IHSW & Xmas exchange

This weekend was the first IHSW of 2013 and what did I stitch....

I am too embarrassed to show what I stitched, I wanted to stitch and I did start a quick pin cushion with a Celtic design, I managed somehow to miscount which has meant that I have already begun to redesign it. So I stopped.  I might pick it up again next IHSW.

This year I have had my stitching  mojo back, I lost it for a while last year, but even though it is back and I have been ready to stitch I have lost my desire. By this, I mean finding a pattern that I have just wanted to stitch. I have had this problem  for a while, I have begun to stitch and then stopped after about 100 stitches because I just wasn't motivated by the design, I liked it but nothing was compelling me to stitch it. This isn't the same as losing my mojo; whereby I just don't want to stitch. I want to stitch but just haven't found the pattern. I had this same problem at Christmas and it is half the reason my exchange partners had the same patterns. It was because it was the only pattern that I enjoyed doing and liked the finish of. It is also the reason that I want to stitch Christmas pieces earlier this year but I am still struggling with finding designs I like enough to stitch. This might not make sense to any of you, but does it? Do you ever have this problem?

Anyway, during my Christmas exchange I sent of seven packages and have so far received six, one of those seven was to Diane at Tiki stitches. She was the second person that I ever had an exchange with after I started my stitchy blog Momuboocrea Island. It was 2011 and we had our first Christmas exchange and we agreed to do it again this year and it is now set to be an annual fixture for us. The exchange with her had to be different and I wasn't sure I would find a pattern that would appeal, but I found a pattern in one of my design books that I really liked.

It was all one colour in the book but I decided to use four colours that were more christmassy and on an aida with a gold fleck. After I had finished it, I realised that it wasn't very common to see this kind of design and I didn't know if Diane would like it or be wondering what possessed me and where was Santa  After I had finished I chose to put it in a card which could then be taken out each year instead of a hanging ornament, I wasn't sold on it at first but once I added the silver trees (doesn't show as well in the picture) I really loved its finished look.  I took plenty of photo's which I was looking forward to posting once she received her gift...but tragedy struck when my phone fell in boiling coffee and I hadn't downloaded the photos! So I am posting Diane's photo of the card:

Its hard to see the sparkle in the fabric or the sheen of the trees but I hope you can imagine how it looks.  In addition I had seen a lovely collection of patterns of Christmas jumper designs, I chose one and stitched it onto plastic canvas. I never had the wool that they suggested in the pattern but used my own choice from what I had. I particularly like the effect of the marbled blue wool.

I am glad that Diane did like it and I am looking forward to a summer exchange we have planned and of course next Christmas exchange. I am also pleased to say that some of those I exchanged with are happy to exchange again.

I am looking forward to seeing all your IHSW pieces and getting super inspired.