Busy Crafting Weekend & Candy Cane Santa Stocking #27

I had an AWESOME weekend away at the Busy Crafting craft weekend in Marysville. There were just under 40 women there with a wide array of crafting projects to work on - quilting, scrap-booking, drawing, hand-stitching, cross-stitch, and probably more I've forgotten about. Boy, are there some very clever people around! Some of the projects were absolutely amazing and it was great to be able to get up and wander around to watch people put their things together. There were prize draws (I selected a colouring book with pencils set so I'm set for my summer holidays!) and great food - there was no risk of anyone going hungry over the weekend. The accommodation and setting was also a very high standard. Just about everyone there has said they will be there again next year. I can't wait for it either.

I was very happy with the amount of stuff I was able to get done over the weekend:

I attached felt to the back of these ornaments and stitched around adding beads. Very happy with how they've turned out.

I finished the beading on the Snowy Owl (one of the keepsakes I bought in Canada on our trip earlier this year). At first, I didn't like the beads but now that I've done the back-stitching as well, it has grown a little on me. I've ordered a frame for it, just waiting on the shop to get their supplies so that will make a big difference, I'm sure. I thought the beads on the owl were a bit big, but here in the photo, they don't look so bad.

I stitched another of the Mini Christmas Ornaments which has turned out very nicely.

And I also folded quite a few origami Christmas Trees from the browned pages of an old book from my library that was falling apart. It was going straight to the bin, but I thought, I could use that... I'm going to attach the trees to some string and hang them up around the library and office as Christmas decorations in December. I think they'll look great, and they're very quick and easy to make so I'll be doing quite a bit more folding over the coming weeks. I might even stick some glitter on the odd one to provide some colour interest...

I also presented the Snow Bears stocking to Arkyn's mother and she seemed quite excited - I hope she loves it.

When I finally got home on Sunday night, I almost finished off the Candy Cane Santa Stocking. I just have a bit more greenery to do in the bottom left corner, but I couldn't force myself to stay up and finish it off after such a busy weekend. I'll finish the stitching tonight and then I only have the glittery sequin things to attach all over and I'm done until the baby arrives and is named... That won't be until about February so this goes into the 'to be completed' pile to be picked up again next year.

I hope your weekends were as productive as mine!


Happy Stitching,
Kerrie

Classic Christmas Ornaments #4 & Stocking Finishes

There is a few nights stitching progress in this ornament - I didn't get all this done in one night...

It's all done except for the gold metallic thread and the back-stitching. There are lots of colour changes so I think each of the remaining ones will take a few more nights than the first one...

The other big news for the weekend is - I have finally completely finished the 2 most recent Christmas stockings I stitched. I had a craft day with my friend Judith and she helped me get them stitched up and looking amazing. I am so happy with them, and I know the recipients will be too!

They are both beautifully lined and so they can be used when hanging on the mantle.
The Snow Bears stocking has a pale blue with white polka dots which matches the snow flakes on the front perfectly.

And the Santa's Journey stocking has a dark green with gold glitter pattern which really sparkles.

We did them differently to the instructions from the kit but I think this way is much better to finish them off and means they can be used without fear of ripping out any stitches or getting anything caught in the back of the stitching. I will have to organise a nice bag or something to put them in when I present them to the parents.

A big THANK YOU to Judith for her help in getting them made up so beautifully. We made a rough pattern and I wrote out some instructions for future stockings that I am sure I will be stitching as it took a little while to remember what we had done on previous stockings. 

I also took the 4 designs from the Design Works series of nice sayings to the framers on Friday afternoon. I hope to have them back in a couple of weeks for display in my theological library. I think the sayings are appropriate encouragement to the students.
Happy Stitching,
Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking DONE and a new start...

The little tassels on the scarves were very easy to do. Almost like a french knot, just slightly different. I can't remember what the pattern called them but the effect they provide is great. So that's it for the Snow Bears Stocking until I can get organised to stitch it up (I'm hoping my friend Judith will be able to assist me again!) [hint, hint Judith ;-)]

So I went to my stitching stash and got out another of the Design Works series that I am doing for my theological library. I chose the 'Life is about the journey, not the destination' and made a reasonable start...

Happy Stitching,
Kerrie

Snow Bears #11 - 99% finished!

Well, so much for a couple more days - I finished it last night... well, almost, everything but the little tassels on the scarves.

 

 

It is just SO cute. That says it all...
I'll give the tassels a go tonight and then I have to find something else to do... I've got plenty of things just waiting around.
Happy Stitching,
Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking #10

I've made some great progress over the weekend. I reckon I'll be finished in just a couple more nights...

Just got the second bear's body & shadow to do and then some tassel things on the ends of the scarves. For such a simple stocking (ie: only a handful of colours), this has been a real delight to stitch, and quick too. It's not as involved as the other stockings I've done, but I think it is just about my favourite!
Happy Stitching,
Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking #9

Your comments are correct - this is going to be a hard one to give up!  But I've stitched the name so I can't go back on it now...
Happy Stitching,
Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking #8

Now you can make out a head pushing the snowball...
Happy Stitching,
Kerrie 

Snow Bears Stocking #7

Without the back-stitching, it's a little hard to see the snow ball that I did last night...Happy Stitching,
Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking #6

I filled in the heel of the stocking last night. There is very little back-stitch so that aspect is very quick. I just can't get over how cute this is!
Happy Stitching,

Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking #5

I made some great progress over the weekend at Aireys Inlet, hence the photo below is a couple of night's work...

The name Arkyn is a Norse baby name. In Norse, the meaning of the name Arkyn is: Eternal king's son. I'll have to check if that is what the parents named the baby for, or if they have another meaning. How cute is that bear!

Happy Stitching,

Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking #4

The first bear is coming into being. He is just so cute. And I realised that I left the name banner undone, but I can do it as I know the baby's name (he was born in early Dec last year). It's not like the usual ones I do which are stitched up before a baby is born. I might get to the name banner this weekend. We're going to Aireys Inlet and the weather is looking quite nice so I hope to do a lot of relaxing (and plenty of stitching!).
Have a great weekend everyone...
Happy Stitching,

Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking #3

The first of the snow bears is starting to make an appearance. Even just this little bit is so cute!
Happy Stitching,

Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking #2

I wasn't at work yesterday so I couldn't post my progress from the weekend. The top half of the stocking is 90% done!

Happy Stitching,

Kerrie

Snow Bears Stocking #1

The new stocking I have started is called Snow Bears and it is by Dimensions. It was hard to get a picture to show up what I managed to get done last night as the threads are very similar to the pale blue Aida used. I think you can see that I've done some tree branches. It seems like I've almost already done half of this stocking as there is a large amount of empty space, especially in the top half. There are only about 10-12 colours in this stocking - much simpler than the last stocking.

 

Happy Stitching,
Kerrie