Finally Fully Finishing Fun for February

Hosted by Rachel the Ten Hour Stitcher

This SAL is designed to motivate us all to do something with that box of Finished pieces instead of just storing them under the bed.  We will all be linking up on Rachel's blog on or after the 10th of each month (10 Hour Stitcher - 10th of the month).

Since last month I haven't had a lot of finishing time as my son is only in school 3 short days of the week and I try to cram as much into those hours as I can!

I did finish this lovely ornament from the November 2008 Gift of Stitching issue.  Designed by MTV Designs and called Treasure Christmas Pincushion:

stitched on 32 count mid-green linen

The backing fabric is an upholstery sample

I finished stitching the Stitchonomy Winter SAL and fully finished it almost immediately.  I had this reindeer hanger in my stash from a couple of years back.  It had the letters XMAS hanging down but those were easily cut off and ribbon attached so it made the perfect hanger for Winter.

stitched on 14 count Riveria Aida

I'm not an Aida stitcher usually but I got the kit and it was such a beautiful colour I decided to go with it.  It did make finishing much easier as it is stiff enough not to need stretching or lacing.  I just used double-sided tape to fix it to a piece of card.  Nice and easy to follow the threads to fold it perfectly straight too.

Here are some close-ups of each section:

The charm and the pom-pom trim came with the kit as did all the DMC

This was the final Stitchonomy SAL for 2020 and was free if you signed up before the deadline.  Now you can purchase it from the Etsy store - Stitchonomy Etsy

The next SAL will be the Homely Houseplants Version 2 - if you want to grab that for free, make sure you sign up on the website before the deadline - Stitchonomy website

The design was very appropriate because we've had quite a bit of snow here this week.  Enough to shut the schools for two days which further cut down on my finishing time.  So the next piece is not quite done yet.  Here's a hint for next month!

Finally, it's the TUSAL tomorrow and a new feature on my blog which I am quite excited about.  And then the Valentine Hop at the weekend.  It's all go here!

Gifted Gorgeousness January Link-up Post

 

Our new logo for the year is this Just Nan design called Christmas Friends.  It was a gift from Mouse and I have cunningly altered the saying to read "A friend is a gift throughout the year...but especially at GG Time!

Please remember to change your badge and the link to the new page as the old link no longer works.  Don't forget to link up on the main sign-up page with your blog address.

Welcome to the January Gifted Gorgeousness link-up. The link-up date continues to be the 15th and I will keep the link-up open until the end of each month so you have plenty of time if you are late posting.

The format remains exactly the same, there is a list of rules on the main sign-up page if you want to check what is required but basically anything connected to the word "gift" is allowed, whether it was a gift TO you or is a gift FROM you.

Deb sent me the charts for the Stoney Creek 2019 Ornaments which were my Stitchmas project this year.  I started all 12, one per day:

And completed the First Day:

stitched on 32 count Lime Green Linen

Snowfire Christmas by Just Nan was my big finish this month.  I used a thread gifted by Stitching Noni in this one.

stitched on 32 count Burgundy Linen

This piece qualifies because it comes from The GIFT of Stitching magazine, which was a gift from my SIL.  This one is from the November 2008 issue which was the Christmas Ornament Special.  Deisgned by MTV Designs and called Treasure Christmas Pincushion.

stitched on 32 count Mid Green Linen

I used the charted DMC for the red and light green.  For the trees I decided to use a blend as the varirgated thread I had was too close in colour to the light green.  I used DMC 934/936 for some trees and 935/937 for others.  It's a very subtle difference but you can still see it.  This will be made into an ornament by the 10th February! 

Now it is your turn to show us your Gifted Gorgeousness for the month.  Please use your name or your blog name in the field and NOT the words "January Update" so I can easily see who has linked up this month.  And link to the actual post, not just your blog.  It is easier if you copy and paste the link, rather than typing freehand.

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Finally, I will be running the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop on Valentine's Day.

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

It's really very simple, all you have to do is email me a picture of something you have stitched which is suitable for a stitching friend on Valentine's Day.  It could be a heart, or a pair of cute creatures, or the word "love" or anything which warms your heart.  Really anything you think a fellow stitcher would like to receive in her email Inbox.  It can be something you've stitched in the past or something you've made especially for this year.  It could also be quilted or sewn this year as I know some of my followers do other crafts too.

Send me the email by 10th February.

When I have all the emails I will randomise them and send one to each participant on 13th February. Then on 14th February you must post the picture you receive onto your blog under the heading

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

There will be a list on my blog of everyone joining in, so check out all the blogs and find out who got your picture and identify yourself in their comments as their

Secret Stitching Sweetheart

Does that make sense to everyone? I hope so!

If you'd like to be involved then leave a comment on this post or send me an email if you are "no-reply". I'll be putting little reminders up from time to time and will email on 9th February to make sure you send the pic in time.

January TUSAL Happy Dance

   

It's TUSAL time!

Here is my TUSAL tin with my current project:

This is a design from the 2008 Christmas Ornament issue of Gift of Stitching.  Designed by Maria Teresa Vitali of MTV Designs and entitled Treasure Christmas Pincushion.  I am stitching it on the 32 count mid green linen I use for a lot of my Christmas designs and using the DMC conversion so far.  I plan to use a variegated DMC for the Christmas Trees.  Then finish it as an ornament.

The Happy Dance is for a project I was hoping to complete in 2020 but the last two weeks of December put paid to that.  Instead I decided not to rush it and take my time in January.

I present Snowfire Christmas by Just Nan:

stitched on 32 count Burgundy linen

(DMC for colour comparison because it's hard to capture)

As you would expect from a Just Nan, there are a lot of speciality stitches and just as many beads!

My goal was 2-3 bands per week and that was ambitous!

There's DMC and cotton Perle in this

The last two bands are the two that defeated my goal of a 2020 finish

More beads and crystals too

I love this design so much.  I didn't realise how blingy it was until I started it.  I was stitching along with Leonore and she sent me the beautiful crystals because we only had the charts and not the embellishment packs.  A couple of people from the JN FB group wanted to join in and now we have several doing our current SAL of Winter Blues.  Unfortunately, Leonore didn't have that chart so I need to make sure our next choice comes from her and her stash!

Definitely getting this professionally framed when she reopens.

Here's where I am on the new SAL, Winter Blues:

stitched on 28 count White Jobelan

I've gone for 28 count as there is a bit of over-one stitching for the words and birds.  We have a somewhat easier schedule for this one!  Only 1-2 bands per week.  Having bitten off more than I could chew in November/December I decided to take it easy on this one.  We aim to finish by the end of March.

Finally, I will be running the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop on Valentine's Day.

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

It's really very simple, all you have to do is email me a picture of something you have stitched which is suitable for a stitching friend on Valentine's Day.  It could be a heart, or a pair of cute creatures, or the word "love" or anything which warms your heart.  Really anything you think a fellow stitcher would like to receive in her email Inbox.  It can be something you've stitched in the past or something you've made especially for this year.  It could also be quilted or sewn this year as I know some of my followers do other crafts too.

Send me the email by 10th February.

When I have all the emails I will randomise them and send one to each participant on 13th February. Then on 14th February you must post the picture you receive onto your blog under the heading

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

There will be a list on my blog of everyone joining in, so check out all the blogs and find out who got your picture and identify yourself in their comments as their

Secret Stitching Sweetheart

Does that make sense to everyone? I hope so!

If you'd like to be involved then leave a comment on this post or send me an email if you are "no-reply". I'll be putting little reminders up from time to time and will email on 9th February to make sure you send the pic in time.