Friday 26 January 2024

Smalls SAL link-up - January 2024

Good morning one and all,

And welcome to the new home of the Smalls SAL! Once again, thank you Mary for hosting for the last five years, and thank you for choosing me to take over; I'm really excited to be hosting!

I've kept the new logo similar. Judging by the size of the needle, that hoop must be about 0.75" making the design a very small Small indeed!



The Smalls SAL will continue as usual, with the link-up opening on the last Friday of the month and staying open for (yes, you guessed it!) ten days.

Entries can be anything Small you have cross stitched during the month, be it an individual piece, part of a set, a portion of a big design, or even an unfinished Small if you haven't been able to complete it. All Smalls, or part(s) thereof, are welcome!

So let's start the ball rolling with my red-themed Smalls this month.

This is the first of the Nordic Christmas Sampler charts I will be stitching over the next two years or so. There are only four colours in these designs - brown, ecru, grey and red - but that didn't stop me making changes! The red 349 and ecru are as charted, but the brownish-grey 648 has been subbed with a nice silvery-grey 2, and the 869 brown used for the outer and inner borders has been, and will continue to be, subbed with one the other colours, in this instance red:

Nordic Christmas Sampler Day 16 - snowflake by ZindagiDesigns (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct White with iridescent pearl/opal flecks
Started - 1st January 2024
Finished - 7th January 2024
Total stitching time - 5 hours 45 minutes


I knew the borders would be quite time-consuming (3 hours) but also really like them. They will be good for those evening when mindless stitching is required!


Then I have a simple Santa for Clare's Christmas Tree. You will have seen a similar Santa last year but I'm not going to show all of this one here as it's a gift and I would like Clare to have that honour:

Santa, based on Red and White Advent Calendar day 13 by Durene Jones
Stitched on 16ct White with iridescent pearl/opal flecks using 666 and Etoile 666
Started - 12th January 2024
Finished - 13th January 2024
Total stitching time - 2 hours 50 minutes


And, although his details as 'A Monarch A Month' won't be posted for a while yet, the next monarch has finally been stitched (about time too!)

William IV from Kings and Queens by Bothy Threads
Stitched on 32ct Vintage Grey murano
Started - 9th January 2024
Finished - 12th January 2024
Total stitching time - 5 hours 15 minutes


Now it's your turn.

You know the format - please link up using the URL of your Smalls SAL post, with a title (usually your name) and a thumbnail. The link will stay open for 10 days.


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I look forward to seeing your Small accomplishments this month.

Take care,
Rachel x

7 comments:

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

Thanks for hosting the SAL! Lovely little red designs and I like your colour changes.
If all goes to plan, I should have at least one thing to post each month this year. And several in May for my Just Nan-athon!

Clare-Aimetu said...

Thank you for hosting this SAL, a great way to share our little things. I really like your Nordic piece and wow a surprise for me.... thank you so much.

Leonore Winterer said...

Hooray for a new year of smalls! Yours is very cute and I'm looking forward to seeing all the others.

Katie said...

Great pieces for a great SAL. Glad you took over. I am not participating this year. But will be joining again with monthlies next year. This year I'm doing everything else haha. Love the Nordic piece. Very pretty indeed. Glad to see another monarch and look forward to hearing his history soon.

Tiffstitch said...

Great finishes and nice idea to keep your Santa a secret. Thank you for hosting!

Magiczny Świat Krzyżyków said...

I can't add a link. Here's my job. http://gosiazoltek.blogspot.com/2024/01/kalendarz-styczen.html Regards.

Faith... said...

So nice to see a Monarch joining the group! Love the new set of ornaments you are doing for the next year or two; they go very well with the last set you stitched.