I’ve got two cross-stitch stitch-a-longs on the go, each releases a new section of the pattern every two weeks, luckily not on the same day! I’m just about managing to keep up with them both, along with everything else! Life will be so quiet by Christmas when these finish together with a quilt-a-long!
The Zoe box SAL is by Faby Reilly, last time I shared it with you I’d just finished the four sides of the box, each side represents a different season, it looks gorgeous!..
These sections took 4 weeks each, two weeks for the cross stitches and two weeks for the back-stitch and the decorative stitches and embellishments. This time we’re stitching the inside of the box, as there’s not as much stitching we’ve completed winter and spring in two weeks. I love the robin and the ladybird, I think they’re so sweet!
These are actually stitched upside down on the design as they will be folded upwards when we’re constructing the box. I’ve already started the next section which was released on Monday, it has a butterfly and another squirrel on it.
The second SAL is by Deborah Dick of Tempting Tangles, it’s called Enlightenment; Words of Wisdom. It’s theme is trees and it’s stitched with just four colours of floss, well I’m using five, not being one to stick slavishly to a pattern!
Last time I showed you I’d just finished the second section, this is much simpler stitching so it grows pretty quickly…
…which is lucky as I only started this section on Monday and I finished it today, the next section comes out on Friday! The border is in a gorgeous thread by Dinky Dyes, it is a lovely thread to stitch with and I think the colours are beautiful. Deborah gives DMC alternatives to the threads. I felt 3847dark green was a bit too dark, so I stitched the first ‘tree’ in a thread I got from De Vere’s in their Advent calendar, it was just a slightly softer colour. I decided to do the centre one in the 3847 and then return to the De Vere one for the last tree.
It will be interesting to see how this one pans out – it’s not a designer I’ve used before. The top row (this is three out of sixteen sections) is a bit more repetitive than I anticipated, but having seen other designs by Deborah I’m sure it will be lovely when finished.
thecraftycreek 
Those sals are gorgeous. Have fun working on them!
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I love the Lille creatures in the Faby Reilly, and looks in the second one.
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Your Faby Reilly project is lovely…makes me want to sign up for one of her SAL’s!
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I can highly recommend Faby’s designs, this is my third SAL and I’ve done quite a few of her individual designs too, they’re beautiful but not complicated.
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I especially love the robin and ladybird!
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Thanks, they’re so cute!
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The details on the Zoe box is gorgeous. And the jade colours you have used is lovely.
Your comment about it will be quiet by Christmas made me laugh as you are bound to have taken on several more projects by then!
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Thanks Jane, you’re right, I’m already planning another quilt 🙂
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Beautiful work
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Thank you
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Hythe colours you are using are stunning.
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Thanks Kathy, the colours on the tree one are beautiful
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Both are beautiful!
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Thanks Kerry
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Absolutely lovely!
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Thanks, they’re keeping me busy!
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