Smalls Report for October

Time for the October Smalls report - boy, has that snuck up on me! I really can not believe how quickly this year has disappeared. The Smalls SAL is hosted by Mary at Mary's Thread, on the last Friday of each month.

I have just a few Smalls to show this month.  These Christmas ornaments just grew as I stitched.  They bring to 100 the total number of Christmas ornaments I have stitched this year.

I can't resist showing my final batch of beaded angels for 2021. They bring my angel total for this year to 77.  Some off these angels will go into the tiny stocking Christmas ornaments I have made for family and friends this year. 

I may need a shoe-horn for the next project. The question is how small is a Small? This design measures 7" wide and 5" tall, and after a lot of deliberation I decided to include it. Each of the elements in it is indeed small.

For Bronte's birth sampler I used Lesley Teare's Ballerina Alphabet (David & Charles book, 'Cross Stitch Alphabets', 2003). I separated the ballerinas from their letters, changed the floss colours, and changed the backstitching. When I decided to stitch this I was in a dilemma because we were in lockdown, and all 'non-essential' shops were closed.  I had already used up all my evenweave, and knew from recent experience that the earliest I could expect a postal delivery of fabric was 2 weeks. I felt so lucky when a frantic search of the craft storage unearthed a huge piece of Aida 18. I used to stitch a lot on Aida 18 decades ago, before I found evenweave and linen.  Stitching this design taught me that I no longer enjoy stitching on Aida 18, particularly when there are a lot of fractional stitches in the design.  The good news is that using 18 count brought the size down to 7" x 5", which means I can frame it myself in a purchased frame.

It's unlikely that I will be stitching any more Smalls this year (unless I get the urge to start on my 2022 ornament list), so this could be my final Smalls report for 2021. I have really enjoyed participating in the Smalls SAL again this year.  Mary, thank you for hosting.

Gifted Gorgeousness report for October

October already - this year has just flown by for me, which is very odd considering that COVID restrictions have kept me in the house most of the year.  Activity restrictions have loosened up a little recently, and there is some hope for more freedom in December, so I'm hanging out for that.  So, here we are once again at the 15th of the month, which means it's time for the monthly Gifted Gorgeousness report. GG is hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  Anything stitched with gifted supplies, or stitched to be gifted  qualifies for inclusion on the GG report.

I have a few things to show today.  I thought I had finished my Christmas ornaments for this year, but I managed to find another 4 people - well, 3 people and a dog - who needed ornaments. And I was able to finish up one of the First Christmas ornaments I had stitched earlier, because a new baby cousin arrived in late September. These are the five finished ornaments for October:

I stitched and framed name samplers for 3 gorgeous young brothers aged 6, 3, and 1, to be Christmas gifts. I used Claire Crompton's Dinosaur Alphabet. The first pic is closer to the actual colours. I framed them in purchased 20 cm x 25 cm (8" x 10") frames that came with the 12.5 cm x 17.5 cm (5" x  7") mounts.

I made three batches of beaded angels this month, totalling 55 in all. I found everything I needed in my stash, and though I hate to admit it I still have enough supplies to keep making angels for many years. I really like the angels made with the red heartshaped beads (pic 3), and I wish I could remember where they came from so I could get some more.  

Before I sorted out all my Christmas ornaments (the ones going overseas need to be posted very soon) I took this photo.  These are all the ornaments I made this year, except for my own 12 Day set, and one Baby's First Christmas waiting for baby's name.

After I took that photo I got a special request for a Christmas ornament, which I have now stitched. This one brings the total number of ornaments I've made this year to 95. I decided to make another 5, so that I can bring the total to 100 Christmas ornaments. I've stitched four more ornaments but not yet finished them up. Just one more to go and I'll meet my target, which will also be a 'pb'.

I have edited out the bottom of this ornament so as not to show the personal message on this special request ornament. The red cardinal is not a bird we see here, so I was very pleased to stitch one. 

 I am stitching a little birth sampler for my great niece born in April this year. I used Lesley Teare's ballet alphabet, but omitted some of the ballerinas and and swapped some around, changed some colours, and changed the backstitching. I'm waiting for the rest of Bronte's birth details to finish it off.  It's the first time I have used Aida 18 count in many years, and I now recall why I had a huge piece sitting in my fabric drawer. I really prefer stitching on evenweave, but I am grateful that I had it available. 

 And that is all that I have to show today. 

Edited to add a pic of my final 2021 ornament - not yet finished up, but stitched. That makes 5 ornaments stitched and ready to finish - 6 if I count the Baby's First Christmas ornament for my niece's baby expected to arrive in mid December.

Gifted Gorgeousness, September

 Jo at Serendipitous Stitching  hosts the Gifted Gorgeousness  (GG) SAL on the 15th of each month. Anything stitched to be gifted, or stitched using gifted supplies, qualifies for inclusion on the GG report.

I finished up all the stitched designs I had in my work basket - 12 in all.  Here's a group pic.

There are four bead decorated Christmas trees. I love making these, and really try to make each one different. Usually I give these to Christmas visitors as take home gifts. This year many will be mailed out in Christmas cards.  COVID is not my friend! 

 And there are four more tiny Christmas stocking ornaments. The Santa design is adapted from Kooler's Littlest Stocking.

This Baby's First Christmas is the second of four I am making this year. The teddy was a DMC on-line freebie many years ago, but it's no longer on their website.

This Santa is for a niece. I made a few changes (floss colours, facial features) to a Graphique Greetings Folk Art Santa chart designed by Robin Rowe that I was given as a Christmas card on 1989.

This Angel is for another niece. I made a few changes (changed floss colours, omitted halos on angel and candle, swapped beads for some cross stitches in wings and dress ribbon, and changed the skirt shape at the bottom) to Cathy Livingstone's Miniature Angel Bellpull design.

This one is for my youngest sister (mother of the two nieces). This one is my own design.

In September I have stitched another eight designs, and made up seven into Christmas ornaments:  four more tiny stockings, two bead decorated Christmas trees, and a heart wreath for Angela. The eighth is a Baby's First Christmas design for a niece's baby, but baby's not due till mid December, so I can't finish it up till we have a name. 

 I have now stitched all the Christmas ornaments which were on my list for 2021 (90 ornaments - 12 for me  43 for family members and 35 for friends). The only two which haven't been finished up are the two Baby's First Christmas ornaments waiting for names.

And that is all I have to show this month.

Smalls Report for August

The last Friday in August has just crept up on me, so it's time for the monthly Smalls SAL Report, hosted by Mary at  Mary's Thread.

 I've not much to show this month.  Just a few Christmas ornaments, none of which has yet been finished up as an ornament. In fact, in my work basket right now I have 4 tiny stockings and six stitched designs all waiting to be finished ornaments.  That's my task for next week.

First up, a Santa and an Angel for two nieces.  The Santa is adapted from Robin Rowe's Folk Art Santa chart a Graphique Greetings design which was on the back of a Christmas card I received way back in 1988. I changed the colours, made some changes to the design and the border, and added the message.

The Angel was adapted from the Miniature Angel Belpull design by Cathy Livingstone . I changed the colours and the dress shape, omitted the halo on the angel and candle, and substituted beads for some of the stitches in the ribbon and wings.

I made another little beaded Christmas tree for my Christmas gift basket. At this stage it looks as though I won't be getting Christmas visitors this year (COVID restrictions), so my take-home Christmas gifts will actually become mailed-out Christmas gifts. 

And that's all I have to show this month. I will be trying to finish up all the stitched pieces in my work basket before I stitch any more designs, but I may not be able to hold myself to this goal. Time will tell.

Gifted Gorgeousness Report for August

 I'm late again for the Gifted Gorgeousness (GG) report. Jo hosts the GG SAL at Serendipitous Stitching on the 15th of each month. Anything stitched with gifted supplies or stitched to be gifted qualifies for the GG report.

This month has been a very different one. I had a birthday, we went into COVID related lockdown, I broke a tooth which has led to root canal treatment and a crown, and it's time for my annual post breast cancer tests. A busy month for me! 

I finished up all the ornaments I stitched last month. I did show the photos in the Smalls report, but because I am in pain (from dental procedure today) and need distracting, I'm putting the pics in here too.

I crocheted a  cotton sundress for Miss Sarah's 4th birthday. I haven't been able to give it to her yet, as we are in lockdown and visiting is not allowed.  

I've stitched a few more Christmas ornaments. I can now count on my fingers the number of Christmas ornaments remaining on my Christmas stitching list, so I added to the list name samplers for three little boys who will, I hope, visit me this Christmas.   

This ornament is for my youngest sister. I started with Vermillion's Christmas Mini Ornament chart in front of me, and the angel dresses came from that (cross stitched instead of backstitched) but that needle ran away from me and the finished stitching is nothing at all like the charted ornament. 

This is the Vermillion inspiration:

A Baby's First Christmas ornament for a cousin's grandson. I'm waiting for baby's name to finish the stitching. Although it doesn't look like it in the pic, the fabric is a plain white. I have one more of these to make this year.

Some more little stocking ornaments. I think I have just 2 more of these to make this year.

And that is all I have to show.  I am really looking forward to seeing all the GG stitching this month.

 

Smalls SAL (July)

 Mary at  Mary's Thread hosts the Smalls SAL on the last Friday of each month. It's been a few months since my last Smalls report, but I have a few finishes to show today.

I finished my Kooler 12 Days of Christmas set (designer Sandy Orton), and they are packed away waiting for Christmas. I really like this set. They are so bright and colourful.  I was stitching one Day per month till we got halfway through the year, when I started panicking that I wouldn't get them finished in time for Christmas decorating. So I finished the rest to make sure they would be there when I need them. This year I will have three 12 Days sets to display. They will be decorating an internal door.  I shall run ribbons right around the door top to bottom, and peg the ornaments to the ribbons. 

I stitched a Baby's First Christmas ornament for my newest great- niece, and another for a family friend (that one is not yet finished up). I have two more of these to make this year. The teddy design was an on-line freebie that I got many years ago. I've lost the details, but I think it was from DMC, though it is not on their website now.

I made some bead decorated Christmas trees (my own design).  I love making these!

These five ornaments are for a long-term friend and her  grandchildren  -  two sisters in New Zealand and two brothers in England.  The children's ornaments are Jeanette Crews designs.  I swapped beads for stitches in the angels' wings. My friend's ornament is adapted from a design by Susan Greening Davis published in JCS Christmas Ornament issue 2015

Finally, I made another 6 tiny stocking ornaments. The Santa in these stockings is adapted from Kooler's Littlest Stocking chart. The trees and the stocking finish are my own designs.