Lizzie Kate Jingles

I'm very pleased that one of my unfinished projects from last year is now finished! It's been in my qsnaps for ages!

I still have to attach some buttons and decide how I'm going to finish it, maybe into a wall hanging?

Stitched on 32 countt mocha Belfast with mostly the recommended threads, this was a fun stitch. Several of the Jingles I've stitched before for individual ornaments.  Instructions on how to stitch all the Jingles in one sampler including the stitch count can be found on the Lizzie Kate website here.

See you soon x

First Finish 2017

I started this lovely design late last year but then it got put to the side so I could work on the last of my Christmas gifts. I think I'll make this into a project bag of some sort.

Heaven and Nature Sing - With Thy Needle and Thread

32ct belfast linen, mostly recommended threads

I think I'll make this into a project bag of some sort.

See you soon xx

Two Finishes from 2016

Later today we are heading off on the second part of our summer holiday, a few days away with my parents, niece Zoe and my cousin Donna and her boyfriend at one of the local beaches. It's my lovely Dad's 65th birthday today so there will be celebrations tonight with a nice dinner, a few glasses of bubbles and of course, birthday cake. I've packed plenty of books, magazines, some stitching and knitting as there's no TV or internet, so its going to be a very relaxing and chilled out few days. If it stays hot like it has been this week then most of the days will be spent on the beach, swimming and exploring the rock pools.

I've spent a bit of time this week sorting through some patterns, threads, etc trying to make a plan for the next few months with my stitching projects and other crafts. Stitching wise, as much as I'd like to get on with some new projects I do have a few that need to be finished from last year, the Lizzie Kate Jingles, and one that has been on the go for a few years now, Yuletide Welcome by Plum Street Samplers. 2017 Christmas ornaments will be started in February.  

For my knitting plans, I have a pair of socks on the go from the end of last year, these are to be a birthday gift in early February. Due to a bit of a splurge from the Wool Warehouse in the UK, I have several skeins of lovely sock yarn that I'm intending to knit up this year. I also purchased another one of Lucy Attic 24's colour packs to make myself a crochet blanket, will probably start this at the beginning of our autumn, and some more Stylecraft yarn to make a crochet blanket for a friend's new baby.

As I was putting away some threads and patterns from last year's stitching I realised that I hadn't shared a pic of this Lizzie Kate I stitched back in October.

I'm planning to make this into a project bag of some sort.

Another recent finish, just before the end of 2016, was this lovely stitch by Country Cottage Needleworks.

I loved stitching this cute design - this will probably be make into a little Christmas pillow.

See you soon x

Lizzie Kate Stockings

It's been so good to get through some of my unfinished stitching projects lately.

Flora McSample 2015's Stockings

design by Lizzie Kate

See you soon xx

Xmas Tea

A big thank you for all the comments on my previous finish and other recent posts!

You've probably already guessed that I stitch a lot of Christmas designs every year, including all the ornaments I love to give to my family and friends. One of my favourite stitching acquisitions each year has to be the Just Cross Stitch Ornaments magazine. I usually order it from the US as it doesn't tend to arrive in NZ book shops until almost Christmas. When it arrives I make myself a cuppa and then sit for awhile going through the new issue to find my favourites for the year. 

In this year's issue I was a little disappointed to see that many of my favourite designers are no longer contributing to the magazine but I still think its filled with lots of other lovely designs.

This year's favourite choice was Xmas Tea by Primitive Acorns.

I stitched this on 30 count Straw linen by Weeks Dye Works using the recommended threads.

You can purchase other Primitive Acorns patterns by designer Teresa Murgida via Etsy.

See you soon xx

December Word Play

December Word Play - With Thy Needle and Thread

stitched with mostly the recommended threads, 32 ct linen

Stitched during my holiday back in September, I recently made this lovely design into a small pillow. I followed an excellent tutorial by Jenny from Elefantz - make sure you check out her lovely blog, filled with gorgeous stitchery patterns, recipes and lots more. Jenny also offers a monthly Stitchery Club that you can join for a small fee.

See you soon xx

Our Friends Stitching Circle Project & a Get Together

The second part in the Little Help from Our Friends Stitching Circle club arrived recently from the Silver Needle.

This time we received a gorgeous hand made needle holder, it's so pretty. I love this design, I haven't stitched anything before by the Cricket Collection so I'll look forward to starting this over my summer holiday break.

It's been sometime since my stitching group's last catch up, due to one thing or another, so on Sunday I invited the ladies around as we were going to have a special friend join us for the afternoon.

Several years ago I "meet" Elizabeth from Auckland, via my blog and we've been great friends ever since. At the moment Elizabeth and her DH are on holiday, having a little road trip around the North Island, including a few nights in Hawkes Bay. This was the very first time I have met Elizabeth in person and we had a fantastic time catching up with one another.

It was a lovely afternoon, lots of chatting, show and tell of our current projects and some yummy goodies for afternoon tea, including Kath's homemade brandy snaps and I made some sausage rolls, which I knew the ladies loved from previous get togethers.

I decided to make Elizabeth a little project bag using some of my favourite Moda fabric:

Also, a little pin cushion to go inside, this is a Soed Idee Design pattern.

We were thrilled to find out that a quilt of Elizabeth's had recently won a prize at the Auckland Festival of Quilts, congratulations and well done!

See you soonx

Basket of Cherries

Just a little finish to share today, the first pattern in Blackbird Designs Garden Club series, Basket of Cherries.

I used all the recommended threads with a piece of R & Reproductions linen, Abecedarian blend.

For the edging trim I used some jute ric rac.



I have the next pattern in the series, Apple Orchard, kitted and all ready to start sometime soon!

Another Jingle - #4 Cheer

I finished Jingle #4, Cheer, on my Lizzie Kate Jingles Flip It series late on Saturday night watching the All Blacks play Australia in the first Bledisloe Cup rugby test match.

I'm really enjoying this sampler, love the thread colours.

See you soon x

Lizzie Kate Jingles

I've had the Lizzie Kate Jingles sampler kitted up for quite some time now and several weeks ago, I decided to get it under way. I quickly stitched the first three parts on it and then it has remained in my stitching basket untouched. I hadn't picked up any stitching in well over a month but last week I worked on some little Christmas ornaments and then had a sort through my stitching basket, sorting out some charts and projects to work on over the next few months.

This has now been moved back to the top of my stitching basket!

             

I love stitching Lizzie Kate Christmas designs so I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out for this Christmas.

See you soon xx

Merry Mouse

Here's another little finish from a few weeks ago, this is Merry Mouse by With Thy Needle and Thread. 

The only change I made to the charted threads was to use to a redder thread for the hat, a Gentle Art Sampler thread.

I'll be back in a day or so with a Cupcake crochet blanket update!

Heart of my Heart

The Silver Needle is once again offering the " A Little Help from Our Friends Stitching Circle". 

Beginning in August 2016, the second collection is going to feature designers Plum Street Sampler, La D Da, the Drawn Thread, Erica Michaels and the Cricket Collection. I have decided to sign up again for another year of fun projects and goodies. 

I recently finished the fourth kit I received in the last round, Heart of my Heart by Shepherd's Bush.

I made my little kit into a small pin cushion, using the supplied silk ribbon for the edging.

The last kit arrived recently and this time Lizzie Kate was the chosen designer.

This will be a great summer project to work on.

We also received the lovely crocheted tape measure in the photo and the final gift was a mug, featuring all the designs from the Stitching Circle. How cool!

Holly Jolly

Here's one of my June ornaments:

Holly Jolly by Country Cottage Needleworks - this was one of the ornaments I didn't get done from last year's Classic Collection.

See you soon xx

Reach - Shepherds Bush Fold

This is another little stitched piece finished recently and it is the final part in the Shepherd's Bush Fold series, a ruler case.

It took me quite a few sessions to get the nun stitch count correct and around the borders too! Got there in the end.

The little ruler that came with the kit is so cute!

Now I just have the first part to complete, I'm planning to turn it into a project project bag of some sort.

I've really enjoyed stitching on this lovely set of patterns by Shepherds Bush over the past few years.

PS: A big thank you for all the comments on my recent posts - they are all wonderful to read xx

My Dear Daughter

This was a lovely design to stitch but then I love stitching anything by Blackbird Designs.

I'm not sure how I'll finish this piece so for now into the finishing basket it goes.

The threads appear a bit toned down in colour in these photos, they are actually much brighter.

And here she is, dear daughter of mine, a recent pic of Miss H taken when we were out and about enjoying the winter sunshine last weekend.

Have a lovely weekend xx

February's Ornaments

These are the trio of ornaments I stitched during February:

Merry Christmas by Little House Needleworks

Patchwork by Lizzie Kate, Tiny Tiding XX

Noel by Lizzie Kate, Tiny Tiding XX

The first three for this year's Family & Friends collection will now be put away. March's ornaments are also done.

See you soon x

Patchwork Pinkeep

Last weekend I spent an enjoyable few hours at my sewing machine, it's been awhile!  Hubby was away on a fishing trip at the top of the South Island and Hannah had gone for a sleepover at Granny & Pop's.  I have several finished pieces from earlier this year sitting in a pile to do something with so I will try and remedy that over the next few weeks.

Patchwork Pinkeep, a design by Blackbird Designs, was the first project received last year in the Friends Stitching Circle run by the Silver Needle shop in the US.

Made into a small pillow, I attached some jute ric rac around the edges.

Back soon with some more finishing!

Easter Exchange & latest projects

Every Easter for quite a few years now, Kath and I have had an Easter Exchange.

This is what I received from Kath this year - so very cute!! The bunny is called Tippi Bunny. I just love it, thanks again Kath.

This year I planned to make Kath a Bippity Bunny, the pattern is by Anni Downs from Hatched n Patched. A couple of weeks ago, I met up with my friends Janet and Elsie and we had a day making bunnies. They turned out very cute, but oh my goodness, some of the sewing/stuffing was a bit fiddly and we had lots of laughs over our frustrations. I also made a Bippity bunny for Hannah too.

Usually over a long holiday weekend I like to start a new stitching project so over Easter I made a start on the final kit project from the Shepherds Bush Stitching fold, a sweet little ruler keeper.

I also made a start on a new crochet granny square blanket, this is going to be gifted to a family member expecting a little girl in July.

And just to keep things interesting, I also made a start on a new Blackbird Designs project, Dear Daughter.

I've been wanting to start this for ages and since Hannah's birthday is only a month away now it was time to get it underway.

Looking forward to some quality stitching time this Saturday & catching up with my stitching buddies!