Craftings November 2025

1. Cross stitch in all the high temperatures for October

2. Cross stitch all the high temperatures for November

3. Cross stitch all the high temperatures for September

4. Knit 30 squares on Domino Riot

A Little Bit of Love

This year  was meant to be the Island's first Pride, but Covid-19 came along and put paid to that idea. Instead, more effort is going to be put into Pride 2021. 

I've started doing a little stitching with that in mind. So, here's a little bit of love, well the first two letters.

Christmas Stockings

They are finished! For a second time!

I had not realised when I made them last year there was to be a flap with names embroidered on. But, it's not a problem, and they are truly finished.

December Craftings

Toddler Hat
Started: 15th December 2018
Finished: 17th December 2018

Scissors and Needle Cases
Started: 18th November 2018
Finished: 17th December 2018

Blue and Grey Chunky Hat
Started: 18th December 2018
Finished: 18th December 2018

Hot Water Bottle Cover
Started: 19th December 2018
Finished: 19th December 2018

Christmas Stockings
Started: 22nd December 2018
Finished: 22nd December 2018

Brioche Scarf

Started: 23rd December 2018 

Finished:  27th December 2018

Doggy Day Bed
Started: 26th December 2018
Finished: 26th December 2018

Wine Flip Top Mittens
Started: 3rd December 2018
Finished: 29th December 2018

Wine in the Mist Hat
Started: 29th December 2019

Finished: 29th December 2019

Cases for Needles and Scissors

Way back in November, I started a Scissors Case for my Mam. I decided to make a needle case too. Yesterday, as my 'Just do it!' challenge, I finished the cross stitch work. Today, the projects were completed.

Hope she likes them.

Just Another Manic Monday

A day to create a To Do - Ta Da! list if ever there was a manic Monday There's so much I want to do before Thursday,and I need to write it all down so nothing is forgotten.

To Do

bake cake

Ta Da!

wash dark clothes

wash dishes

wash pots and pans

make butter chicken

photograph Twilleys Freedom Hat

finish cross stitch leaves on Mam's scissor case

wash blue and greens

dry dark clothes

dry blues and greens

change bed linens

sweep bedroom floor

wash duvet cover

put away dark clothes

put away blues and greens

put away dark clothes

put away blues and greens

tidy bedroom

dust bedroom

dry bed linens

put away bed linens

freeze butter chicken

Things to be done, but not today
sort Christmas decorations
make fondant pigs
wrap C's birthday presents
wrap L's birthday presents
make 'squishies' for Mel, Beth, Kate and Bethany
post  squishies and H's wrist warmers

Scissors Case

A while back, I made a fuchsia bookmark for my Mam. I've adapted the pattern and am currently making a scissors case and a needle case for her. This is the section I'm stitching onto the back of the scissors case.

The colours being use are all DMC:

dark green - 520

light green - 3364

dark red - 815

light red - 321

dark purple - 327

light purple - 208

grey - 535

Twenty years ago, I laughed at my parents for having to have so many lights on to be able to read. Now, I'm finding myself going the same way. It's dark outside, and it's time to put my cross stitch down until there's good natural light once more. I really am wishing I hadn't used an even weave cross stitch fabric, but an aida instead. The holes are so much easier to see!

It's now time to pick up the hat I have on the needles. 

WIP Club

Whilst decluttering and tidying the dining room, I realised I have a number of Works In Progress (WIP). Some of them have been set aside for good reason, eg the mandolin accident has prevented me from working on them. Some have been set aside for very poor reasons, eg I couldn't be bothered to get up and find a darning needle to finish them off, or I couldn't find a button of the right colour.

Here's my list of WIPs from the dining room:

• lilac baby cardigan: needs three buttons sewn on, and ends woven in
• lilac baby snuggly: needs facial features sewn on
• Muppets baby quilt: finish quilting, and add binding
• Ducky quilt: finish hand quilting
• City Slickers quilt: join blocks, quilt, and add binding
• Never be Cruel cross stitch: remove some stitching, finish quote, add TARDIS, and frame
• several hats: add pom poms, and weave in ends
• socks: finish knitting, and weave in ends
• gloves: finish knitting, and weave in ends

There will be more projects elsewhere, but that's enough to be working on!

Never Be Cruel - Update

Work progresses on my Gallifreyan cross stitch. The central circle has been stitched, and I'm working my way out. The section of the left has been fudged a bit. When I put the guide lines in, things became a huge deal easier. My stitching more closely resembles the chart. 

My plan is to centre the circular Gallifreyan, and then left justify the text. This will leave some white space on the bottom right. A TARDIS may materialise in that area.

Crossed Out Cross Stitch

The cross stitch chart I bought for the Doctor Who picture I'm working on came in the form of a .pdf. Previous, as in many years ago, I used printed patterns, and patterns in books. I would often photocopy the pattern, and then mark the sections I had sewn. 

My electronic alternative it to enlarge the section of the .pdf, and take a screen shot. This is taken into a Paint programme, and I can cross out my cross stitch sections I've sewn. It keeps the eyes straight, makes counting easier, and it has a nifty zoom function.

Never be cruel, never be cowardly. And never ever eat pears!

As Peter Capaldi's Doctor regenerates he has a word with himself:

You wait a moment, Doctor. Let’s get it right. I’ve got a few things to say to you. Basic stuff first.

Never be cruel, never be cowardly. And never ever eat pears! Remember – hate is always foolish…and love, is always wise.

Always try, to be nice and never fail to be kind. Oh, and….and you mustn’t tell anyone your name. No-one would understand it anyway. Except…

He gasps, falls to the floor

Except….children. Children can hear it. Sometimes – if their hearts are in the right place, and the stars are too. Children can hear your name.

Gasps, grunts more

But nobody else. Nobody else. Ever.

Pulls himself off the floor

Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.

Stirring music.

Doctor – I let you go.

I loved this speech the moment I heard it. These are words to aspire to, words to live up to. (Although, I'm not too sure about the pears.)

At Quilters on Tuesday, someone was giving away cross stitch fabric, and I picked it up. Then I was reminded of the quote, and the decision was made to combine the two. This was then joined by a cross stitch representation of the Doctor's name in circular Gallifreyan.

If I were making this as a gift for a child, I would use the section about children being able to hear his name if the stars and their hearts were in the right place. Instead I'll go from "Always try, to be nice and never fail to be kind." straight into "Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind."

September Craftings

A collection of the crafting projects I have finished this month.

The Pre-Quilt
Started: 2011 or 2012
Finished: 2nd Sept 2017
Status: Completed Project

Wrist Warmers
Started: 14th Aug 2017
Finished: 7th Sept 2017
Status: Made from stash

Dennis the Menace Sweater
Started: 3rd July 2009
Finished: 8th Sept 2017
Status: Completed project
Notes: Absolutely bonkers! This little sweater only needed 4 buttons to be sewn on to finish it!

Fuchsia Bookmark
Started: ????
Finished: 9th September 2017
Status: Completed project

Turquoise Fingerless Mittens
Started: September 2016
Finished: 16th September 2017
Status: Completed project


Stripes and Spots Baby Hat
Started: 16th September 2017
Finished: 16th September 2017
Status: Made from stash

Stripes and Spots Baby Hat (slightly larger)
Started: 17th September 2017
Finished: 17th September 2017
Status: Made from stash

Stripes Ahoy
Started: 18th September 2017
Finished: 18th September 2017
Status: Made from stash

Newborn Square Hat 
Started: 19th September 2017
Finished: 19th September 2017
Status: Made from stash

Newborn Hats 
Started: 19th September 2017
Finished: 20th September 2017
Status: Made from stash

Fuchsia Bookmark

This is another unfinished project that has been finished. The top two flowers needed to be stitched, the little strip of purple border added and the backing felt sewn in place.

I've absolutely no idea when this project was started, but it was finished today! It is the first Christmas present I have made this year. My Mam is a fuchsia lover as well as a book lover. It will be prefect for her.

Poppies for a friend and colleague

A friend and colleague is about to leave our little island home.  She loves poppies.  With this in mind, I made this card for her.