Come visit with me as I stitch and craft my way from one Christmas to the next - I like to have Christmas projects close by me all year. I have a particular fondness for Santas and Angels. If you have the time, leave a comment so I know you've visited.

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Smalls SAL Report for December

This past month has not been a busy stitching month for me, but I did finish two smalls - my final Christmas ornament for the year (for a newly acquired puppy in a niece's family), and the final Beatrix Potter character on the growth chart I am stitching for her son at another niece's request. I now have baby's name and birth details to stitch on a separate piece of fabric, which I will stitch at the top of the growth chart.  I have some pale blue fabric for that. In my mind it is going to work - time will tell!  I can not tell you how much I disliked stitching this piece (extremely unusual for me!).  If I wasn't so fond of my niece and grand-nephew, I doubt that I would have persevered. The chart  specified half-cross stitches for the characters, and left large areas within the characters unstitched.  I just couldn't do it, as I was using the 14 count Aida provided, and I just didn't like the result.  Unfortunately the kit didn't specify floss numbers, so I had to rekit all the floss once I made the decision to replace the half crosses with full crosses, and stitch all the areas on the characters. Then I had a melt down with the back/long stitching, and after much hair pulling decided just to ignore the charted outlining, and do my own thing. I also changed the numerals, because I found the charted ones to be extremely fiddly, and I also added 20 cm to the measurements (my great-nephew is quite a tall boy).  So, all in all, I was extremely happy to put in those final stitches tonight!

This is the final character - Squirrel Nutkin I believe.  The numbers and edges are quite straight - my photography skills are at fault.

 Semco kit, Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit Growth Chart, Squirrel Nutkin


 Semco kit, Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit Growth Chart, all 4 characters


This is the Christmas ornament I stitched at the last minute so that Bodhi would not be the only family pet not to receive a Christmas ornament at our extended family Christmas dinner..



I have enjoyed participating in the Smalls SAL this year.

10 comments:

Tiffstitch said...

Great finish on the chart, and what a relief it must be to be done! I think the top character is Squirrel Nutkin? Although there was another squirrel named Timmy Tiptoes as well. I'm reading them to my daughter right now. :) I love Bodhi's ornaments and hope his parents were happy with it too.

Julie said...

I'm a big Beatrix Potter fan so your growth chart pleased me very much to see it.

Bea said...

Good for you for sticking with to a finish. It's very hard working on something you really are not enjoying. I'm sure it will be cherished.

Brigitte said...

That's a great chart finish. I love all those Beatrix Potter figures.

Irmeli said...

All of Beatrix Potter designs are so cute. You did a great job. And the ornament is so beautiful as well.
Happy New Year!

Michele Stravato said...

Love the Beatrix Potter growth chart. What a wonderful gift.

Happy New Year!

Pamela said...

Nice ornament! What a great growth chart!

Sheryl said...

You must be so pleased to have the growth chart finished. It is lovely and will make an original gift. Happy New Year.

christinereneebrown said...

Absolutely beautiful growth chart! I adore Beatrix Potter! Very pretty ornament! Happy New Year!!

Rachel said...

Just caught up with all of your posts since April! Wow, what a lot of ornaments! Congratulations on finishing the height chart and some crocheting too.
I'm looking forward to seeing your HAED Santa reappear. I hope all the frogging you had to do has not left you too downhearted. Fingers crossed for a good stitchy start to 2017. :)