Finish or Fling? - Come Home For Love

This comes from the first JCS Ornament Issue I bought. And at the time, The Hermit was living in Canada and I was in the UK. And I thought it would be nice to stitch this for him. And then I got to know the full scale of his antipathy to Christmas :o) So this got put to one side, and it's been sitting getting a bit scruffy ever since.

Pros:

• would be fairly quick to finish, as it's an ornament
• has nice sentimental memories
• like the colour scheme, it's not all that Christmassy

Cons:

• on aida
• The Hermit might still realise it's a Christmas ornament!

so - Finish or Fling?

I think I'll finish this.

Finish or Fling? - Christmas Ornaments (Felt)

This is a set of eight ornaments from a Bucilla Kit. I've completed two, and they've been displayed each Christmas for years now. Because I bought this kit in (blimey) 1997 when I worked in a small South Coast town called Havant for a while. It wasn't totally a happy time and I ended up back 'up North' with my parents. So it wasn't all bad in the end...

Anyway, I don't think I'm harbouring unhappy associations with this - I had to look on Google maps to remember the name of the town! - so:

 Pros:

• Different technique to my normal stuff
• Very cute
• Can work on one ornament at a time
• Have others completed

Cons:

• Very fiddly to do, lots of beads and sequins
• The Hermit hates Christmas stuff

So, finish or fling?



Verdict: finish.

Finish or Fling? - Christmas Ornament

I know I started this when I was working in my last full time, permanent job. So 2004 or 2005, and I've done the odd little bit since. Although I like the colours, I don't like working with the metallic floss - and I'm not totally happy with how the French knots look.

Pros:

• Not a lot of work to do
• Would look great in the basket in my bathroom

Cons:

• Working with metallic floss - and aida
• There's a ring mark which I'm not sure will come out, which will limit finishing options

So, finish or fling? This is going to be a close run thing...



Verdict: finish

Prairie Schooler Exchange

Here is the delicate Santa Leeann stitched for me, over one, no less! We're both members of the Year Round Prairie Schooler Exchange blog, so obviously this is a PS design, although I don't know which leaflet it came from.

This cheery chappie has gone to join my other handmade ornaments in a basket (I don't have a tree). Thank you  again Leeann!

Purple Penguin - Casey Buonaugurio

Design: Purple Penguin

Designer: Casey Buonaugurio, from the 2009 JCS Ornament Issue

Threads: DMC as charted

Fabric: 14 count aida, pink

Finished: Flat ornament, beaded edging and hanger

I've started a tradition where I always make my niece, The Tot, a Christmas ornament. And it's always cross stitched. This year, Tot is besotted by pink, with purple a close second. My sister even bought Tot a pink Christmas tree of her very own - as Sis is quite strict that her Christmas tree is red, gold and green :o)

So, when I saw this cute little purple penguin, it was a must stitch! I had some pink aida lurking in my stash (I'd been given it by my cousin, I hadn't bought it!) so I thought I'd go for the full girly effect!

I personalised the back of the ornament with my niece's name and a little charm, before outlining in backstitch as I was going to whipstitch and bead the ornament closed.

The lilac beads and ribbon were also in my stash - I love having stash, it makes me feel very blessed and it also means when I'm on a roll, I don't need to break off and go shopping!

The beaded edge is simple, but time consuming. However, I think it was worth it, it really adds something to the finished piece.

Quaker Strawberry - Blackbird Designs

Design: Quaker Strawberry

Designer: Blackbird Designs - taken from the JCS Ornament Issue 2006

Threads: DMC115

Fabric: 28 count evenweave, antique white

I stitched this design for the Hooked on Exchanges Christmas in July Exchange (which shows how far behind I am with my blog posting!). The stitching itself was fairly straightforward, but the finishing was a trifle fiddly.

I followed the instructions for the body of the strawberry itself, although I also backed the piece with iron on interfacing. My fabric was a little small, so it was a question of crossing my fingers and hoping that it didn't fray too much when I gathered the top... The leaves I did differently to the instructions in the magazine, as they are just interfacing backed fabric, no wires. The ornament will hang, but Stacy, the recipient tells me it is going on display as it is.

Here is a little snap of the goodies I added:

Be Merry

Design: Be Merry
Designer: Lizzie*Kate
Threads: DMC
Fabric: 28 count cream evenweave

I finished this up a while ago, with three other co-ordinating designs. I used beads for the "confetti" stitches, and put this together using the method The Drawn Thread use for their scissor fobs.

Christmas Exchange

Meg organised the exchange and this is the lovely ornament I received before Christmas from Amy. Amy enclosed a chart, thread and some Hershey's Kisses in different flavours, which I gave to The Hermit as he misses North American sweeties :o)

Thank you ladies!

Snowman - Lizzie*Kate

Design: Snowman (from Tiny Tidings IV)
Designer: Lizzie*Kate
Threads: DMC
Fabric: 28 count evenweave

The snowman originally had white metallic snowflakes, but I don't think they stood out very well. Rather than frog them. I stitched white beads on top before making the ornament up as per the others.

Noel - Lizzie*Kate

Design: Noel (from Tiny Tidings IV)
Designer: Lizzie*Kate
Threads: DMC
Fabric: 28 count evenweave

Another ornament made up - done in exactly the same way as the snowman, but a few threads different in size.

Sheep - Lizzie*Kate

Design : Sheep (from Tiny Tidings IV)
Designer: Lizzie*Kate
Threads: DMC
Fabric: 28 count evenweave

This sheepie had been hanging around for a while, and finally this Christmas, got beads on the wreath and finished into an ornament. I used the method that The Drawn Thread use for their fobs, as there was a lot of spare fabric round him.

Christmas Ornament Exchange - Received

This is the little sweet chap I got from Marjean on the Hooked on Exchanges blog. He's been jollifying one of my smalls baskets (I don't put up a tree) this holiday season, and I think it's appropriate to blog about him today, as we actually had snow - just in time for most offices and schools to re-open after the break! I think the design came from this year's JCS ornament issue.

He came with some snowman chums on the towels and air freshener too - the whole package was very sweet! Thank you Marjean!

Holly Berries Miniature Biscornu - Cherished Stitches

Design: Holly Berries Miniature Biscornu
Designer: Cherished Stitches from 2008 JCS ornament issue
Fabric: 28 count evenweave, cream
Threads: DMC 115, Caron Wildflowers Pine

It is also a tradition that I make an ornament for my parent's tree. As this year was the year I learned how to make a biscornu, I thought it appropriate that I stitch one of those for them, and this design was one of my favourites from this year's JCS ornament issue, as it was simple and tasteful. I simplified the reverse to save stitching time, and then used all the time I'd saved beading the seams LOL - this was a first for me, I've normally just whipstitched the edges, but I've long admired the beaded biscornu seen on other blogs. And I have to say, it wasn't as tricky as I'd feared it was going to be.

I think I will have to make myself one of these, it was a wrench to give it away!

PS don't forget to enter my drawing for the Archangel chart below!

Angel of Joy - Bent Creek

Design: Angel of Joy
Designer: Bent Creek (from the 2000 JCS ornament issue)
Threads: DMC conversions, DMC115 and Caron Wildflowers in Pine
Fabric: 28 count lugana (?) in a very pale blue

It is a tradition now that I stitch my niece (The Tot) an ornament for Christmas. This is the third one I have done. Last year's Santa was pretty much a semi circle, so I looked in my stash of magazines for something to complement it, and came up with this little angel. With her curly hair and generous size, perhaps this is what I will look like if I ever get to Heaven ;o)

The Tot already has very decided opinions, so next year, I think I will just show her the magazine and let her pick. She likes crafts and painting already, so perhaps next year too I can start her with some binca and soft cotton to make her own ornament ...

Wish Upon a Star - Wildflower Stitchery and More

Design: Wish Upon A Star Designer: Wildflower Stitchery and More (from the 2008 JCS ornament issue) Fabric: some pale blue opalescent evenweave found in my stash Threads: DMC

This was the ornament my sister chose from the JCS issue - I wasn't that taken with it initially, but it grew on me as I stitched it. Because of the opalescent fabric, I didn't bother with the Kreinik braid stars in the background - that made my life so much easier and the stitching was really quick! I was lucky enough to find matching beads in my LNS's closing down sale for the garland, and as an experiment, I beaded the seams too - very effective, although time consuming!

Christmas in July Exchange

I've heard that my Christmas in July exchange has been received, so I thought I'd show some pictures.

Monqiue, my recipient, doesn't have a blog, so it wasn't easy deciding on something to make, so I decided to try something new, and made a felt ornament from a book I bought when a nearby LNS closed. I made it a little jazzier than the original design called for, and did more stitching rather than use Bondaweb, and I really enjoyed the whole thing!

I can feel a whole host of little felt ornies might be in my future...

Christmas in July

Here is my lovely exchange from Valerie. It was organised by Simone as a Christmas in July exchange on her exchange blog, and it was great to get such a sweet ornament by one of my favourite designers!

I enjoyed all the other bits and pieces too - the very funny card, cute chart, festive fabbie and threads, needles in my preferred size (28s! yay!) and not forgetting the chocolate - which I have been very restrained with and not eaten yet!

Valerie says that this is her first ornament finish - I'm not sure I believe her, it is so neat! LOL - it has been finished in a similar way to a pin keep, which is great for me as I will be able to display it on my shelves come Christmas time. Thank you so much, Valerie!

Christmas Wishes Stocking - Thistle Threads

This is the made up ornament I stitched for my sister. I'm not entirely happy with it - I tried to get an even border of aida round the stitching, but that didn't really work, so I made it more of a freehand shape. I can see why the designer made it for one of her pre-shaped cards now... LOL

Another Christmas Exchange

This exchange was organised by Simone, and my sender was Robin - she knew I like sheep, so stitched me the lovely Little House ornament in the picture. She also handcrafted the Christmas card that came with it.

The sheepie is so nice, he's going to stay in my smalls basket all winter, at least!

Noel - Homespun Elegance

Again, this design came from a JCS Ornament issue, but it is probably almost unrecognisable from the original, as that was for a four pointed cushion. I was doing this as a SAL on Chartswappers, and didn't want to buy the pillow, so I used the elements and charted them for a vertical design.

This was finished as a mini bell pull, as given to my dad for Christmas 2007.