Country Charm - Fiona Baker

Well, I hit my deadline of fully finishing ‘Country Charm’ in time for my cousin’s 70^th birthday on the 8^th January but it was down to the wire!

Don’t ask me why I left it until the day before to actually sew the cushion, given that I finished the cross stitch 6 days prior, and considering I was attempting to put in a covered zip for the first time. 

But I did, and then I had a problem putting on the binding and had to unpick part of it........talk about panic, Lol!

Anyway, it all turned out well in the end and I’m happy to say that my cousin loved it.

Project Details

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 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.

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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Stitchy Kindness

 Thanks to the postal strikes here in the UK, I received a few more Christmas cards this morning and one had come all the way from the USA.

I can’t say it was a complete surprise, because I had been told it was on its way, but what was inside was.  

The card was from Stasi from  bee-mused and bee stitching,

who is a regular visitor and commenter here on my blog, and inside was a sweet little ornament that she had stitched for me.

She says it made up of Bristol Sampler motifs and that the large crown represents ‘that God is near and has a plan, and the smaller crown indicated ‘you have the power to make decisions that can change your life.

Thank you Staci for your beautiful gift, I will treasure it because it’s the first thing I have been given that was stitched for me and thank you for your support here over the last year.

Let’s both look forward to a new year of Fabric, threads and charts.

  

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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A New Year and a New Start…….. All be it a little late!

 Here we are, half way through January and here I am wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and yes, like many of you I was pleased to see the back of 2020 for more reasons than one.

Firstly the pandemic which is affecting everyone –

I’m fortunate that up to now no one that I know and love has been taken by it, but a few did actually catch the virus which was worrying.  At least we have the vaccine now, so my fingers are well and truly crossed that we can soon get back to some sort or normality pretty soon.

The next reason 2020 was a crap year for me was the loss of my sweet companion BoJangles back in November –

It’s so sad and strange not to have his little paws on my lap when I crafting.  I miss him so much.

And lastly, it was the problem with my eyes that made 2020 a bit challenging.

I won’t go over it all again, as I’ve mentioned it on here before but I’ve had various problems since my detached retina but in 2010, culminating in a cataract operation that didn’t go to plan and left me with bad double vision, but the good news is that back in September I had laser treatment on it and it’s virtually back to normal now and I can finally get back to my first love……cross stitch!

So, onto the ‘crafty’ stuff!!

Up until now, because I was unable to stitch, I’ve been filling my time with knitting and crochet.  So when a friend of my was clearing out her loft and came across a Tiny Tears doll that her Grandmother brought for her when she was a child(She’s 60 now!) and told me she would never get rid of her but her clothes were looking tied after all those years, I decided to made some for her as part of her Christmas present.

As you will see from the photos, I had a small problem because they made two different sized Tiny Tears and not knowing what size hers was I had to guess……and got it wrong, Lol.  Mind you, she was still pleased with them.

So are you ready for the Tiny Tears Fashion Show?

The next thing I worked on was a disaster too.

Back in 2019 I decided to knit myself this jacket in a Deep Plum yarn. 

I finished it but felt that because it was knitted on 10mm needles, the stitched were very loose and it didn’t hang right.  So it sat in a bag in the bottom of the cupboard until December last year, when I decided to unpick it and knit it again, this time on smaller needles. 

Now fully finished for a second time, I’m still not happy with it.

I don’t know what it is, may be the fact it has no neck shaping, I just don’t know, but what I do know is that it’s going to be unpicked again and next time I’m going to knit a jumper instead.

 

My last project was crocheted.

I’ve been using up some of the many odd balls of wool to crochet lap blankets that will go to one of the many projects on the Helping Hands Facebook Group.

The one I’ve finished was using the mile a minute pattern, where you crochet strips and join them together.

And the second one, which I am still working on will be made with granny squares.

 Well that’s it from me for now.  Join me next time to find out what my new discovery has been during lockdown.

 

Please stay safe in these uncertain times and

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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Please feel free to leave a comment if you stop by.

The Nativity

 Having searched for some time to find the perfect Nativity set to knit or crochet  for my God-Daughter's two girls, I finally settled on this one from Knitables .com and downloaded it.  

I made a few little changes to the original, adding more Gold trim and beads on the three kings and an embroidered blanket, complete with tassels on the camel, but  I decided to omit adding the feet to the figures, as I was having trouble getting mine to stand….they looked like they had been at the ‘Christmas Spirit, Lol!

The pattern said to put a circle of card in the bottom of each of them but I found that wasn’t heavy enough, so after some thought  I added circles of air dry clay, which seemed to solve the problem.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.  

 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said unto them, “Do not be afraid. I bring good tidings of great joy for all the people. 

Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”    So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

  

  The stable was made by the girls Granddad and the girls set up the scene, but I'm not quite sure why the shepherds are standing on the roof.

Please stay safe in these uncertain times and

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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Please feel free to leave a comment if you stop by. 

 

Time for the ‘C’ Word

 Yes, it’s finally time to get down to some of my Christmas crafting.

While I was searching for preemie baby patterns during the summer, I came across the fabulous website   Kerry Jayne Designs.  

I think what drew me to the site was the beautiful colours that Kerry Jayne uses for her designs and the way all the different collections mix and match with one another.  I also loved the convenience of being able to download the patterns immediately, which is perfect when you’re as impatient as I am to get started once I’ve decided what I’m going to make.

I hear you asking what all of that has to do with the ‘C’ word…….

Well, as well as her patterns for the baby clothes, she also has patterns for Homeware, Halloween and Christmas…..there, I got to it!

 A friend of mine had also been browsing the site, came across the Christmas Collection and asked if I could make the Santa Bunting for her.

The pattern was downloaded immediately, but sadly I still had to wait for my King Cole, Big Value Chunky from The Wool Warehouse  to be delivered.  

Fortunately they were as efficient as always and I had it within a few days and made a start.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I hate waste, so with some of the leftover yarn a made this little angle using a free pattern from Oombawka Design.com

And then I used up the Red and Cream by making two Poinsettia Candle Holders, using a free pattern from Highland Hickory Designs.com, adding some Green wool from my stash.

Please stay safe in these uncertain times and

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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Please feel free to leave a comment if you stop by. 

Covid 19 – Hearts & Rainbows

So, it has been another busy weekend of crochet and sewing.

I have completed another nine rainbows, all of which have homes to go to and I have sewn a further 48 hearts.

The crochet pattern for the rainbows is free, c0urtesy of
Kerry Jayne Designs   

Mind you, it didn't all go as smoothly as I had hoped, because I had a major catastrophe this morning, when I was trying to finishing the hearts off.  

Much to my annoyance, I somehow managed to break the bar in my overcasting foot on my sewing machine, meaning I was unable to continue.  I've managed to order a new one on line,  but the down side is that I  now have to wait until at least Thursday for it to be delivered before I finish the last few off.

In the meantime I'm changing production to toiletry bags to keep me occupied while I wait. 

Please all stay safe and well

&

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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Covid 19 – Rainbows Around The World

As the deadly Covid virus has been creeping around the world and leaving its deadly legacy, another phenomenon has been sweeping its way too…..Rainbows!

All around the world Rainbows are appearing in windows, to bring a bit a cheer and boy do we need it right now!

Here in the UK we are showing support for our NHS and the selfless work they are doing, by filling our windows with every kind of Rainbow you can think of.  Children are making beautiful posters and mosaic, chalking on walls and pavements and even colouring individual bricks on garden walls! I've also seen crocheted and knitted Rainbows hanging in windows.

I came across the wonderful  ‘Rainbow of Unity’ pattern that was being offered free on Kerry Jayne Designs and I’ve made five already.

One is heading to my Goddaughter for her two girls.  In fact it was here that pointed me in the direction of pattern in the first place.

The others four are for myself  and three neighbours.

 They will be hanging in our windows in pride of place when we ‘Clap

for the Carer’s' every Thursday evening, an event that I find more emotional with each passing week.

Please all stay safe and well

&

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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A Bit Too Close To Home

It’s quite rewarding being able to make items, whatever they be, for the Facebook group   Helping Hands, and knowing that I’ve been able to make a small difference to other people while still enjoying my passion for crafting.

I started making heart shaped cushions back in 2015, when a very good friend of mine had to undergo a mastectomy and up until that point I hadn’t realised that something as simple as a cushion could bring so much comfort to someone after their surgery. 

I made two for my friend, and then two smaller banana shaped ones, that she said were more comfortable to use when she was driving.

That was the start.

Since then I’ve made more than a hundred, all of which have gone to Broomfield Hospital in Essex, and that have been given to unknown women who have gone through something that I hope I never have to face, please god.

But in recent months, another special friend of mine has found out that her family carry the BRCA2 gene.  Fortunately she was tested and was clear, but she has already lost one of her sisters to this awful disease and another is undergoing chemo at the moment.

 These latest four special cushions have been made for Donna with love in every single stitch.   Needless to say that we are all praying for a good outcome.

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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Please feel free to leave a comment if you stop by. 

Belated 2017 round up

Once again I haven’t updated my blog for some time, November in fact, but in my defense Blogger wasn’t playing the game. 

After changing my browser to Google Chrome, every time I tried to log in it wouldn’t let me, saying I had conflicting accounts.  I’ve still not managed to sort it out and have gone back to using Outlook Express, using a temporary log in which is working for now but I don’t know how long that will last.

If anyone know the solution to this, a heads up would be gratefully received!

Anyway, as you know from my last posts, I was in the middle of making four throws that were to be Christmas presents for some very special friends and I’m happy to report that did finish all four in time.

The first two were patterns from Polly Plum’s ‘Stardust Melodies’ Cal, which turned out to be pretty, textured, squares.

And the second two were made following the Kavala CAL.

I must admit that I found these squares a little more challenging but I was pleased with the finished results.

Again, you will see from my previous blog posts, that I had started to list the squares individually and write about the inspiration that each of the designers worked to when coming up with the patterns, and at a later date I will add those that I have not done yet.

But for now I’ll just show you the finished throws.

Another project that has been finally finished is the Peacock Throw that I was asked to help with, via  Helping Hands.    Back at the end of 2016 I started to crocheted the basic throw and a cushion, finishing it by  Feb 2017. 

This was then sent off to the other ladies who had crocheted and had to sew on all the Peacock feathers.

Finally this month I received photos of the finished project.

The final ‘fun’ project I have to share with you from the end of last year is the three Troll Hats that I made for my Goddaughter and her two girls.

Well, that it’s for last year….now to chatch up on 2018.

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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