The Amazing and Awesome Alphabet Assembly

It's the first Saturday of the month, so it's time for detention!

"They only met online, but it changed their lives forever"

I think most of you know the lovely enigmatic Chiara who blogs at The Grey Tail?  We were chatting via email a while back and between us came up with the idea of an A-Z language challenge.  We batted some ideas around and are calling it the The Alphabet Club.  Chiara has the full details on that link but basically she will post a link-up post on the first Saturday of each month (Saturday being detention day in the film) starting with the letter A and we will all link up with A themed things, from stitching to designers and local customs.

A Dark Alphabet - A Note of Friendship 

So it kick things off we have Amazing and Awesome (Chiara and me, obviously!).  We also have Angels:

And Autumn:

I don't have a current WIP for A but I do have a shameful UFO, this is Around the World in 80 Stitches by Papillon which ground to a halt back in 2012.

It was a beautiful mystery sampler in about 20 parts but I stopped in Part 4.  I started the Speciality Stitches version but found it very "bitty", too many colour changes and too much stopping and starting.  It looks stunning when it is finished so maybe I will resurrect it one day.

My next A relates nicely to above project because this person did actually complete it, well done Minnie from All XXs.  That link goes direct to the post which shows her amazing and awesome Around the World finish.

Other blogs I enjoy beginning with A include:

The Alchymyst's Study

Alaska Wolf Pack

Always Smiling

Aimetu's Stitching

And designers I have stitched include Acorn House Designs, Drac-in-a-Box:

And designers I love but have never stitched include Alessandra Adelaide.  How can I not have stitched one of these lovely swirly monochrome designs?  I have some from the magazines and some freebies too.  So that must be put right in next year's targets.

I have also started a new project just for this SAL.  Yesterday's D.E.S.I.G.N choice was Brooke Nolan from Brooke's Books.  She designed a lovely stitching alphabet which is still available on her blog.  So I started with A for this SAL and plan to stitch one letter per month to illustrate each Alphabet Club post.  I haven't quite finished A is for Arran but you can see how much I have done so far:

I'm using the afghan fabric (another A) which was a sale bargain from Willow Fabrics.  I cut a long strip off one side, the full seven blocks long plus a half block at either end.  Each block will be divided into four and a letter stitched in each.  When I eventually finish (in 26 months time!) I will make a book out of the strip by folding it in a zig-zag fashion (for Z) and stitching it together.  The two half blocks will be sewn together to form the back cover.

Finally, nothing to do with Alphabet but it is quite amazing - the Summer Postcard Blog Hop.

First postcard from Cheryl goes to Noni at Fireflies and Cats in the Garden

Second postcard from Vickie goes to Katie at Jeremiah's Mom

Third postcard from Noni goes to Julie at Julie's Stitchyknitter Journal

Fourth postcard from Katie goes to Anna at Stitch Bitch

Fifth postcard from Julie goes to Bea at Thoughts and Musings
Sixth card from Bea goes to Narita at The Twilight Thread