Monday 18 December 2017

Advent Calendar Blog Hop

Hi Everyone and welcome to day 19 of the Online Advent Calendar blog hop organised by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  Click here to view the calendar so far and to link with each participant.

I started my Christmas stitching this year with a free design by Kathy Schmitz called Bird in Hand and substituted the scattered white french knots for silver thread so to add some sparkle, although not appreciable in my photos.



and when this design is not sufficing as an ornament, it will join the ranks of the pincushions,


My other piece of Christmas stitching found in my files, I stubbornly endeavoured to squeeze onto a fabric scrap while the pattern continually threatened to run over the edge and therefore limit its future destiny.



My Santa table runner, made years ago, once again sees the light of day, as do the Christmas tree placemats made last year.




Jo asks us to describe our plans or traditions for Boxing Day.... well ....

When I lived in England, Boxing day was spent quietly at home. Dad would pop our dog in the car and drive to a woodland area where dear Kim could run wild and chase invisible shadows.  We would enjoy the turkey and Xmas pud leftovers and then spend the afternoon pondering over jigsaw puzzles, playing cards and squabbling over board games, reading our newly acquired Annuals and watching the tv with the hope that the large tin of Quality street chocolates would be passed around again. I also remember having to write thank you letters, dictated by mum, for gifts received from obscure, remote kin.

Today I live in Spain where Boxing day does not exist, the big family get together feast is celebrated on the evening of the 24th and the lazy recovery day on the 25th.  The 26th when only the turkey bones remain for boiling, is a normal routine working day, unless of course you have been lucky enough to have won some prize in the immensely popular enormous national lottery held here on the 22nd Dec. and in which case you just might have suitcase in hand and be on your way to Hawaii.


Merry Christmas everyone,
Sheryl

Wednesday 13 December 2017

Snowflakes

Hi Everyone,
Just a quick post to show some crochet snowflakes before I send them off to my daughter, although she will probably arrive here to spend Christmas before they are delivered to her home.


She asked me some time ago to make her these snowflakes to hang at the window, on the Xmas tree or wherever and I made them last month, quick and easy to crochet from a pattern I found in a past edition of our needlework magazine called Labores.



I used perlé Nº 12 and was blocking them normally when I realized that they needed stiffening if they were to hang anywhere.  I looked up the quantities of sugar and water.....ok, one cup of sugar and half of water...what sort of cup?  well, a tea cup of course!  no?  apparently not.....special cup sizes, goodness..... anyway apart from the mixture rendering enough for two hundred odd snowflakes and my fingers sticking to scores of pins, to my slipped glasses, and a blob dropping to the floor which was instantly trodden on by DH who innocently squelched it throughout the house, my reward was beautifully stiff snowflakes.



I just love them and attached a few glass drops  with invisible thread.  Must make more next year.
See you on the 19th for the Online Advent Calendar.
Thank you for visiting.

Linking to Simply Neutrals
Sheryl

Saturday 2 December 2017

Come said the Wind

Hello everyone,
" Come said the wind"  and although a cold dark day, we took heed and donned our coats and boots and headed for the countryside in persuit of some autumn delights, leaves, berries, holly and the elusive mistletoe, all imperative to decorating for Christmas.



This embroidered needlebook was started years ago.



but only just finished last week, surely to be gifted this Christmas.



I made a little crochet acorn scissor fob - yes, it is meant to be an acorn, following Sharon Ojala´s tutorial but as I didn´t have the right thread colours on hand, perhaps, although fun to make, it is not very convincing.



Thank you for visiting. Be sure to visit the online Advent Calendar hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  My day is the 19th. Until next week.

Sheryl

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