A-Z of WIPs Challenge 2024 - C and D

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 our alphabet of WIPs at two/three per month, starting with A and B in January and finishing with Y and Z in December. 

Last month you saw A and B so this month it's C and D.

C is for... the Happiness Delivery Couple (and the Christmas Tree) by Soda Stitch

Started June 2020 - last worked on April 2023.

I thought I'd continue working my way down this one so concentrated on mainly the hair and skin. I don't like the boy's big mouth so will be adapting it into a grin similar to that of the girl. This WIP will probably reappear for Christmas In July.

Stitching time to date - 8 hours 25 minutes

D is for... Dragon Shelf by CrossStitchAlexaKiss (no longer on etsy) stitched on Fairy Dust Multi Pastel aida

Started July 2021 - last worked on July 2021.

After having not stitched on this one since the day I started it, this soon became a WIP I didn't want to put down, hence the amount of progress. Another couple of years of this SAL, and little Horace here could become a finish!

Stitching time to date - 6 hours 40 minutes

As with last month, I'm again really pleased with the progress I was able to make on these. This Challenge is working well so far.

Next month E and F, involving some sorcery and a trip to Continental Europe!

Take care,

Rachel x

Merry Christmas By The Letter - finished?

Hi all,

For Christmas in July 2021 I started Lizzie Kate's Merry Christmas By The Letter. I carried on in December 2021, and again during Christmas in July 2022. Then it got put aside until this month, when I was determined it would become a pre-Christmas finish.

So with trashy Christmas films in the background (most of which tell roughly the same story so you don't actually have to 'watch' them) I set to work.

Here's how I left it in July 2022:

And now all finished after having added the final three letters, the fireplace and the buttons (and having gone through about two dozen trashy Christmas films!):

Merry Christmas By The Letter by Lizzie Kate

Stitched on 16ct Golden over-dyed aida

Started - 6th July 2021

Finished - 20th December 2023

Total stitching time - 76 hours 45 minutes

I made a few subtle changes to the layout, leaving out a row of snowflakes under the 'Y' (although I don't know why!) and moving some letters around a space or two.

The reason I'm questioning whether or not it's finished is because I'm tempted to make some additions. Part of me says leave it as it is but part says it might look better if:

 - the fireplace was extended to make a full hearth rather than just the top half

 - a wreath of beads was added to the fireplace

 - and maybe a small border of holly, with beads for the berries, was added

I don't know. What do you think? If I did make any or all of the above additions they would not be until next year's Christmas in July so I've got six months to think about them!

Take care,

Rachel x

 

Merry Christmas!

Good morning and...

Merry Christmas 2022 everyone!

Just popped in to say Merry Christmas. I hope you are able to spend the final week of 2022 relaxing with family and friends, and maybe stitching one or two goodies Santa left in your stocking!

Eat, drink, be merry but, above all, stay safe.

Love and hugs

Rachel x

Christmas In July - round-up (plus one new start and three finishes)

Hi all,

So I've reached the end of Christmas In July. If you've been stitching for Christmas In July I hope you enjoyed it!

For the majority of the month I focused on two Lizzie Kate charts, although did have time for a couple of small finishes and a surprise new start and finish.

The big focus was Merry Christmas By The Letter which started like this...

... and ended like this, with 17 hours and 20 minutes of stitching resulting in the addition of four more panels. That brings the total time spent on this so far to 51 hours and 40 minutes. I really hope this will be a finish when I return to it in December.

The other Lizzie Kate Christmas piece was a Tiny Tidings I stitched for the Smalls SAL:

As for the other stitching...

I decided to take some time out on Sunday and stitch a very small Christmas design. I won't tell you what it says - you'll have to find out for yourself (I have tested it and it does work):

QR Code

Stitched on 16ct Holly over-dyed aida with sparkles using DMC 321 and 987

Stitch count 21 wide by 21 high

Started - 31st July 2022

Finished - 31st July 2022

Total stitching time - 1 hour 35 minutes

And finally I finished another two letters (which I've been slowly adding to for the last few months) for Clare's Alphabet Christmas Tree. I won't share pictures of them as Clare won't have received them yet. They'll appear in my August Smalls SAL though.

So quite a successful Christmas month.

The next month with a specific focus is Dark October, meaning that I now have August and September to maybe try to catch up on the Monarchs and The Loneliness Of Autumn.

Or... if I still can't focus on those, perhaps I'll slip in a new start (or three). I've been wanting to try a biscornu for a while and now have some suitable geometric-type charts along with a few Jodyri variegated threads I treated myself to. Sounds like the perfect combination, don't you think?!

Take care,

Rachel x

Smalls SAL - July 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.

Seeing as my focus this month is Christmas In July, so my Smalls SAL is Christmassy. I've stitched a few Lizzie Kate Tiny Tidings designs in the past, but none since this time last year, so am due another one. I usually add a few beads to each dsign, but liked the fact this one had space for a charm. How convenient I should have a perfect one in my stash!

Deck The Halls from Tiny Tidings IX by Lizzie Kate

Stitched on 16ct Cloud Brown over-dyed aida

Started - 23rd July 2022

Finished - 28th July 2022

Total stitching time - 6 hours 35 minutes

At first I wasn't overly keen on the blue house, especially given that all the other Tiny Tidings I've stitched so far stick to browns, greens, pinks and reds. Do you think it might look better with, say, a dark red roof and a mid-brown bricks? Honest opinions please.

Without even looking through my Smalls list, I think next month's offering is going to have to be another Snuffles... but which colour???

Take care,
Rachel x

Smalls SAL - December 2021

Hello all!

It's the last Friday of the month (well, I'm posting this a day early because I've got my end-of-year round-up post tomorrow) 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.

This month I stitched the final ornie from a set of six by Durene Jones; it's satisfying to have now finished the set:

Season's Greetings by Durene Jones (etsy)

Stitch Count 45 wide by 45 high

Stitched on 16ct White Silver Lurex aida 2 over 2

Started - 6th December 2021

Finished - 15th December 2021

Total stitching time - 9 hours 5 minutes

As usual I replaced the french knots with beads, but that's the only change I made.

And my Queen Anne monarch is also a small this month:

So next month we start another new year and I have something prickly but seasonal in mind!

Take care,
Rachel x

Merry Christmas!

Good morning and...

Merry Christmas 2021 everyone!

I hope you have a relaxing and peaceful Christmas, filled with love. laughter and wonderful presents Santa has rewarded you with for being good all year! Perhaps there will be the odd stitchy goody among them?

I was very good and didn't ask for any stash this year, although that doesn't mean I won't have a browse around the Christmas sales for the odd treat or two!

For those who do not celebrate Christmas, I hope you enjoy the end of year break.

And to all, stay safe.

Love and hugs
Rachel x

Smalls SAL - November 2021

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.

This month is the fifth Christmas ornie from a set of six by Durene Jones. I stitched two in 2019, two last year, and am on my final two this year:

Noel by Durene Jones (etsy)

Stitch Count 45 wide by 45 high

Stitched on 16ct White Silver Lurex aida 2 over 2

Started - 1st November 2021

Finished - 8th November 2021

Total stitching time - 10 hours 10 minutes

As usual I replaced the french knots with beads, but that's the only change I made.

And since my monarchs are also back, they get a second outing too!

So December will not only be the final Christmas ornie from this set, but also the last Smalls SAL of the year - again!

Take care,
Rachel x

Christmas In July Update

Hi all!

Now that it's (finally) time for the (much more low-key) Tokyo 2020 Olympics, my stitching for Christmas In July is at an end.

My pace has picked up to an average of an hour a day, allowing time to finish one Christmas piece and make a good start on another, both by Lizzie Kate.

The finished piece I'll show in the monthly Smalls SAL, but here's the new start:

Merry Christmas By The Letter by Lizzie Kate

Stitched on 16ct Golden over-dyed aida

This is what it will look like when finished:

I will add the buttons after all the stitching has been completed, and finally (whenever that may be) create some sort of gold beaded border rather than the white stitched one suggested.

So now I have the Tokyo Olympic new start binge coming up, which is perfect timing as I finish work today for the six week school summer holiday. I'm hoping to post my new starts daily, but life is still very much up in the air at the moment so who knows. But 17 (more) new starts... I can't wait!!!

Take care,

Rachel x

Gold Stars Christmas Tree - started and finished!

Hello everyone!

It's been a tradition for the last few years for me to start a new project on Christmas Day. These have generally been biggish projects which haven't seen the light of day again for quite some time, so this Christmas I decided to do a much smaller project which would hopefully take only a few days to finish. And it did, becoming my 45th and final finish of 2020, thanks to a few nights of insane insomnia and lots of stitching!

This type of project is not normally my sort of thing, but I chose it because I desperately wanted something Christmassy to go on the starry fabric!

Gold Stars Christmas Tree by NandiStitch (etsy)

Stitched on 16ct Fairy Dust Gold and Silver by sewitall.com

Stitch Count 78 wide by 102 high

Started - 25th December 2020

Finished - 28th December 2020

Total stitching time - 12 hours 50 minutes

Other than swapping out the colours, using amber instead of pink beads, changing the location of most of the beads, and stitching the base of the tree using blended threads rather than just the lighter colour, it's as charted! I was planning to add Etoile but forgot and am actually glad I did; together with the beads and patterned fabric it might have been a bit OTT.

I'm pleased to say it's already been FFOd so will make another appearance the FFG SAL very soon.

Take care,

Rachel x

Merry Christmas!

Good morning all, and...

Merry Christmas 2020 everyone!

Hopefully Santa has been good to you and brought you lots of stitchy goodies?

I treated myself to a couple of new things for Christmas and will be starting one of them tonight. It's seasonal but a bit different to my usual choice of patterns. I'm definitely looking forward to putting in the first few stitches later, especially as I'm going to add sparkle! ;)

So, Merry Christmas everyone or, for those who do not celebrate Christmas, I hope you enjoy the small end-of-year break.

Love
Rachel x

Smalls SAL - December 2020

Hello all!

I'm posting this a day early as I always have a special post on Christmas Day and like to post things separately.

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.

For December I stitched the fourth of six Christmas Words Cards by Durene Jones:

Let It Snow by Durene Jones (etsy)

Stitch Count 45 wide by 45 high

Stitched on 16ct white lurex aida

Started - 6th December 2020

Finished - 11th December 2020

Total stitching time - 8 hours 50 minutes

Like last month's, I changed the blues and added beads instead of french knots. Another piece ready just in time for Christmas!

In this Smalls SAL I'm also re-showing other qualifying small projects I've stitched during the month. This month's it's just my monarch, Elizabeth I:

For the start of 2021 I have a set of five cuties planned. They tell a little story - if I get them in the right order. I can't wait to start the first one!

Take care,
Rachel x

Merry Christmas!

Good morning all, and...

Merry Christmas 2019 everyone!

Hopefully Santa has been good to you and brought you lots of stitchy goodies; I'll be starting a new project tonight so have that to look forward to once the day is over.

Thanks for putting up with my ramblings over the last year and continuing to comment and contribute to my blog. I couldn't imagine my stitching life without this blog to keep track of my adventures into the madness of stitching and SALs.

So, Merry Christmas everyone or, for those who do not celebrate Christmas, I hope you enjoy the small end-of-year break.

Love
Rachel x

Smalls SAL - December 2018

Hi all!

It's the final Friday of 2018 so it's time for the final Smalls SAL posting of 2018. I hope your Christmas / holiday season is going well.

For December I couldn't not choose something Christmassy so stitched another little Christmas Cat. Back in July, when I stitched the first one, I asked you to vote for which of the five others I should stitch in December but there wasn't a clear winner, so I chose this one:

Dangling Christmas Cat by Design Works Crafts

Stitched on 16ct Tin over-dyed aida with sparkles from Sewitall.com 2 over 1

Stitch count 43 wide by 37 high

Started - 1st December 2018

Finished - 6th December 2018

Total stitching time - 7 hours 5 minutes

And need I even bother to say how he's been finished off?!

But there's also a bonus Smalls SAL piece this month since I had a couple of days spare and wanted to stitch something quick. So, appropriately for the busy build up to Christmas, here's Mr Rush, who's been finished off as a card to match the other Mr Men I stitched a couple of years ago.

Mr Rush available at my-cross-stitch-patterns.com (free)

Stitched on 16ct Lilac over-dyed aida from Sewitall.com 2 over 1

Stitch count 25 wide by 36 high

Started - 23rd December 2018

Finished - 24th December 2018

Total stitching time - 3 hours 5 minutes

So, that's it for the 2018 Smalls SAL. I stitched and fully-finished-off 13 pieces this year and look forward to being similarly successful in 2019!

Take care,
Rachel x

Merry Christmas!

Good morning all!

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of my blog readers for their wonderful support and encouraging comments throughout the year and wish you all a very Merry Christmas 2018, whether you are having a wintry Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere...

... or a summery one in the Southern Hemisphere:

I hope Santa has been good to all of you and you have a fabulous day doing whatever it is you do (ie playing with your new cross stitch stash!)

For those who do not celebrate Christmas, I hope enjoy the small end-of-year break.

Love
Rachel x

French Country Snow Globe - started and finished!

Hi all!

So, here's a new started-and-finished project to show you, one that was sitting near the top of my to-do pile for quite some time and which filled the 'new start' gap left after I had finished Haunted House Bell Pull.

I was originally only going to stitch the snow globe, then decided I actually quite liked the border but not the background, then thought actually I do like the background after all so stitched it as charted! It was also a good excuse to also bring out some sparkly fabric and variegated threads:

After ten hours of stitching I only had some of the background left to fill in so thought that instead of showing a ten hour progress picture I'd just plod on to the end. And here it is:

French Country Snow Globe by JBW designs

Stitched on 16ct Tin over-dyed aida with sparkles 2 over 1

Stitch count 83 wide by 87 high

Started - 26th August 2018

Finished - 28th September 2018

Total stitching time - 15 hours

The variegated threads are by ThreadworX - the green is 1048 Woodland Green, the red 1089 Bleeding Hearts and the white 10302 Reflections, which has very very pale red and green running through it (so pale in fact you can hardly see them!) The variations are quite subtle, and hardly visible in the photos, but I didn't want distinct colour changes so were perfect in that respect.

The background is actually the repetition of the word 'snow' although takes some concentration to figure it out!

I didn't think this piece was important enough to warrant framing so, surprise surprise, have made it into an ornie. Naturally some of the sparkles have rubbed off, and will continue to rub off, but at least I found some suitable fabric and finished it off with red barley twist cord. It's stuffed a bit too much for my liking but it'll go down in time.

So, having finished this project, I had an empty 'new start' space again. In the last two days of September I made a fair bit of progress on my next new project although won't show a picture until I reach the ten hour mark, But, as a tease, I will tell you it's by Soda Stitch. ;)

Take care,
Rachel x

Smalls SAL - July 2018

Good afternoon everybody!

Time for the monthly Smalls SAL check-in run by Heather of Stitching Lotus, who's back in blogland and has posted catch-up link-ups for April, May and June if you want to pop along.

The theme of Christmas in July is becoming quite popular in various forms of craft so I thought I would do the same. This little kitty comes from a set of six ornies (well, three that have also been reversed) by Design Works Crafts. Thanks to Hobbycraft already stocking Christmas goodies I was able to find some lovely little pom-poms with which to finish off the hat. How cute is that?!

Christmas Cat 1 by Design Works Crafts

Stitched on 16ct Tin over-dyed aida with sparkles from Sewitall.com 2 over 1

Stitch count 43 wide by 31 high

Started - 1st July 2018

Finished - 9th July 2018

Total stitching time - 6 hours 50 minutes

And she's been finished off in my usual way using grey snowflake backing fabric and dark grey barley twist cord.

I really wanted to use red cord to compliment the hat and brighten the ornie but it just didn't look right. Nevermind.


I bought the used chart off ebay but the original kit included plastic canvas for the stitching, seed beads for the eyes, little star sequins for the background and of course the pom-poms. I wouldn't have used the plastic canvas anyway and probably not the sequins, and french knots are sufficient for the eyes so I didn't lose out much as all I had to buy was a packet of pom-poms and at £1 for 50 that didn't exactly break the bank! I didn't think the charted gold star was necessary either, which is why I left it off.

You'll get to see another one from this set towards the end of the year, but I haven't decided which one - for once I'm open to suggestions!

In the meantime, next month's small will be bright and tweety.

Take care,
Rachel x