Week end works

Looks like the Christmas Heirloom is a winner... for the moment. Like Secret garden, or the Old gardens, I am under the spell of "one more band to stitch before I stop".

Meaning that I find myself at 11pm willing to continue instead of going to bed. Now, the real question will be... Will I finish it before Christmas? It's only 2 weeks away, and the sampler is big... so the outlook isn't so good ;)

Susan, the fabric is 28 count platinum linen, and I feel like stitching on big fabric (I usually stitch on 32count). I guess in cross stitch you are supposed to follow the chart, but... in some cases, rogues like me will loose patience and go free hand. I did it for a Tatty Teddy pattern (the teddy has intricate fluffy backstitching all around its body!), and seeing how I have to add beads and pearls and ribbons on the tree, I might resort to that.

This time I took the picture with my camera, and you will have to click to get it full size. I already made a mistake in the chickadees row, the pines should be green. This shows how this chart isn't for novices, the explanations can be confusing. And if you've never done any drawn thread work before... forget it ( or buy Patricia Bage's Drawn Thread for beginners, it's a great book).

Yesterday I also went to Hobbycraft get a few bits and pieces. I came across a beading kit to make small angels for 3.99 pounds. Here is one of them up close, and what I did with the first 9 I made. The kit is to make 24 angels.

I also made some decoupage for Christmas cards. I think papercrafters would have a heart attack seeing me cutting with my big school scissors...