One done

JBW Designs

Nordic Mitten

It's been awhile for me but here is a finish I used for a recent ornament exchange. I should have a couple more to share soon.

Hello everyone!

I thought I'd pop in and let you know that we have 100 stitchers signed up for this blog. From all corners of the world! And I've just sent off our 101st invite. A special welcome to Alexandrina from Russia and Akiko from Japan as numbers 100 and 101!

I hope and think I have replied to everyone who wanted to join but if your email has got caught by hotmail's spam filter I apologise. Quite a few have ended up in the junk folder so I hope I've caught them!

I've been bad at stitching ornaments myself and have a lot more going on now than when I started the blog last year. So I'd like to ask if anyone else would be interested in taking over the admin of the blog. Please let me know if you would be able to.

I hope you're all merrily ornament stitching!
Nicki

Winter Love

Hi! It's been a long time since I had a post here but I have stitched a couple of ornaments recently.



Winter Love - SamSarah Design Studio
Stitched on 28ct Natural Light Jobelan using DMC floss and JABC buttons

I have to wash and press the second ornament, so I'll post a photo in a couple of days! Thanks for looking!

Christmas Tree Toys

Hello,
Look at my new christmas tree toys. The center of these toys was stitched on linen by DMC 115 threads. The charts are from magazines The Cross Stitcher and Point de croix.

Finally!

I've been busy stitching things for exchanges & knitting for felted handbags - but I finally stitched an ornament!!

"Joy" is from the 2007 JCS ornament issue.

October and November Ornaments

These are the ornaments that I am doing for gifts this year. The first two are by Brittercup Designs (Poinsettia and Christmas Puppy) from the 2007 and 2006 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issues. The third is Curious Reindeer from the 2007 BH&G Christmas Book. I changed most of the threads and stitched them all over one. The fabrics are a Silkweaver Solo, China Pearl Jobelan, and SMF Leprechaun.

Mill Hill's Treasure

Welcome to my Mill Hill's Treasure Box! There are the beaded and charmed mittens and stockings.

Going on......

....with some freebies from there. I am not so happy with the snowmen, would have been better to finish them in circles. I will give them away to a family with two little boys...

And then two ornaments in red from JCS

Greetings from the Canarian Islands in the sun

Birgit

catching up?

I have been stitching ornaments, and even finishing them, but then I hide them away till it's time to send them to their new owners. So, I keep forgetting to include them here. Oops.

Mary Garry, Christmas pin cushion
stitched on 30 ct R&R American Chestnut

The Needle's Prayse, The Gift
stitched one-over-two on 36 ct ivory linen

I'm sure there are more, but at least it's a start. ;)

Noel

Yes I'm thick, I did one last month and never included it because I'd 'forgotten' all about it!

Glory Bee's Noel, stitched on 14ct opalescent, using The Dye Shop Frosty's Scarf.

A Ornie for October.

For October, I finished an ornament I started in February. This the Blackwork poinsettia by Lynne Herzberg from the December 2006 issue of The Gift of Stitching.

As usual, I used none of the recommended supplies. Instead, I used:

DMC 115 (red)
Watercolours Emerald
Mill Hill beads 02011

Other changes include:

Only one strand for backstitching the flower
Five beads instead of nine
Not backstitching the outer border

Since the DMC is variegated, I stitched with two loaded needles to complete the holbein stitches for the petals. The fabric is 28 count Queen Anne's Lace jobelan.

I am plotting my next ornament for the November SAL and planning a finishing frenzy in early December. I've really enjoyed participating in this blog. I think I've stitched roughly 14 ornaments this year thanks to this SAL!

Here Comes Santa

I did have great intentions, but unfortunately due to circumstances, I was only able to complete the one ornament. It was a great opportunity to start to use the mountain of 14 count Aida in my stash and all that leftover thread. The design is from the Leisure Arts Best 250 Christmas Quickies and has been finished as a hanging ornament.

Finishing festival

Instead of stitching ornies this weekend I finished like a fiend. And I have all sorts of holes in my finger to show how often I forgot I was using a sewing needle rather than an xs needle. Silly me!
I know this looks like a lot, but it's my standard format -- stitch all year then spend many late nights at the end finishing like a fool.

These are what got finished this weekend:


And over the last couple weeks I've gotten the stitching and/or finishing done on these:




I'm especially proud of the over-1 spool:

Partridge in a Pear Tree

Oh ive been so bad at stitching Christmas ornaments all year. This is only my second but i plan to make more in the next few months!! It's from The Prairie Schooler 12 Days of Christmas but instead of stitching this as one big piece im making 12 little ornaments. I just need to buy some ribbon so that i can finish it as an ornament, i'll hopefully do that tomorrow.

EEF Christmas pillow.

On 32 ct linen with Weeks threads and vintage little buttons. It was funny to stitch it.

Finishing Marathon

I forced myself to make this Christmas ornie weekend a finishing weekend. And, as usual, I was somewhat thwarted -- I couldn't find my stuffing for anything! Finally with fresh stuffing in hand I was able to get these together Sunday night:

Thanks for all the inspiration everyone!

Crafting xmas finishes

Other two crafting ornaments.

fabric: Kogut
buttons: Shelley's

fabric: flannel Debbie Mumm

And a non-properly ornament: a wall bag

fabrics: Debbie Mumm
buttons: Shelley's

All the projects are from the book "Crafting Christmas Gifts" by Tone Finnanger.

Squeaking in One for September

I really did not think I would be able to stitch an ornie this month--last weekend was so chaotic that I was completely unable to stitch on Saturday and Sunday. Today, after dealing with fussy sick kids for a few hours this morning while DH snoozed and all day yesterday while he worked, I said, "Here!" and handed off the baby to a surprised DH. In less than two hours, I stitched this cutie and sanity--or at least my version of it-- had returned.

It's stitched on 32 count Antique green Permin linen with none of the recommended colors. Instead I used: DMC 4210,Toffee by Six Strand Sweets, 607 Govenor's Blue, 601 Golden Memories and 602 Holly Berry all by Olde Willow Stitchery from the Christmas in Williamsburg Collection. You can barely see it, but I also used a gold PTB on the stocking tip. That may become a bead later, I haven't quite decided.

Bead or not, I think the design is adorable.

Better late than never

JBW designs

28ct cashel linen, antique ivory

WDW kudzu

An oldie, but a goodie :)

In town again

During summer I had no chance to stitch, but now I am here again. The little september-cushion will find its place in the walnut basket. It is from JCS, Christmas 1999, stitched on natural linen, 40ct.

Saludos de las Islas Canarias,

Birgit

http://www.lamone.canalblog.com/

Two Shepherd’s Bush Ornaments

I wish I was as good as most of you here and could say I’ve stitched one ornament a month. *kicks rocks* I have not though. So, I’ve decided to just get the final two Shepherd’s Bush ornaments done of this series this year. I have 4 done now! I love them :)

Here are two I finished this month:

The Shepherd’s Watched

Wisemen Came

I plan on finishing them into pillow ornaments for my tree. A wall hanging would be very cute too, but I don’t have enough wall space :) I have also left off the silver charms and stitched what the charm would be onto them.

at long last, an update

I have been stitching ornaments, really. But finishing ... sigh ... remains a bit of a weak spot with me. But here are pictures of a few ornaments I finished yesterday and today. I'm not ready to turn pro, but I think they look okay. :D

The designers are, in order: Blackbird Designs, Birds of a Feather, Heart in Hand,
and Prairie Schooler.

Crafting ornaments

This is my latest ornaments. They are crafting projects from Tilda's "Crafting Christmas Gifts" book.
I have quilted a simple heart, the fabric is a Red Rooster Gentle Christmas Green Garland/Red Dot Stripe on Beige.

And these are six gingerbreads, with various decorations. The buttons are from Shelley's Buttons.

Prairie Schooler Cardinals

I actually finished this a month or so ago, but didn't share as I hadn't made it into an ornament yet. I will do that sooner or later!

I really like this leaflet and may do a few more of the bird duets.

August ornie

This is "Christmas Tree 2007" by Jeannette Douglas. The pattern is found in the October 2007 JCS. I do not know what type of material I stitched it on because it was tagless in my stash, but it felt like there may be a little bit of wool in it.
My photo taking is not the greatest. I just reviewed the post and realized that you may have to click on the photo to see the design properly. Sorry!

Home - July ornament

This is my late July ornament. It's Home, from Heart in Hand.
I have stitched it on a 28ct permin linen color Monet and used the WDW threads.

The back fabric is a Mumm Cozy Northwest Christmas Motif Toss on Blue.

Two for Back to School

I managed to finish two ornaments this month. One was a UFO from three years ago and the other was a new ornie from a three year old magazine. I needed a break from the red and green ornies of the past four months. I'm trying to stitch them in groups of four.

This weekend, I stitched this lovely Norwegian Ornament by Scandinavian Stitches from the 2004 JCS Ornament issue. I resumed cross stitching when my DD was two and this was one of my purchases then. Sad to say it, but this is the first ornie stitched although I really love several designs from this issue. I used DMC because the only flower thread in my possession is in a kit. Though it is not my usual style, I'm fond of it anyway and it was a fun stitch. I think it would be fun to do in shades of blue or maybe as a beaded ornament. I may try a blue version one day, or perhaps some other color variation.

I started Snowberries by Just Nan three years ago, but put it to the side for some unknown reason. I had just a teensy bit of stitching remaining (including frogging one slightly misplaced special stitch) and all of the beading. The scan does not show the sparklies too well--the crystal beads vanish--but oh my goodness there were a lot of beads to add. I stitched this on an uneven linen so it looks more rectangular than square and I used Mill Hill beads rather than SJ beads because I had MH beads in my stash.

This is my last group of ornaments from my maternity/medical leave. I haven't picked out ornaments for next month's SAL, but it may include a TW freebie UFO. Selecting an ornament, or two, for the SAL is as much fun for me as the stitching.

With these two finishes, I have stitched 14 ornaments in 2007. That's wonderful considering I did not stitch a single ornie in 2006. I hope to complete 2 ornaments each month for the rest of the year. Of course, I still need to finish them into usable ornies.

August ornie - Anne S

Miniature Bellpull Ornament by The Drawn Thread
Stitched on 36ct summer khaki Edinborough linen
using recommended threads (DMC & Needle Necessities)
Changed the year band to my initials instead

Stitched by: Anne S

July ornie

"Stuffed Snowman" from Better Homes and Gardens Cross Stitch Christmas 1996. He is stitched on yet another mystery fabric from my stash and odds and ends threads. His arms are supposed to be wire, but I used twigs from the yard instead.