Merry Christmas and a happy 2018

Carve December 17 - 24

This year I’m participating in Carve December again. Last year I just made one stamp, but this year I hope to make 31 stamps. These are the ones for day 17 - 24.

Carve December 17

Carve December 18

Carve December 14 - 18

Carve December 19

Carve December 19 & 14 & 13 & 11

Carve December 20

Carve December 21

Carve December 22

Carve december 23

Carve December 24

Randje per week: my own additions

After finishing the last borders for Randje per week 2015 I had one more page to stitch. I finished it before I started on the Australia sampler, but I still have to share it here. 

This border came from a Dutch book called Alles over handwerken. It’s a knitting pattern, but I think it’s a nice cross stitch border too.

I found the next border in an old DMC book. It was part of a larger border.

Australia sampler

Years ago my mother started this Australia sampler for my father. She got a poor eyesight over the years, so now I’m going to finish it for my parents. I share a weekly update to keep me going. 

Last week I finished the seashell in the right bottom corner. Again the backstitches made the difference.

Now I’m working on this floral part, it needs some more leaves at the bottom left side before I add the backstitches.

And this is how the Australia sampler looks now. The right side is worked to the edge, so now I can work my way to the left side. There are still lots of stitches to be made!

Carve December 10 - 16

This year I’m participating in Carve December again. Last year I just made one stamp, but this year I hope to make 31 stamps. These are the ones for day 10 - 16.

Carve December 10

Carve December 11

Carve December 12

Carve December 13

Carve December 14 - 16

Cover for Rooie

A few months ago I started making the cover for my altered book Rooie. I was inspired by Japanese boro. First I stitched the name on a scrap of Aida.

Then I made a nice composition with red fabric scraps.

After stitching part of these scraps I could add the label with Holbein stitch, Sunday Stitch School number 30.

I used running stitch and cross stitch for the boro work in DMC special dentelle 80.

The cover is finished, I only have to glue it to the cover of my altered book to have a finish!

Australia sampler

Years ago my mother started this Australia sampler for my father. She got a poor eyesight over the years, so now I’m going to finish it for my parents. I share a weekly update to keep me going. Last week I finished the cross stitches on the first building. It took a lot of time to add the backstitches in grey, black and white. After finishing the building I started on the seashell in the right bottom corner. It’s almost ready for backstitching.

And this is how the Australia sampler looks now. Next time I hope to remember to iron it before taking photos!

Carve December

This year I’m participating in Carve December again. Last year I just made one stamp, but this year I hope to make 31 stamps. These are the ones for the first 9 days.

Carve December 1

Carve December 2

Carve December 3

Carve December 4

Carve December 5

Carve December 6 was approved by our cat Cindy!

Carve December 7

Another print from Carve December 7

Carve December 8

Carve December 9

Randje per week: my own additions

After finishing the last borders for Randje per week 2015 I had one more page to stitch. I finished it before I started on the Australia sampler, but I still have to share it here. This house border came from a Dutch magazine called Libelle Creatief 1/90. There it was used on a pillow. The woven border is my adaption of a pattern I found in Creatief met kruissteek.

Australia sampler

Years ago my mother started this Australia sampler for my father. She got a poor eyesight over the years, so now I’m going to finish it for my parents. I share a weekly update to keep me going.

This week I finished the cross stitches on the first building. Now it’s time to add a lot of backstitches.

Australia sampler

Years ago my mother started this Australia sampler for my father. She got a poor eyesight over the years, so now I’m going to finish it for my parents. I share a weekly update to keep me going.

Great progress this week. First I finished the Mimi spirit at the right.

Then I continued with the next item. Here I’m adding the last backstitches.

This part was easy after the Mimi spirit!

And yesterday I started stitching a building below the flowers. Lots of light colours, so I already added some backstitches.

And this is how the Australia sampler looks now. The upper right corner is finished!

Socks for me

I finally started a new pair of socks. These are just for me. Here I'm working on the gusset. I'm still very happy with the stitchmarkers I received in one of my first swaps.

Spreads in my altered books

In the last few weeks I made a few spreads in my altered books. This green one has  a sticker with the words:

Delight in the simple things.

Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same is the quote on this red page.

My number collage was inspired by the four- and three-letter word collages I made.

The basic human ingredient is the soul is the text on the tea label.

If nothing ever changed there'd be no butterflies is the quote on this spread.