Cross stitch Ta Dah moment

November has been a month of trying to complete on going projects before the end of the year so that come the 1st January I can begin new projects guilt free.  I thought I would have today as a Cross stitch Ta Dah moment. Look who is back from the framers. Doesn't he look as cute as can be.  This little rabbit design is by Hannah Dale of Wrendale designs, so you're bound to have seen him on mugs, tea towels and other Wrendale bits and pieces.   Some of the Wrendale Designs have been produced as cross stitch kits by Bothy Threads and I purchased the kit from Sew and So. This design is known as Bath Time and he is going to hang in my little grandson's nursery along with the hedgehog design I made previously who is called Awakening. Both designs are stitched on 14ct aida  that is supplied in the kit and has the trademark spotting associated with Wrendale. The finished size on both cross stitches is 26cm x 26cm.

When my son and his partner announced they were expecting a baby I did ask them whether or not they would like any cross stitches to hang in the nursery.  Both my son & his partner like the Wrendale designs and so we focused our attentions on picking two designs that they could hang in the nursery that wouldn't necessarily be outgrown too soon.  And at least when that day comes his mum can borrow them to hang around the house until such time as he grows up and has a place and or children of his own when he may like to have them hanging on the wall again. 

It was never my intention to go on and make a birthing sampler as eventually it will be wrapped up and put away as a keepsake.  I don't know of any 18 year old men who still have theirs hanging on their bedroom wall.  As it turned out our young Freddie made such a spectacular early entrance into the world and his poor mum having suffered with terrible morning sickness never really got into the glowing stage of pregnancy before he arrived.  This also meant that the baby shower her friends had been secretly organising also didn't get to go ahead, but not to be thwarted by this her friends continued their plotting and held a post baby shower.  I had been sorting through my stash of fabrics, floss and charts when I came across the chart for this little sampler.  I had completely forgotten about it as it must be nearly 20 years since I stitched this for a colleagues baby and I don't think this particular kit is still available. As Freddie's nursery has a bit of a countryside theme going on and his bedding has sheep on it I thought this little sampler would fit right in. and his mum loved it.  The designer is Maria Van Scharrenburg and I have stitched some of her designs previously and have at least two more waiting for that rainy day.   The kit was named 'Me and my friend Dennis' and stitched on 28ct evenweave and the finished size is 15cm x 15cm.

My last show and tell is my Carousel Horse I. Technically it falls into December as I put the last stitch in this afternoon and it has already been washed, dried and pressed.

Together with Carousel Horse II they are now ready to go off to the framers in the New Year. Both horses are from chart book Fantasy Horses produced by Cross My Heart Inc.  These charts are around 20 years old and I'm not sure the book is still in print but may be found through ebay. I stitched both horses on 28ct evenweave and the finished size of carousel horse I is 24cm x 22cm whilst carousel horse II is 22cm x 22cm.

It is amazing what you discover when you are having a sort through charts you have squirreled away. I found charts that I hadn't looked at in years and some that I had completely forgotten I had. Sad to say I have so many that I probably don't have enough years left in order to complete them all and although my daughter has stitched in the past she hasn't done so for some years, but you never know when she inherits them all she may get the incentive to start stitching again. 

Mx