FFO Frenzy

During my last post I said that my sewing machine was coming out and that I would be ffo’ing some of my finishes over that weekend. 

Well that didn’t happen for one reason or another and since then I’ve had some more new starts and finishes, so yesterday I eventually pulled out everything I needed and got stuck in at long last.

First off, I did the quick and easy finish of the Mill Hill Ornament ‘Angel with Lantern’,  by  making a beaded hanger with the left over beads and then covering the back with some sticky backed velvet.

The next ffo was also a simple one because it was going into a frame that I’m going to change out each season. 

That was ‘Floral Etchings 2’ from Heart in Hand. 

It involved lacing three flat pieces.

And they have been put into this frame for the Summer season.

This was Spring (Floral Etchings)

The third thing I had waiting to be ffo’ed was ‘Patterned Pretties’ by Jeanette Douglas, which was a Christmas gift from Stasi, over at Bee-mused and Bee-stitching.

It was a kit which came with the wool backing fabric, and I added some cream cotton lace around the edges.

Then, I as I was looking through my bits and bobs from my scrapbooking days, I came across a little oval frame that I thought might look ok on the back, with my stitched initial in it.

Then it was onto the three finished panels of ‘ Beach Rules’ from Primrose Cottage,.

Beach Rules

Soak Up The Sun

And 'Ride the Waves' which I had just started and mentioned in my last post.

With four more panels to stitch, last night I finished another new start, ‘Build Sandcastles’, so that's already in the pile to ffo with the next batch!

Here’s my little display so far

My final new start and ffo was my Cross Stitch Camp piece for JUne, ‘A Stitch for all Seasons’ from the summer 2026 edition of Just Cross Stitch.

Originally I was thinking I would make all four panels into pillows and I may still do that with the other three but when it came to the Summer panel, I decided to make a thread bed.

I still have to stitch this year’s camp badge and will be doing that with the same threads that I used for my June project, so until next time…

Happy Stitching!

Sue x

May = Cross Stitch Mania

 As I look back over what I stitched on last month and my stats,  I’m very pleased that I completed everything I had set out to do, and that was to have five new starts – one for each weekend in the month.

In actual fact I did better than that and managed 6, five of which were finishes. 

I also stitched on one of my wips too, not bad when you consider that I also had a four day break away and for the first time in ages I didn't take any stitching with me, so I only stitched on 27 day this month.

You have already seen the progress on my wip – Bluebird of Happiness from Cottage Garden Samplings. 

You have also seen the first of my new starts, which was also a finish. 

’5 Gold Rings’ , one the panels from  Bothy Threads, ’12 Days of Christmas’.

New start and finish No.2  was Floral Etchings 2 from  Heart in Hand Needlecrafts,

I’m calling these the summer panels, and when they are 

ffo’d they will be swapped into the gold ornate frame which currently has Floral Etchings 1 in it.

New start and finish No.3  was the first of the two Christmas ornaments that I stitch each year for my goddaughter’s two girls.

This is the Jim Shaw kit ‘Angel with Lantern’ which is a  Mill Hill Kit from 123 Stitch.

The final 3 new starts, two of which were also finishes, were panels from  Primrose Cottage, ‘Beach Rules’ ,

that will be ffo'd into pin pillows.

Beach Rules,

Soak up the Sun,

And a small start on 'Ride the Waves'.

I’m hoping to get my sewing machine out over the weekend and try and get some of this little lot ffo’d!

My next new start is already lined up and ready to go because now we are into June and that can only mean one thing…..

Cross Stitch Camp 2026, hosted by Sheri,  Colorado Cross Stitcher.

As always, Sheri has designed a free camp badge which I will

stitch and add to my camp project bag.

As you can see, I've participated in Camp for a good few years now and the back of my project bag is full, so this will be the first badge on the front.

Our task for June is to stitch a chart from a magazine and I’ve decided to stitch ‘A stitch for All Seasons’ from the Summer 2026 issue of Just Cross Stitch.

I thought these little quilt inspired pin pillows were so cute and I think I will eventually stitch all four of them, but for now I’m going to stitch the summer (blue) one.

I’m using a piece of 14ct unknown Aida and various thread from stash.  Some are the called for and others are substitutes.

See you all by that camp fire!

 

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue x

‘All Year Round’ Stitch-a-long

I’m on a high and a low today

The high is that I have completed the final segment of the ‘All Year Round Sal that was being published in Cross Stitcher Magazine every month for the last year and I’m sad for exactly the same reason.

I’m going to miss the anticipation of what the next flower might be and incidentally, I was totally wrong last month when I said I thought we would end with SunFlowers, Lol!

 The August segment was in fact Pink Waterlilies and a pretty Blue dragonfly.

I’m not going to lie, the back stitch, despite the fact I don’t mind doing it, was a bit of a pig, when trying to do it on 18ct Aida with stitches falling halfway along or in the centre of the block, but all in all I’ve really enjoyed working on this so much.

I was considering putting it in a frame but in the end I found an old hoop that was the perfect size.  I gave it a couple of coats of green acrylic paint and then added an organza bow and sprig of artificial flowers.

I still need to add a covered board on the back, but will tackle that at the weekend.

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

X

  

Project Details

All Year Round Sal – from Cross Stitcher Magazine

Designer – Amanda Butler

Fabric – 18ct Aida – White Zweigart

Threads – Anchor and DMC’s

Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

 

All Year Round Stitch-a-Long – June & July

 Can you believe that we are already halfway through the month and almost half way through the year too.

I’ve been on a roll with the ‘All Year Round’ sal, thanks to the fact that the magazine  ‘Cross Stitcher’, which hosts the sal each month, publishes it a month in advance.

So not only did I have the chart for June but also for July, so instead of just stitching the right segment during the appropriate month (ie June during June) I decided to go on and stitch July as well.

The June  potion features solitary flower heads of Centarea Cyanus, better known as Cornflowers.

Don’t you just love that cute little bee!

The section for July really indicates that summer is in full bloom, adding a big pop of yellow with the pretty Roses.

You can almost smell their fragrance!

Now I have just one segment left to stitch for August and the sal with be finished and I wonder what flower we will get?

I’m thinking Sun Flowers, what do you think?

Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

 

Project Details

All Year Round Sal – from Cross Stitcher Magazine

Designer – Amanda Butler

Fabric – 18ct Aida – White Zweigart

Threads – Anchor and DMC’s

Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

All Year Round Stitch-a-Long – May

 Just four more segments to go on the ‘All Year Round’ Sal and May is the final one for Spring.

This features the common blue butterfly as it feeds on the nectar of Anemone Blanda which is better know as the Winter Windflower.

I also stitched on Mary Allcorn 1764.

I completed the band of flower vases and the band of Satin Stitch.

 I used two strands of threads for this because I wasn’t happy with the coverage of just one and was much happier with the results.

Finally I made a start on the most prominent alphabet on the sampler, stitched in Algerian Eyelets over four threads and also the band of tiny Algerian Eyelets below it, stitched over two threads.

That’s about it for now.

I still have to sort out what I plan to stitch for the virtual  ‘Cross Stitch Camp’ this year and get the latest badge stitched, as well as stitch my May ornament for 12 in 25, so enough to keep me going until the end of the month, so until then,

Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

 Project Details

All Year Round Sal - from Cross Stitcher Magazine

Designer - Amanda Butler

Fabric - 18ct Aida - White Zweigart

Threads - Anchor and DMC's Standard Cotton Threads

Mary Allcorn 1764

Designer – Hobby House Press

Fabric – 36ct

Threads –Gloriana Silks and Classic Color Works Belle Soie Silks