The Drawer of Infinite Possibilties!

I am almost at the point of completing a cross-stitch sampler which I began at least eight years ago, possibly more! This is unlike me, usually I begin something and finish it reasonably quickly but this sampler contains a few other stitches apart from cross-stitch and one is called Queen stitch. I kept looking at it and couldn't work out how it was done,I passed the first area where it appeared, leaving gaps. I did the same with the second area and all the time I was leaving it longer and longer between each stitching session. Last summer I virtually finished the cross-stitch and backstitch then it went away again. After I finished knitting the blanket for my newest grandchild I decided I wanted a change so thought that I'd get out the sampler, crack the mysteries of Queen stitch and get the so-and-so thing finished! What the expression on the lady's face will say when I take it to be framed I dread to think - after eight plus years it's rather the worse for wear.......
Anyway after this triumph I've decided to look in The Drawer and see what else I have that needs finishing and make this the Summer of Finished Projects. Clicking on the images will enlarge them if you want to see them more clearly.



In the past I have had a mild interest in doll's houses mostly because my friend L has a couple of really fantastic ones which she has done a lot of work on over the years. I went to one or two Doll's House events and obviously got carried away one day and bought this kit for making a miniature baby's shawl. The needles are incredibly fine and the things that look like bits of string are actually hanks of wool! And there are two small pieces of fabric - I don't even know what I had in mind for those - a quilt? miniature cushions? Who knows - somehow I think those will be staying in the drawer for a while yet.



I love this design - actually I bought the chart first and then came across the pack with the silks and fabric in. This is a possibility - but it has beads on it and I've never done any beading. On the other hand if I never try I shall never know whether I can do it or not.



I bought this to do for my elder son and his wife, they have lived in Africa and have a lot of African bits and pieces in their home so it would fit in. Could I get it done by Christmas? Of course I could - just don't ask which Christmas:)



Now what are these doing in this drawer - souvenirs from a visit to Florence with my daughter a year or two ago. Postcards from the church of Santa Croce showing the tombs of Galileo and the great Italian composer Rossini. Michelangelo is buried here too. As for the receipts from Prada - my daughter made me go in there! I didn't want to, really I didn't!



Think I must have had my sunglasses on when I bought this fabric. It's aim in life is to become a cushion cover - it can go in the Lancashire house in the conservatory if it ever gets finished.



Oh joy! I still have the instructions and lots of card templates for the patches! Yeeeeah!!!



Now this little chap is finished but didn't get framed. I feel a stocking present for a small grandson coming on......



More cross-stitch, this was definitely bought for me, wolves are my favourite animal.



Hmmm, yes, well! One day I will learn to crochet and then I can make a lovely lacey something with all this cotton yarn.



You mean you thought the drawer must be empty by now? Oh no, there's still....



....the pattern for some knitted cushion covers. Now these are in with a chance! The beaded cross-stitch ornament is pretty and would be good practise for the Celtic Christmas picture.



Well, well, what have we got here? It's the doll's pram quilt I'm making for my daughter - she'll be 29 next week :):):) Perhaps I'd better move the goalposts a bit and say it's for my granddaughter!



And here's a potholder waiting for me to finish quilting it - if I can still remember how.



Probably about time I finished Wastwater off I think, I'd forgotten it existed (the sewing that is, not Wastwater!) but it's rather nice so I might put that near the top of the list. That's a nasty crease down the middle, why on earth did I fold it? It isn't exactly gigantic! Actually I can't help having a horrible feeling that it got left because I made a mistake somewhere.........



Apparently I was intending to make some cards - I used to do a lot of cross-stitch cards and sell them at craft fairs and I could certainly produce one or two for various birthdays - I'd completely forgotten I had these too.



As for these - WHAT was I thinking? Bookmarks, yes I'll make those up but if I have the other two forever more I still shan't be making tiny bows or rose ribbons for doll's houses. If anyone could make use of them I'd be happy to pass them on. If there should be more than one I'll get DH to pull a name out of a hat. I confess I'm not expecting to be overwhelmed with requests:)

So there we are - which shall it be? Wastwater I think, then Dove Cottage. Let's just hope I don't fall off my perch before I get the rest of them finished.