New Project

I was distracted again! Dorothy was put on temporary hold as I started another big project ha ha!  I found Sara's blog, she is doing a SAL. This current SAL is coming to an end in March and the new one will commence on April 1. Love her designs so I started Summer, a big design 280w x 263h stitches! Here is my new start!

Design: Summer by Sara Guermani
Fabric: 40ct Lakeside Linen Lentil
Thread: DMC

Another closer look, don't you just love that button?

I plan to rotate my two big projects, Dorothy and Summer, with a lot of smalls in between!

An update on my Hardanger SAL. I have one more filler to do, the  Edelweiss, a beautiful white flower!  I enjoy doing Hardanger in between cross stitch projects!

I love small projects as well, here is my recent collection of small pincushions/fob.

This piece was done on 22ct hardanger fabric many years ago, I don't stitch on Aida anymore.


I finished By The Bay Needleart's Autumn SAL. Now, I must find time to finish it into a big pincushion for my box!

Love the colors of the big leaves! I used DMC variations 4130.

I am stitching for exchange now, will show pictures later. Hope to show Dorothy's progress in my next update!

Thank you for your visits and comments, they are greatly appreciated!

Happy Stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen

Stitchy Update

I am back with the promised stitchy update. Have been stitching diligently on Dorothy. She is such a joy to stitch with all the specialty stitches. I conquered my worries over the Queen Stitches and had my row done, hooray!

Just love these satin-stitch alphabets!

Just started on the 1 over 1 verse, the crosses are so tiny on 40 ct. I only have two letters done ha ha! This section is going to be slow moving!

I had a private exchange with Margaret recently. If you are familiar with her blog, you will know that Margaret stitches and sew beautifully! Look at this gorgeous set that Margaret made for me - a drawstring bag, a needlebook and a pincushion, in my favorite colors. I just love the PS designs that she chose for me, the other side of the back is a blackbird.

The needlebook opens up with 3 pockets and a charm, isn't it gorgeous? Margaret also included a chart by Heart In Hand and a piece of fabric.

Margaret's stitching and finishing are just perfect. Please visit her blog for more beautiful pictures! Thank you, Margaret, for a wonderful exchange!

This is what I stitched for Margaret. I forgot to take a picture of the goodies I put together for her, please visit her blog to see more. Margaret takes better pictures ha ha!

Remember this in my previous post? My friend had it sew into a beautiful pouch for me, thank you Sonia.

A gift from my friend, a biscornu with two different colors fabric. The design is from the same Japanese magazine as the pouch, Idees Volume 16. Thank you, Claudia!

My new year's start was this SAL by By The Bay Needleart.  The SAL was completed last year, you can visit her blog to see the stitchers' beautiful works. Here is my progess. The finish is to be a big pincushion on top of this box.

A closer look!

Design: Autumn SAL by By The Bay Needleart
Fabric: 36ct Dried Thyme by Nina
Threads: DMC, Anchor variations

 Here is my first finish for 2013, a Christmas ornie that did not made it for last year! This design is a freebie from Jura Point de Croix for Christmas Challenge 2012. The ornie is stitched on 30ct linen using DMC threads.

I have join Lainey's Christmas Ornament SAL 2013. Hopefully with this SAL, I will have a ornie a month which I failed the last few years! This month, I am continuing with my Fairytale Advent Calendar by The Little Stitcher. I only finished 5 out of 24 ornaments last year ha ha! Will post progress pictures soon!

Thank you everyone for your visits and participation in my New Year Giveaway! All your comments are greatly appreciated!

Happy Stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen

Giveaway Winner

Thank you everyone for participating in my giveaway.

I put all the names in this hat and had my DD to pick a winner.

Congratulations Tatkis, please contact me with your mailing address!

I will be back soon with a stitchy update!

Hugs,
Ellen

New Year Giveaway

Happy New Year!

I am starting 2013 with a giveaway to thank all my blogger friends for your visits, lovely comments, inspiration and friendship. The parcel will include charts, stitching goodies and something stitched by me! Here are the charts!

No picture of the goodies and stitched piece as I have yet to decide what to include in the bag ha ha! Just be a follower and leave a comment on this post, I will draw a winner on January 19th.

Now on to the stitching stuff. I started Dorothy Walpole on Boxing Day. I love stitching with silks, they are so soft and smooth. Here is my progress posted on Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year blog on Dec 28.

Fabric: 40ct Sand Linen
Thread: AVAS silks

A closer look! I am enjoying this sampler and had made further progress. Will update when I have a chance to take some photos!

Next an update of the hardanger SAL piece hosted by Abi of The Stitch Specialists. We have progressed to part 11 of this SAL, lot of cutting and fillers.

I love these fillers!

I would like to leave this post with  pictures of my last finish for 2012. The French design is from a Japanese magazine Idees Vol 16. My friend will help me to sew it into a pouch as shown in the book.

Fabric: 28ct Blue Jubilee
Thread: DMC 803, 915

Thank you for your visits! Please remember to join my giveaway!

Happy Stitching in 2013!

Hugs,
Ellen

A Post Before Christmas

Countdown to Christmas.... I want to have a post before the actual day to show my ornaments. 

I am still stitching on my Fairytale Advent Calendar. I am very far behind and may not complete the 24 ornies on time ha ha!

And I have finished my Christmas Tree! 

The Christmas Exchange hosted by Lainey has completed with everyone receiving their Christmas packages. My partner for this exchange is Lisa V. She loves reindeer and I chose to stitch for her a design by Blue Ribbon Designs in JCS Ornament Issue 2012. I so glad that Lisa loves what I put together for her for this exchange.

I received my Christmas package from Clare from New Zealand. Clare made a flatfold for me and I love it very much! This is my very first flatfold! Look at the goodies and Clare is so sweet to send me something extra for my birthday on Nov 19th.  Thank you Clare for a wonderful exchange.

A Pouch and Stitching Keeper
for my Birthday

I have decided to stitch Dorothy Walpole for Nicola's Scarlet Letter Challenge. My chart and supplies have arrived. I am so excited and eager to start but will hold back until after Christmas. Still struggling with stitching and finishing ornies ha ha!

Thank you for your visits and lovely comments. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful 2013! I will be holding a New Year Giveaway, please visit again!

I will leave you with a picture of my Christmas Tree!

Hugs,

Ellen

More Christmas Stitchings

It's December and I have more stitchings to show!

First, an update on Elisa's Christmas Tree. It is progressing very slowly because I am stitching more ornaments!

A closer look, I love the red stocking and that candy cane!

More ornaments....

Designer: Freebie by iStitch
Thread: DMC
Fabric: Unknown (probably 32ct)

Designer: Freebie by Niky's Creations
Thread: DMC
Fabric: Unknown (probably 32ct)

Designer: The Little Stitcher
Thread: DMC
Fabric: 30ct linen

Merry Christmas is a freebie from The Little Stitcher. The stitching is not completed yet ha ha! I am also stitching the Fairytale Advent Calendar. Laura designs 24 small and cute ornies! The next two pictures are taken from her blog.

I have completed 3 of the 24 little ornaments. Hopefully I will be able to stitch all the 24 ornaments before X'mas! I plan to do the finishing on all the ornaments this weekend ha ha ha!

I received a wonderful ornament from Marie P for the HoE Stitcher's Choice Ornament Exchange. She chose to stitch for me a freebie by Plum Street Samplers, Christmas Coffee 2012. Marie's stitching and finishing are gorgeous! Thank you, Marie, I love this ornament very much!

Besides boxes, I also collect scissors. Here is a recent addition to my collection! This one is from China, a well known brand "Zhang Xiao Quan".

A beautiful gift from my friend, Sonia. It's for my handphone! She is great at patchwork and quilting! Thank you, Sonia, I love it!

Nicola is celebrating her birthday in a big way in 2013. She is organising a Scarlet Letter Challenge, to  complete one or more samplers by The Scarlet Letter. Please visit Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year if you are interested to join the Challenge. I have added my name to the long list of stitchers. The Scarlet Letter website offers a wide selection of samplers, some stitchers already have many SL samplers in their stashes! I have yet to decide what I want to stitch for this challenge ha ha!

Thank you for your visits and comments! Please come back to see my ornies in the next update! I will also show you what I am going to stitch for Nicola's Challenge!

Happy Stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen