80 - Primitive Hare Xmas Time

Stitched 1 over 1 on 28 count platinum linen using DMC threads.

Finished into an ornie using backing fabric pictured.

I changed the white to B5200 and also the stars to a brighter yellow as the charted colours didn't show so well on my fabric.

Stuffed with my ORTS from 2011!!

Chart available from Primitive Hare as a freebie.

79. Hinzeit Santa with Charms

This design was a prize received last year from Kaye of Kitten Stitching.  I used DMC threads and evenweave.  This was such a nice quick stitch but I felt it needed a little something extra so I added the words "Claus is coming" along the bottom.  I used this website to chart the letters - Stitch Point  It's really easy, just choose a font, type the words you want on the onscreen keyboard and the chart appears underneath, print it off and stitch!

I scrapbooked the finish, nice and simple, a silver holly border to cover the edges!  I also added a little cartouche in the gap after I'd taken the photograph, it says Ho Ho Ho!

78 - Sajou Letters

Stocking fillers for my female in-laws.  I bought these little diaries with an insert for a photo and stitched each of their initials from the Sajou Alphabet Carol provided us for her iStitch Mystery SAL last year.

Stitched on cream 28 canvas using 4 strands of DMC for good coverage.

77 - JBW Star Stunner

JBW Star from Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament Special 2012.

I amended the word to Stunner because that's the favourite expression of the person I sent this card to!

Stitched on 28count sparkle evenweave 1 over 1 using DMC 115.

76 - WOCS Christmas Poinsettia

The final Flower of the Month from WOCS.

I stitched this on 16count evenweave backstitch only then coloured in the highlights with felt-tipped pens.

The original was mailed to a blogging friend and a copy emailed to all my email contacts for their Christmas card.  Saved me £300 in postage LOL.

75 - WOCS December Narcissi

Regular followers will know that I stitch the back stitch on these designs then colour them in using felt-tipped pens.  Several people have asked about the pens over the year.  They are just ordinary children's felt-tipped pens not special fabric pens (although I do have a set of those as well).

The cards have mainly been sent as part of a Birthday Card Exchange organised by the Needlecraft Haven Yuku Board.  When there wasn't a NH Birthday in a month I sent a card to a blogging friend instead.

74 - Kathy's Sweetheart Tree Round Robin

Above is my heart and below is the whole thing as it goes on to Sophia in Australia.

There's a little gap in the centre of each heart for Kathy to add a charm.

73 - Joan Elliott Thank You card

Stitched on 32 count evenweave

This is a Thank You card for the Small Boy's Outreach Worker, she leaves us at Christmas.  It's based on a Joan Elliott design from the Wit and Wisdom book.  I added the words using the alphabet provided and stitched part of the larger design.  I stuck a photo of the Small Boy inside.

72 - Carand88 Witchy Kitty

This is the cute little Witchy Kitty from Carand88.

Stitched on 28count Burnt Orange Jobelan, my favourite fabric for Hallowe'en stitching.

I changed the main colour from cream to a nice silver grey (DMC 415) because it looks nicer on the orange.
I also changed the eyes to metallic green DMC.

Framed as part of a quartet of Spooky Kitties.  Two done, two to go.

71 - Joan Elliott Sweet Pea Fairy

Debbie asked for Fairies, Angels and Goddesses.  Originally I thought of Winter or Poppy.  But Winter faced the wrong way and Poppy wasn't blingy enough!  Luckily Joan releases so many new designs  I was able to find the perfect Fairy in the guise of Miss Sweet Pea.

70 - Just Nan Frightful

Stitched on 28count lilac Britney evenweave using the recommended DMC.

I used Sullivans black as I had a free sample.  I will not be using this thread again!

To get dense coverage I used three techniques for the black:

in the straight line borders I stitched using 2 strands then did one long straight stitch underneath the crosses,

for the motifs I used three strands,

for the spiders and the ghosts' faces I used smyrna crosses as charted.

The ghostie charm and the lovely variegated thread for the leviathon stitches were both included with the chart.

The frame is a cheap raw wood box framed coloured using a black marker pen.

69 - WOCS November Chysanthemum

Stitched on 16 count aida and hand-coloured

68 - Cat's Autumn Band Sampler RR

Cat's lovely Indigo Rose Four Seasons Round Robin.  She stitched four boxes with a central diagonal band across each then we could choose a section to complete.  I chose Autumn because I'm an Autumn baby and I loved the colours.

What I did not love is the frog that hid under the leaves!  I really like satin stitch as a rule but this was a PITA.  First of all I stitched one segment using the charted 3 strands.  That was lumpy, bumpy and not smooth.  So I frogged it.  Then I used 2 strands which was smooth and lovely to behold.  Until I'd stitched all five segments and found they didn't reach the top.  When I looked again and counted and double checked I realised that  you need seven stitches to cover six threadson the fabric, the seventh stitch being the outside edge of the block (make sense?).  So out it all came again!  I re-stitched and now it looks lovely again.

67 - Ghostie Kitty

It's Glow-in-the-Dark Ghostie Kitty!  Stitched with Kreinik Glow-in-the-Dark thread.  I tried to get the much cheaper DMC version but it was sold out.  What a surprise, why didn't I think of buying it not in October?  ps do you know how hard it is to photograph in darkness?  Answer - very, then you have to photoshop to see the pic at all!

Stitched on black 28 count evenweave.

charts from Carand 88 using original designs by Hyraea

66 - Zombie Kitty II

Zombie Kitties from Carand88 on Deviant Art.

Stitched on 32count lavender evenweave using recommended DMC but glow-in-the-dark Kreinik for the eyes.

Yes it really does glow in the dark too!

To be made into cards for Hallowe'en.

65 - Zombie Kitty I

Zombie Kitties from Carand88 on Deviant Art.

Stitched on 32count lavender evenweave using recommended DMC but glow-in-the-dark Kreinik for the eyes.

Yes it really does glow in the dark too!

To be made into cards for Hallowe'en.

64 - WOCS October Marigold

Stitched on 16 count aida, backstitch only then hand-coloured using felt-tipped pens.

Sent to Shirlee the Easily Influenced Stitcher for her Birthday.

63 - JBW Hallowe'en Cat

JBW Hallowe'en Cat from JCS Hallowe'en Special 2012

Stitched over 1 on 28 count Burnt Orange evenweave.

I changed the "meow" to the year.

62 - Puntini Puntini Spooky Hallowe'en

Freebie from Puntini Puntini (no longer available unfortunately)

Stitched over 1 on 28 count Burnt Orange evenweave using Sullivans Black and GAST Harvest Moon.

61 - Vintage Birthday Card

My own design using floral patches from Cross Stitcher mag.

Stitched on 16 count aida, backstitch then coloured background using felt tipped pens, then stitch the floral motifs.

Sent to Chiara for her Birthday.

60 - Joan Elliott Round Robin Fairies in my Garden

Stephanie took the Fairies in the Garden design by Joan Elliott and made several individual leaves.

I chose this one because the Pixie reminded me of the Small Boy examining leaves and flowers in the garden.

Stitched on 28count hand-dyed evenweave.

59 - LHN Home of a Needleworker

LHN - Home of a Needleworker

Received chart from Nic the Obsessive Cross Stitcher

Stitched over 1 on 28 count flaxseed linen from Kaye

minor changes, satin stitch border, rose pink letters, red stitches in wreath and scissors not the little birdie.

58 - Little Stitcher Mermaids

Guardians of the Sea by The Little Stitcher blog.

Stitched on Crafty Kitten hand-dyed fabric

using variegated DMC, metallics and beads.

Sent to Karen aka Stitchy Woman for her Birthday.

57 - We're not Old, we're Retro

Designed by me using a 70's Disco font from Cross Stitcher mag

Stitched on 16 count aida hand coloured.

56 - Sweetheart Tree Summer Round Robin

Sweetheart Tree Summer Round Robin for Karen

Stitched on 28 yellow evenweave

As it left me:

The finished piece:

55 - WOCS September Aster

WOCS September Aster

Stitched on 16count aida and hand coloured

54 - Erica Michaels Autumn double

Erica Michael's freebies from Rainbow Gallery website

Stitched on 28 count tan evenweave using GAST, Stef Francis and DMC
finished into a 2 sided beaded pillow for Elisa's Autumn Exchange.

53 - Brooke's Books August Cake of the Month

Brooke's Books August Cake of the Month

Stitched on 32 count blue evenweave

52 - Gazette 94 Summer Heart

Gazette 94 - Summer Heart

Stitched on 36 count evenweave.

51 - Joan Elliott Unicorn

Joan Elliott Unicorn

Stitched for Michelle's Round Robin

50 - WOCS August Gladioli

Stitched on 16count aida and hand coloured using felt-tipped pens.

49 - Santas and Samplers Peacock

Santas & Samplers blog, Peacock freebie

Stitched on 18count rose evenweave over 1 using Stef Francis hand-dyed.