Friday, 29 December 2023

Smalls SAL - December 2023

Hello all!

It's the last Friday of the month, and of the year, so here's my final Smalls SAL post of 2023. Thank you once again, Mary, for hosting.



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

For December, I went totally overboard!

I started off with something Small and Christmassy; a QR code similar to the one I stitched a couple of years ago. I won't include what it says just yet, instead hope you have an app that can read it!

QR Code by NorthEastStitching (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct Holly with sparkles over-dyed aida using ThreadworX 1085 Christmas Time
Started - 2nd December 2023
Finished - 2nd December 2023
Total Stitching time - 2 hours 30 minutes


And then, prepare yourself for more... lots more!

You see, I sort of went shopping on etsy during the Black Friday sales. There is one particular store I have had as a favourite for a long time but never bought anything from, and that is LaSelvaDesign. The store's contents are mostly small cute animal charts and during the sales I gave in and purchased two sets (although I am eyeing up a few lots more!)

Anyway I fancied a quick stitch so out came this little chap...

Front-Facing Dolphin (right) by LaSelvaDesigns (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct Lagoon over-dyed aida
Started - 3rd December 2023
Finished - 4th December 2023
Total stitching time - 2 hours 45 minutes


...followed by this one...

Swimming Dolphin (right) by LaSelvaDesigns (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct Lagoon over-dyed aida
Started - 11th December 2023
Finished - 11th December 2023
Total stitching time - 2 hours 55 minutes


...and then the third one to complete the set!

Jumping Dolphin (left) by LaSelvaDesigns (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct Lagoon over-dyed aida
Started - 16th December 2023
Finished - 16th December 2023
Total stitching time - 2 hours 50 minutes


Bearing in mind the mirror-image charts are also provided with the purchased charts (hence the 'left' or 'right' added to the titles) this isn't strictly the complete set, but one of each pose will suffice for now!


And then, if that wasn't enough, out came the second set!

First up was this one...

Side-Facing Scarlet Macaw (left) by LaSelvaDesigns (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct Icy Topaz over-dyed aida
Started - 20th December 2023
Finished - 20th December 2023
Total stitching time - 4 hours 35 minutes


...followed by this one...

Front-Facing Scarlet Macaw (right) by LaSelvaDesigns (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct Icy Topaz over-dyed aida
Started - 21st December 2023
Finished - 21st December 2023
Total stitching time - 4 hours 5 minutes


...and finally this one!

Flying Scarlet Macaw (left) by LaSelvaDesigns (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct Icy Topaz over-dyed aida
Started - 22nd December 2023
Finished - 23rd December 2023
Total stitching time - 3 hours 55 minutes


It was a bit exceptionally naughty of me to start more projects when I should have been concentrating on other things, but I think you can see why I couldn't resist them! Anyway, it was the build-up to Christmas and for once I was free enough to be able to stitch during the day. Sometimes school holidays are great!!

So that's all the Smalls from me for this year then. Next year I have the first 12 of yet another set of Advent ornies planned, so let's see what happens.


In more news...

You should have read by now that Mary is handing over the reigns of the Small SAL, and it is me who will be taking them on!

The format will be exactly the same... link up on the last Friday of the month with anything Small you have cross stitched during the month, be it an individual piece, part of a set, or a portion of a big design. What constitutes Small is very much up to you... for me it is a design of about 45x45 stitches, or one that would take under 10 hours to stitch, but if you think 100x100 is Small, then it's Small! I look forward to seeing your cross stitched submissions in 2024.

Finally, all that remains to be said is thank you, Mary, for taking over the Smalls SAL from Heather and hosting for the last five years. Hopefully you'll still drop in, but with the pressure off to stitch a Small each month we all know it will be at your own pace.

See you in the Smalls SAL next year then!

Take care,
Rachel x

9 comments:

Pamela said...

Cute dolphins and macaws! Well done!

Clare-Aimetu said...

No wonder you couldn't resist they are lovely. Thank you for taking over Smalls, it certainly helps my stitching.

Ann C. said...

Congratulations on all of your small finishes.

Tiffstitch said...

Love these ones! So fun and nice of you to take on another SAL. Enjoy the process!

Katie said...

Not looking Not looking You always get me but I have way too much now to stitch haha. Love them of course!! Can't wait to see what 2024 brings to you. How fun to host the Smalls SAL. I'm going to just STITCH no matter the size haha.

Leonore Winterer said...

Wow these are adorable! I especially love the Macaws with their bright reds. And I don't think new starts are all that naughty if you finish them right away, too!
I didn't know you were taking over the Smalls SAL when I decided that I would be joining in this year, but I guess I will linkingu p with you for one more SAL a month - I surely don't mind!

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Those are so cute! I can see why you couldn't resist starting (and finishing) them immediately.
Thanks for hosting the Smalls SAL going forward, if only to stop me from volunteering! The Monopolies Commission will be after me if I take any more SALs on LOL

Astrids dragon said...

Awe, those smalls are adorable!

Faith... said...

Those are the cutest smalls ever! I love both sets!! Congrats on the finishes!

Best wishes for the new year to you as well!