Gifts for Friends

This week I've been catching up on some blog maintenance and uploading late 2017 finishes to my Flickr account. I spotted that I have completely forgotten to publish a couple of draft posts with some of my secret Christmas stitching!

Many of these projects were stitched throughout 2017 and then finished off to be ready for gifting at Christmas.

For my friend Elizabeth in Auckland, I made a drawstring pouch. The design is Honeybee Sampling by Little House Needleworks, stitched with recommended threads on 32ct mocha belfast linen.

For Kath's early December birthday, I made this large pouch bag, which can be used for a stitching or knitting project. I finished this design way back in January 2017. This is With Thy Needle's Heaven & Nature Sing.

Another stitched gift for Kath, was this little pillow. The design is by Abbey Rose Designs, Do More of What Makes You Happy.

And lastly, using another Little House Needleworks design, Rosey, I made a zippered project bag for Clare.

See you soon xx

Cottage Flair visit & old wips

As I mentioned yesterday, I visited Cottage Flair in Rotorua last week. This was the first time I'd been to shop where it is based now, in Fenton Street, the previous times the shop was in Ngongotaha. 

It's always been a favourite of mine, years ago this shop was pretty much the only one in NZ that sold any Shepherd's Bush stitching charts & kits :)

Now this lovely shop is filled with gorgeous fabrics and lots of knitting yarn and supplies. I can never resist Christmas fabrics and stitchery patterns!

I'm still working away on some secret Christmas stitching projects but nearing the end of these, I thought it was time to bring out some of my projects that need to be finished.

I last knitted on these socks back in May!

Yuletide Welcome has been an ongoing wip for several years now, every now and then it comes out for a few stitches to go into.

I last stitched on this back in January!  There's not actually that much more to stitch, just the bottom left hand corner and finish the banner part. I have several other little projects that need some attention too and of course, lots of new charts waiting in my stitching basket.

See you soon xx

She Sights a Bird

I finished Part 3 of the For the Birds series before we went on holiday.

Stitched with the recommended threads on 36ct Oaken linen.

I've loved stitching this series so far.

I'm still unsure how I'll finish these, maybe into small frames?

See you soon x

A Stitching Catch Up

I've been stitching on a few Christmas gifts and some of my 2017 Family & Friends ornaments so can't share any pics yet but I recently started two new stitching projects including:

Feliz Navidad by Blackbird Designs

While we were away, the supplies arrived for the latest Lizzie Kate Christmas Mystery Sampler.

This has been my stitching piece over the past few evenings so I hope to get Part 1 finished soon as Part 2 is now on its way.

See you soon xx

Santa Sunday

The last few Sundays I have been stitching on the 2017 Tiny Tidings chart by Lizzie Kate. One of my favourite charts to buy each year, these little designs are just too cute not to stitch!

If you are on Instagram and would like to join in, there is a Santa Sunday stitch along each week, the tag is #santasundayxs.

See you soon x

LK Jingles & a new start

My Lizzie Kate Jingles project was finished earlier in the year and was just waiting for me to sew on a few buttons and beads. I'd already decided to sew it into a wall hanging, using a piece of gold spotty and red fabric.

A piece of jute for the hanging and a bright red button and it's done, all set for Christmas 2017.

                      

(It looks a bit wonky in this photo but it was hard to get a good shot of it as it's so long)

Last week I made a small start on the third chart from Blackbird Designs For the Birds series.

The fourth chart, fabric and threads also arrived last week. I just love the thread colours used in this series.

Now I'm "patiently" waiting for the first part of this year's Lizzie Kate Christmas mystery sampler to arrive from the Silver Needle.

Thank you for all the recent comments on my little blog - have a wonderful weekend!
See you soon xxx

Christmas Bird

One of my most favourite little projects to stitch this year has been With Thy Needle's Christmas Bird. I used the recommended Chestnut linen, but in 32 count I think, and all the recommended threads too. I used some Lady Dot Creations chenille trim for the edging and made into a little pillow. All ready for Christmas 2017!

A little bit of finishing

It's been quite awhile since I made any time to sit down and do some "finishing" of any of my stitched projects. I think I've been a bit caught up with my sock knitting addiction, ha ha.

Well, I'm going to try and remedy that over the next few weeks.

These two sweet finishes were the first on my To Finish list:

Lizzie Kate Celebrate with Charm Basket Flip It

Natalie Bird, Birdhouse Designs, Deck the Halls stitchery

See you soon xx

All Sorts of Things #3

Time for a catch up post this morning:

my latest stitching project - The Light Upon the Lawn, which is No.2 in the latest Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers series.

Some new charts, fabric and threads arrived recently - can't wait to start the little mice!

More socks underway, these are for my SIL Jude. The pattern is the Sugar Frost Socks by Marianne Heikkinen (vanillawool on Instagram). This is the first time I've used the Head over Heels yarn by Stylecraft and it's lovely to knit with.

This winter so far has been so cold, cold, cold, wet and frosty - many a morning I arrive at work and its only 0-1 c degrees.This was the view just down street one day last week. 

I've found a new favourite biscuit recipe - Oatmeal, raisin and orange cookies by Jenny from Elefantz. Do try them, they are absolutely delicious! The recipe can be found on this post.

Last Sunday afternoon Hannah and I went out with Jude and my nieces Alice and Sally to see a local production of the Sound of Music. We all thoroughly enjoyed it and what a nice treat for the school holidays.

Over the past few weeks, Glenn and I have been carrying out some DIY around home. We have stripped the old hallway wallpaper and dining room too, and my Dad has been in to do some painting for us. Glenn is also giving all the hallway doors a fresh coat of paint and we're going to upgrade the handles. New wallpaper has *almost* been decided on ha ha, and we'll also get some new lighting fixtures.

I've been meaning to share some news from our sock knitting afternoons - both Kath and Janet finished their first socks recently - yay, I was so pleased for them.

This group has been so much fun over the past few months - lots of laughs and giggles that's for sure!

See you soon xx

Needlework ABCs

I finished this lovely sampler by Little House Needleworks last week. 

I used the threads that came with the pattern, Classic Colorworks, and the fabric is 32 count mocha belfast linen. Not sure how this one will be finished, perhaps into a white frame like on the pattern?

See you soon x

All the Projects Update

As always, I have have several projects on the go. You may have seen these photos if you follow me on Instagram.

I'm so enjoying this gorgeous design, the first in the latest Blackbird Designs series. Now I've seen a pic of the second design I can't wait to get that one on the mail!

My sock knitting is progressing well:

But it's been put to the side for now as I have been focusing on the Moorland Blanket, these waves are so addictive!

This is Part 1 all done, and I have even sewn in all the ends.

Until next time xx

Easter Exchange & Crafting

Every year for quite some time now, Kath and I have exchange a little stitched gift at Easter. 

Some years it takes me ages to decide what to stitch for Kath but this time I knew straight away, as I had the pattern ready and waiting since last year, Spring Greetings Bouquet by With Thy Needle & Thread. You can see it here. 

This is the sweet little pillow Kath gave me, Peep by the Prairie Schooler.

I just love how Kath has finished it, and the green fabric is just perfect!

Over the Easter break I finished this new Lizzie Kate design:

Basket by Lizzie Kate

stitched on mocha 32 count belfast linen with recommended threads.

I also got a few rows done on a new crochet blanket I have underway, the Moorland Blanket by Lucy, Attic 24.  This is going to be gift for my cousin Donna's 40th birthday. I purchased the yarn pack from the Wool Warehouse in the UK.

Part one is nearly finished and once again, I'm really enjoying crocheting with the lovely Stylecraft yarn.

See you soon x

Happy Easter

Wishing you a very happy Easter, may it be filled with lots of love, joy and chocolate!!

(Bunny design is Spring Geetings Bouquet by With Thy Needle and Thread)

Be Jolly

This cute ornament has been on my To Stitch list for ages so I decided to make it for Hannah's 2017 ornament.

Be Jolly

Design by Angel Stitchin, 2013 Just Cross Stitch Ornaments Magazine

stitched on 32ct cream linen with recommended threads

See you soon x

First Ornament for 2017

Having been a bit burnt out by Christmas stitching late last year, and also busy with a few knitting and crochet projects, I'm off to a slow start with this year's Christmas ornaments. 

This little Santa ornament was my favourite from last year's Just Cross Stitch ornaments magazine.

Sunflower Santa by the Sunflower Seed

32 count natural linen with the recommended threads

In this pic you can my choices for the backing fabric and trim.

This ornament is going to be for one of my aunties,whom has grown sunflowers for many years.

See you soon x

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