November was a great month for crafting, albeit a very busy one with birthdays and Christmas preparation.
I stitched a gorgeous bird hoop for my husband for Christmas featuring a robin. This was a quick and easy make, but very satisfying.
I’ve been experimenting with large cross stitch on felt and stitched initial hoops for everyone coming for Christmas at ours. I can’t decide if they will be place settings or added to gift bags instead of labels. As well as stitched initials I also tried a Christmas tree. I 3D printed a template so it is easy to mark out the design and get stitching.
My daughter spotted a sweet advent panel in a fabric shop in Romsey and decided to make it for our dog. She had a lot of fun cutting out the pockets and used my sewing machine for the first time. The pre-printed panels and quick to make and she chose a fun festive fabric for the backing and we used some lovely thick wadding between the layers. It was finished just in time for the 1st of December and is driving the dog mad as he can smell dog treats but can’t get to them.
It’s been a while since I took part in a craft swap but this year I signed up for the Benzie holiday ornament exchange. The idea was to stitch and send a Christmas ornament for someone and receive one in exchange. I love stitching with felt and found a sweet tutorial for a Christmas jumper. I posted it off to America last week and am looking forward to receiving something soon.
It’s been a while since I treated myself to a Hoop Club subscription box but I loved the sound of the latest one, a sashiko style table runner. I’ve hemmed the edges in red and am looking forward to stitching the bows over the next few evenings.
Don’t forget I have a lovely giveaway for a copy of Embroidery: Learn in a Weekend in this post. This smart little book, written with beginners in mind, perfectly captures the contemporary style and gives you the skills you need to succeed. The giveaway ends of the 10th December!
Previous monthly crafty posts can be found here:
I used to for crafting with my niece, it’s been a long time . All your projects look great.
I am so inspired by the lovely needlework you present to us. Great to see your daughter enjoying her time working with you.
I miss crafting with my daughter, who is now grown and lives out on their own in their adult life. I will have to try to start doing this for myself in the free time (or make time).
It sounds like you had a wonderfully creative month, especially with the beautiful bird hoop and the intricate cross-stitched initials and Christmas tree.
Your post on November crafting is inspiring! The clear instructions make it easy for beginners like me. I appreciate the creative ideas and the concise writing style. Great job!