Twixtmas 2021

In the run up to Christmas I found some of the Aida and linen offcuts from projects I have made this year.

Taking a leap I patched them together and made some frankenfabric. I’ve started on one half with some leftover threads, the other half will be neutral colours. Don’t know where it’s going but it’s something to pick up that might prompt me to do something else. Picasso did say ‘Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working’ after all!

I recently realised I quite enjoyed the cross stich I did over the past year. I haven’t really done any for years! Many years ago I often had my own patterns in Cross Stitch magazine. It’s a quite meditative stitching to do where decisions are already made for you. I have just signed up to two Xstitch Stitch A Longs which start soon so I can have something unthinky to do each month. One is a year long monthly by Hayley of Stitching Cabin on Etsy. It’s of a Nordic Winter long sampler. Not too big and in 12 quick parts. She is recommending a blue grey colourway, I have absolutely nothing blue grey in my Christmas decor. My other Nordic pieces are in reds so I will be using reds. If I make a mess and it doesn’t look right I can always start again! The other, by complete contrast is a Victorian gothic piece by UrbanStitches, a Blackwork SAL of toxic plants done weeklyish until August. I think it was the heading That Which Does Not Kill Us which caught my eye!!!! Strange how the mind works sometimes.

I also found a partially started bitsa book so I have put that out to pick up too. I have quite a few gathered scrap pots, boxes and bags that need homes now.

I also realised I had a fair amount of darker fabrics too, which is unusual for me. Some are lovely couture snippets from France and Japanese pieces that need a home so I put together a dark bitsa book as well. Whatever happens in the future I know where they are and I can always unstitch or cut them out if I find a better use for them.

I had a lovely tin gift from Tracy which I have now put to use for evening stitching with a mini bitsa book. Great for all the super teeny bits.

The Black Sheep Wools Betwixtmas make was lovely to do. I chose the crochet version, I may do the knit version at some point.

This one was made in Fyberspates Vivacious DK in shades Heavenly and Pebble Beach. Here is Clarice showing the pattern off a little better. The pattern is free on the BSW website should you wish to make one yourself along with their other free patterns for past makes.

In November 2020 I won an auction for the GSP Rescue for a portrait to be made of one of the dogs. At the time I paid a little extra to Gillian of Johnson Portraiture to have a bigger one with both of the girls on. She is so busy, and a full time teacher, that it took until now for her to fit it in her commissions. Of course when it arrived there were lots of tears as we no longer have Ellie and Gillian certainly caught Ellie’s expression to the hair. We often comment how we miss the Ellie glare, she could melt iron with it. But such a beautiful and very much needed painting of her and her sister Willow now look at us from across the room.

Christmas Eve I escorted Santa and his Elves around the villages. Milly’s trap was a little small last year for the gifts for the food bank and the round trip can be a little dodgy on the winding lanes for a horse and cart. Thankfully the rain held off for most of the 2 hours the trip took finishing at a barn in the village for a crib service. My car was stuffed full of bags and boxes for the charity and pre warning cars that Santa was behind me could they wait a moment or two certainly made it run a little smoother. There was a couple of cars with little children in who became so excited to see Santa, and the beautiful Milly with her jingle bells, it was worth stopping them!

Ozzy the wire Barn Owl tried looking festive, not sure a Dove on the head counts as a star though.

John has seen his specialist and his first option, which he will be having in January, will be a Cardioversion. Basically a switch off and on again reboot. Hopefully that will be enough to sort the AF. Meanwhile Miss Willy has taken everything in her stride. Once we’re awake she’s allowed on the bed on her blanket, she certainly makes the most of it!

We wish you good health and all the best for 2022 and hope you have had some time with loved ones. See you next year!