Mothering Sunday

Today we are celebrating Mothering Sunday here in the UK.  I've had a lovely day. 

Beautiful cards

 

Gifts from my daughter - some new mini wellingtons for gardening, a lovely bookmark and the most beautiful bunch of flowers

Goodies from my son - some of you might recognise the Baa-ble hat pattern,

He ordered the pattern, downloaded it, laminated it and had it bound too.  It came complete with the correct wool to knit it with, an exciting challenge to look forward to knitting whilst having a cup of tea from the pretty tea pot.

 

DH took me for a ride in the car, and then a little walk at a local beauty spot.

 

 

 

Lots of lovely spring snowdrops in the woodland

 

Sending love and best wishes to all mums, with special thoughts for those of us with angel children and ladies with angel mums. xx

 

A little progress to show on Blue Ribbon, A Friend Indeed -

 

 

and my bookmark - shame the frog arrived and made a nuisance of himself!

 

 

A knitting finish of a simple 2 row pattern spring scarf to go with my new coat.

 

 

Here are 6 little egg cosies for a friend who works in a charity shop.  She wanted some for the shop window Easter display and I was happy to help.

 

 

Love and blessings to you all

 

Julie x



 

How did i do in February?

February is a short month, but I still managed a few finishes - a couple of the things were started in January - is that cheating?

Knitting included an exchange for Mary with the bunny, socks for DH and my summer cardigan.

Stitching was quite productive too.   Silver Wedding gift for a family member (that was started in January too), 70th Birthday card for a friend, the monthly challenge valentine heart and the seasons SAL. 

A little embroidery that I haven't done for a long time with a completed country landscape scene was very enjoyable.

Quiet moments of reading time included 6 books.....

 

The book choice of a children's book that was re-visited during February at Needlecraft Haven was chosen by Mary.  It was The Weirdstone of Brisingamen written by Alan Garner and first published in 1960.  I read this one for the first time a couple of years ago as our local city councillor was a guest at the Book Borrowers group I run and this is her most favourite book of all time.  We read it then so I didn't read it again in February.  Are you familiar with it? 

 

I've got threee WIP's to take forward this month - the bookmark (I  have finished the border on this yesterday in the virtual parlour with Miss Barb since this picture)

 

 

and the Blue Ribbons Designs - A Friend Indeed

 

There's also a new knitting project started on the needles but I've forgotten to take a pic of that :-)

 

I've had a new toy to play with delivered as well to tidy up this woolly mess of some of my leftover sock wool 

 

 

A wool winder (first seen on Christine's sock knitting blog Winwick Mum) turns the ravelled up yarn.....

 

 

into nice lovely wool cakes.  DH has enjoyed playing with this toy as has my granddaughter.  There's still more for them to help me out with and get organised and tidy.

 

 

Plans for March will see an exchange for Easter being made, maybe a RAK sent out and of course there is also the monthly challenge to stitch and finish. 

 

Thank you for your visits during February and your kind thoughts and good wishes on my last post regarding my hospital visit.  The consultant visit earlier this week brought a little better news that the chemo meds seem to be starting to work, the consultant is pleased.  The unwelcome news was the kidneys are not liking it so more tests/hospital visits to see what can be done to help them.  Extra meds also to take now I have also been diagnosed with sjogens syndrome as well as RP. 

A warm welcome to new readers I see there have been a few of you calling in during February.  I hope you enjoyed your visit here.

At the moment, we in the UK are experiencing some really wintry weather, lots of snow and its very cold.  Weather warnings are out for people to be very careful.  I'll be staying indoors keeping warm and safe and I hope it isn't causing you too many problems in your daily life.

Happy crafting, take care all

Love and blessings

Julie x 

 

 

Feb challenge reveal day

February, the month of love and this months challenge design chosen by Christine was just that.  Last month was Christmas so this month was something different.  We'll be back to Christmas again for March.

A lovely little design each month that we stitch and finish using whatever fabric and threads we choose ourselves and try out new skills when finishing.  A good way to practice something you might want to try on another project.

The Primitive Hare was Christine's choice for February and I saw it stitched by quite a few people over the month.

This was my version ......
 

I photographed it on the chart so you could see how the designer charted it in her finish.  I didn't add the date, instead I chose to add a little heart button.  I don't often do a heart shape as I seem to get it all wonky, but this little felted stuffed heart turned out quite well.

I've been knitting this past week and my summer cardigan is finished -

DH's new rib pattern socks are finished too -

A new stitching start was the Blue Ribbon Designs 'A Friend Indeed' that Clare gifted me in the friendship exchange this month - thank you Clare.  It was too nice to put away in the box and get forgotten about so onto the frame it went and stitch, stitch stitch....

The border met up nicely first time - relief!  I chose to stitch it smaller than charted, over 1 on 27 antique white Linda.   I think the stitching mojo has returned and I really enjoyed these tiny stitches.

 

I've been reading that quite a few of you are battling the germs that are about.  Wishing you a speedy recovery and there are some ladies who are experiencing sadness and tough times so i'm sending a friendship {hug} your way.

 

I hope you all have a lovely week. I've got an appointment with my RP consultant this week, fingers crossed she's got some more positive news for me this time round.

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie

 

Feet up = finishes

Enforced extra rest on doctors orders for the past few days has meant a couple of finishes.

 

The organza embroidery kit Tall Trees from Rowandean Embroidery had the final satin stitch trees added and sits beautifully in a wooden frame (frame purchased from Sainsbury's supermarket).   It was to be a gift but DH really likes it so I think perhaps we will be keeping this one and i'll have to think of something else for the gift. 

 

 

At Needlecraft Haven we do a seasons SAL of smalls. 

 

I have taken part for the past 3 years and this year when looking for something else came across a printed out set of charts from Lynn at Happiness is Cross Stitching for one of her older seasons design.  There is a link on the right hand side of Lynn's blog to the chart set and also a tab to her other free patterns at the top of her blog - thank you Lynn. 

 

Stitching completed, it's now also made up ready for when Spring arrives next month.

 

The front... 

 

and the back .... 

 

The other seasons are equally as lovely and will be finished just the same through the year.

 

It's parlour night with Miss Barb on Wednesday evenings and we all virtually stitch together on a weekly project whilst chatting and eating virtual cake! 

 

Mum bought me this bookmark kit on a holiday to Scotland and it's been sitting in my cupboard full of kits for quite a while.  I decided this year that some of those kits are going to be used.  So, this is my new Wednesday project for parlour nights.  I've just noticed I photographed it with the bookmark upside down - I must make sure that I check before I start next week that I have it the right way round. 

 

 

Sunday will be reveal of the monthly challenge so next time i'll be able to show you another finish as well.

 

Thanks for calling by ......

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie  x

 

 

Gifted Gorgeousness February inc Friendship Exchange

Gifted Gorgeousness - read all about it on Jo's blog, time to share things you have gifted to to others or anything that's been gifted to you.... fabric, threads, handmade goodies, anything you like really.

Feb 14th of course the postal service was going bonkers with valentine cards, gifts and flowers although I guess nowadays not so much with social media etc.  I took part in a friendship exchange at Needlecraft Haven with an opening day of valentines day.    Receiving day for our parcels was a few days earlier to make sure everyone received in plenty of time.

A list of items had been given that needed to go into the parcel -

Make, stitch or buy a friendship card
Skeins of thread (themed/colour of your parcel)
Small friendship gift
Freebie chart printed out

Instead of going with a red/love theme, i had a bit of an idea.  The flower of the month for February is the violet -

This was the first time I had received Mary's address in an exchange and even though I had actually met Mary at a meet up a few years ago she hadn't received a RAK bunny from me.  

I knitted up Miss Violet and added skeins of Vikki Clayton silks in violet and purple colours.   A nice card was purchased and a little slate saying on a hanging plaque about friendship.   I came across an old freebie chart from Cosmic Handmade from 2010 that was perfect for stitching friends.  All wrapped in purple tissue and tied with purple ribbon off it went in the post.

 Here's my parcel for Mary -

The parcel I opened came from Clare.  

Inside was a lovely card, heart shaped chocolates, rose scented soap petals, an organiser and Clare's chosen friendship chart came from Blue Ribbon Designs 'A Friend Indeed' and  it included the thread colours to stitch it. 

Thank you Clare, a lovely parcel you put together x

February 13th my brother and his wife celebrated their Silver Wedding.  I chose this beautiful simple chart from  Nia Cross Stitch and framed it with a silver mount and plain white frame. 

 

A friend celebrated her 70th Birthday this week too.  My handmade card found it's way to her.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing what your GG post for February includes.

Love and blessings

Julie x