Hello everyone! Long time, no blog. I swear, I've have had all these Christmas photos uploaded on blogger for at least three months now, but I finally got some time to write a couple of words while DH is entertaining the girls.
I managed to finish up all the stockings on Christmas Eve and I was really pretty pleased with how they turned out, even though a lot of people can't really see the reindeer in the deer stocking. Oh well... The finishing was super easy (sewing machine), but I do confess that I did not use the instructions that came with the patterns. I opted to use an on-line tutorial instead. It is so much more easy to follow photos than words, don't you agree?
The stockings were stitched the called for Caron Collection's Watercolors hand-dyed perle cotton (on 20-ct linen), which was a true joy to stitch with. It is fun to experiment with large fields of the same color over-dyed too; you never know how it'll turn out until you are done. If you have less patience with cross-stitching and are more skilled with sewing than I am, the designs are also available as applique patterns (check out this link).
I really like SamSarah and if I had more time, I would probably tackle
the perpetual calendar that she is designing. I am not a big fan of
stitching on perforated paper though. I like to crumple my linen while I
stitch. :-)
Back to the stockings: I love stockings! We didn't use them in Sweden, so it is one more American tradition that I am embracing in the fullest! I love all the BOAF stockings and I will find out a reason to stitch them sooner or later as well (Special Delivery and Snow Day can be checked out here and here are Angel of Peace and Wish Upon a Star.
And one can always dream.... Mary Beale's stockings (insert dreamy sigh here):
Over "Christmas break", I did also work some more on trying to finish up my Blackwork Angels and Starry Night ornies. I got this idea for a new way of finishing in my head that took a while for me to get up the courage to test out. I am doing the classic rectangle using cardboard, but I am doing two "backing" pieces that are slightly larger than the stitched design., The thought is that the "front backing" will frame the design. I think that it'll end up looking great, but it takes a lot of cardboard, backing fabric, batting and thread to finish all of them.
One set of ornaments that I did not have time to finish was the baby Christmas name plaques. I really like how they turned out and I have even been thinking about making a few more from the other PS alphabets. (I wish that I had picked a khaki linen instead of a white one, since I had to switch the white details, such as the angel's wings and Santa's beard to grey in order for it to show up. Next time, I guess...)
So, since this is a Christmas themed post, here is a photo of Scrappy, enjoying the Christmas decorations.
Before I log off, I just have to post a couple of photos of my baby girls. As you can see, they like bath time! They are 4 months and 1 week old today and I am still in heaven (and still exhausted!). I started working again a few weeks back and I promise that I have never found work as relaxing as I do now. When Monday rolls around, I am ready for a break! LOL
Happy Spring!
