Hello everyone! Can you believe it is 2018?! It hardly seems like 5 minutes since the beginning of December and I was looking forward to Christmas and now here we are in January. The Christmas decorations are down and everything is so dull and depressing! I am not longing for Spring though as I don't feel like we've had a proper Winter and those of you who know me well will know I love Winter!
First off I'd like to show you what I stitched for my dearest friends Barb and Lisa for Christmas. First of all what I stitched for Lisa ( thank you June for the inspiration)
Lizzie Kate A Little Stitch
Fabric as kitted
DMC
Started 6th November 2017
Finished 19th November 2017
Christmas gift for Lisa.
I am happy to say that Lisa loved it and it made her cry happy tears :)
Next this is what I stitched for Barb.
Abby Rose Designs Tea for Two
32 count Permin Lambswool linen
WDW, GAST & CC
Started 2nd November 2017
Finished 29th November 2017
Christmas gift for Barb.
I added a couple of Lady Grey teabags but thought Barb could use it as a small stitching pouch too. I am happy to say that she loved it :)
Of course I still had WIPs that I would have liked to have finished by the end of 2017 to give me a clean slate but it didn't happen. I did, however, finish 2 of them so that was pretty good really.
The December SAL I was doing with Chris got finished.
Little House Needleworks No Place Like Home
28 count Permin Amber linen
Crescent Colours and DMC
Started 1st December 2017
Finished 24th December 2017.
I then decided to stitch on Lantern Lane as much as I could and try and get it finished.
Little House Needleworks Lantern Lane
36 count Lakeside Linens Vintage Pearled Barley.
WDW & CC
Started 3rd September 2017
Finished 31st December 2017.
As always New Years Day can't go by without a new start and I joined in the New Start, Old Stash SAL on the Stitch from Stash group I belong to on Facebook. I've had this one in my stash for a while now. It is Mani Di Donna Winter Cottage in a Ball.
I have had two new starts this year but I can't show one as it is a gift.
I picked up LHN Born in a Manger again and don't have too much more to do. Barb has finished hers but I am a little behind. Maybe I can get it done tonight!
I am also still plugging away on Lizzie Kate Christmas Sampler.
As Mini Jolly Old Fellow got finished before Christmas I decided to get my dragon SK out the other night and I'll stitch on it one night a week until it is finished. It took me a while to work out where I needed to be etc and, oh boy, I hated it! Once I get back into it I am sure it'll be fine but never again will I cross country on a BAP with so many colours! It WILL get finished!
Lisa and I have started our 300 stitches a week SAL on a BAP we already have started. Of course mine is Guardian but once the dragon is done I'll move it into my rotation properly then do 300 stitches a week on Tilton Crafts Always. Fingers crossed I get the dragon finished soon before it drives me mad!
I still haven't got my socks blocked but my blockers arrived! Here are my socks before blocking and I'll show a photo of them blocked when I get them done.
I started a hat and finished it yesterday. It should be blocked but I'm fearful that if I do it it will end up too big. I think I will give it a wash and see if I can smooth out the stitches without blocking. Once I've done that I'll make a pompom and sew that on. I didn't use the recommended wool in case I made a mess of knitting it!
Donna Smith Designs Baa-ble Hat
Stylecraft Special Aran
This year I want to try my absolute best to buy as few charts as I possibly can. I signed up for the LHN Farmhouse Christmas series a while ago and they are going to be my only chart purchases I hope for 2018! If I need fabric and threads for a project I will allow myself those. It is going to be tough as I love collecting charts as much as love stitching them but it has to stop. I have been doing better over the past couple of years especially as I just feel guilty having so many lovely charts in my stash.
Finally I received some lovely gifts for Christmas from my stitching friends. I've taken a photo and the angel needleminder is from Lisa, The sheep shopper and card are from Mouse and the tea towel is from Christine. Thank you so much ladies :)
So that is all from me for now. Here's to a happy, healthy stitched filled 2018 and lots of friendship too :)
Until next time. With much love,
Sally xxxx
