Throwback Thursday - 2006 Part 1

The wayback machine now moves forward into 2006: The Year of the Ornament. My goal for the year was to stitch a bunch of Christmas ornaments, since I have hundreds of patterns that I like. Just as 2005's Year of the Giraffe, it was only partially successful. I did begin with good intentions.


Cubicle, Sweet Cubicle

I'd like to introduce you to Sally, my alter ego. Sally began life in August 2005 when I was on vacation. It took me until February 2006 to finish her. Once done, she joined me at my new job.

Sally is much messier than I am!

This piece is stitched on 14 ct black perforated plastic with beautiful, bright cotton floss colors. All that black background is stitched. Perhaps that's why it took me so long to complete. Or maybe it was just the 15,000 stitches! Finished size is about 8" x 10".

My favorite part? The little framed giraffe sitting on the shelf behind her desk!

Jingle Bear

I received this little ornament kit in my Christmas stocking in 2005. It was a quick stitch, and my first Year of the Ornament finished ornament.

Valentine

I stitched this pretty little heart for my daughter Jodie's valentine. I found the freebie chart online at the Caron Collection. I hadn't left myself much time to stitch something for Valentine's Day, so needed something small.

Though I found a lot of free Valentine charts on the web, this one caught my eye because of the color and movement inherent in the small design. I chose to use a DMC variegated thread, #75 Cranberry. I like the changes in shading it created in this piece. I stitched the heart on a scrap of 18ct pink ... something. It has an aida-like weave, but it seems different than regular aida. Very nice fabric!

Then I created the card on my computer, and cut the card stock with some wavy-edged scissors. Inside it says, "To the Young Lady who has the Best Pieces of my Heart." I sewed the stitchery right to the face of the card with a long (over two) running stitch, then fringed the edges.

Olive My Heart

2006 was the year I began the designs in the 2006 Cross-Stitch Calendar by Accord Publishing. I finally finished all 12 charts last year, in 2018. It all started with this piece.

The designs are simple, cute, have embellishments, and a few specialty stitches. All are 59 stitches square. The calendar also came with pre-cut pieces of white aida and a cardboard mat, making a finished piece easy to complete.

The first chart I stitched from this calendar was for the month of February. It used six colors of floss. The specialty stitch is the Smyrna Cross. I did change out the background color so that there would be more contrast with the polka dots.

Blue Crochet Hat

Finally in February, I made another in my series of crocheted hats. The only thing special about this one is that I made it from the same yarn as the blue scarf I made for myself in 2002.

My lovely daughter Jodie is modeling the hat and scarf together in this photo. This remains one of my very favorite scarf and hat sets that I use every winter.