Country Charm - Fiona Baker

I have one final finish that I’ve managed to sneak over the line  before the bells ring in a new year.

As you know, I’ve been on a bit of a deadline, but I’m pleased to say I stitched the last of the beads and sequins on this morning.

 The fabric I ordered from Etsy also arrived this morning, so I have six days left in which to  get my sewing machine out

and make the cushion, so it’s all looking good, although I still can’t help wondering why I set myself these tight deadlines!!

Country Charm – from The World of Cross Stitching Magazine

Designer – Fiona Baker

Fabric – 36ct Linen – Parchment – Nicolas Flamel Designs

Threads – DMC’s

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Santa's House - Cottage Garden Samplings

A year ago today, I decided to join in with the 12 x 12 Sal, which in my case equated to  12 new starts in the 12 hours leading up to midnight on New Year’s Eve. 

Up until now I had finished 10 of my 12 stitches with just 'Sing For Joy (which incidentally I haven't picked up since starting it) and Santa’s House still needing to be completed.

But today I put the final stitches into Santa's House, bringing my total to 11, which I'm very happy with.

 This is where it was when I last stitch on it.

And here it is finished.

I’m not joining in with the Sal again this year because I’m not really happy having so many Wips, but I will be having a new start later today, so pop back tomorrow to see what it is I start.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Updated -  25/3/25 to show finishing

Santa’s House

Designer – Vinniey P. S. Tan- Cottage Garden Samplings

Fabric – 36ct Linen – Grey Sand – X Ju Designs

Threads – Cottage Garden Threads & DMC

The Nordic Holiday Countdown 2025 - Its a Finish!

As we rush headlong towards the end of another year, it’s almost time for my round-up for 2024, but before we get there, I was hoping for just a couple more finishes.

The first project was my Nordic Holiday Countdown, which I’m pleased to report I did manage to finish.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was missing my day 6 thread that was unfortunately absent from my countdown package, but I decided at the time to replace it with the DMC alternative.

My daily stitching was going well and then I hit another snag on day 17, when I found that I had a duplicate colour and not the one I should have had. This time I made the decision to leave this part of the stitching  and see if the replacement would arrive before I got to the end.  As yet it hasn’t, so I had a look at my previous two sets of countdown threads and picked out ‘Yule Be Pine’ from the 2023 countdown and used that in its place, in order to have it finished this year.

13/12/25 - Updated to show the framing

So, that was it for another year.

A big, big thank you to Caroline and all the crew at Evertote, for coordinating everything and for her daily floss tubes,

 Kerri from Roxy Floss Co for the stunning array of beautiful threads

and last but not least, Jacob of Modern Folk Embroidery for another spectacular project, his wonderful music, art work and informative floss tube videos.

I’m sad that it’s come to an end but there was one last little gift for us, another of  Jacobs beautiful charts to keep us busy until the 2025 Holiday Countdown goes on sale in February.

The second project I’m hoping to have finished is 'Country Charm', designed by Fiona Baker, and it’s so close.

This is the piece I’m stitching as a 70th birthday pressie for my cousin, and I need to have it finished and FFO’d by the 6^th January. So wish me luck!

There's just a small amount of cross stitch left to do on the right hand side and then finish the back stitching, so I think I'm on track for a finish, as long as the finishing fabric that I've 

ordered from Etsy arrives in time.  I've had notification to say it's on it's way it’s on its way, so my fingers are crossed.

As yet I have no plans for stitching on New Years Ever, although I do have a few things that I could possibly start but New Years Day I will definitely be starting my new Chatelaine, Humming Bird Lace, so do check back to see all the glorious silk threads and beautiful crystals!

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Chatelaine - Butterfly Lace Mandala

 She’s back from the framers and she’s a bit of a big beast!

I knew she was going to be large, but I hadn’t taken into account the extra width of the three mats, which I don’t usually bother having. 

She just a smidge under 29 inches square! 

On this occasion they really add something to the piece and also keep the art glass from resting on the crystals.

Just in case you missed the stats before, here they are again.

Started 9th September 2021
Finish 31st August 2024
Total of stitching days = 109
Total beads & crystals = 3414
Total cost (unframed) £253.47

The framing was done by my usual framers,  Frames of London and cost wise, let’s just say it cost significantly more for framing than the project cost, and leave it at that, but worth every penny I might add.

You can go back and see the  previous pictures  here.

I plan to start Humming Bird Mandala on New Years Day

Designer - Martina Rosenberg - Chatelaine
Fabric – 28ct Jobelan Evenweave – Antique White
Threads – Called for Silks, DMC and Petite Treasure Braid
Beads – Swarovski Crystals and Delica Beads

Happy Stitching!
Sue
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Christmas Countdown

 Here we go with parts 15 and 16 of the Nordic Christmas Countdown, the collaboration from Evertote,  Modern Folk Embroidery and Roxy Floss Co.

Day 15 we had the most beautiful deep, deep burgundy thread, called Pinot Noir. Sadly the colour doesn't show up well here, but believe me, it's lush!

And we had to stitch what looks like the start of the lower portion of the design.  I think this is my favourite thread so far.

I may have said that before, Lol!

We also learned about a ‘flammable’ tradition from Jacob, that is all about a burning goat  over on his You Tube channel.

Day 16 is another shade of thread that’s fighting for 1^st place in my favourites list, ‘Gilded’. 

The name says it all really, because it’s a rich golden yellow and is perfect for today stitching, which are some crowns among other things.

Right, I’m off now to listen to the beautiful piece of music that Jacob has for us today.

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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 Chart – The Nordic Christmas Countdown 2024

Designer – Jacob de Graaf – Modern Folk Embroidery

Fabric – 36ct Linen – Glacier – Roxy Floss Co / Evertote

Threads – Roxy Floss Co

Country Charm - Fiona Baker

 I’m definitely under pressure with this stitch, because it has to be done and FFo’d before the 6^th January, but it’s coming along nicely.

This it where it was the last time you saw it.

And this is where I am now.

 The second of the three hares is finished, except for the back stitching and I’ve started stitching the White flowers.

Country Charm – from The World of Cross Stitching Magazine

Designer – Fiona Baker

Fabric – 36ct Linen – Parchment – Nicolas Flamel Designs

Threads – DMC’s

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

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The Nordic Christmas Countdown 2024

 It’s been fun opening up my envelopes every morning and I’ve been good at keeping up with my daily stitching but I’ve not been so good at posting my progress.

Well, today’s the day and I’m catching up with days 8 to 14!

The threads this year are not as big a range of colours as in the previous two years, but instead the project has been designed with various tones of a more limited pallet.

We start with day 8 and a beautiful ‘Slate’  thread to add to our floss rings.

As you probably know the part of the chart we have to stitch each day is on the other side of these cards but once again Jacob has excelled with the art work on the fronts. He also treats as each day with a surprise on his You Tube channel.  

Today he greets us with a  Song.

On to day 9  and Jacob has researched why Santa chose to have Reindeer pull his sleigh. 

Our thread for the day was ‘Milk Chocolate’, a gorgeous brown thread that looks good enough to eat!

Day 10 thread has Red/Pink tones and is aptly called ‘The Cherry Best’.  

and jacob's little gem is about some of his  favourite games,,   including one game in particular, that even he couldn’t get his head around the rules. Lol!

On Day 11 we had a poem on the card, The Dish of Tea., by M.P. Gavaux, from around 1800.and inside our envelope we had a little extra surprise, so we could make ourselves a cup of Decaf Vanilla Chai. 

There’s also  an  Icelandic Christmas song for us to listen to.

The thread for the day was  ‘Coniferous’.

 According to  Icelandic tradition,  the 12th December is the day that the 13 Yule Lads arrive in Iceland to cause mayhem through the season and the last one doesn't leave until the 6th January.

Our thread today is ‘Ice Rink’

When I picked up my stitching, I realised that I had missed several leaves from the previous days stitching, so I had to play a little bit of catch-up before starting today’s section.

The 13^th of December is Saint Lucy’s Day and Jacob explains the story and sings a song that we have all heard before.

We had 243 stitches to do in today’s thread ‘Pink Peppermint'.

The final day of this update is the 14th and it's a special one because Jacob had something very special for us.  The clip today is a zoom he recorded with  Ruth from Crow’s Feet Stitching, where they were discussing Nordic Embroidery.

Our thread for the day was ' How Do You Blue' 

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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 Chart – The Nordic Christmas Countdown 2024

Designer – Jacob de Graaf – Modern Folk Embroidery

Fabric – 36ct Linen – Glacier – Roxy Floss Co / Evertote

Threads – Roxy Floss Co

 

Prairie Schooler- Santas & Snowmen – The final one!

I was beginning to think that wouldn’t make it to the end of the 12 in 24 Christmas Ornament SAL this year, but I made myself put the last stitches into the final Ornament

and FFo it and the November one straight away.

These two will remain as ornament for this year, but next year they will fit into this box,

so that I can display the four Santas over Christmas and change them out of the four Snowmen after, for the rest of the Winter.

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Project Details

Chart -  Santas & Snowmen – Book 151

Designer -  Prairie Schooler

Fabric – 36ct Wren Linen – Picture This Plus

Threads – Called for DMC’s