2023 - Happy New Year

Hello, and Happy New Year to all my friends and followers.  

I'm just back from five nights in Sydney, Australia and I feel refreshed and re-energized. It was great to dust off my passport and travel internationally again.  Sydney was vibrant and busy and I loved it. 

Thank you for all the kind comments on my 2022 Christmas Countdown.  I enjoyed taking you through all my Christmas makes.  Maybe I'll do it again in five years time when I've got some new things to show you.  

Now it's time to think about 2023.  Normally I'd write lists of my quilting and embroidery priorities for the year ahead, but I'm going to change things up this year.  I'm going to focus on two key themes:

• finish what I've already started
• use what I already have

That may sound a bit boring to those of you who come here for inspiration, but I can promise you that I've got some beautiful things half finished in my spare room.  And even more lovely things that I haven't even started yet.  In 2023 it's time to buckle down and use what I've already got.  

First up I intend to make some summer dresses.  In Kaffe Fassett fabrics of course. I ordered these beauties some months ago but it's hard to get motivated when the weather is cold. The first one just needs hemming and then I'll be able to show you.  

And in the evenings I'll be working on my cross stitch.  I've joined a couple of mystery Stitch A Longs (SALs) this year.  I can't show you the patterns or I'll be kicked out of the groups, but I am excited about them.  Mum gave me a set of 3 lovely pear designs for Christmas and I've finished the embroidery for the first one already. 

I'm hoping to finish a few quilts in 2023 because I've got quite a few half made already! Plus plenty of new patterns I want to try out.  

I've also got quite a few teaching weekends booked already. so I'm going to be busy in 2023.  

But never fear, I'll still have plenty to show you each week.  Thank you for continuing to visit my blog, and best wishes for the year ahead.  

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  Feel free to link up a recent blog post below.  

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

My Embroidery priorities for 2022

My love of cross stitch was rekindled in 2021, so I thought I should write a list of my embroidery priorities for 2022.  

My mum's Holiday Wreath

My first goal is a big one - #12in22ornamentstitchalong

Carol from Stitching Dreams blog and @caroling55 on Instagram, has put out a challenge to stitch 12 ornaments in 2022 - She's using the hashtag #12in22ornamentstitchalong

I think I might just join in and then I'll have a lovely little basket of ornaments in time for Christmas 2022.  I checked my linen stash and I've got tonnes of linen in all sorts of colours. I've also got a wide range of DMC threads, so I just need a few patterns and I'll be off.  

Some of my current WIPs could count for the 12 in 22 challenge because they are Christmas themed. 

Here's what I already have in progress:

1. Twelve days of Christmas by Liz Mathews

I received the first three of these patterns for Christmas and I'm going to make some of the little trees - not all twelve, just some. The finished stitching is about 10" high on 28 count linen. I bought my patterns from Stitch Witches in NZ - just message them on Facebook if you're interested. 

2. Christmas Village by Victoria Sampler

This one is quite close to finished now, and should easily be finished in 2022. 

3. Holiday Wreath by Laura J Perin

Each year when I see my mum's Holiday Wreath, I come home determined to finish mine.  I think 2022 is the year that I should finally make it happen.  I know what my problem is - the defining feature of this piece is the velvet bow at the top, but I have to finish all the more boring stuff before I get to stitch the bow.  

4. Gingerbread Flower Shop

2022 will be the year I finish this one too. 

5. Pandemic by Long Dog Sampler

I should be able to finish this one by Easter I think.  But I have left the back stitching until the end, so that could take another week or two.  

6. Shades of Indigo by Northern Expressions Needlework

This was my new start on 1 Jan 2021, but I wasn't happy with one of the colours I'd chosen, so I set it aside.  On 1 Jan 2022 I pulled out the stitching I didn't like, and re-did it in a new colour. I love the new colour so I'm up and running again. 

So that's six WIPS before I even start looking around for new things to stitch for the #12in22ornamentstitchalong

Thank goodness I asked my mum to finish knitting my cardigan for me! I don't have time for quilting, embroidery and knitting.  

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  Feel free to link up a recent blog post below. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter