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

Cross Stitch Stocking...

Since finishing the wise man on the Shepherd's Bush Christmas stocking, I have started cross stitching the shapes around him.  Crowns are a fad of mine at the moment and this one will look regally fabulous when the red beads are stitched on.  The motifs are quick to stitch on so I have progressed quite alot over the last week.

Bob couldn't miss out on being in the photo shoot either! Im not sure what is cuter; Bob or the stocking. Possibly Bob. But then again my cross stitch doesn't bite my toes at 5am when I am trying to sleep.

Thanks for coming into my Christmas garden...
                                                                Jan x

Throw Back Thursday: a cross stitch project

Mary, my daughter, told me I had to do Throw Back Thursday on my blog. Apparently it's all the rage on YouTube! She is a massive fan of the TV show, Dance Mums, and this is something that is featured commonly.

What is Throw Back Thursday? Something from the past. In my case, a completed cross stitch project from 15 years ago.

I started this Shepherd's Bush cross stitch in late 1996.  I bought it as a kit duty-free on Norfolk Island during a holiday. It is a large project - 70 x 70cm.  My heart does flips when I see the beads, charms, bells, ribbon and wool added to the shepherd. It was framed and completed for Mary's nursery in mid-1998 15 years ago.It is stitched on a 32 count linen. The frame mount was customised to this project.  I don't think this design has dated at all and would happily stitch it again.

Don't forget to post a link and join my Linky Party so I can check out your current WiP (Work In Progress) here.  I am sure others would like to check out your post too.

Thanks for wandering through the garden of my past...
                                                                              Jan x

Christmas Cross Stitch update...

The recent family holiday allowed me plenty of stitching time on my Christmas WIPs. Readers seemed to find it weird I did Christmas stitching at the beach.  Being an Australian, I associate Christmas with Summer so the beach was a perfect place to stitch.

Firstly, I have nearly finished stitching the wise man/king in the Shepherd's Bush Christmas stocking.  This one is called Brett but there are lots to choose from. I am making my fifth! His robe is richly coloured in the variegated thread, Razzleberry! Doesn't that name sound as delicious as it looks? The rest of the stocking will be quite quick from here as the majority of the stitching is in the wise man.

Secondly, I only have another few hours of stitching left on the Christmas ornament by Little House Needleworks called, Bringing Home the Tree.  I am thrilled with how it looks.  Mary, my daughter, will love hanging it on the tree this Christmas.

As many of you, my lovely readers and friends live overseas this is a warning that I might make you envious.  I am going to post a Spring photo.  Stop reading now if you can't cope.  I am loving my Spring garden.  I have only been at this house for 3x Springs and the gardens are what I have planted as they had been neglected prior to that. The snow-in summer, cerinthe and golden oregano are making a stunning border to one of our garden beds.  I try to garden 30 minutes every 2 days which seems to keep it in hand. Gardening is not good for the nails even though I always where gloves!

Also gardening related, I recently picked our first lemon from our Lemon Eureka tree and cooked it into Lemon Delicious.

The lemon juice was so flavoursome and I was delighted to find no pips inside.  It looks like more lemons are on their way but will take a few more months before they can be picked. I hope I run into the problem soon here I have too many lemons and have to give lots away!

Thanks for wandering through my flower beds...
                                                              Jan x

Stitching up a Storm...

The wind has really picked up today at the beach holiday. My stitching speed has picked up as a result. The wise man on the stocking now has a rich vine on his robe. The robe is half filled in with a delicious specialty thread named Razzleberry.

Speaking of berries, we ate the yummiest raspberry and apple pie at Kate's Berry Farm. I have added a photo of the prettiest bank of flowers I have ever seen that were at the farm.

Thanks for stopping by...
Jan x

A Wise Man Cross Stitch...

The Shepherd's Bush Christmas stocking featuring a Wise Man is progressing quickly. I have got the hang of a two-handed stitching approach with a hoop. I am currently filling in his body. I am loving his robe.

I am still on a family holiday so lots of stitching time here and little housework time. Yay! A three year old boy still needs attention but is highly amusing. When asked what he wanted to name a dog he replied "cat!"

Thanks for making sandcastles with me...

Jan x

Stitching on the beach...

Beach stitching has been plentiful during this holiday! The sun has been shining this Spring so between sandcastle building and board games, stitching has been had.

Here is the progress on the Shepherds Bush Christmas stocking. It is stitched on 18 ct natural linen with DMC Pearl Cotton no 5 and specialty threads.

Jan x