Wednesday 9 January 2008

New Year, New Start (and a small finish)

Belated New Year's greetings! I hope you all had a great Christmas. We had a quiet one here, just myself, Keith and our son Paul, who unfortunately wasn't too well over Christmas. He came home with conjunctivits and a cold and then developed a nasty throat infection. However, after a visit to our doctor who gave him anti-biotics, he was a lot better within 48hours. He stayed with us until New Years Day when he went back home to London.

I didn't get very much stitching (or any blogging) done over Christmas, but last week, once Keith had gone back to work, I couldn't resist a new start. I chose Their Song by Blackbird Designs, one of the charts that Keith gave me for Christmas. I'm stitching it on Polstitches
28ct Sampler Linen in "Heirloom", using the recommended WDW threads. I'm really enjoying stitching this, so much so that I just couldn't put it down yesterday. I also made a start last week on my scissor fob for the Hooked on Exchanging blog. I've stitched the front and now just need to sort out something for the back and then put it together.





I also had a small finish last week, LHN's Cherries. I stitched this on 36ct Edinburgh using one thread of the Crescent Colours. I had so much trouble with the thread knotting up despite copious amounts of Thread Heaven and using short lengths of thread, I was really glad to have it finished. I don't think I'll use such a small count of fabric again as I think this may have contributed to the knotting up of the thread.





Monday was Celtic Lady SAL day. I don't know if anyone else stitched on their lady, but I did about two hours on mine. Not much to show really but I am a slow stitcher and also spent quite a while frogging a mistake which wasn't a stitching mistake after all, just that I was looking at the wrong line on the chart. LOL


I'll leave you now with two photos of the stash I received for Christmas. The first one is stash from Clare. She sent me LHN's Gourmet Garden and Garden Pleasures including the two Crescent Colours threads needed for the latter. The bottom photo shows the four charts that Keith gave me, LHN's Season of Plenty, CCN's and Crescent Colours thread packs in Rose and Peony and Blackbird Designs Their Song. I also had a Kreinik Custom Corder from Keith.





Oh yes, just one last thing. I was delighted to learn this morning that I am one of four winners in Cheryl's blogiversary draw. Cheryl has promised to send something that she has stitched and finished within the next year. Thanks so much Cheryl, I'll look forward to receiving that.


13 comments:

Carol said...

Awesome finish Nicola - congratulations!

Cheryl said...

I love all your stash! We obviously have similar tastes. I have gourmet garden in my to stitch pile!
Your finish is lovely as are all your ongoing projects.
Looking forward to stitching for you :)

Ranae said...

Congrats on the win. Cheryl does wonderful stitching. I love cherries thats a cute finish.
Love all that stash too.
Wip's are looking great, cant wait to see more.
Happy New year!!

Sue said...

Nice new start, great finish and I love your "blue" lady. Nice stash too ;)

Julie said...

Happy New Year to you Nicola and congrats on your win

Great stash pressies. Fab finish too and i love your new start. Sorry you had a visit from the fwoggie.

Sally said...

Lovely finish, Nicola, and I love your WIPs. Very nice new stash too!

Leslie aka zoeandcooper said...

All your pieces look fantastic, especially your new start. Congrats on your finish!

Stitchingranny said...

Lovely finish and stitching in progress and some lovely new stash there too.

Karan said...

Lovely stash & beautiful stitching Nicola.
Hope you have a happy & healthy 2008. :0)

Andrea said...

Great WIP, a finish and lots of lovely stash. Your New Year couldn't of started any better.

Clare said...

You've got some good stash there Nicola - obviously people of culture and taste Ha! who know you well (and read your wish list)

Dani - tkdchick said...

Congrats on your finish and new start! You got some lovely stash!

Hazel said...

great wips! well done on winning. xx