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.

Mill Hill Christmas Ornies

I have been on quite a roll during November and have managed to finished a number of lovely Mill Hill Christmas ornaments which have been waiting to be stitched for far too long.  It certainly is a good feeling to have finally finished another batch in time to decorate for Christmas. Really love the musical instruments and I have put small magnets on the backs and these will decorate the fridge.   I especially love the Polar Bear too and now that I have photographed it I can see it needs a little more fussy cutting.  It was nearly bedtime and little Ruby had decided it was play time - time to jump over the bed then hide underneath. The eyes say it all.

October Smalls SAL 2015

It is a good feeling to have a couple more Mill Hill Christmas ornaments from the "wonder" cupboard finally finished.  Looking back to the time when I was working full time there was 'cash to splash' on embroidery and many purchases seemed to be made with the thought of retirement and the idea of having plenty of time for stitching to help fill in the days. (How wrong was I thinking I wouldn't know what to do to fill in the time). Thethought seemed to be "one day I will get to do that" and therefore the 'one day cupboard' of goodies grew.  This magic one day cupboard has been renamed in recent times to the 'wonder cupboard' as I think to myself 'I wonder why I purchased that' or 'I wonder why I originally liked that??'  However there are still quite a few items that I will get to stitch - probably enough to see me through with the hope that the eyes and hands keeping working well - maybe it will be a wonder if I get to stitch them all  !!!!!At least between all the other stitching it is a good feeling to know some progress is being made and I am enjoying making sure I have something small to post each month.

September Christmas Ornie

Well just getting in on time with my Smalls SAL for September - a lovely Christmas Jewels Charmed Ornament by Mill Hill. This one has been waiting to be stitched for some time and was a fairly quick stitch.  Loved the name 'Ruby Forest' but hope my little Burmese Ruby doesn't want to play with it.
The photograph is the best I could do inside today as the weather here has been terrible.
After a very long, cold winter the last few days have felt like spring has been forgotten and summer has arrived instead with temperatures in the mid 30's, very strong, hot winds and lots of bush fires - some of these are still out of control tonight.
With the cool change late this afternoon the temperature did a great dive so tomorrow back to only 17 degrees. People say that if you don't like Melbourne's weather just wait a few hours and it can be quite different. Certainly the case today.
Managed to finish stitching the patchwork bag in the photo. The material had been in the stash for some time just waiting for the right project. Has worked out to be a good size for carrying around the latest stitching project. 
September was a special month - birthday celebrations (see photo of Miss Ruby checking out my lovely flowers received from a special friend), Australian Ballet - wonderful performance of Sleeping Beauty and a great concert by Joan Baez. I have been a fan for years and unable to see her perform on the previous two occasions when she visited but this time I wasn't going to miss out.

Be True

I love the Little House Needleworks designs and when I saw this one I immediately remembered this saying that was quoted to me by my manager a number of years ago. It is a quick little project with rather special meaning.

 I have always believed that we should stick to our principles, not assimilate, and that we should do what we believe. It is certainly beautifully phrased, and invokes ideas with positive connotations: truth, self-ownership, individuality. The quote is from Hamlet -  This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!  It was Polonius's last piece of advice to his son Laertes, who is in a hurry to get on the next boat to Paris, where he'll be safe from his father's long-winded speeches  !!

I did change a couple of the colours and didn't work the single row of white crosses around the border as I am not sure of the finish though I feel that it will  most likely be one to add to the pin cushion collection.