Christmas Stitching in July!

Hello everyone!

I don't know about you all , but I am in the middle of planning my Christmas stitching right now . I have always enjoyed giving handmade - by me - gifts and Christmas presents to my nearest and dearest . Due to financial limitations the last couple of years I really need to MAKE most of my Xmas gifts this year , and I need to use my crafty stash as much as I can .

However , as you stitchers all know , stitching lots of gifts will require lots and lots of stitching time . . . and lots of browsing through patterns and cross stitch magazines . . . and lots of thread-sorting . . ! When I think of it like that it almost feels as if I am a bit late starting all this in July . . . ha ha ha !
Still , here I am and I have made a start on my Xmas stitching plans , but sadly I could not keep my eyes entirely on the ultimate goal . . .

As I browsed through a Cross Stitch Crazy magazine (issue 159) two days ago , I fell completely in love with a particular Christmas chart ! I desperately wanted to stitch it but not as a gift for someone else , but for MYSELF! Clearly this is not the best time for me to fall in love with yet a new chart , but you know what it is like . . . certain charts just grab you and demand you begin to stitch them straight away ! And luckily ( or maybe not so luckily ha ha! ) I had almost all the threads so OF COURSE I just had to make a start . . !

And what is this going to look like sometime in the future you may ask . . ?

 

A Chrismas Fairy by Joan Elliott ! Isn't she stunning ? !

 

I just have to stop falling in love with these JE charts . . . ha ha ! But how can I stop when they are all so gorgeous ? !

 

But today I have been good and put the fairy aside for a bit and started on one of my many Xmas gift projects . . .

 

This ABC chart is actually from the same magazine and designed by Lucie Heaton . I have swapped some of the thread colours for some from my stash . I am going to have to order some more threads for some of my other xmas projects , so I'll try to use my stash whenever possible .

And just to let you all know - and to warn you , ha ha - I am a complete Christmas freak and there will probably be a lot of Christmassy posts coming up here in the next five months ! !

Happy Stitching !

Annie