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Friday 11 December 2020

Two new members plus a very cute freebie SAL.... UPDATED!

 .... Please welcome two new members to our wonderful group:

ROSARIO

and

CLARE

Rosario is fairly new to stitching and does not have a blog but would love to be inspired to do more Christmas stitching, hence her desire to join us.


Clare is probably known to many of you from her blog: Aimetu's Stitching, so she is a more experienced stiching but one who also wants to do more Christmas stitching....

... so, it just goes to show that Christmas brings us all together.

Welcome, Rosario and Clare


Now, I also promised to tell you about a very cute freebie SAL.  It is being held by Brenda Gervais from With thy needle and thread and is called "Merry and Minty". You can find it on her FB page, here.

UPDATE: Dear Jo has kindly reminded me that she has started a 12 Days of Christmas FB group for stitching anything relating to the 12 Days of Christmas song. You can find that group, here

So, sweet Stitching Elves, that is all from me today, 

Christmas is nearly here,  hugs,  



Thursday 10 December 2020

Suzanne's December Ornaments

 Hello Everyone! My final ornaments for 2020 are finished. I chose the Just Cross Stitch Magazine 2012 Christmas issue for my first ornament. This is the Little House Mouse by Needlepoint, Inc. I stitched this on 28 count using DMC threads. I used a pin for his nose and beads for his eyes. This reminded me of the white rats my daughter had when she moved back home after college. What a surprise to me when she came home with them! The first two she had were very sweet, the next two - not so much. 


My final ornament is from the 12 Days of Christmas Theme, sort of. Two years ago, I stitched Dragon Dreams, Twelve Dragons of Christmas and there was one more freebie in the series, Happy New Year. I changed the placement of the words to fit in the frame. 


I don't have a blog, but use a Flickr account, https://www.flickr.com/photos/144604963@N04/

You don't have to join to view all my other stitching that doesn't fit the themes and I make cards too. I've so enjoyed seeing everyone's stitching and follow your blogs. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Take care, Suzanne


Sunday 6 December 2020

DJ's December update

Hi Everybody!  I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the season as we move ever closer to the big day!  I've tried finishing ornaments the past month or so and got quite a few done.  This year I only worked on theme one and theme three.  For Theme One I worked on the 12 Days of Christmas from the Stoney Creek magazines published in 2019.  I actually found time to finish them off, and hung them up today!  I found this garland that looks so realistic last year after Christmas at Michaels.  I hung the garland over a red swag curtain I have hanging year round, then hung the ornaments from the swag.  I love how it looks.  In December I finished the last ornament...12 Drummers drumming...and here it is along with the picture of them all together.





For Theme three which was a free choice, I found this ornament from the 2020 JCS Ornament issue.  It's called My Friendly Gnome by Ursula Michael.  It's stitched on 40 count white over two.  I love how this one came out!!



It's been a fun year stitching on these ornaments!  Thanks for hosting!  Hope to see you all again next year!  Happy Stitching! 

Friday 4 December 2020

2021 Themes revealed

 

Hello lovely Christmas Elves, 

Your hostess here, Kaisievic, who has been so slack and barely posted all year (although Christmas stitching has featured on my IG and FB pages throughout the year).  Anyway, here I am in finally Covid-19 free Melbourne after many long months of lockdown - what a year it has been and I am sure like me, your stitching has helped keep you sane.


Anyway, I thought that I should update the themes for next year and our badge.  So, please feel free to add the badge, below, to your blog and link it to the SAL. 


I also, have added the 2021 themes to the sidebar of this blog.  The first theme is our 12 Days of Christmas theme:


The second theme is now CHRISTMAS MOVIES - I hope that you can have some fun with this one.  I've put a number of my favourite movies on the list - can you guess which some of them are?


The third theme is the Just Crossstitch Christmas Ornament theme but expanded to be a random selection of years from 2001 to 2020.

And a new theme has been added at the request of one of our staunch members, Suzanne Harkison, which is more everyday, Christmas motifs.



Anyway, I hope that you enjoy stitching any combination or all of these themes and I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.

hugs, 




Thursday 19 November 2020

DJ's November Ornaments

Hi Everybody!  I hope everyone is safe and healthy!  Are you getting lots of stitching done?

I've been trying to finish up ornaments, but didn't quite get to the all of them.  Hopefully by this time next month I'll have finished ornaments to show you.

I'm only participating in two themes this year.  First up is the 12 Days of Christmas.  This is from the Stoney Creek Magazines from 2019 and this is 11 Pipers Piping.



The next theme I'm working on is the third theme and this months pattern was from the 2017 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue.  It's called Warm Hands, Warm Hearts designed by The Little Stitcher.  I'm hoping to get these both finished by next Monday!  Wish me luck!!



That's it for this time!  Happy Stitching everyone...and for those celebrating, Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday 13 November 2020

Suzanne's November Ornament

Hi everyone! I have one ornament for this month following Just Cross Stitch Magazine theme. I stitched the Nutcracker Ornament by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery from the June 2017 issue. I stitched this on 18 count white aida with the DMC threads except I don't have any Kreinik so I substituted a yellow/gold floss. He's finished as a flat ornament and I plan to give it to my neighbor who is having her first baby in December. 

Since I took this picture, my cat has chewed the gold ribbon off the top! I think I'll be able to cut it off and try to figure something out. At least he didn't chew the ornament. 
Can't wait to see everyone's finishes this month. Take care!


Monday 19 October 2020

I have an ornament for October

 I have been very lax with this SAL. I fully intended to stitch a 12 Days ornamemt each month this year, and for the first 5 months I did. Then I started stitching on my big project (HAED Christmas Dreams) and my obsessive streak took over. Everything else went on the back burner as I tried to make as much progress as I could on CD. This month I finally set CD aside for 2 weeks so that I could finish my 2020 Christmas ornaments.  So  here is my '12 Days of Christmas' Day 10 ornament



I adapted this design from Dimensions #172 '12 Days of Christmas'.

And here are Days 6 to 9, 11, and 12 to finish the set.


These were all adapted from Lesley Grant's 12 days set, published in Dec 1995 issue of UK Cross Stitcher magazine.


Saturday 10 October 2020

Suzanne's October Ornaments

 Hi Everyone! I hope you all are staying well. I went with the Christmas Carol theme this month - Frosty the Snowman. 

My first ornament is from the 2016 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue, Snow by Val's Stuff. I stitched this on Navy 14 count aida and finished as a flat ornament with orange stiffened felt. I was lucky enough to find little buttons that are almost the right color. I should have found the buttons first and matched my floss to them. Hindsight is 20-20 as my Mother would have said. 


My second ornament this month is a freebie from Midnight Stitching, Snowman's Quaker Christmas. I've seen lots of you stitch this and I had to have one for myself. I stitched this on red 14 count aida using my own choice of colors. I finished this as a round flat ornament with my favorite pom-pom trim.


That's it for me, but I've done a lot of finishing this month as Christmas draws near. Take care!


Thursday 8 October 2020

DJ's October Christmas Ornaments

Hi Everybody!

I'm excited to show you this month's ornaments!  I've been working on two themes, first up is Theme One is the 12 Days of Christmas...Here is 10 Lords a Leaping from the Stoney Creek Magazine stitched on 28 count white over two.



Next is from Theme Three, this month is an ornament from the 2014 Ornament Issue of JCS.  I chose One More Stitch by Victoria Sampler.  I haven't quite figured out how to finish it...This was stitched on 32 count light mocha over two.  I substituted some items in my stash for things called for...like the hearts and beads.



That is all I have for this month!  Happy Stitching! 

Thursday 10 September 2020

Suzanne's September Ornament

 Hi Everyone! 

I hope all of you are keeping healthy and stitching on your favorite designs. My ornament for this month is from the Christmas Carol Theme - Carol of the Bells. I have a 1984 booklet called Christmas Potpourri and have used a portion of a bell pull to make it more ornament sized. It's stitched on 14 count green aida from my stash using the DMC called for threads. 

I can't wait to see everyone's stitching this month.


Sunday 6 September 2020

July, August and September Ornaments

This year I have decided to follow the 12 Days of Christmas theme for the year.   I was gifted the charts designed by JBW for Christmas 2019 and started them on Boxing Day for the 12 Days of Stitchmas SAL.


stitched on 40 count White Newcastle Linen



Look at the pretty beads in her skirt!


All three designs from Booklet 3 beaded:



I am not going to comment on the numerous colour errors in this booklet.




Saturday 5 September 2020

September Stitching by DJ

Hello Fellow Ornament stitchers!

Well it's been a wild and wacky world I'm living in right now...LOL  My son is trying to get married in the middle of this pandemic...so between trying to shop for wedding showers, buying a dress and getting it altered, and all the trappings that go along with preparing for a wedding (that has been postponed and rescheduled three times now) I've tried to keep up with this challenge.  So far so good!  And hopefully once the wedding is over I'll be back to stitching with a vengeance!

First up is my 12 Days of Christmas entry... These are from the 2019 Stoney Creek magazines and this is 9 Ladies Dancing.  I just love the color of her dress.  She is stitched on 28 count white over two.


Next is the third theme and this month we are to stitch from the 2019 JCS Ornament Issue.  I actually ended up stitching two.  I know...crazy is my middle name.  haha  The first is Elf at Work by La Bottega delle Meraviglie di Anna stitched on 40 count over two Vintage Mocha.



The second is Silvery Lace Snowflake by Works by ABC.  It's stitched on 32 count Navy Belfast Linen over two.  I love how it looks but in all honesty I was glad when I was done stitching it, between the dark fabric and the metallic thread my eyes are rebelling on me!  LOL



And that's all I have for this month!  Stay safe, everyone and Happy Stitching!

Tuesday 1 September 2020

Gwen: August

 Hi Fellow Stitchers,

This month I stitched the 2nd berry in from the Erica Michaels 12 Berries of Christmas. I panned to also stitch something from the 2013 JCS ornament issue but ran out of time.

Erica Michels
12 Berries of Christmas


Thursday 13 August 2020

Suzanne's August Ornament

 Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. I have continued with the Just Cross Stitch magazine theme for this month. My ornament is from the JCS 2013 Christmas Issue, Blue Ribbon Designs Redbirds Rejoice. Because I stitched this on 18 count oatmeal aida, I couldn't do the over one words in the design, I added a few smyrna crosses. I should look at the pattern better before I start stitching!

I can't wait to see what everyone has been stitching.


Tuesday 4 August 2020

August stitching by DJ

Hello fellow stitchers!

I've been a whirling dervish so far this month!  I have so many things I wanted to get to that I decided to get all my August stitching done and out of the way!  So...what have I been up to?  Well....

For theme one I've been working on the 12 Days of Christmas from the 2019 issues of Stoney Creek Magazine.  These were distributed over 4 of their magazines starting in Winter 2019 I think.  This month I stitched 8 maids a milking.  I don't know why but I particularly love this one!  Stitched on 28 count over two.


For theme three I worked on an ornament from the 2013 JCS Ornament issue.  This is called A Christmas Stocking from Plum Street Samplers.  It's stitched on 40 count vintage pear over two using DMC floss.


I guess that's all the news.  I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy, and those in the path of Isaias, I hope you are out of danger.  It passed by here this morning, and while friends of mine have lost power, and trees are down around the area, for the most part we are safe.  Take care everyone!

Monday 3 August 2020

Gwen: July

My project in July is truly not ornament size. I wasn't familiar with the song, In the Bleak of Midwinter. When I looked up the lyrics I decided to stitch an angel. I've had the Prairie Schooler Christmas Trees II book for sometime. I made my project the angel from this book. My plan is to try my hand at a new (to me) finishing, and ornament tree. I have a dowel but will need something for the base. 



PS Christmas Trees II
Angel stitched with 
Anchor 341, DMC 3895 and 223 for skin

Tuesday 14 July 2020

DJ's July Jewels...

Hello fellow stitchers!

I can't believe July is half over!!  Where is the time going?  I've found a little more time to get some stitching done this month but I procrastinated posting.  I hope everyone is safe and well!

For theme one I am working on the 12 Days of Christmas from the Stoney Creek Magazine.  These were published in the 4  magazines distributed in 2019...winter, spring, summer and autumn 2019.  This month was 7 Swans a Swimming stitched on 28 count over two white evenweave.  I should get busy and make these into ornaments...


For theme three I worked on an ornament from the 2015 JCS Ornament issue.  This is Merry Christmas by Samplers Not Forgotten.  It is stitched on 32 count over 1 antique ivory linen.  I substituted a little snowflake charm for the stitched snowflake in the upper right corner.


That's it for me folks!  Happy Stitching everyone!

Sunday 12 July 2020

Suzanne's July Ornament

Hello Everyone!
This was a hard one for me because I don't have the 2015 Ornament issue and The Bleak Midwinter is not a song I am familiar with. I didn't want to default to the 12 days of Christmas either, so I needed to put my thinking cap on! I printed out the lyrics to the song and decided this ornament from the 2013 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue would fit the Bleak Midwinter theme.
It is O Holy Night designed by Knotted Tree NeedleArt. I thought it captured the manger, the angels, the lamb and the gift of the shepherd's heart found in the lyrics of the song. I stitched this on 18 count oatmeal aida with the DMC conversion. Finished as a flat ornament with jute twine for the hanger. 

I hope everyone is staying well and I can't wait to see your ornaments this month.


Friday 3 July 2020

June: Free Choice

My Free Choice ornaments for June are a finish for Day 1 of Erica Michaels', The 12 Berries of Christmas and a FFO of Quaker Birds by Little House Needleworks.  



Wednesday 1 July 2020

June Ornament finished

Well, it is technically July 1, but I DID finish it yesterday......just hadn't ironed it or taken a picture. This is #6 in the CEC 12 Days of Christmas series, a lovely goose sitting on her nest with some colorful eggs. I went and signed myself up for 2 more SAL's, a Maine one ( that's where I live), and I am going to tackle The Jane Fiddes Sampler ( anyone else??).
Nikki

Monday 22 June 2020

DJ's June Ornaments

Hi Y'all!

It's been pretty busy at DJ's Digs lately, but I think I finally got all my ducks in a row for the month of June.  Here is what I've been stitching.

For Theme one I have 6 Geese a Laying for the 12 days of Christmas...This is from Stoney Creek Magazine.  It is stitched on 28 count over two on white evenweave.


For Theme Three I had free choice, so I chose something from the 2016 JCS Ornament issue.  This is Waiting for Santa by Swallick Stitchery.  I just love those little sheep butts!  LOL!!!  It was stitched on 32 count mocha linen over one.


And that's it for me this month!  I hope you are all staying safe and enjoying your stitching!  Take care...

Sunday 14 June 2020

May and June Ornaments

This year I have decided to follow the 12 Days of Christmas theme for the year.   I was gifted the charts designed by JBW for Christmas 2019 and started them on Boxing Day for the 12 Days of Stitchmas SAL.


stitched on 40 count White Newcastle Linen


Here are designs from the second booklet with their beads added:


And here are the first six days all together: