Finishes

It has been a productive weekend and finally the Christmas Ornaments are crossed off the list.   Creative finishing is not really my forte but here we go -  all but one are from 2018 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue
I really liked the wreath style finish used for Noel and happened to have one - re-purposed from a greeting card - so here's my attempt to copy the finish that JCS used.   Rather an amateur copy but .....

The pompom trim seemed to suit this ornament and I am quite satisfied with this one.

The elf has turned out well with a simple hanging finish.  I like him but stitched over one means he won't be repeated too soon:-)   A simple gold cord hanger and pins with gold beads holding a red ribbon edging he looks really cute.

And this one came from a chart on the internet and the finish is certainly not professional.   But for a brief appearance on a Christmas tree once a year this will have to do.

Now I have to decide on what to do next.   No hardanger inspiration yet but I am wanting a new mat to go on my bedside table so may revisit my charts and see if there's anything suitable. 
The Betsy Morgan etui needs construction but that is currently put to one side.   I need energy to concentrate on that.

Sometimes life gets in the way of stitching

My secondary career as "carer for the DBEM" sometimes gets in the way of my stitching time and there hasn't been a lot produced over the last little while.
The DBEM has painstakingly knitted a small sweater for the newest great grandchild and I have duly sewn it up, added the buttons, wrapped the parcel and conveyed it to the Post Office.   The final great grandchild in this current batch is due this week and the DBEM is on tenterhooks with excitement!
Apart from cooking, cleaning and general life administration I have completed another Christmas Ornament.
I know I said I wouldn't stitch another ornament over one thread on 32 count linen but I needed to do so to get the appropriate size for the finish I have in mind.   So after some teeth grinding and a few sighs here we are....

And I finished off the Elf - after a long and methodical search for the teeny tiny bell I knew I had somewhere....

And I have now completed the top and the bottom of the box for the Inspirations Etui.   This may be a Betsy Morgan design but the chart is not identical to the photograph in the Inspirations magazine.  And although I am using the specified Gloriana Silk colour floss the School House red is not at all like the variant photographed in the magazine.   I did make a change from the red on the top as it was too "in your face"   I also swapped out the variegated silk specified for the squirrel as he came out stripey and I couldn't abide that - so he's done in a DMC matching the lightest shade of the variegated and I will live with this.

There are supposed to be initials - one on each side of the base of the tree - but I have yet to make my mind up about those so at the moment the 'forest floor' is bare. 
This week promises to be really busy and apart from my daily Temperature Chart I don't anticipate getting any stitching done.   Oh well there's always the next week...

Breeding rabbits

My experiment in sewing children's clothing is off to a good start.   Buttons on and now I have topstitched around the edges in Perle #8 thread.   Then with a good press this will be complete.   Its twin is cut out ready to go when I have decided how I am going to make it "the same but different".  Perhaps pockets and a bunny on each?

I have been plodding away on the Christmas ornaments and the elf needs only one more boot and it will be goodbye.  

The delivery truck is finished (some poetic licence with the colours of the snow since I used antique white linen)

and the small Advent Tree is also complete.  

Tomorrow I am going to delve into the stash cupboard and do some sorting out, in which process I hope to find a large project with which to challenge myself. 

A week and two days left of my annual leave and I already have everything crossed of my list so will have to make a list extension!   One job is to take the DBEM for her flu vaccination and also for the annual trip to deliver the knitted sweaters and cardigans to the Hospice Shop.   This year there are only 18 - proof that she hasn't been so well and is slowing down.   At one time there were twice that.   Even though the cardiologist says she is doing well I know she is doing less because I am doing more:)  Evidence for this is that we have now reached an arrangement where not only do I do the sewing up of the knitted garments but I knit the bottom bands, the cuffs, the neck bands and in some cases the backs of the garments.   I want to go on record as vowing that I will not be taking up knitting for the Hospice shops in my retirement!!   Do you think they might sell stitched Christmas Ornaments?   I am relatively expert at those:)

Today's stitching

Having failed to read the instructions correctly I ended up choosing a Christmas Ornament to stitch which is on 32 count linen and over one.   This. Is. Not. Relaxing.   I am determined that when the elf's hat is finished he and I will take a break and I will stitch something else.   And this time it will be over two!!

But I did manage to make a start on the child's vest.   The handwork is done and all that remains is a session at the sewing machine.   So far I am satisfied with this trial run of the Twig and Tale Pathfinder Vest.   The DBEM persuaded me not to use the wool blanket fabric recommended so I am trialling this in polar fleece and inwardly regretting that I was so easily persuaded to veer off course.
The lining is this pink bunny fabric so I had to make a bunny decoration for the front, all the while thinking that the pompom may not be very practical for a three year old?!

It does feel good to be back stitching with small silver needles that have a hole in them :)

Finishing Day

Bad weather has kept me mostly indoors so I have determined to finish off some of my To Do pile.
Firstly some more Christmas Gift labels.   These are great for using up small amounts of linen and take little floss.  This time the linen was 34 count so these looked better as square labels

Secondly the Christmas Advent Ornaments.   I'm relatively happy that what I planned in my head had transferred into finished product....hopefully the recipient will have space for them on her tree.

Thirdly, the Frustrating  Friendship Quaker.   In the end I crocheted links between the 'cushions' and made them into an accordion.   There was space at the back of the embroidery cabinet so this has gone there quick smart.  The chart for this will be going to a new home.   I have no wish to look at it ever again.

Now I have only the cutting of the Hardanger Doily, the contents of the Octagonal Box and then I need to get back to my final shelved-for-a-later-date project.

Sunday afternoon the weather cleared and the DBEM managed to walk down the ramp (she hasn't used the stairs for years) to the car and we went out for a short drive.   I was worried about coming back up the ramp to the house but with only one brief rest she managed well and is now snoring gently and happily in her chair!

All in all not bad for a weekends work.

Christmas Ornament Number 3

This ornament is adapted from the one designed by Forget Me Not In Stitches in the Just Cross Stitch 2004 Christmas edition.

I stitched on 32 count natural Belfast linen with DMC threads.  To make the white stand out more I used whipped back stitch only for that colour.   On reflection I should have thought more about the interlaced effect....but it is what it is :-)

Me a nurse?!

The DBEM had a couple of falls in the night and is battered and bruised but thankfully no breakages. Anyway that meant I was confined to nursing care duties today which resulted in two things:
(1). Only 1200 steps on my Fitbit rather than the usual 12,000+
(2).  Time to complete the stitching on this Christmas Ornament.   From the 2010 Just Christmas Ornament issue, in the DMC threads specified and on 32 count Belfast natural linen.
I plan on making a set of four "Advent" ornaments for a friend so the linen and the finishing fabrics will be the same.   Next up to be either Love or Hope once I have finished searching through my Ornament charts.
I am sick of reading, tired of the hot humid weather, frustrated at not being able to get outdoors, uncertain as to what the immediate future holds as to my "nursing" requirements, limited by my sore elbow to a strictly rationed time of stitching, and looking forward to a repeato ditto day tomorrow as I've had to take a day off work.   So on that Poor Me note I'll sign off.

Christmas Ornament Number 1

I have promised myself to stitch one ornament a month through the year so here's the first.   From the Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue 2012 in 32 count linen with DMC white and Threadworks Christmas red overdyed.  I decided against adding the year to the stitching and will be finishing this into a circular ornament.   It's about 5cm wide so a perfect size.  The over one of the word was rather hard on the elbow but it's all done now and some Volataren Emugel on the elbow will take the pain away - I hope!

Today has been very hot with hotter to come so it's an orange night tonight on the Temperature SAL and if the weatherman is to be believed we may get to a red for a day or so this week!

I'm off out for a long walk now and back to work tomorrow.   This has been a fun public holiday (=day off work) and I've accomplished all I planned to do.