‘A Pretty Song’ - 2025 Holiday Countdown – Day 17 & 18

As the stitching progresses, we are now adding to the centre of piece and we have two more beautiful threads from Roxy Floss Co,

Cashmere and Belladonna

We’ve also had some more artwork on the back of one of the charts.

This is a silver box in the shape of a swan by Huybert van de Berch, Dordrecht, 1639.

There was no artwork on day 18 because Jacob from Modern Folk Embroidery has kindly given us another bonus chart, making 4 extra charts so far.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Project

‘A Pretty Song’ -  Holiday Countdown 2025

 A celebration with Evertote, Modern Folk Embroidery & Roxy Floss Co

Designer – Jacob de Graaf – Modern Folk Embroidery

Fabric – 36ct Linen – Vanilla Custard - Roxy Floss C0 / Evertote

Threads – Roxy Floss C0 / Evertote 

Snow Globes – Hello from Liz Mathews

Over the weekend of the 5^th December, I joined in with the ‘Jingle Ball’ and took part in three of the virtual classes and yesterday I spent the afternoon having fun making up my Snow Globes.

I decided that I would make two globes to start with, one in a jar and the other in a plastic globe that I came across in ‘The Works’. I had pre-stitched all the little pieces, including a little Robin, because he is known as our Christmas bird over here.

The first one I completed was a little woodland scene, with a tree, reindeer and rabbit.

Then, I went for a winter scene, complete with a house, snowman and my little robin.

I was so pleased with the way they turned out and especially loved the technique that Liz came up with to stiffen the stitching around the edges to stop the fabric from fraying.  It’s definitely something I will try using again on other projects.

Now I need to get a wiggle on and finish the projects from the other two classes, but instead I've been trying to catch up with  ‘A Pretty Song’,  the 2025 Holiday Countdown. 

You last saw it when I had reached day 6. 

Now I've reached day 16 and I've caught up.

I'll share all the previous, fantastic artwork that Jacob has given us later, as well as all the gorgeous Roxy Floss, but todays artwork is ‘Argonauts in Peacock Boat from 1664 and the floss was  ‘On the Air’

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Happy  Stitching!

Sue

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You’ve Been Framed!

 It's only taken 3 years to get the oldest of these pieces framed.

But this was the weekend!

You will have already seen that I ordered the frames from my usual supplier, Picture Frames Express, a few weeks back and this has been the first opportunity I've had to get them done. 

The first project that I framed was ‘Sing for Joy’ from Cottage Garden Samplings which I finished in April this year.

All the other projects are all Evertote, /Roxy Floss Co and Modern Folk Embroidery Holiday Countdown related.

First is the Holiday Countdown from December 2022, which was a Frisian Band Sampler.

And that year we were also given a bonus chart, ‘Dream of a Winter Garden’.

Next is the Holiday Countdown from 2023 and that was ‘Gathering the Last Fruit’.

And finally, last year’s Holiday Countdown was 'The Yule Dance’.

This year’s Holiday Countdown is coming along nicely, although I'm still playing catch-up and I'm currently stitching on day 9.

But I already have the frame for it, so there shouldn't be a 3 year wait for this one!

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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12 in 25 - Believe – Christmas Blue Ornaments – Joan Elliott Designs

Last week I was on a high because all the plans I had made had gone well and I achieved everything I'd set out to do.  This week…..not so good!

Some things have gone well, including the finish of my final stitch for the 12 in 25 Christmas Ornament Sal, hosted by Carol from   Stitching Dream Blogspot

‘Believe’ was the 9^th of the Blue Ornaments that I changed to Gold, from Joan Elliott.

I even managed to correct last month’s one that I had mistakenly finished on the wrong side.

So, here’s my little tree, displaying this years efforts, well 10 of them anyway! 

The other two have already gone to their new home.

Thank you Carol, for the fun challenge again this year and roll on January!!

I managed a new start last week, which I also FFO'd and one other FFO.

The new start that I fully finished was ‘Snowman’, a free chart from  Erin Elizabeth Designs 

And the other FFO was ‘Toy Shoppe’ from Dimensions.

I ordered the custom frame from  Picture Frames Express .

Now, the things that didn't go so well were the two stich-a-longs. I feel bad, having promised daily updates, because I’ve not done a single one.

I’m still playing catch up with ‘A Pretty Song’ the Holiday Countdown from Evertote, /Roxy Floss Co and Modern Folk Embroidery.

I’ve just finished day 6 and love how it’s coming along.

As for the Santa Claws is coming to Town, from Historische Stickmuster , well I’ve not touched it at all since then.

As you know, I changed the linen because I felt to was too stiff and swapped it for a lighter colour.  But I’m not happy with that either, so I ordered four new pieces of linen from 123 stitch. 

All I have to do now is decide which one to use and start over again.   Third time lucky!

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Tis the Season to be Jolly!

I know I’m a few days late, but Happy December my stitchey friends, I hope all your planning for the ‘Big Day’ is going well and you have some time relax and enjoy the season.

I love the lead up to Christmas and I’ve been busy decorating, but the one job I really hate is putting the lights on my tree. 

It’s only a 6 foot one, so how those of you that have much bigger trees (and more than one come to that) manage, I’ll never know. One thing I do know for sure is that when the time comes for a new tree,  it will definitely be a pre-lit one!

I’ve no finishes to show you at the moment but I do have three new starts.

The first is my final ornament for the 12 in 25 Christmas Ornament Sal.

As I was pulling out my ornaments to decorate this morning, I realised I had made a blunder on the one from last month and I can’t believe that I didn’t notice it before.

As you know, I’m finishing them all the same with the stitching attached to the velvet side, but somehow I managed to attach this one to the back, instead of the front. 

Now I have to try and prise it off carefully, because I don't have any of the velvet left and try again.  Oh well, there’s never a dull moment when I’m trying to FFo things, Lol!

My next new start is the Evertote, /Roxy Floss Co / Modern Folk Embroidery, Holiday Countdown 2025, that this year is called ‘A Pretty Song’. 

I hope to have daily progress on my Instagram,  but failing that, I’ll be back here next week.  This is the first two days stitching and the two beautiful threads.

My final start is ‘Santa Claus is coming to Town’ from Historische Stickmuster , and the chart is actually an incredibly fantastic freebie, in four parts, that can be downloaded from their web site.

You can also purchase the Soie d’Alger silk thread and fabric pack from there too.

I did get the silks and fabric but to be honest, I didn’t much care for the 34ct fabric that came with it.  It was so stiff, so I put it aside and pulled a piece of 36ct ‘Parchment’ linen that I already had.  It’s a little bit lighter in colour but I think it will be fine.

Here’s my small start.

I don’t know about you, but I’m already enjoy all the ‘flossmas’ recordings on YouTube.  The trouble is, I keep finding new ones to watch and I’m getting nothing else done around the house, Lol!

Well, that’s it for now.  Enjoy all the festive goings-on and especially enjoy time with all the special people in your life, be them friends or family.

I’ll be back in a day or two with some more progress, so in the meantime……….

 Happy Crafting!

Sue

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 Oh, how could I have forgotten, it’s the Jingle Ball this weekend!

I hope to cross paths with some if you if you are attending and if the time difference permits.

I finished enough pre-stitching to hopefully make two snow globes at Liz Mathews class.

‘Toy Shopee’ - Dimensions Kit.

Last week, I said that I was determined to complete the Dimensions kit I started last year and that’s exactly what I did. 

I worked monogamously on ‘Toy Shopee’, and now is finished.

When I put it down last week, I only had across the top left to

stitch, and that didn’t really take too long to do, but what did take the time was all the back stitching and French Knots.

Mind you, it’s so worth the effort because it brings out all the detail. 

I’ve already ordered the custom frame, so I’m happy that this will be on display in time for Christmas.

Updated to show FFO  (10/12/25)

Talking of frames, I had another delivery from Picture Frames Express last week, so, what four projects do you think I'm I planning to fully finish?

You'll have to wait until next week to find out!

The only other thing I stitch on this week, was to start the pre-stitching for the second of my Jingle Ball Classes and that is‘ 'Snow Globes' from Hello from Liz Mathews.

I want to try and get the stitching done for at least two globes because once we hit December I will also be working on two daily Sals and my December Ornament, so I don’t think I’ll have much spare time, but we will have to see.

I hope your plans for December stitching are well under way and you have some wonderful designs in the pipeline.

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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12 in 25 - Merry Christmas – Christmas Blue Ornaments – Joan Elliott Designs

 Can you believe that we are already half way through November?

I’ve been busy stitching again this week and have just finished my latest ornament for the 12 in 25  ornament  stitch-a- long. 

Just one more to go for this year and I’m already thinking about what I want to do for next!

The plans that I mentioned last week have gone well for once and I managed to do everything I had hoped, so after finishing my ornament, I continued with the stitching on the Hindeloopen Pinwheel, from Modern Folk Embroidery, which I also managed to finish.

Now I just have to tackle the fully finishing!

Knitting wise, which I appreciate doesn’t look that interesting, I reached and cast off the stitches for the underarms and am about to cast on the first sleeve.

And the final thing I stitched on was my oldest wip.

I started  ‘Top Shoppe’, a Dimensions Gold Collection Petites kit in November last year and was hoping to get it finished in time for Christmas that year.  But I had forgotten that these kits can be a little complicated, due to the fact that the number of threads used and the type of stitch used varies a lot throughout the piece.

I did make great progress at the time, but realising I wasn’t going to get it done, I put it away, in favour of other stitching.

Yesterday, I pulled it out again and this time I AM going to finish it!

Here’s where I left it last night.

The other thing I was happy to get done, was to frame a couple of projects.

Firstly, the frame I ordered from Picture Frames Express for Log Cabin Christmas arrived and I’m so happy with the way this turned out.

The second one was an older project.

I was out shopping in the week and came upon a frame in the homeware store ‘Dunelm Mill’ which I thought would work well with the Blackbird Design ‘Flowers For You’ that I stitched to honour my mum.

The frame was a little big which meant that I was going to have a 2’’ border all the way around.   I was fine with that, but in the end I decided to put it on a  piece of mount board with a piece of scrapbook paper behind it.

This coming week I’m going to be stitching some more on the ‘The Toy Shoppe’, fully finish the Hindeloopen Pinwheel and possibly make a start on the pre-stitching for Liz Mathews  Jingle Ball ‘Snow Globe’ project, because the ball is just around the corner!

Are you going to the ball and if so what projects or classes will you be taking?

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

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