Why I'm stitching Christmas charts in April...

 Hello Stitching Friends!

Finally spring has reached Sweden and Easter is just around the corner. Me and the furbabies are enjoying long leisurely walks in the warm sunshine and spending time on my balcony getting ready for summer. The grass is turning a lovely green and the beautiful spring flowers cheer me up whenever I go outside.

...OR NOT...😳!

That is certainly how I wish it was😳...but the truth is something entirely different. I guess there's a reason why whenever we Swedes talk about the weather in April we shake our heads and sigh... loudly. 

In the last week we've had a little bit of snow, which is quite late as well as cold for this time of the year. And then last night the weather Gods sent us a snowstorm along with 10 inches/20-25 cm of snow...😫!

So this was the view from my kitchen window today...

...and this is outside my house. Luckily the snow plows worked hard early this morning.

Piles of snow and snow-covered trees everywhere.

Check out the pile of snow on the other side of the road...😲

...and the snow-covered cars on the parking lot.

Normally I love snow. During the winter months (October, November, December, January and February) I constantly long for and pray for this amount of snow. But not now when the cold and dark winter is behind us and when we long for the warmth of spring😔😳😬.

Still, since I'm very much a seasonal stitcher, this weather certainly keeps me in the mood for  some Christmas stitching. I have a couple of Xmas charts on the go but the one that holds my attention right now is this festive design, Soaring Santa, by Emma Congdon. (The chart is called Santa's Coming on Etsy.)

Ultimate Cross Stitch Christmas Vol 19 
or 
Cross Stitch Crazy issue 223.

I'm not going as fast as I'd like with this one since I'm also trying to stitch a couple of Easter cards.

I'm also missing a couple of the main colours but I'm hoping to order them soon. 

Still, the Swedish April weather has certainly provided me with plenty of cosy stitching time indoors lately😉😜.

Hope that you're able to enjoy some WARM spring weather where you are, and that the weekend will provide you with plenty of time for 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. 

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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?!!

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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.

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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...

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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

All My WIPs - part 1

 Hello Stitching Friends!

I'm constantly amazed and impressed with how organized some of you are when it comes to your WIPs and your stash🙌! That is far from the way things are over here in My Little X-stitch Nook 😂🙈. I have a couple of boxes overbrimming with stitching projects in varying stages of completion in no kind of order whatsoever. I have another box with mixed fabrics and yet another box with threads. Sometimes I try to organize the WIPs by removing (ie stuffing in a box or bag) those that I don't feel like working on, but it doesn't take long before various WIPs get dragged out again and the WIP piles on the sofa and on the livingroom table grows out of control and they all get shoved into the boxes again😂. Just pure wonderful and chaotic crafting chaos🙈😉.

One of those overflowing WIP-boxes...and a furbaby!

However, my family recently helped me to replace my old brokendown and scruffy sofa with a new one and now I'm feeling quite inspired to try to organize my stitching chaos which at the moment surrounds my new sofa. And I'm thinking that the first thing I want to do is to count all my WIPs; who knows, it might not be as bad as I'm thinking, haha. And of course that includes listing and recording them all here on the blog under the page named MY WIPs. At the same time I have also removed a couple of other pages that I don't use anymore. 

I tend to keep most of my WIPs in these extremly handy and large plastic zip bags...

...which I buy quite cheaply at our local IKEA store.

So today I have started this organizing process - I'm so pumped😁!!! - and I thought it might be fun to show you a few of those old and new and big and small and just started or almost finished WIPs in the next few posts, at the same time as I add them to my WIP page. You will probably recognize a few if you have followed me for a while, but who cares, right?! All the details of the charts/designers are available in the WIP page.

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This one I started a long time ago, before I got my beagle 9 years ago. The original pattern is from Cross Stitch Crazy issue 137 and designed by Gail Bussi. I wanted to do the words in Swedish which made it a lot harder and I also added the names of my (then) two furbabies. Then I decided to add a couple of flowers (using threads from my stash) but the flower on the right looks awful 🙈😂😩and needs to be frogged...and that's where I ran out of steam... It could be cute though...some day...

* * *

This is an old one too, and from the period in my life where I loved to stitch animals. Of course this one is impossible for me to finish before I get new glasses (because of the black fabric), but I've made quite good progress and one day it'll hopefully be finished and look stunning on my wall.

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This snow globe design by Emma Congdon only needs a day or two more of stitching and I'm hoping to get around to it before next Christmas.

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And the same goes for this beautiful Swedish Christmas scene. The one little issue with this project is that I have to use three threads with the 11-count fabric, which sadly rules out the loop start😒

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So I'm pretty sure you can understand why I chose to start this project😁😍.

It reminded me of my precious furbabies, especially before they got old and their faces turned all white😍💝. I would like to get around to finishing this one too; maybe I'll sew one thread every day like some of you do...🤔?

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This one is probably my oldest WIP which I started when I still lived in London 15 years ago, and it is far away from being finished... All those fractionals and backstitches in the bouquet are really putting me off. However, it does make me smile when I see the LARGE piece of aida I chose to stitch it on😉. I earned a lot of money back then and could afford more fabrics and threads and cross stitching magazines etc. These days I'm always quite stingy with the fabric...😞.

* * *

This Lavender Fairy by Joan Elliott still needs a lot of bling! I've started with the Kreinik braid but there are are also a lot of beads to add and other details missing. Maybe when I get new glasses I can get around to it. It's very pretty though, isn't it? 

* * *

So these projects (and more) have been added to the WIP page for now. There isn't even a dent in my stash though, so I'll be back with many more WIPs soon. Anyone want to guess how many there are in total??? For your information I have no idea myself so I'm enjoying this process with mixed dread and delight😲😂😂😂.

Hope you have a lovely weekend with lots of relaxing stitching!

Annie

Birthday gifts and new seasonal designs

 Hello Stitching Friends!

It was my sister's birthday in the middle of April, and since she and my brother-in-law have become caravan lovers in the last few years I decided to stich her something with that theme. Instead of making a birthday card, I stitched a little hanging ornament for her which I decorated with matching beads. The words on it says something like 'Home is good but caravan is better'.

Sadly I have lost the chart details for this little caravan. I used threads from my stash.

My main gift was a stitched picture of a couple relaxing in front of their caravan and it wasn't difficult imagining it being my sister and brother-in-law.

This is a kit from the Danish company Permin.

To personalize it I decided to try to match the look of the caravan in the picture with their own caravan, so I changed the original green stipes on the caravan to reddish stripes. 

I think it turned out quite well. And thank goodness for that because it was a MUCH more challenging stitch than I thought. Lots and lots of colour changes and lots and lots of backstitch and areas with cross stitches in just one thread. I really had to push myself to get it finished...but I'm glad I did.

So, having struggled with that project for quite a while, I was so happy when it was finished that I just HAD to start some new fun projects! You understand, don't you?😉

Having access to an online magazine site, I found this cute little Christmas SAL in Cross Stitcher magazine.

A  three part Christmas SAL designed by Susan Penny.
 Published in Cross Stitcher magazine, issues October/November/December 2019.
 

The finishing details were really simple and I love Christmas projects so I thought 'why not?' 

And then I found a REALLY cute little calendar project in the Januari 2021 issue of Cross Stitcher magazine. The colourful but simple seasonal motives by Cheryl McKinnon are really cute, and I decided to put them all together and turn them into a big sampler. 

I'm taking my time with this one, enjoying the slow process, stitching a little here and there whenever I feel like it. I have yet to start the November and December months as you can see. I'm constantly amazed at how Cheryl McKinnon can create such cute little details with just a few stitches! Like the two little sheep in the top right corner; so simple but so perfect😍👌. 

I have also learnt a new stitch from Youtube; the clever pin stitch🙌. I tried it on a single black cross stitch as seen below...

...and it worked pretty well I must say. I need to invest in a better pair of scissors though, to be able to cut the thread REALLY close to the fabric. But I will definitely use the pin stitch again, that's for sure. 

But the project I have spent the most time on lately are these gorgeous four seasonal trees designed by Cheryl McKinnon. As you can tell, she's quickly becoming my favorite designer at this point in my life.

Seasonal Trees by Cheryl McKinnon.
Published in Cross Stitch Crazy issue 260

As soon as I saw these colourful seasonal trees I fell in love. All those seasonal motifs😍😍😍! But instead of having to get four different frames/hoops for them, I decided, once again, to put them all together. As usual I didn't have all the thread colours I needed when I started this project, but I used a small part of my tax return to order some more DMC threads.

In the beginning I had most of the spring colour threads so that is the tree that got the most attention. Now I have received the missing colurs too, but I really want to finish the spring tree.

I haven't decided how to finish this project yet. Turn it into a cushion? Or a hanging? Oh well, knowing me I'll have plenty of time to think about it before it's time to decide🙈😂.

Hope you are all well? My mum and dad have finally had their first covid vaccination which is a relief, and it looks like I might have my first one some time in the next couple of months.

Annie

A couple of framed projects and Cookies for Santa

Hello Stitching Friends!

How are you all doing? Here in Sweden autumn is approaching and the days are getting darker and the nights are getting colder. As I'm writing this, it is pouring with rain outside and I have lit a scented candle; love, love, LOVE scented candles! I don't mind the dark and the cold since the winter and the snow is my favorite part of the year and autumn is a sign that my favorite part of the year is on its way😊🍂.

Last week my niece had her 18th birthday so of course I had to cross stitch a cool card for her. The design is from the Cross Stitch Crazy magazine, but unfortunately I don't know the issue or designer...😞.

And whilst I was busy making the card, I also took the time to frame dad's lighthouse picture and I gave it to him during the weekend as he visited us for my niece's birthday party. 

Cross Stitch Crazy magazine, June 2020.
Designer: Cheryl McKinnon

I also framed my own little cross stitched themed picture.

From Cross Stitcher magazine, issue 310.
Designer: Durene Jones.

It was so much fun to stitch and I love how it turned out😍!

As far as actual stitching progress, I have continued with my Xmas themed pieces. I'm making great progress on my must-finish-for-this-Xmas project...

...and I have also surprised myself by spending some time on my Xmas doily with the cute little gnomes and Xmas greenery🎅🎄.

But my absolute favorite project this week has been a project I had actually forgotten I had...until I recently remembered it in the middle of the night on one of those occasions when I laid sleepless😳. (My sleep pattern is completely ruined after everything I've experienced and I wouldn't be able to sleep at all if I didn't have my sleeping pills...)

So I bought this adorable pattern way back in 2016 after having seen it on other cross stitching websites.

When I managed to find it, I discovered that I had only made a tiny start before my cross stitching mojo disappeared.

As I took this picture of my pitiful start 4 years ago, I also tried to capture the sparkle on the gold-flecked aida fabric. It's just gorgeous!!!!

I'm having so much fun working on this gorgeous project.

For exemple, I'm just obsessed with these Christmas tree branches! They are so simple but so festive and just soo cute😍😁! 

Luckily for me, I made sure back in 2016 that I had all the threads so there's nothing stopping my progress on this one...well, except for all my other projects I want to work on...😂

So, that is all for now I think. Or maybe not...I just have to include a cute furbaby pic, don't I😉😍?!

He's lost so many teeth now that the tongue is poking out when he sleeps...
...sooo cute😍😍😍!

Hope you all have a great weekend with plenty of time for cross stitch!

Annie