A Christmas finish

Despite the somewhat nasty weather we have been experiencing this week, I have a finish to share with you.

 I'm pleased to be able to introduce you to Elf H, my Christmas 2012 ornament for my eldest niece.  I stitched most of him at the Patchwork Group's Sewing Day earlier this week.  The original motif to accompany the H was a robin, but I didn't like it so swapped in the Elf.  The intention is to finish finish him and Snowman A into hanging ornaments backed with a cream fabric with golden stars which I bought a couple of weeks ago.  Just how this is done will have to be discussed with Mum.  I'll show you a photo when they are done.

Next up is Serena, the Guardian Angel.  Work on this is progressing slowly due to the special stitches and the special threads.  This week I learned how to do Crossed Rice Stitch and used Kreinik thread for the first time.  The  colours are not photographing brilliantly, but I will keep trying.

Some nice progress on Train of Dreams this week.  I completed another two blocks and have started work on the blue bell in the top right hand corner.  I'm currently thinking that the best plan is to work down the right hand side until I catch up with the left hand side.  However things may change.

I got the usual three blocks done on Carnation, but they were finished earlier in the week than usual, thanks to having some time off work .  This next week will see me into row 4 ahead of schedule thanks to the extra block that I managed last week.

Good news to report on the family front - Dad has given up smoking again.  He had to see the doctor about his lung function test results because the nurse didn't understand them.  It turns out that his bronchial tubes are now permanently narrowed due to all the years that he has smoked.  Even using an inhaler only slightly improves his results.  So on the way out of the surgery, he told Mum that he had given up.  That was over a week ago and he has stuck to it.  I'm really proud of him and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he manages to carry on.