My 2012 cross stitch finishes and a cross stitch Biscornu finish.

What's new for 2013?

Hi everyone, here are my cross stitch and stitchery finishes for 2012. I did not get much finishing done on the stitcheries, I cannot get easy access to my sewing machine as it is under a pile of stuff in my craft room. I am hoping to get my craft room fitted out this year. 

I had a plan to get this done by the end of February and get it all organised but it is not looking good at the moment. My craft room is so untidy, I have nowhere to put things away, it really drives me nuts having stuff all over the place.! At least I will be getting a new sewing table to house my sewing machine, it will be so nice to have a permanent place  for it after all these years.

Plans for 2013.

What plans have  I got for my blog in 2013? Well, one of my new ventures will be guest blogging, I have asked a couple of well known stitchers from the stitching world to do a guest post on my blog and I am delighted that they have said yes. One of my guests is a cross stitch blogger who is well known in the Cross Stitch Blog community and is a wonderful stitcher and creator, I am not going to tell you who it is, you will have to wait and see! My other guest is also a well known crafter who designs her own patterns and creates some wonderful things too -  I am looking forward to planning these over the next few months. 

Giveaways is another item on the agenda, I did not get around to doing as much as I would have liked last year but I have one or two nice ideas for giveaways that I am sure you will love. Some of you will know I love making small polymer clay items to add to my giveaways, I have got some ideas to include in my next giveaway, just keep a look out for those.   

I will also be designing more free cross stitch patterns, I have one or two small Valentine cross stitch designs that will be published soon.

Biscornu for The World Of Cross Stitching Magazine

I made this Biscornu for The World Of Cross Stitching, it was published in their special subscribers edition and I forgot to show it on my blog, I have the cross stitch design somewhere in my computer, when I find it I will publish it on my blog for you to have access to it. 

Close up of the beading.

You can see a tutorial for making a Biscornu on my tutorials blog  here .

Stitcheries 

Welcome to all of my new followers and regular readers!

Happy stitching until next time.

  

My exchange to Glady's

Hi everyone, here is the exchange I sent to Glady's in our recent private exchange,

I designed the box myself, it is trimmed with Swarovski crystals and handmade cord using DMC thread 825.

You can visit Glady's blog here.

 

      

The free pattern for the biscornu and pinkeep can be found here at Les Chroniques De Frimousse blog

Instructions showing how to make this biscornu can be found on my finishing tutorials blog here.

I am so pleased that Glady's liked the exchange I made!

Happy Stitching everyone!

The winner of the Ladybird Biscornu is.........?

I would just like to say thankyou for all the lovely comments I received for the biscornu giveaway, I was thrilled you liked it.

Unfortunately there could only be one winner, after putting the names into the draw

the winner is:

Kathy

Congratulations Kathy, please email me!

Please remember my blog anniversary on the 31st July, I will be stitching something special !

Happy stitching everyone and thankyou for your visit.

Biscornu blog giveaway

Free pattern available here

This giveaway is now closed

I just love biscornu's and I am sure there are a number of fans out there who love them too, so I have decided give away this ladybird biscornu, it is stitched using DMC threads on linen.

All you need to do is leave a message on this post and tell me what is your favourite finished stitched item on my blog. You are welcome to follow my blog if you think it's worthy, however that is not a pre-condition to win! I may not get access to the computer over the next few days so if your comment does not appear straight away please bear with me, I will access when I can.

I will draw the winner on Wednesday evening at 8.00pm GMT time, so don't be late!

Edited: I originally asked for visitors to say why they visit my blog but I suppose it's because you like cross stitch, so I decided to change the question!

Bright red for summer!

The exchange I made for Jill has arrived!

We decided to include goodies, however I do like to make the extra's myself and this is what I made. I made the pillow and needlebook out of felt, the free grid for the little girl can be found at the Swappons blog here , the needlebook is my own design but if anyone would like instructions I can oblige!

The biscornu is another free pattern, this can be found from the Batty Bat site here, just scroll down and you will see the pattern, in fact I have just seen a lovely one for a tortoise that I must do next!

The alphabet for the name can be found at one of my absolute favourite blogsleschroniquesdefrimousse, click here and you will see the pattern at the bottom of the page.There are so many free patterns on this website, I really recommend you take a look, the patterns are fab!
This was my first attempt at making Fimo clay roses, I have made some more since making these and I will be posting pictures later next week.

Reverse side

Jill collects thimbles, I found these in the Lake District and thought they would finish off the exchange nicely!
I really enjoyed this exchange Jill, it was such fun to make, especially as I love ladybirds!

Stitching news

I have wrapped the Prairie Schooler exchange and I will be sending that on Tuesday after the Bank Holiday. I am now working on another exchange for my friend Jennifer and I have made a surprise gift for a friend that I will hopefully be posting next week.

Butterfly biscornu and stitching news

Hi everyone, here is a small biscornu I have just finished, I am not totally thrilled with it, I got all of the green colours mixed up and ended up using different colours by mistake but

I do love the pretty pink/lilac colour.

25 count dublin lugana linen

Dinky Dyes variegated silk thread

Mill Hill white beads

Pale pink fabric

Freebie pattern here

Reverse side

Stitching news

I have completed another personal exchange yesterday but I cannot show pictures until my partner Jill has received it, the posting date is the middle of May. I also have one more personal exchange to complete by the end of June and then I am going to have a break from personal exchanges for the summer.

The Hooked on Exchanging Too blog are holding a Christmas in July exchange, I decided to sign up for that and I also have the Prairie Schooler Year Long exchange to do.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Another blog award and biscornu received!

More pictures of Sharon's biscornu at the bottom of this post.

I was surprised when I visited Lizzy's blog as she had given me this blog award, I feel really bad because I had not noticed it until I visited Lizzy's blog two weeks later, even though I do follow Lizzy on her blog! I knew I was due to catch up on my visits and it was a lovely surprise, I do apologise Lizzy that I have only just seen it!

I am to list five things about myself and then nominate five people to pass it on to:

1. Some of you will know by now I love anything Gothic, I particularly love the Heaven and Earth Designs with a gothic theme.
2. I hate going out in the rain!



3. I love treating myself to a typical English afternoon tea with scones , jam and clotted cream and the salmon and cucumber sandwiches must have their crusts cut off!



4. Roses and freesia's are my favourite flowers



5. I would love to learn tatting embroidery one day.

The five people I wish to nominate for the award are:

Kim's quilt blog - Kim creates some gorgeous quilts and her blog is amazing.

Melissa at Honey Bee's Bliss - Melissa's blog was one of the first blogs I ever visited, her ribbon embroidery is gorgeous and her tatting is really pretty.

Tatting Chic - This lady creates lovely tatting embroidery

Donna - The miniatures are breathtaking

Sherrie - If you like pin keeps this is the blog to visit!

Stitching news

I received this lovely biscornu from Sharon C in the Hooked On Exchanging Group, Sharon read my blog very well as she noted that I love anything Victorian, anything pink or blue and butterflies, she included them all when putting the package together, it was very well thought out and I appreciate it all, thankyou Sharon.

Petal Fairy Pattern - and the winner is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would just like to say thankyou for all the lovely comments that I received regarding the finishing of the Petal Fairy by Mirabilia, I was delighted that everyone liked her so much.

I have visited all of your blogs, some I have seen before, others are new to me, but you all do gorgeous stitching!

Now for the moment you have all been waiting for da da!!!!!!!!!!!!

The winner is

Kim D Messick

Congratulations Kim, please leave me your email address and I shall reply to you and arrange to get it sent to you as soon as possible.

Stitching news

I have heard that Deb H has received my cup cake biscornu in the Hooked on Exchanging group and therefore I can now show a picture of what I sent.

The pattern is a freebie from the Floss Box , I made the card from my Anna Griffin card making selection.

Here is the reverse side

I also made a little pillow with Deb's initial on using linen and variegated DMC thread.

I have also received the biscornu from my exchange partner today, I shall post a picture later.

Mini Biscornu and Prairie Schooler ornament finish

I have just finished my first mini biscornu together with a Prairie Schooler Christmas Ornament for the Christmas Challenge blog. The pattern leaflet for the Prairie Schooler is Christmas Day leaflet number 134.

Finishing instructions can be found on my tutorials blog here

The biscornu is a freebie pattern that can be found on The Floss Box.

Edited: I seem to have lost the photos on this post, I will see if I can find them and repost eventually!

Stitched on 25 count dublin lugana linen fabric using DMC colour 321 satin thread

Mill Hill beads

Happy stitching everyone, thankyou for visiting!

My first cross stitched biscornu finished!

I am so excited because I have just finished my first cross stitched biscornu!

Here are the pictures, I just love the little Father Christmas, don't you?

I will probably stitch lots of Biscornus for a while!

The pattern is from Just Cross Stitch Ornament Magazine 2008 designed by Louise Henderson of Cherished Stitches.

Stitched on 32 Count Belfast Linen

Colour - light mocha

DMC threads

Mill Hill Beads

Swarovski Crystal in the centre

Materials used for blog giveaway and more stitching news.

As promised I have listed the materials I used to make the blog giveaway Christmas ornament:

• Fabric - Zweigart 32 Count Brittney - Lurex, silver flecked white
• Flowers-Dinky Dyes Silk thread, Lilac number 111 but any DMC color would look the same.
• Centre of flower-Kreinik metallics Fine (#8) Braid colour number 9300
• Merry stitched in DMC number 210 and backstitched in dark purple DMC
• Purple trim on outside edge - Madeira Glissen Gloss Estaz colour number 19
• Mill Hill Antique Glass Beads colour number 03053
• Metal ornament for the back

I hope you enjoy stitching this as much as a I did!

My first Biscornu and stitching news

I am currently stitching my first Biscornu, it is a Christmas design, and I have finished stitching the Priarie Schooler Christmas Ornament, I will post pictures shortly.

The Christmas Noel design at the top of the page was completed a number of years ago, it is

Celtic Christmas by Lavender and Lace, I though it would be a good idea to show it to celebrate the season!

Thankyou for looking, Merry Christmas everyone!