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Thursday 1 January 2009

Happy New Year!

It's just a few minutes into 2009 so I thought I'd start off as I mean to go on and update my blog. 2008 was an up and down year generally - it had its high points and its low points - hopefully more highs than lows for 2009.

I finished off 2008 with a couple of Christmas ornaments; one for an exchange on Friendly Stitchers and the other is one that I had stitched a while back and never made up into an ornament - until now. The needleroll is from the JCS Christmas Ornaments 2008 edition and designed by Hands to Work. It was lovely to stitch - using Crescent Colours Belle Soie silks and finished off with some Christmassy fabric at either end to give it an antique look. I'm pleased with the end result and I hope its recipient, Elizabeth in sunny California, likes it too!


The second ornament was from JCS Christmas Ornament 2003 edition - I stitched it in stages ages ago, again its done in silks and finished off with bugle beads and gold seed beads and Swarovski beads for the garlands. This one I am sending to my friend Val in Tyne and Wear - it's a bit late to go on her tree for this year, but I hope she'll find somewhere to hang it next year.

And to finish off in the same theme - here's the ornament that Elizabeth stitched for me - I think it is a Mill Hill design and it has been sparkling away on my tree since Christmas Eve. I'm absolutely thrilled with it so thank you Elizabeth!


I plan to stitch up a storm in 2009 - finish off a couple of round robins I have to do, and then plan the next one on my own round robin group. I am off work until 12th January so I plan to use the time wisely and having just picked up my new "stitching" glasses yesterday and ordered my new Daylight stitching lamp which will hopefully be here by the weekend - well I really do not have an excuse not to get some early finishes under my belt! Watch this space - anyone want to start placing bets as to which project will get finished first?
We're starting a new SAL on Friendly this week; a Stitch a Week SAL. Abi has designed the grid and alphabet for the design and has also designed several of the motifs which will go into the squares, ably helped by VAL. It's up to the individual members to decide on their fabric and threads - so each one at the end of 2009 will be completely unique to that stitcher. It's nice to have almost the whole group involved in this. I haven't even got around to deciding on fabric and threads yet but I can take care of that over the next couple of days.
I raise my glass (almost empty now!) to everyone and wish you all the very best of health and happiness for this new year; I'm off to open the front door to let the old year out and the new year in and then I am off to bed!
Take care everyone; pop back soon for more updates.
Love n hugs,
Ally xxx

5 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I am so happy the package arrived safely! It took so dang long, jeepers.

Ooo, and look at my giftie! Can't wait to see it in person.

Elizabeth said...

Oh, yes it's Mill Hill...I am quite proud of how I finished it so I'm glad you liked it. I am not much of a general sew-er so it was a bit challenging.

And I just realized you said you got this on Christmas Eve, so that mean it only took 5 days for the package to get to you. Impressive!

Sabine R said...

Woohoo, I've found you at last!!! I just wanted to say thank you for your Christmas card, that was a lovely surprise!
I like your new blog!
Happy stitching,
Sabine :-D

Pete's Pixie said...

Thanks guys! Sabine - lovely to hear from you honey! Hugs, Ally xxx

MysteryKnitter said...

Still reading in chronological order.