You’ve Been Framed!

And about time too, when it comes to ‘Faith’ from Cottage Garden Samplings.

This is my 8th finished piece from the series ‘The Song Bird’s Garden’ and I stitched it back in June 2021.

Since then it’s sat in the box of doom waiting for me to order the frame for it.

As usual, when I’m framing something myself, I ordered the frame from Picture Frames Express and while I was at it I ordered a second one for another finished project and then spent an afternoon FFO’ing them.

So here’s ‘Faith’

And this is ‘Santa’s House’, another piece from Cottage Garden Samplings.  

I’m not sure if I went a little OTT with this frame, but I really love the moulding and went for it.  

What do you think?

Also during the last week I managed to put some stitches into ‘Mary Allcorn 1764, the reproduction sampler.

I managed to finish the alphabet and number band

and the two bands of Algerian Eyelets, which I really loved working on.

and made a start on the flower vases on the next band.

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Mary Allcorn 1764

Designer – Hobby House Press

Fabric – 36ct

Threads –Gloriana Silks and Classic Color Works Belle Soie Silks

My Quaker Sampler Book - Pages 7 & 8 (Askworth Collection)– The Cross Stitch Guild

 I’m two more little pages closer to my finish this week.

There are just  four more of these cute little motifs to stitch and then I get to the bit I’ve been dreading, because the finishing involves hem stitching all seven of the double pages before constructing the book.

Also this past week I’ve put some more stitches into Mary Allcorn 1764, the exclusive reproduction sampler from Hobby House Press.

This was my New Years Day start and this is where I was the last time I shared it.

I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a lover of stitching alphabets, I just find them boring, especially when there are more than one in a sampler.  But I have to be honest, so far this one has been fun, so may be I’m becoming a convert, Lol!

Here’s where I am now.

There’s just something about the ghost letters that I find particularly intriguing.

I think it's also helped that the upper and lower case letters are stitched side by side, instead of stitching one full uppercase alphabet before going on to the lowercase one.  I know I'm still stitching the same number of letters but it seems quicker somehow..........well that's what I'm telling myself.

That border is no joke either.  There are so many colour changes and the frog has already been to visit on a few occasions, but at least it keeps me on my toes.  

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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 My Quaker Sampler Book -  Kit

Designer – The Cross Stitch Guild / Ackworth Collection

Fabric – 32ct Belfast Linen – Raw

Threads – 6 stranded cotton

Silk Lining fabric

 

Mary Allcorn 1764

Designer – Hobby House Press

Fabric – 36ct ‘Thornfield’ – Needle & Flax

Threads – Gloriana Silks & Classic Color Works Belle Soie Silks

First Post of 2025

Before I do a quick round up of my stitching for 2024 and tell you about my plans for 2025, I just want to wish everyone a slightly delayed Happy new Year.

I felt like I had a good, productive 2024, with a couple of very special finishes, so here we go with all the stats.

I’ve never really been happy, having too many wips on the go at any one time, because I find myself getting a little overwhelmed and then feeling guilty for not stitching on them and getting them finished. But last year I started with 15 wips, which was way more than I would normally have, and that was due to the fact that at the last minute, I decided to join in with the 12 in 12 sal (12 new starts in 12 hours)on New Year’s Eve 2023……..what was I thinking, Lol!

I also managed 37 new starts through the course of the year and had a total of 49 finishes, during the 350 days that I actually stitched on.

The big accomplishment of the year was getting my first Chatelaine; ‘Butterfly Lace Mandala’ completed, which I started back in 2021 on my 65^th birthday.

I also had a good go at fully finishing things straight away last year, instead of just leaving them in my finishing box of doom.

The good news is that there are fewer projects in there now, than there were at the start of the year. because my total of 42 FFO’s included a few of my older finishes!

My plans for 2025 are to work on and hopefully finish the two stitching boxes I have in progress.

The first is ‘My Stitching Box from Jeanette Douglas

and the other one is Bee Contained by Betsy Morgan from the Helping Hands Book.

The another couple of things I know I’m going to work on and were both New Year Day starts are my second Chatelaine, ‘ Humming Bird Lace Mandala.

By the way, Butterfly Lace is now on my wall and has pride of place above my fireplace in my living room.

The other new start is my first reproduction sampler, Mary Allcorn 1764, from Hobby House Press.

So, all in all I feel like I had a good stitching year and am well on my way this year, with some beautiful charts to keep me busy.

 

I hope you all have a productive 2025 too.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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 My Stitching Box

Designer – Jeanette Douglas

Fabric – 32ct Zweigart Evenweave – Antique White

Threads – Classic Colorworks Belle Soie, NPI Silk, Gloriana Silk Floss & Rainbow Gallery Splendor

Beads – Mill Hill

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Bee Contained – from Willing Hands 2

Designer – Betsy Morgan

Fabric – 32ct Linen – Lemon Squash

Dyer – Nicholas Flamel Designs – Etsy

Threads – Gloriana Florimell Silk

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Hummingbird Lace Mandala - Chatelaine

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

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Mary Allcorn 1764

Designer – Hobby House Press

Fabric – 36ct  Thornfield - Needle & Flax

Threads –Gloriana Silks and Classic Color Works Belle Soie Silks