A quick stitch and what I’ll be stitching in December

/
Date30 Nov 2020
/
Comments3

I realized suddenly this month that I don’t think I’ve stitched any Christmas ornaments this year! Well, I had to change that state of affairs! A while ago I had kitted an ornament from Just Cross Stitch Magazine 2001. It is called Gemstone Heart by Hermanson Hardanger. Since it was ready to go, I picked it up. Except for the beads, I got it done in 3 sessions. I accidentally changed the color of those big Rhodes squares-they should be the cream color. But I do like them sparkly so I left them. So fancy! This will be the dreaded heart finish. I will do my best to have it ready for the tree this year anyway, if I can get the beads. I need copper color beads and I do not have anything that fits the bill.

These are my first picots! I’m not sure I did them correctly as they twist every which way but I think they are cute.

For December I plan to keep working on Deerfield, a very enjoyable stitch.

I’m also going to work on Cozy Into Winter by Jeannette Douglas. I have a small start on it:

Maybe I’ll do a Mill Hill ornament too for my small as I haven’t done one of those this year yet either! Shame on me!

I’ll fill in any gaps with BBD’s Strawberry Garden. I don’t plan to hustle to finish it but it would be nice to have it close enough to be the first finish of 2021. That would get the new year off to an auspicious start, just what we need right?

November 2020 Smalls Check In

/
Date26 Nov 2020
/
Comments2

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends! I hope you all had a wonderful day and were able to check in with loved ones even if you could not be with them this year. We had a nice day, just our family, DH, me and the 5 kids. We watched the Macy’s parade in the AM (I cried a little because it was sad to see it with no crowds of people). I cooked ALL day, which was fun for me. I enjoy cooking and making special food. Everything came out well (sorry no pictures of it!). We watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving as is traditional in our family, and ended with a game of Ticket to Ride, Europe (We love this board game-it is SO fun for all of us, ages 5-40s! Do you need a present for a family or even your own family? This may be the…ahem…Ticket) I did not stitch at all. Boo hoo! However, earlier this week I did finish the stitching on the Holly Pin Drum from La D Da! Here it is:

I will try to get it made up next month. We will see how that goes. Even without all the activities usually scheduled between Thanksgiving and Christmas (last year was crazy with 2 baseball tournaments, 2 sets of guests, and my eldest daughter in 14 performances of the Nutcracker-she had a only small part but had to be there for every show!) I feel like it will be busy and maybe I won’t get a lot done. Well we’ll see.

Do share what you’ve been working on! Thanks for stitching along with me this year!

Plans for 2021

/
Date25 Nov 2020
/
Comment1

I mentioned a little while ago I was making a big fun plan for next year! Oh, I enjoyed writing this post!

I don’t think I’m the only one who can’t wait for 2021. Many of my neighbors have already had their Christmas decorations up for weeks, in a hurry, it seems, to get to the end of the year. Or maybe they just have extra time on their hands! Even though I don’t expect the turning of the year will alleviate all our present woes, and even though 2020 hasn’t actually been a totally horrible year for me and my family (thanks be to God!), I think it has just felt like a stressful, oppressive year. And so I’ve been making plans.

Sorting out stash (I have great blessings of stash!) I began to formulate a little idea. I want to devote 2021 to stitching my Most Beautiful Projects. Well. I can dedicate the rest of my life to that goal, so I will dedicate 2021 to stitching 12 of my Most Beautiful Projects- or at least starting them. I could consider them my “Bucket List” projects (I just saw that movie for the first time last month and it really gives you something to think about!) Anyway, I’m going to focus on 12 of the projects that I really would like to enjoy in their finished form-not just looking wistfully at their charts and kits!.

How will I choose just 12 of all my many projects? Here are some guidelines I am giving myself. It has to be a project that was a coup-de coeur. One I fell in love with at first sight. Not one that I saw once and then again and eventually it grew on me. No. One that I knew had to be in my collection and maybe even went through trouble to acquire. Maybe it is a captured unicorn of a project! Like this one below, which is a definite-do.

Ideally I will be picking things that are kitted, or mostly kitted. I’m not really aiming to do a stitch from stash, but the nature of this plan is that I’m stitching things I already have so it follows I will have most of the materials.

Of the 12 projects there has to be sufficient variety in format-some framed, some smalls, some “useful” like needlework accessories, some ornamental. They have to represent a variety of techniques-not just cross stitch. And not more than 1 by any one designer.

Style…I don’t care…no rules about style. They are my projects out of my collection so I picked them in the first place. That’s good enough. I have a wide taste but if I end up with 5 things that are more “sampler-y” that’s ok.

They can be big projects which I will not finish in 2021 but they will each get a solid month of work. Hopefully some will be finished, but if some are starts to multi-year projects that is fine too.

I have started to pull things out. So many beautiful projects in the running!

How ever will I pick? Feel free to let me know if there are any you think should be strong contenders! I have coded them for that reason, but this is not really a vote, just to see what everyone else is curious to see in progress.

In case you’re interested, here’s the list of project names and designers:

A. Bargello Roll from Sampler Cove/Jackie Du Plessis

B. Berry Motif from The Cranberry Sampler of Darlene O’Steen

C. Tudor Flowers Purse by The Nostalgic Needle

D. Catherine Agnes from Indigo Rose

E. Treasure Box from The Drawn Thread

F. Italian Peacocks Purse from Giulia Punti Antichi

G. Butterfly Brooch from Jenny Adin Christie

H. Dorcas Haynes from The Scarlet Letter

I: Sampler Roll from Samplers Remembered

J. Rosehips and Ivy from Blackbird Designs

K. Butterfly Needle Case designed by Amy Mitten

L. Sweetheart of Mine by Barbara Jackson

M. Allison Coles’ Goldwork Bee published in Inspirations Magazine

N. Schwalmwork Heart Pinkeep from Moss Creek

O. Dogface Butterfly by Alison Cole

P. AnniversaryCelebration Square by The Victoria Sampler

Q. Spanish Sampler Etui by Betsy Morgan

R Star of Wonder by Just Nan

S. English Garden by Blackbird Designs

T. Colonial Williamsburg Etui by Giulia Punti Antichi

1 2 3 … 88

Welcome to Mary’s Thread!

I started this blog in 2016 to chronicle my stitching life. My Grandma M. taught me to cross stitch when I was 7 and I’ve had a project (or many!) going since then. I am mostly a cross stitcher who makes forays into other types of embroidery. A lifetime ago I studied French and art history but now I fit my stitching around a busy life raising 5 young kids with my wonderful husband. Thank you for spending some time at my blog!

2020 Stitch-A-Longs

2020 Stitch-A-Longs

Categories