A wolf, an elephant, and a little bit of Xmas

Hello Stitching Friends!

I cannot believe what has happened in Europe and Ukraine since I last posted on this blog😨😢💔... 

However, if I'm going to stick to cross stitching, you may remember that during the Winter Olympics I had decided to try to work on Emma Congdon's Christmas Town every day during the competitions. I managed to stick to that goal pretty well so now the town has progressed from this...

...to this! 

Cross Stitcher magazine, issue 285

Now there are mainly white areas left to stitch. However, with everything that has happened lately I have found it hard to motivate myself to work on it. But I'm trying, and I'm determined to finish it.

Another project I have been working on after Christmas is the collection of three animal siluettes by Durene Jones.

I have now finished the wolf siluette.

Cross Stitcher magazine, October 2021

And I also finished the elephant siluette, but a friend of mine saw it, bought it, and it now hangs on her wall.

Cross Stitcher magazine, issue 379.

So now I have to stitch it again if I want the complete set😉.

As far as the polar bear is concerned I still have a long way to go...

Cross Stitcher magazine, issue 379.

After the Olympics I really wanted to stitch something cheerful and colourful so I made a start on the sampler A Song for Spring by Cheryl McKinnon.

A Song for Spring designed by Cheryl McKinnon.
From Cross Stitcher magazine issue 354 (March 2020)

In the last week or so I have struggled with my stitching/crafting mojo and suddenly I felt like picking up one of my Prairie Schooler Christmas projects again. There's something really relaxing about stitching PS charts. I only wish I had more of them.

The Prairie Schooler, Book No. 199

As you can see it is coming along nicely.

That is it for now, I guess. I've really struggled writing this post; my brain and my heart are just all over the place😔... I hope you are all well and staying safe in this crazy, scary world😔. 

Annie

YAY- I'm back stitching again!

 Hello Stitching Friends!

I'm back😁🙌! And it makes me really happy💝. 

So, what happened you might ask...??

Well, I certainly did not plan for this extended break from cross stitch (as well as blogging about cross stitch) since last summer, but other things just happened in my life...as they do sometimes. I suddenly found myself knitting and crocheting lots of stuff for friends and aquaintances which kept me busy for several months, and then there were plenty of Xmas gifts to be finished. And before I knew it 6 months had passed since I had threaded a cross stitch needle...😲!

But now life has slowed down again and I have finally been able to dug out my cross stitch stuff again, yay! And I know you won't be surprised when I tell you that the very first thing I did was starting some new projects😂. During the autumn I saw this gorgeous silouette of a wolf designed by Durene Jones in Cross Stitcher magazine issue 375...

...and I knew that as soon as I started stitching again I wanted to stitch this wolf. 

As it turned out, this design was then joined by two more in issue 379...

...so obviously I had to make a start on all of them😉😁.

Since the wolf is my favorite design of the three I made a start on it first, and it's also the one closest to being finished.

The other two I have just started, and here's the elephant...

...and the polar bear.

Even though I'm back stitching and enjoying it, I have found it extremely difficult to stick to one project. Nohing new there really, but I'm more restless than ever and I'm a bit frustrated with myself because of it. I spend an hour or two on a project and then I loose interest. Maybe I can blame the covid situation...or the menopause...? Part of me just want to keep starting new cross stitch projects and hope that one of them will grab my attention for longer than a day, but that's obviously a bad solution😉. So I've looked through all my WIPs desperately hoping that one of them might grab my attention again...and only The Prairie Schooler projects called out to me.

One of my WIPs is the smaller design from the book No. 177 called JANUARY and inspired by the snowy Swedish season I decided to bring it out again.

This is where I'm at with this one...

I also found this pattern book No.143 with another snowy theme so - surprise, surprise - I started this one too.

My progress so far...

Finally I have to show you my 2021 calender from Cross Stitcher issue 365 which is now - AT LAST - framed and up on my livingroom wall!! As usual I did it myself and used a low cost frame from IKEA.

2021 calendar, Cross Stitcher issue 365.
Design by Cheryl McKinnon (Tiny Modernist)

I just looove this project!!! Soo much fun to stitch and looks great on my wall too😍😍😍! Now I've spotted a similar calendar with little doggy pictures 😍🐕🐶😍 and I'm dying to make a start on it, of course😂. But first I'm going to TRY to finish a couple of projects; hopefully the Winter Olympics will provide me with plenty of time and inspiration for that🤞🤞🤞.

My constant joy and reason for living😍🐾😍...
and a dear old Santa that mum made over 50 years ago🎅😍

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Lots and lots of love to you all and I hope that 2022 has treated you well so far💝.

Annie

Swedish summer, Mother's Day and a few more finishes!

Hello Stitching Friends!

Hope you all are ok? Over here in Sweden summer has arrived, and me and my furbabies can go for long leisurely walks in the beautiful Swedish countryside. 

On my balcony I'm growing chives and basil for all those lovely summer salads. I have also had my first covid shot, and have my second one booked for the middle of July. Thankfully my parents are fully vaccinated now which is a relief, and my family are actually gathering next week to celebrate my wonderful niece who's graduating and leaving her school years behind her and who already has a job as a security guard lined up🙌.

But apart from all that, I'm mostly spending my days cross stitching whilst watching sports on the telly😁. And my dogs use my balcony more than I do because I prefer to stitch curled up on my sofa😂. As well as being a crafting addict, I'm also a very crazy sports fan and I've been known to plan my life around World Championships etc. So with all the icehockey going on right now (Stanley Cup playoffs and the World Championships), and then the UEFA EURO 2021 and after that the Olympics, I plan for endless hours of stitching fun in front of the telly this summer.

I have already had time to stitch a few smalls. It was Mother's Day here in Sweden last weekend so I stitched a card...

Original design from The World of Cross Stitching, issue 198.
Designer: Lucie Heaton

...and a bookmark...

Petal Markers featured in Cross Stitch Collection, issue 206.
Designer: Lesley Teare

...for my lovely mum.

In fact, I owe the bookmark finish to the amazing TIFF who kindly offered to send me DMC threads (and aida fabrics) from the US so I could finish this project and few other unfinished projects💝. Her wonderful kindness still warms my heart💝🙏. Thank you again Tiff !!!

I have also managed to finish my snowglobe designed by Emma Congdon and I'm very pleased with it!

Festive Flurry from Cross Stitcher, issue 298.
Designer: Emma Congdon

My original plan was to display it in a hoop (like the original design) but hoops that size are just too expensive for me right now so I'll probably use a regular frame from IKEA in the end.

I love all the rich colours!

Finishing an old project felt soo good and really made me feel inspired to finish more projects so now I'm spending a little bit of time on this cute doggy picture every other day so I can get it finished too. I've already finished the top right corner and bit by bit I'm getting there. Lots and lots of white stitches left to do though...

It's a dog's life from Cross Stitch Collection, issue 224
Designer: Jayne Netley Mayhew

I have also finished the spring tree from the seasonal trees design by Cheryl McKinnon...

...and now I'm working on the brightly coloured autumn tree.

I haven't decided how I'm going to finish these yet...  Any ideas?

Seasonal Trees from Cross Stitch Crazy issue 260.
Designer: Cheryl McKinnon

I haven't quite finished cataloguing my WIP's/UFO's yet but I have taken some more pictures of them. Hopefully I'll finish that task next week before the EURO starts on Friday 11th. 

Now I'm going to leave you to go for a walk with the dogs before I get stuck into some more stitching. I saw these cute little dreamcatcher letters that I'd like to have a go at😁😉...

Hope you have a lovely stitchy weekend wherever you are💝🌞🌸!

Annie

We have a Finish!!

 Hello Stitching Friends!

Except for cataloging all my WIPs/UFOs lately, I have also worked on the gorgeous 2021 calendar in Cross Stitcher issue 365 designed by Cheryl McKinnon (Tiny Modernist). I decided to stitch it as a sampler and I have enjoyed this project soo much! I loved stitching all the little colourful seasonal motifs and seeing it all come together.

And now it is finished!!!

I'm so proud of myself! I started this a couple of weeks ago when I was feeling really stressed and needed something fun to take my mind off my financial worries, and from thereon every stitch has been a joy. In the last week I have stitched hours almost every day and now I'm almost a bit sad that this project is all done. 

I decided to give the sampler a Swedish twist by stitching the names of the months in Swedish. Luckily the translations are fairly similar to the English names as you can see so it wasn't too difficult😊.

I think my favorite months are Juli (July) and Augusti (August) since they remind me of lovely Swedish summers spent on our family boat as I grew up. Such happy memories and something I miss very much now that the boat is sold💔😔.

The month that caused me some problems was Februari (February). First I did a counting error, but I decided to leave it and see it as my own version, haha. Then I stitched those little bunnies in ecru as instructed in the chart, but it was impossible to see them afterwards😳. So I thought I'd backstitch around them, but then they looked like a cross between dogs and bunnies😂. With some changes to the backstitch I hope they now look more like bunnies than dogs, but with all the hassles I had and the frogging I had to do I just wished I had stitched them in another colour. 

Like I did with the snowman that was supposed to be stitched in ecru, but I used a bluish white instead (DMC 747). Mostly I had the threads required by the original chart, but I had to use another dark green and brown and grey colour from my stash, but thankfully I don't think it shows. 

I'm hoping I can find a frame soon that fits this project, because I really love it and I want to wash it, iron it and get it up on the wall soon!

Now, I'm sure I've heard a rule that states that when you finish a bigger project you can start a new project without any guilt...😉😁. I definitely have a few projects I'm itching to start (you'd never guess, would you😂🙈) 

But maybe I should finish counting my current WIPs/UFOs first...

Hope you're all safe and well and hope you have time for lots of lovely stitching!

Annie 

My WIPs, part 3

 Hello Stitching Friends!

Finally we had some sunny and warm weather for a couple of days, and me and the furbabies enjoyed a wonderful long walk in the countryside.

Sadly the rainy and cold spring weather is back now but at least it's perfect weather for stitching😉.

But first it's time for some more of my WIPs. 

This first one I started last summer for The Spring into Summer New Start Binge 2020. I'd had this chart by Ursula Michael in my stash for a good while, since I fell in love with her various backstitch motifs. 

I wanted to have some fun with this design, so I'm stitching it on a lime green aida fabric which meant I hade to change some of the thread colours too. Even though I'm a bit tired of backstitch at the moment, I stitch a little bit on this one every now and then when I feel like it. 

* * *

This next one is from the period in my life - quite a while back - when I thought I could stitch ANYTHING... As soon as I saw this gorgeous design by Sheila Hudson in Cross Stitch Collection magazine I fell in love! I've always wanted to stitch a fairytale castle...but maybe I shouldn't have gone for one of the larger charts around😂🙈😂.

I don't think I even have to show you my 'progress'...since it's basically non-existant😂. Just stitching the guidelines took forever and I haven't even finished that😳...oh boy.

However, now that I actually pulled this project out of my neglected WIP box and had a fresh look at it, the 'only' problem is the size. Most of the stitches in the background are actually half cross stitches and should be fairly easy to do, and there isn't much backstitching going on either. Handling the project might be a problem though since I always stitch in hand and there's A LOT of fabric to handle😂😱. Like I said...what was I thinking?!!

* * *

This stunning Santa project by CeWeC has a sweet little story attached to it. I was looking for an old fashioned Santa to stitch, and when I saw this project I fell in love, again. But it was a table runner where you stitched the Santa twice, and that would never happen in my nook, no sir😉😂. However, I knew that my mum liked to stitch these kind of Christmas motifs too, so I thought: why not buy it for Christmas and divide all the material into two and give my mum half of it as a Christmas gift?? Then we could stitch a Santa each, and the motif would definitely work as a picture instead of a table runner. So I did, and my sister helped me to photocopy the chart and the front picture so I could turn it into a proper kit for my mum. And I think she was very happy with her Christmas gift.

I made a little start on it after Christmas, but instead of using the 11-count aida fabric that was included in the kit, I decided to stitch it on 14-count aida so I could use the loop start. I'm sure I'll get back to this gorgeous project when Christmas draws nearer.

* * *

When I got back from England 15 years ago and picked up cross stitching again, I wanted to stitch cross stitched gifts for everyone that I cared about. It took me a few years to realize that not everyone appreciated the time and love I put into every cross stitched item I gave away😌. In fact, these days I know that there are only a few people in my family and circle of acquaintances who truly treasures my cross stitched items. 

And this motorbike is one of those items I planned to give away...but then realized that it probably wasn't a good idea.

Maybe there will be a time where I can give away a stitched motorcycle to someone special and know that it'll be appreciated🙏. And whilst I wait for that person this project will remain a UFO...

* * *

Those of you who read my blog last year might remember me working on these lighthouses designed by Cheryl McKinnon. I stitched one of them and gave to my dad (who grow up with boats and the sea in his life just like I did) for his birthday, and my plan was to stitch another one for him for last Christmas.

Sadly I had to change my plans. My wonderful dad has alzheimer's disease 😢 and is slowly getting worse, and when I gave the lighthouse picture to him on his birthday last autumn he couldn't immediately tell which way was up on the lighthouse😨😢. Obviously I realized that there was no longer any point in stitching another picture for him... 

My plan has been to stitch these gorgeous lighthouses for myself too, but at the moment it's all just a bit too sad...

At present my total count of WIPs on my WIP page are up to 35...and there are quite a few left. Bet you cannot wait for the next installment😉😁! All I'm going to say about it for now is that the situation is actually not as bad as I thought😂🙈😂. And if you need more details on any of my WIPs, you can find it on my WIP page.

Hope you have a lovely stitching weekend!

Annie