17 October 2020

We Interrupt This Road Trip...

 ...to bring you a couple of Christmas ornament finishes! Consider this a rest stop and stock up on snacks and stuff. Or stash. 

If you're new here, we have a tradition at our house where every year Mr. Wonderful and I each choose an ornament from the current issue of the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament Special Issue and I stitch them up. We've been doing this since we married in 2000, so our collection of stitched ornaments is pretty big now and we put them on their own tree. Here are this year's ornaments, ready for finishing.

Mr. Wonderful's choice:




As you can see, I went my own way a bit. Here are my changes:

*stitched on 32 ct. grey/white Basalt Splash by Zweigart (love this stuff, available at 123 Stitch)

*Since I went with grey, "snowy" fabric, I omitted the white swirly bits.

*I stitched the berry sprigs with DMC Etoile for a bit of sparkle. The twigs are C3799 and the berries are C814.

*I went a bit lighter on the backstitching and used DMC 3799 instead of black, and also used only one strand for all the backstitching, whereas the model called for two strands in some places.

*****

And my choice this year. When this issue came out, I knew I'd be stitching this buffalo. We've had our trip to South Dakota planned since the spring and I had been so looking forward to seeing buffalo on the Plains. It was just as spectacular as I'd hoped, and this year's Christmas ornament couldn't be any more perfect.


I stitched this guy on 32 ct. natural/brown petit point linen and swapped out hand dyed threads for the DMC, but didn't really change any colors.

Road trip resumes shortly!

13 comments:

  1. Oh I love those Christmas ornaments. What a wonderful tradition.

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  2. I just recently purchased the Christmas Ornament Special magazine and I too hope to stitch the Buffalo. I live in North Dakota. I like your ornament tradition.

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  3. I love your holiday ornament tradition.

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  4. What a fabulous tradition. I do like the grey fabric you have chosen. x

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  5. Lovely tradition.
    Love the new ornaments .

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  6. A great idea to get a nice collection of ornaments.
    They are both so cute, especially on those fabrics.
    Marilyn

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  7. How do you get your stitches soooo perfect? Wow!!!! Great ornaments and tradition too :)

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    1. I am a veeery slow stitcher. ;O)
      And I also railroad my stitches if the threads are not already lying parallel. That makes a difference.

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  8. Both are beautiful, Honeybee! I like the Santa on the basalt splash fabric. And that buffalo is a perfect choice. Well done!

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  9. What a great tradition. Your stitching is just beautiful.

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  10. That is really a lovely tradition you and your husband have. It must also be so fun to admire all your ornaments and remember when you stitched them. Great choices this year, too.
    Mary

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  11. Such pretty finishes and that buffalo will always remind you of your special trip :)

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