Rudolph by Stitching with the Housewives, which I'm stitching on 32 count chalkboard linen.

I've purchased several of the ornament charts by Priscilla and Chelsea as well.  I absolutely love to be able to buy PDF charts and get them sent directly to your email. Especially with the current situation with world wide postage and shipping, orders from overseas can take several months to arrive here in New Zealand, depending on the country they are coming from. 

See you soon x

A project bag for a project bag!

While browsing Pinterest recently, I went down a "rabbit hole" of vinyl project bags, ha ha, and came across a You Tube video for a  different clear vinyl project bag by Lorrie Nunemaker and here is the result!

I will be popping this away into my gift box for a friend later in the year but for now so you can see the size of the bag, I'm storing a new cross stitch project in there.

I've had this lovely pattern ever since it first came out several years ago, it's a collaboration between Hands on Design and SewMuch2Luv.  I was recently reminded of it when I watched the Fat Quarter Shop's weekly Floss tube video. Kimberly had stitched the design, using her own thread colours, and made a project bag.  You can see it in this video.

I've planned a red and black project bag so I'm using DMC 321, 414 and B5200 for the thread colours, and my fabric is a piece of Lugana that I had in my stash forever - it's a light blue and grey colour.

A fun stitch so far! See you soon xx

Jolly July & Cross Stitch Journal Update

The 1st of July is here, wow, half way through the year already!  We've had some very cold, frosty days for the past week but at least the sun is out and it almost warms up, lol.  

This week is the last week of the school term for Hannah, then the holidays start. We are getting excited at our house as our next family holiday is almost here - this time we are heading to the Gold Coast, Australia.  Our friends Rosie and Brendon, and their children are coming along too so we are all on the countdown to hopefully some sunshine and lots of fun!

Before I go on holiday, I'm planning to participate in Jolly July, have you heard about it?  Kimberly from the Fat Quarter Shop, Priscilla and Chelsea had this great idea to get a head start on their Christmas ornament stitching, picking 31 ornament starts for July.  You can read more about it here: 

I must be crazy as I've sorted out about 15 ornaments, all kitted ready to go. As you probably know, I do stitch ornaments all year round but this idea sounded like too much fun not to join in. 

I even made two new project bags!  I used some cute Lynette Anderson fabric I've had in my stash for ages.

I think the half the fun of these stitchalongs is the preparation - sorting out charts, finding threads and suitable fabric.

 I also spent some time this weekend getting my HP Sprocket printer set up and tried it out with a few pics for my new Cross Stitch Journal.

The photo paper has the option of removing the back so it can be turned into a sticker.

Making them the perfect size to stick into the journal.

Now I feel very organised!!

Thanks for stopping by and all the kind and lovely messages - have a happy week xx

See you soon xx