Stitching For Christmas

[RozMinis]

Well come on then, own up, what are you all stitching for the festive season?

I've made some decorations for the tree, some are going to the fluffit/woofit shop, three, or is it four(?) I am keeping myself. I finished a Christmas picture, picked it up from the framer on Monday. Also finished the Bucilla felt Advent calendar, not cross stitch, but it is stitched. Buttttt I doubt I will get the bell-pull finished in time to hang on the wall at the end of next week.

I've only finished about half of it, and as I am trying to knit a pair of socks, plus cards, I won't have the time. No matter, with luck it will be finished by the end of the year. It had better be as I have plans for next year, and they don't include having a UFO to finish off.

Roz

[suban]

Embarrassed to admit - nothing for this year. I'm still working through my wool mountain.

[Waterlily]

I've got some Christmas projects still going on that I've had for years. Managed to finish a few small ones last year (door handle hangers). I've got a tree skirt that needs finishing but it won't get done this year. It's all Bucilla stuff.

[JanTheNan]

I purchased two of the Yule advent calendar panels from eBay, really must get my derriere into gear and get them done for 2 grandsons.

[suban]

All the gear and not the time (or the light!)

[RozMinis]

Those Bucilla tree skirts do take some doing, as do most of their large projects. I stitched two of them a few years ago, one as a present, then liked it so much I make one for meee, different one though as I hate doing the same thing twice. I still have the clock and wreath to do, yet more projects for 2014. Hmmm, wonder if I have time to go on holiday!

No cross stitching today, but I did finish one sock, cast on the second one, then gave up for the day.

Roz

[suban]

People asking for things gets in the way as well. Not that I mind if it's using some of the craft mountain up.

[RozMinis]

'Himself' has just informed me he wants another shamrock jumper knitting. Many years ago I knitted one, went to Ireland that summer and peeps kept asking where he had bought it. Maybe I should have offered to knit them, perhaps I could have made my millions. I only knitted a plain jumper, then Swiss darned the shamrocks onto it. I did try knitting them, but they looked rather flat, so decided on the Swiss darning instead.

Roz

[suban]

May end up doing that with the Meerkat jumper. Nearly finished one hat, then remembered Aunt wanted a table centre crocheted (for Christmas - yikes) so took it with me for while I was travelling yesterday.

[RozMinis]

I rather wish I had taken the sock to knit on the trains. Could have knitted quite a bit of the second one. :)

Roz

[Julie]

Decided I was kidding myself that I would ever get the Bucilla stocking done by Christmas, I have opened the packet twice though !

Anyway, I cheated and bought a very cute personalised stocking off eBay for a fraction of the Bucilla price :mysmilie_493:

I will, I will, get the ribbon embroidery done for Christmas though.

[suban]

Oh dear - another year and the Christmas Rose table cloth not done! Never mind the felt toilet set!

[Chalet School Fan]

Frantically trying to finish a cross stitch/patchwork quilt as a present - Margaret Sherry ABC of animals. Only have M for monkey to finish - can't find one of the brown shades in my stash at the moment. Have found the right materials for the patchwork (DoCraft dots and stripes capsule collection bought at half price in TKMaxx) and have ordered the quilt batting yesterday. So, just about on target once I have cleared my desk of the 300 school reports to be completed in the next 9 days! :(

[RozMinis]

Those reports take forever to write. I know Kate is really feeling it at the moment, twice as much work, half the time to do it in. Up until recently she has managed not to have to bring work home. Now she is not only doing the extra projects in her own time, but is also bringing work home with her. She works in an infants/junior school, I dare say it is even worse in senior schools.

I've a couple of the Bucilla stocking kits lurking somewhere, plus a NOEL kit. The stockings I bought on eBay from peeps in the USA, I think the NOEL came from Readicut. No chance of those being done in the near future, especially as I have the clock and wreath kits in the cupboard.

I wonder why we set ourselves so many impossible targets. I mean to say................ I bought two small cross stitch ornament kits on Saturday, a small cross stitch picture with winter trees, and a gingerbread cross stitch picture, none are going to even see the light of day this Christmas. I thinks there are a couple of small charts as well. At least I won't get bored. ;)

Roz

[suban]

Guess we'll all be starting on December 26th for Christmas next year!

[RozMinis]

Assuming I have finished my Stitcher's 12 Days of Christmas by then! ;) Haven't done so much as a stitch on it today, been knitting instead. Finished one pair of socks, then made a start on the mega long ones. Won't get anything done tomorrow as I am going to York. :)

Roz

[SooG]

Alas - buying kits and stash with the 'best intentions' that never get used it a curse many of us suffer from!! About 18 year ago I was in Paris with my best friend and we both bought a cross stitch advent calendar. Neither of us have done so much as a stitch on it since!!

Every year when I unpack the Christmas decorations I come across it and think 'maybe this year', and every year when I put them away I think 'I guess not!'

[suban]

Started a pair of aran mitts, and a lady at church said Oh they're gorgeous! Now guess who has another pair to knit! Wish my gob stopped having a mind of its own!

[Chalet School Fan]

As the 12 Days of Christmas don't end until 6th January that buys you a bit more time to complete it for this year Roz!

[suban]

Like the logic, but even the 12 days won't cover it all for me!

[RozMinis]

Started a pair of aran mitts, and a lady at church said Oh they're gorgeous! Now guess who has another pair to knit! Wish my gob stopped having a mind of its own!

That is exactly how Christine at the stitching group feels. She knitted herself a blanket a few weeks ago. As it was in a chunky yarn it knitted up quite quickly. Then she decided to make one for the lady she shares a house with, another one for her fluffits.............. I've lost count of the number she has actually knitted, no doubt she has as well. :)

I'm good at finishing Advent calendars, mainly because I love them, just can't get enough of 'em, especially the Bucilla ones as they are guilt free, as in don't contain chocolate. We can also have the silly game of working out what will be the next item to come out of the stocking/bag to go in each little pocket. It amazing just how difficult it is, even having three of them on the go doesn't make it any easier. At least the new one only has twelve different items, as there were two of each. I reckon that is a bit of a cheat, but I bet we still don't get that many of them correct. :)

Bought more stitching goodies todat by the way, some Stef Francis silks, whcih I had resisted at Harrogate as I needed to buy something at the Viking Loom, plus two bookmarks, poppies and anemones. Ok I know, who the flip uses bookmarks these days? Well I do have some books that can't be obtained for my Kindle or MP3 player. Not that I care anyway, they are just soooo pretty, and useful for taking to the stitching group should I be daft enough to forget the chart for my main project. I have done that in the past, so did Glenda, so I am not the only one. Karen managed to forget everything last Monday. We tried hard not to laugh at her. ;)

Roz

[RozMinis]

As the 12 Days of Christmas don't end until 6th January that buys you a bit more time to complete it for this year Roz!

Has to be finished before January though, have to have made a start on one of those nice new projects for 2014, the January cottage for instance. Christine tells me the cottages work up very quickly, so shouldn't actually take me a month to complete. I know the Christmas picture by the same company didn't take very long, and that was a larger project. It took me longer to get it to the framers than it did to stitch. In fact I reckon it took me longer to collect it than it did to stitch, so it must have been pretty quick. :)

Roz

[suban]

Roz - at the rate you're going you'll run out of wall space. I used to say I'd do the cross stitch and then sew them all together to make one huge piece to cover the whole wall like something from Hardwick Hall! It would certainly add extra insulation!

[Chalet School Fan]

That's why I've gone over to making quilts with my cross stitch. At least they can keep you warm. :mysmilie_520:

[suban]

Oh Lavender and Lace Duvet covers - now that really would be impressive - you've just cured a problem, thanks CSF!

[Chalet School Fan]

A great idea. I've got all the Celtic ones waiting to be stitched, so I'd better get down to work!

[suban]

The thought sure brings out the urge to stitch again!

[RozMinis]

The thought sure brings out the urge to stitch again!

Then get on with it lass. :)

I like the idea of stitching the 12 country cottages together, though I will probably be doing them in different shades of 28 count whatever. I say whatever because I have loads of 28 count evenweave, plus an assortment of linen. I've recently bought some 32 and 36 count evenweave and linen as well. Since I bought these prescription magnification specs they have improved my vision no end, though I am much better if I also use a good daylight lamp. :) Still not convinced I could use that silk gauze though, not even the 24 count.

Roz

[notmorecraft]

Different kind of stitching, I've quilted a wall hanging, a couple of stockings for my sons girlfriends who are both spending Christmas with us, a kind of fabric origami tree, padded hearts which go on a wire wreath frame and a quilted advent calender which I've filled with choccy bars and as neither of my boys are living at home just now my dh will get to eat all by himself :mysmilie_458:

[suban]

I could force myself to help with the chocolate!

[RozMinis]

Two tree decorated, the largest one still to do. All other decorations up and ready for running, starting tomorrow. :) Managed a little bit of stitching this afternoon, not easy though while trying to watch the racing. At least I have just about finished the Six Chatelaines, can't remember what five is, threads perhaps. No idea where I would hang it if I did get it finished. Compared to other stitched items it is rather long, so will need a bit of planning before next December, when no doubt there will be even more goodies to hang on the wall. ;)

Roz

[suban]

Crocheting to be finished this week I hope! Hopefully get some cards made!