Smalls SAL - September 2022

Hello all!

It's the last Friday of the month so time for the Smalls SAL. Thank you, Mary, for continuing to host this fun little SAL. Pop over to Mary's Blog to see what other participants have been stitching in the way of Smalls this month.

Each month I stitch a small project specifically for this SAL which doesn't appear elsewhere on my blog.

But this month, for the first time in nearly eight years, I didn't :(

So the only small thing I have to show is the recently-finished biscornu by Magicalquilts, stitched on Bermuda aida using Jodyri thread Flowering Cactus:

It's already been FFOd, so you'll see it soon as an actual biscornu!

Next month's Small will be something spooky for Dark October - and I know that for a fact as it's already been stitched (but not shown as it's a gift).

Take care,
Rachel x

Back to zero!

Hi again!

Those who have been following me a long time will know that stitching every day, even if only for five minutes, is a bit of an obsession. 

Starting on 1st January 2015, I made it to 540 days before a trip to A&E with my son ended that streak.

Restarting on 26th June 2016, all looked well, right up to 20th September 2022 when, after 2278 stitching days in a row, the counter reset to zero and stayed there for Three. Full. Days.  :(

Although I'm a little frustrated, I can more than see the funny side of this obsession, so am OK if you want to laugh along with me at my 'failure'!

I have calculated it will take until 18th December 2028 to surpass 2278 days in a row again, and it made me wonder (a) if I'd make it, and (b) if I'd still be stitching the same WIPs I have now! Only time will tell...

Take care,

Rachel x

'January' Biscornu - started and finished!

Hi all,

Whilst life means I still can't stitch for long each night, and my plans for the last few months (and probably the remainder of the year) have long since flown away, I thought I'd stitch something I've wanted to try for a while - a biscornu.

With thanks to Leonore for providing the link, I armed myself with bright fabric and a Jodyri variegated thread and stitched the January Biscornu by Magicalquilts. The front is stitched as charted but the back is a simplified version containing only the cross-stitch elements.

January Biscornu by Magicalquilts

Stitched on 16ct Bermuda over-dyed aida with Jodyri thread 'Flowering Cactus'

Started - 19th August 2022

Finished - 7th September 2022

Total stitching time - 9 hours 40 minutes

I think it's going to look quite sweet once FFOd.

Now I've done one, I doubt this will be my last biscornu, especially as they're simple to stitch and aren't finished as one of my usual ornies! And since this is the 'January' biscornu by Magicalquilts, I still have another 11 months to choose from.

Take care,

Rachel x

Link-up For Fully Finished Gallery SAL - September 2022

Hello all!

It's the 10th of the month so time for another Fully Finished Gallery SAL, the place to show your FFOing achievements since your last link-up.

The link-up for this SAL opens on the 10th of each month and stays open for 10 days so you can join in whenever you're ready.

Just the one again for me this month, Lizzie Kate's Deck The Halls. There's probably no surprise in how it's been finished - as a hanging ornie with coordinating fabric and barley twist cord:

Now it's over to you.

Please link-up using the URL of your FFG SAL post and not the home page of your blog, adding a thumbnail of a finish and either your name or your blog name as the caption. The link-up will remain open for 10 days, closing at 6am UK time on 20th September.

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I look forward to seeing your own contributions this month.

Next month's post will go live on 10th October at 6am UK time. Hope to see you there!

Take care,
Rachel x

People's Choice SAL - Sea Creatures

Hello all!

It's the first Saturday of the month so time for the People's Choice SAL run by Jo from Serendipitous Stitching. Continued thanks to Jo for hosting this unique SAL which has a different theme each month.

This month's theme is Sea Creatures.

Well, I've got one word for this - dolphins!

I love dolphins and didn't realise quite how many I'd stitched until I totted them all up. But I'll only show a few, along with a couple of other sea creatures which have crept onto my needles.

Dreaming Of Dolphins is one of my favourites, although I'm a bit upset about the hand-dyed fabric whose blue shades faded as I was stitching:

These two Ocean Critters - Seahorse and Dolphin - by Janet Morningstar were really fun to stitch. There are a crab and lobster in this set too, but I'm not so keen on those.

I then have a set of Dolphins by Durene Jones - only four out of the seven so far, but these are my favourites.

And finally, the recently-finished Watercolour Dolphin...

... and Seahorses:

It seems customary recently, in this SAL post, for me to show a BAP I stared and have given up on, and this month is no different!

I started Dolphin Ruins in 2014, when I had a run of BAPs, and still love it, especially the marble columns and the ripple effect of the water. But, sadly and unsurprisingly, it's probably not going to be picked up again. I'm now of the mind to buy the picture rather than finish stitching it!

And finally, finally, I thought I'd look for something different. I'm not keen on these pictures-within-pictures charts, but thought these looked really effective (and it's something other than dolphins and seahorses!) They're by VladaXstitch on etsy:

Next month's theme is Wild Animals; perhaps that post won't be quite so one-sided!

Take care,

Rachel x