SAL November

It just seems the months are disappearing quicker than ever - or is it I am just working slower. I can now see with only a few weeks until the end of the year that my PHD (projects half done !!) will certainly be on going.  The little needlebook finished in November is a design by Betsy Morgan of Willing Hands Needlework Designs. It is part of a kit I purchased when I attended a wonderful class with Betsy at Beating Around the Bush Seminar. The kit is called Edinburgh Reticule and was inspired by Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse Palace and Mary Queen of Scots.  Betsy has lovely and interesting ways of finishing her articles and the spine of this little needlebook was laced together with silk ribbon.

SAL October

Just a quick note to get this photo in before close off in a few hours for the October SAL. Yes, another piece of stitching to add to a pair of scissors.  Maybe I will have to purchase some more scissors - one can never have too many !!??
This is a Sue Hawkins canvas work pattern using DMC thread.  Really enjoy working her designs and love her choice of colours and the humbug design works so well. Not the best of photos but too late to take better photos outside.

SAL August

I seem to have lost days and naturally they have gone never to be reclaimed.  My little finish for August was ready ages ago and now I am posting so late that is may even be too late to count in the SAL.  The pattern of this little bookmark designed by Sue Hawkins was fun to stitch using DMC thread on canvas.  The worst part was the making up but I am fairly happy with the end result.  The two biscornus with scissor pillows are now complete and I love the colours and the way they turned out. My favourite one is the bright jewel colours and I think I will be using this thread again.  Not very good photos but all done in a bit of a hurry

Smalls SAL June

Looking back over the month of June makes me feel that it was quite a productive month both for knitting and stitching. I couldn't help but start another Zig-Zag Canvaswork pincushion - same design as the one shown last month but the different colourway make it look quite different. It also has a matching scissor keeper so that is my finish for the Smalls SAL for June as I run out of time to  make up of the pincushion. Naturally this means I will have to make another scissor keeper in the bright colour so two set are completed.
 The large wrap I completed during the month was made in a beautiful 4ply Baby Alpaca yarn from Peru and was a joy to work with and so soft. Quite an easy pattern with a lovely edge.  The other knitting of baby items was completed for the shop so only managed a couple of beanie for charity and I sent them off before taking a photograph.

 

SAL May

Well winter has finally arrived after a very warm autumn. Some of the plants in the garden seem to be rather confused by the warmer days and the autumn colours did not seem as intense  this year.

May was a very social month catching up with friends over long lunches - the joys of retirement - visiting friends who have downsized for their retirement and enjoying some fun outings. The charity knitting continues between other projects and it is surprising just how much can be achieved by just knitting a couple of rows whenever a spare minutes is available.  The baby ugg boots are for the shop and are always popular.  It is my 'relaxing knitting' as a do have a couple of lace knitting projects on the go that can only be worked on in quieter times.  

My small SAL finish for May is a biscornu from an English designer Sue Hawkins. I love Sue's work and she has a wonderful way with colours.  This canvas work project is worked in stranded cotton and hard to believe but only 2 different shades of Anchor multicolour thread were used. No.1375 which is the brighter jewel colours and 1335 the paler shades. By using more of the brighter colour on one side and more of the paler on the other has resulted in an interesting use of the these threads. The stitching did take a lot longer than I had anticipated but I was very happy with the finished work.  There is a small scissor pillow to match so that might just be the next project to start. I think I will forget the promise I made to myself not to start any new projects until I have finished some of the UFO's in the cupboard.

SAL April

Another month has gone flying by so fast and I just hope I have made it in time for the SAL group.
 Another scissor fob - one of my favourite things to stitch.  A friend had this design on a fob she had purchased so was willing for me to borrow it to copy.  A quick little project and would look good in a lot of different colour ways. Not a very good photo as I thought I had already taken one then realised I hadn't so the night light doesn't show the true colours.  I am keeping up with the beanie knitting project and the target of completing 10 per month has been achieved each month so far. I can at last see the level of wool in the box going down.  I am sure these beanies  will soon be put to good use as the charity I knit for is getting busy as the cooler weather has arrived. Long time since little Ruby has appeared on my blog and I managed to get a shot of her sitting quietly and looking very innocent.

SAL for March

Although the knitting needles continue to be kept busy at least one small stitching finish for the month of March to show.  This is by my favourite designers Shepherds Bush and is called Spring Box. I had stitched this design before and gave it away but was always going to stitch it again. When I found the tiny glass rabbit among my treasures the other day I remember this design and stitched it into a scissor fob.  Seems funny to be stitching a 'Spring' design as autumn has arrived. So this one was stitched while thinking of my friends 'on the top of the world'.

It is so lovely to snuggle into a warm bed at night and enjoy the sunny days without the heat. After waiting for rain for so long it was so nice to lie in bed hearing the rain on the roof and knowing how much the garden would benefit from it.

Smalls SAL February

Although needles and threads have been in my hands for many hours during February it has been knitting needles and cotton or wool rather than fine embroidery thread and needles much of the time.  As I was too late to add a post before the January closing, I am adding some extra photos as a record of what I have produced lately. The beanies are for a local charity and is one way of working through my stash of odd balls of wool. I am aiming to knit 10 beanies a month and at the end of February I had completed 30 so rather pleased to be one month ahead of myself. Makes a nice change from running late with my schedule but then it is only me making these challenges for myself. The baby shoes and hats are orders for a wool shop, the Christmas ornament is another in the series that matches the previous one.  Officially my smalls SAL for the month of February are the small canvaswork scissor fobs. I enjoy stitching these and they are great to have in my bag as a small project to carry with me.It is surprising how much stitching gets completed when all the spare minutes are added up.

Autumn has arrived but also hot days

Feeling very hot and disappointed that Autumn has arrived and along with it a string of hot days for the next week.  Autumn is certainly my favourite season and I want it to last as long as possible.
With the front door opened early morning I am trying to let some cooler Autumn air into the house before the heat of the day and the need to have the air conditioning running non stop

Santa for December SAL

This very cute santa was a kit I purchased at Button and Needlework Boutique Store in Victoria, BC Canada when we visited a couple of years ago.  It was by TLC Designs and I had never seen them before. The shop was wonderful and I will always have fond memories of our visit when I look at this ornament. 

I think  I have almost finished the rest of the Mill Hill Christmas kits that were in my stash. The top of the fridge was covered with them for the festive season and as well as the big tree decorated, I had a small tree on a corner table full of other Mill Hill ornaments. My favourites have always been the tiny treasured diamonds however on the tree they seem to have a mind of their own and don't want to be facing the front.

Many thanks to Heather for her work involved in running the Smalls SAL for 2015. I have really enjoyed getting back to checking out other peoples stitching on their blogs and can always be inspired by their work and choice of designs.  Looking forward to continuing in 2016.