Stitching in the New Year

After stitching up gifts back-to-back in the Fall and early winter, I decided to start the New Year with a few stitching gifts for myself!

My first finished piece is Spells & Potions, one of three designs in Spell Binding from Plum Pudding Needlearts. I took the liberty to change the design somewhat ~ using colors that are less Halloween and replacing the spider on the cauldron with an eight-pointed star, a symbol of my matron goddess, Inanna. I also stitched it over one on 28 count linen to enhance the adorable factor!


I have the perfect spot for it - above the little doorway to my witchy herb closet that is just off my kitchen. The herb closet is in the eaves of the roof so the doorway is only about 4.5 feet high. So every time I need one of my jars of herbs, I have to bend down to fairy level - so very witchy cottage! I use herbs for their medicinal and magical properties. I do most of the stitching of my magical herbal sachets at my kitchen table, so having the herbs close at hand is ideal.

My next project is a wedding sampler, Colonial Wedding by By The Bay Needleart. I have picked out a 32ct linen and most of the threads so just need to get started. With Azi and my Beltane wedding fast approaching (May 2nd - eeck!), I hope I can squeeze in enough time to finish this one off soon. I may need to put this project aside for a while as I am also stitching our ring pillow and embellishing our handfasting ribbons with symbols and words that reflect our vows and, hopefully, silk ribbon embroidery. I'll post pictures of those projects closer to the date.