A Finish and A Castle Update...

Hi everyone,

I have a finish!  I enjoyed sewing charms and beads onto my hubby's completed Shepherd's Bush Christmas stocking last night. This is the 2007 "Brett" stocking.  It is my fifth SB stocking I have stitched and one of my favourites.  My hubby is delighted.  He enjoys the religious story of Christmas, so stitching a King rather than a Santa was perfect for him.  The robe is stitched in the most gorgeous rich Weeks Dye Work threads.  The stocking is stitched on 11ct natural linen over 2 threads.

I will now take the stocking into my local needlework shop who will sew it into a stocking. I sewed two of them into stockings myself previously, but wasn't 100% happy with the second one I did. I am now happy to offload that part of the project.   When the stocking is complete I will post a photo of it with the others.

It is time for a Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle update also. I am so close to finishing it that it isn't funny. Probably only 3-4hours of backstitching left.  I have been surprised at how much I have enjoyed the backstitching.

There are so many funny characters in this design which keeps me entertained as I stitch.  Like the man reading the news on the toilet, the poor old fellow in the catapult and the bird almost struck by a wayward arrow.

Happy stitching all...
                        Jan x

The First Row is Complete!

Hi everyone,

 The last few weeks has seen my family and I travelling through New Zealand. What fun it was to ski, jet boat and adventure in that awesome land. Snowy mountain peaks seemed to be everywhere on the south island. I adored trekking around the township of Hobbiton, featured in the movie The Hobbit. I want to go back to that place where cottage and veggie gardens and quaint antique garden furniture adorn the little hobbit holes! I have put together a little photo collage of Hobbiton for you. 

Today I have uploaded a little video featuring me on a flying fox at Lake Tekapo in NZ. The video also shows my latest cross stitch haul. I hope you enjoy it!




 I was very happy to put the last stitch in I is Indian today. This is block number 9 of the Prairie Schooler Alphabet. This means that I have finished the first row! I started this project late January 2014. I am hoping to finish it by the end of next year. It is stitched on 36 count raw Belfast linen 2 over 2 using mostly the recommended DMC threads.

The next block, J is for Jack O'Lantern is perfect timing for Halloween! Happy stitching all..

 ...Jan x