August FAL Theme

The first theme for our new FAL themed months is stitching accessories!

This month's class is a pinkeep, so we've decided to tie the theme in with the class, so that people who want to do the class will have a chance to participate. However, we've decided to expand the theme to include all types of stitching accessories, such as scissor fobs, biscornu, needlecases, scissor cases, pincushions, tape measure covers and needlerolls, so there are plenty of finishing choices.

I'll post some tutorial links and pictures of finished accessories to (hopefully) give you some inspiration in separate posts below.

Happy finishing!

August FAL - Stitching Accessories tutorials

If you've never attempted any of these types of finishes before, here's some tutorial links to get you started. I've pulled out the most basic, straightforward tutorials with beginners in mind but there are many others on the tutorial links page:

• Biscornu here - very clear instructions with loads of pictures


• Mattress pincushions here - in French but with loads of pictures. I used this one for my first mattress pincushion and found it easy to do from just the pictures.


• Needlecases here and a slightly different style here


• Needlerolls here - nice, clear tutorial with good explanations and pictures


• Scissor fob here


• Scissor case here - in French with lots of pictures and scissor pocket here (Becky will be doing a class on this one at a later date too, which will have more step-by-step photos if you want to wait for that)


• Tape measure cover here - in Japanese with lots of pictures. I've used this one myself and found it very clear and easy to use

August FAL - Inspiration

Looking for inspiration for this month's theme?

Try The World's Largest Collection of Smalls blog as a starting point for loads of pictures of stitching accessories, which are all grouped by category. Check out everyone's gorgeous scissor fobs, needlecases, pincushions, needlerolls, pinkeeps, biscornu, scissor pockets, and tape measure covers, along with all the other beautiful finishes

Think outside the box: for example, mini biscornu make wonderful scissor fobs, like this cute patriotic fob by Linda in Iceland:

and these 3 colourful fobs by Melanie in Australia:

Or why not try out a strawberry fob, like this one by Blackbird Designs in last year's JCS ornament issue, beautifully stitched and finished by Cathymk:

More thinking outside the box; needlerolls don't necessarily have to be vertical designs - here's one I made using a horizontal design, which I adapted slightly (Homeward at Last by JBW Designs):

and if you don't fancy the idea of hemstitching the ends, just use banding, like this one stitched by AnneS:

If you've got plenty of time on your hands, why not create a matching set of accessories, like this beautiful set of LHN designs stitched by Becky:

or these fabulous Quaker accessories stitched by Nicki?

I couldn't find a tutorial for a needleminder, but the basic idea is quite straightforward. Michelle has made a couple of beautiful needleminders recently (I'm totally drooling over the Quaker one):

Sarah Moon (top) and Flower of Courage needleminders, stitched by Michelle (Cozyegg)

The instructions she used came with a kit but think metal ornament finishing forms, magnets (inside and out) and any kind of trim for the edging and it's not too hard to work out how to create your own. Or you could try a basic pincushion or fob with magnets inside to hold your needles or pick up dropped pins, like these great examples by Barbara:

and Lelia:

And finally, if you're up for a challenge and want to try something completely different, what about a chatelaine to hold stitching tools? Here's an example of one designed by Guilia Punti Antichi:

and a gorgeous one created to her own design by Helen:

So what are you waiting for? Drag out your stitched pieces and your finishing supplies and get finishing! And don't forget to post your finishes to the blog so we can all admire them. If you've not already signed up to post on here you'll need a WordPress account (free, no need to create a blog) and then you'll need to email me to add you as an author so you can post. It's quick and painless (honest!)

Have fun!

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Anne and I have been putting our heads together (well, as best as we can being several time zones and thousands of miles apart ;) ) and we wanted to share with you what we have planned for the blog over the next few months.

First off, we're changing the idea and format of the FAL weekends, since they haven't taken off that well. From August, there won't be a specified FAL weekend; instead, each month will have a different finishing theme, either a specific finish or a seasonal theme (or both!). Everyone is invited to join in at any point during the month, finish something along the lines of the theme and post their finishes on here. To give you some inspiration, we plan on highlighting relevant tutorials and including links to and photos of stitchers' work to get you started. The themes won't be too rigid so hopefully as many of you as possible will be able to finish something appropriate and join in. Also, every other month starting from December, just to make it a bit more fun, we'll be having a prize draw for anyone who posts a themed finish during that particular month! :)

Secondly, Anne has collated all the results from the polls that we took earlier this year and we're in the process of working out a new schedule of classes for next year. The plan is to run two classes per month, so that you don't have to wait so long for a class that you really want to do, plus it will hopefully create more participation and activity on the blog, which we're also trying to encourage ;) More details will follow very shortly.

On the subject of classes, it's been lovely to see people using the class tutorials that have been offered so far this year and the results have been wonderful! We'd like to encourage anyone who has finished something using one of the class tutorials to post their finish here so that we can all admire them :) I know I've been asking individual people to do this if I see a finish on their blog, but I don't visit every single blog so please feel free to post your finishes here as we love to see what people have done with the classes we've been offering. Also, if you create a tutorial and post it up online somewhere, please add a comment to the tutorials page or email either of us so that we can add it to the list!

Now it's your turn. Is there anything you'd like to see covered in the blog that isn't here already? Any gaps, anything we could do to encourage more participation? All suggestions welcome :)

Posted by KarenV

Christmas ornament FAL draw result!

The winner of the FAL goodies after our Christmas ornament FAL weekend is sweetana3! Congratulations Ana!

If you email me (luluminstrel@hotmail.co.uk) with your address I'll get your prize sent out to you as soon as possible.

Gallery - July ornies

Here's two ornies I stitched and finished over the weekend, Holiday Holly by Mill Hill and the Tree Keeper, a freebie from the Drawn Thread.

Posted by Katrina

Happy finishes

Just want to add these have been sitting around unfinished for a long time. Thanks for the blog which inspired me to finish them. Now about 100 to go. The round ornament uses the metal finishing forms, but I only used one half and felt on the back.

Posted by "sweetana3"

More finishes for this weekend

Maybe third time will be the charm. Some more finishes this weekend. Ana

Mid-year Christmas

For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere fighting the winter chills, it feels quite appropriate to drag those unfinished Christmas ornies and snowmen out of the closet to bring them into a life of their own this weekend!

I hope a few of you will join us and the Christmas Ornie SAL blog and post your ornie finishes here over the weekend. Don't forget there is a prize up for grabs - Karen, Nicki and myself have put a wee parcel of goodies together ... everyone that posts a piccie of a completed ornie (ie finish-finished) on this blog will have their names go into the draw for some Christmassy finishing supplies.

Looking forward to seeing those piccies arrive - if you need help don't hesitate to scream out to Karen or myself (links are in the sidebars) ... or you can leave a comment here, of course. You'll need to have a WordPress account to post to the blog, but you don't need to have an actual WP blog to be a member :)

Rightio, who's got the eggnog?? ... Let the fun begin! :D

Gallery - Starting the ball rolling...

OK, here's my contribution to this special ornament FAL weekend :) I finished up the 4th, 5th and 6th blocks of my PS 12 Days of Christmas wreath - halfway there now!

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's ornament finishes this month and don't forget - if you post a photo of your finishes on this blog, your name will go into the draw to win some great finishing supplies - bonus! :D

Posted by KarenV

Next FAL weekend 6-8 July

Just a reminder to get those items out of the finishing pile ready for our Finish-A-Long happening this weekend.

We're also joining forces with the Christmas SAL blog for an ornamentifying weekend, so we'd love to see all the ornaments that get finished over the weekend as well :D

And, as an extra little incentive, this month everyone who finishes something and posts it to the blog will be entered into a draw to win some lovely finishing stash! So dig out your stitched pieces and your finishing supplies and get ready to join in.

Next FAL weekend is 1-3 June

Just a reminder to get those items out of the finishing pile ready for our Finish-A-Long happening this weekend. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with! :D

FAL - Barbara J

Finished the cherub into a spectacle case. A rather quick and easy finish.

Designed by Yuko of Casa Mia

Posted by BarbaraJ

Lucialoo's FAL weekend

I finally finished my stitcher's case ! I don't know why, but today was absolutely disastrous ! I sew and unpicked this quite simple case at least 7 to 10 times ! I was screaming against my future DH, my cat und this bloody sewing machine ! But most of all I was really fed up with the french book where I took the design, because their explanations were so poor !

But let's stop complaining and start admiring lol !!! It will be a gift, but I won't tell you the name of the recipient ;-)

Posted by Lucialoo

May FAL weekend - KarenV

I decided to try out my version of Pine Mountain Designs' All-Tied Up Pillows on this little piece that I stitched last year. It was quite quick to do, once I'd figured out the measurements and how it all fitted together:

BC Flowers in the Springtime (adapted)

Posted by KarenV

Next FAL weekend 4-6 May

Yes, it's that time already - this weekend is our monthly FAL weekend. It seems just yesterday that we were working on last month's pieces!

I'm working all weekend, but I still hope to finish my 'And Many More' needlecase by Just Nan ... or be very close to finishing anyway :)

A heads-up about a future event as well ... during the July FAL weekend (6-8 July) we're also joining forces with the Christmas SAL blog, and going to have an 'ornamentifying weekend' - it's a great opportunity to get some of those Christmas ornies out of the finishing pile and into a finished state ready to hang on the tree (I certainly have a pile building up of those!). I hope you'll join us for the fun - and perhaps get some inspiration from finishing techniques that people use :D Thanks Nicki for suggesting this great idea!

Apr FAL weekend - Anne S

My finishing plans didn't quite work out as intended last weekend, so my finishing streak came a bit later in the week ... I finally managed to get something finished tonight, which was my Bumble the Bee Waxer Pocket by Moss Creek Designs. It didn't work out too badly for a first attempt at this sort of finishing :) (The photos should be clickable for a slightly bigger version.)

I've been really impressed with everyone's finishing this week - you all did a wonderful job! :D

April FAL Weekend

Thanks Karen for giving me access to post here.

I decided to try and finish The Cat's Whiskers' Peacock Chair this weekend - definitely the most complicated finish I have ever attempted. The finishing itself took three days but only because I have a 22 month old daughter so I can only stitch when she's napping - I'd estimate the total finishing time as 5-6 hours. The instructions included in the kit are incredibly comprehensive and easy to follow and I've stuck to the charted design, fabric and floss colours.

The finished stitching:

The first part of the finishing:

All the pieces completed:

The finished chair from the front:

The finished chair from the back:

Posted by "joyus"

FAL - My first biscornu

For the April FAL, I did my first biscornu! What a cute project - this will be what I'm sure are my first of many. I did Spring Feaver from Cat's Whiskers on 32 count white linen using the recommended silk.

Posted by Margie

Second part of the FAL weekend !

As we have a long Easter week-end, I managed to finish another project : the Wild Blackberry Needlecase by Signature Smalls...

Posted by Lucialoo