At the eleventh hour I’ve just completed two little cross-stitch smalls for January! I finished piecing the centre of my Kaffe Fassett quilt this afternoon and having decided I really didn’t have enough scraps to make a piano key border, I’ve ordered some extra fabric instead. Whilst waiting for it to arrive I decided I could do some finishing of little projects.
First to be finished was the January cross-stitch with a cute fox on. This is part of a 2016 stitch-a-long called Joyful World, it’s by Maja Matyas of The Snowflower Diaries. She has kindly made them available for free, I found the easiest way to download the patterns was to join the Joyful World SAL page on facebook. The patterns are designed to either be stitched as one big calendar or lots of little ones, there’s even fancy borders available too!
I’ve kept it nice and simple and just stitched the basic design, mainly because I wanted to keep it small. I’ve backed it with a coordinating fabric which I had left from my splendid sampler quilt, it’s a perfect match. I was hoping to put some mini pompoms round the edge but the ones I had in my stash were creamy and it looked wrong against the white of the stitching. I tried white ric-rac, but that was too white!! In the end I just stitched it into a pillow and then made a cord from two of the embroidery silks to finish the edge. I felt it needed a little something at the top by the loop, I tried a little ribbon bow, but that didn’t look right. I’ve stitched a little button on, I’m still not sure about it so it might get changed if I spot something better.
My second finish (I was on a roll by then!) is actually a UFO from about thirty years ago!! I did about three of these from a booklet. It’s been sitting in my workbox ever since whilst I decided what to do with it. I’ve been looking at it over the last few weeks and suddenly realised what was wrong with it…
…it’s not a lily it’s a snowdrop!! Well it looks more like a snowdrop to me! Of course snowdrops puts it right in season for my dispay of cross-stitch smalls!
Late this afternoon I unpicked ‘lily’ and stitched ‘snowdrop’ instead. I did it freehand, working backwards so I didn’t run out of room! I always have to concentrate when I’m ‘writing’ backwards as otherwise letters end up back to front or words mispelled.
I then got a bit carried away. I wanted to make it an oblong pillow so I decided to add a few embroidery stitches on the side. Now Sharon from Pintangle has just started a new series of TAST (Take a Stitch Tuesday) where everyone learns a new stitch every Tuesday, this weeks is herringbone, so I decided to stitch a row of herringbone. I then thought I could add fly-stitch which was week two…and lazy-daisy which was week three. In the end I decided I may as well add running stitch for week one!! So I’ve stitched the first four stitches of TAST in one little pillow!
To finish the pillow I stitched a strip of the same soft green fabric I used for the fox. I hand stitched a length of lace and added some beads. I was planning to add some vintage pearl buttons but I decided the lace was sufficient.
I’m really pleased with how my snowdrop has turned out, especially as I was just making it up as I went a long. I’ll put them both on display for a few weeks, they go nicely together too!
thecraftycreek 
Those are darling! The pillows came out great, and it is so nice that you finished something from deacdes ago–
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Donnalee, I’ve a few more in my workbox too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s great. I always enjoy your work, especially the smaller pieces.
LikeLike
These are truly delightful, especially the snowdrops.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Cathy, I’m really pleased with the snowdrops.
LikeLike
oh what gorgeous stitching and finishes! Are you going to make little cushions with all of the calendar designs? and then change have one on display each month?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Claire, that’s my plan, though I could do with getting a month a head!
LikeLike
well as long as you can keep up with one a month this year . . . in 2019 you’ll have the whole 12 months and you’ll be able to change them around each month from then on!
LikeLike
Both projects are just gorgeous, the backing fabric is perfect!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful stitching and projects! I love snowdrops! I am looking forward to seeing mine bloom in early spring…so welcoming after winter!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such pretty little projects – they are lovely 😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did these each month in 2016 and made a quilt for charity. They were fun to stitch. I belong to a Yahoo group, World of Charity Stitching.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How very inspired (and inspiring) you are! I think the button works well on the fox cushion, and the way you’ve made up the snowdrop is stunning. Heirlooms both ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your projects always make we wish I did embroidery. I love the fox.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A 30 year old UFO makes its long awaited debut in glorious style! I really like the finish on Mr. Fox, and I think the button suits him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Two gorgeous finishes. I particularly like your snow drop cushion. And how good to finally get it finished!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Quite charming! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the improvisational stitching on the snow drop pillow–it must’ve been fun just to stitch as you pleased! Both projects turned out great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I love them! They’re so cute!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A WIP from thirty years ago, wow, you must be thrilled to finally finish it! Very lovely they are, too. Such a good tip to stitch the name in reverse so you don’t run out of space. Obvious, when you think about it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, I occasionally learn from my mistakes 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those are really cute finishes, I love the cord you’ve made around the January Fox.
LikeLike
Pingback: Cats and Clover | thecraftycreek
Pingback: January Smalls | thecraftycreek
Pingback: February Smalls | thecraftycreek