Friday, January 8, 2016

A Happy Holmsey SAL

And breath....it's Friday!
Yay!

I've decided to never have time off again..ever.  I will be quite content with weekends off to stitch and sew and crochet, and grow things and cook.  And who knows, maybe a sneaky weekday off here or there.  But absolutely never, ever will I take so much time off again!  I took ten days off over Christmas and it's taken me a week to catch up.  Bah Humbug!  Never again!

Still, got there in the end. The accounts have been done: the list of charts to design has grown and everything is now quite rosy in my little corner of the world.

I'm looking forwards to a weekend of stitching, crotchet and who knows what else!  Whatever I like I guess!
A whole weekend of sitting by my coal fire crafting.  Can a person ask for anything better?  Not me, that's for sure!

I've been doing a little stitching but it's for a very special project and I can't show it to you properly just yet.
Excuse the photo, I had to use the scanner. 


This is the first 7 months of a special free Holmsey Hare Band sampler  designed in a collaboration with Thread Pikerz Silks. The first band will be revealed on the 15th of January!

This project has been designed using Thread Pickerz Silks, and Eileen (Thread Pickerz) has kindly made a specific Holmsey Hare Sampler Silk pack which you can find here.


She is offering them at a special price, with a free thread, Polar White.
These are the colours in each pack.  I'm not really a fan of silks; I like Belle Soire but I've tried others and really don't like them.  I've been converted by these though.  They are lovely to use. Easy to seperate, no tangling and very, very soft.  I love them!




Each month, a new row/band will be revealed  AND to make sure you get the most from your silks, at the end of the month I will also put up a free pin cushion pattern.  The free charts can be found on Holmsey's fb page (yes, he has his own page!) and I will also offer it here, on my blog for people who may like to stitch it but who aren't on facebook.

It starts on the 15th of January.  Stitch size of the whole design is 63 x 158.
There are a few speciality stitches but I've moderated them to allow for people stitching on aida.

oooo and I have something else to share with you.  When Holmsey's Year of the Hare started, a lovely lady called Barbara fell in love with him and started to stitch him for her grandaughter.  Barbara however had been living with lung cancer for many years and sadly, it led to her leaving us before her stitching was complete.  She had however met a stitching friend called Cheryl who promised to finish for her, to give to Barbara's grandaughter.

Cheryl finished stitching it and I wrote a little story for Barbara's grandaughter, about Holmsey Hare and his year with her grandmother.  Cheryl has kindly given me permission to show the finished item.  I know Barbara would be thrilled with the finish, and it was immensly kind of Cheryl to take on such a large project and finish it for her.


It looks quite impressive sttiched all on one doesn't it.  Cross stitchers are so kind aren't they?  Barbara's grandaughter now has a real heritage piece to keep in memory of her grandmother.

Right..stitching to do!  Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for popping by!

16 comments:

  1. I love the sampler so much and Cheryl stitched it so beautifully :)
    Sweet hugs and smiles for you x

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  2. What a lovely story about Holmsey's sampler. Stitchers really are the kindest people. I'm sure that little girl will treasure the sampler.

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    1. It's been a very special journey: filled with memories. It's sucn a privaledge to have been part of it x

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  3. I was moved to tears when I read of Barbara and Cheryl.

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    1. There have been lots of tears but also lots of love and smiles with this sampler xx

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  4. That turned out beautifully and I am sure Barbara's granddaughter will treasure it. What a wonderful keepsake. Stitchers are the best and most generous people.

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  5. What a great sampler for Barbara's granddaughter! Those are really cute designs! Congrats on being a successful designer! Hugs!

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  6. That Holmsey sampler that Barbara started stitching for her granddaughter and that Cheryl finished for her is such a beauty. And a heritage.
    Great that you will post the Happy Holmsey SAL here on your blog, too, as I am not on FB.

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    1. Thank you xx It is a lovely story isnt it. The kindness of stitchers amazes me constantly xx

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  7. Your new SAL looks great! Love the Holmsey finish too!

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  8. Barbara's sampler looks fabulous, well done Cheryl for taking it on and completing such a special project.
    The new SAL looks exciting.

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