Smalls SAL link-up - March 2024

Good morning one and all,

It's the last Friday of the month, so time for the Smalls SAL.

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!

I only have this month's Nordic Christmas Sampler, this time Love from day 15. Under the 'Love' banner was a simple geometric design, but I thought it should be hearts so stitched those instead:

Nordic Christmas Sampler Day 15 - love by ZindagiDesigns (etsy)

Stitched on 16ct White with iridescent pearl/opal flecks

Started - 2nd March 2024

Finished - 13th March 2024

Total stitching time - 6 hours 40 minutes

I really like this one; it's definitely my favourite so far.

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

Mischievous March New Start #4 - April Biscornu

Morning all!

Yet another week when I couldn't decide what to start, so took the easy way out with another biscornu.

This is April's biscornu which I chose to stitch in bright spring colours. I've altered the design very slightly to account for it being stitched on aida instead of evenweave, but it doesn't look much different.

April Biscornu by Magical Quilts And More

Stitched on 16ct Rhododendron overdyed aida with Jodyri thread Passionberry Cake

Stitching time to date - 1 hour 30 minutes

Next weekend will be the final Mischievous March new start, a Snuffles in traditional grey/coral colours chosen by Leonore. All I have to do is find the right fabric.

Take care,

Rachel x

Mischievous March New Start #3 - March Biscornu

Morning all!

So having looked through a list of potential new starts, I decided that they were all too big if I wanted to keep to the idea that all Mischievous March new starts should be small. So what to do?

Well, I went back to an old friend - variegated thread - so that I could stitch another biscornu.

It wasn't my intention to stitch the months in order, nor to stitch them as birthstones (as the designer intended) nor in colours relevant to the month. However, having done a lovely-dovey coloured theme for February, and starting this on St Patrick's Day, I thought why not?

So here is the start of March's biscornu. The thread sort of resembles the green of Ireland with the yellow being the Leprechaun's gold and the brown being the pot. And it's stitched on a fabric called Clover, so there are the Irish connections!

March Biscornu by Magical Quilts And More

Stitched on 16ct Clover overdyed aida with Jodyri thread 194 Toxic Banana

Stitching time to date - 2 hours 35 minutes

I love how it's looking so far.

No idea what start number 4 will be yet!

Take care,

Rachel x

A-Z of WIPs Challenge 2024 - E and F

Good afternoon!

The A-Z of WIPs Challenge 2024 is a little SAL being attempted by Serendipitous Jo and myself to stitch our way through an alphabet of WIPs at two/three per month, starting with A and B in January and finishing with Y and Z in December. 

A to D have been successfully completed, so now it's the turn of E and F.

E is for... Elixir Of Luck by CrazyBlendShop (etsy)

Started March 2022 - last worked on April 2023.

I'm sounding like a broken record here, but this was another WIP I didn't want to put down after its two days of attention. I was hoping to stitch all of the bits above the liquid but didn't quite make it. The  pale yellows are really soothing to work with but next time (whenever that may be) I've got the lovely richer darker yellows to look forward to.

Stitching time to date - 9 hours 5 minutes

F is for... France, an 'All Around The World' chart by Soda Stitch

Started July 2021 - last worked on April 2023.

I usually stitch from right to left, but just had to finish the iconic Eiffel tower before carrying on with the lady.

Stitching time to date - 6 hours 10 minutes

These may have only been out for a couple of days, but I really enjoyed working on both and am again happy with my progress.

Next month G and H, where I'm hoping for not one but two 'G' finishes before heading off to a magical village for H.

Take care,

Rachel x

Mischievous March New Start #2 - Halloween Pumpkin

Morning all!

Weekend, and start, number two of Mischievous March 2024 has been and gone.

This week I chose a Halloween project. It's one from a set of four designs, two of which I completed in 2016 and the other two of which have been on my to-do list since. I thought this would be a good time to start another.

And here it is. I spent one day on the border and one day on the pumpkin. Ideally I would have liked to have completed the border but, seeing as it's called Halloween Pumpkin, I thought I'd better actually stitch some of the pumpkin itself!

Halloween Pumpkin (Cross Stitch Crazy magazine chart - date unknown)

Stitched on 16ct Azalea overdyed aida

Stitching time to date - 3 hours 50 minutes

I love how the pumpkin, at the moment, looks a bit like a crescent moon wearing a party hat!

I think I've decided on the third Mischievous March start but as it's not a small-small I'm not totally sure. Still a couple more days to decide.

Take care,

Rachel x

Link-up For Fully Finished Gallery - March 2024 (and Blogoversary winner)

Hello all!

It's the 10th of the month, so here is March's edition of the Fully Finished Gallery SAL, the place to show your cross stitched FFOing achievements since your last link-up.

Despite good intentions, I have just one finished piece again this month, the very pretty February biscornu, a fairly easy and very therapeutic finish:

Now it's your turn.

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 stay open for 10 days.

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And please don't forget to follow other links and support fellow fully-finish-offers.

* * * * * * * * * *

Now for the Blogoversary winner...

I asked which colours you thought I should stitch my next Snuffles in. Thank you all for your suggestions which were: 

1 - Linda - blue, green and yellow

2 - Rita - orange, blue and yellow

3 - Clare - bright limes 10, 11 and 12

4 - Leonore - dark grey, light grey and coraly-red

5 - Katie - red, white and blue

6 - Tiff - deep purple (or deep purple and gold)

7 - Faith - red (or tan)

Of course, for most colours, there are a lot of tones so I tried to pick the three shades that went together best. Here are my current Snuffles with your suggestions:

I have a favourite combination (which I won't divulge!) but for impartiality asked hubby to choose his favourite, and he chose:

Congratulations Leonore! If you send me a comment or email we'll discuss what you would like as a prize.

This Grey/Coral Snuffles will be started on 31st March as my final new start for Mischievous March. He won't take long to stitch, so should appear as a finished piece in April's Smalls SAL post (or sooner if I'm too excited!)

Thank you again for your suggestions. Now I have to think up another question for my 11th Blogoversary!

In the meantime, see you for another FFG SAL next month.

Take care,
Rachel x

Mischievous March New Start #1 - Japan (Mount Fuji) Bauble

Morning all!

For the last three years I have treated myself to a Mischievous March mini new start binge so, not wanting to break with 'tradition', this year is no exception!

If you remember, the idea of Mischievous March is to start a small project each weekend during the month, with the aim of also finishing them all during the month, or reasonably soon afterwards, hence the emphasis on 'small'.

Looking back, 2021 and 2023 were successfully completed but I still have three of the four new starts left from 2022, so I've been far from perfect!

This year I have had terrible trouble deciding which projects to start. I don't think I've ever changed my mind so often! But for week one I finally chose a small bauble. I'm not going to stitch the bauble hanger, instead just add a top row to make the image a circle. Here's how the finished piece will look, and my start over the weekend:

Japan (Mount Fuji) Bauble by 1000sPatterns (etsy)

Stitched on 16ct Cloud Spring Sky overdyed aida

Stitching time to date - 3 hours 30 minutes

I'm really happy with that start.

Now to decide what to start for week two; with only three days left I still have no idea!

Take care,

Rachel x

Tenth Blogoversary Giveaway

Good morning all!

It's 9:22am on the 3rd March 2024 so it's Happy Tenth Blogoversary to me!!

I say it every year but, wow, in some ways I can't believe I'm still stitching and blogging, and fairly successfully even if I do say so myself! Thank you all for continuing to read, comment on and participate in my blog postings - I wouldn't do it without you!

Blogoversary time means it's time for my annual blogoversary giveaway. For the last few years I have asked you to guess the answer to a question, but this year I couldn't think of one!

So, this year, what I'm going to ask you to do is suggest three colours to stitch my next Snuffles in! They could be three threads of the same tone, or three completely different colours (one for the front legs, one for the back legs and darker tummy stripes, and one for the wings and lighter tummy stripes). Then, to avoid bias or subjectivity, I'll get my hubby (who has practically zero interest in my hobby but does like these dragons) pick the colour combination he likes best.

Here's a reminder of the ones I have stitched so far. Actually that's not true; I have stitched three for gifts - a lilac one and two which have never been shown - but I can't tell you what colours those two are!

Up for grabs, as usual, is an e-voucher for the store of your choice to the value of £10 (or local currency equivalent) or a RAK or suchlike for a similar value. I'm always open to suggestions from the winner.

All you have to do is:

1) be a follower of my blog via the followers thingy on the left
2) leave a comment on this post with your colour suggestions

Only one entry per person will be accepted.

Entries will close at 5am UK time on 10th March 2024, so you have just under a week to leave a comment. The winner will be announced at the end of the 10th March FFG SAL link-up post, so keep an eye out for that - it's up to you to contact me, otherwise you will lose out! I'll get the prize out once confirmation emails have been exchanged.

Good luck!
Rachel x