Finishes 2008

As more members swelled the ranks on A Crafty Natter we had meet-ups twice a year and exchanges became a regular feature.

We did a huge Christmas advent exchange. There were 24 small gifts and one larger gift that had been on the recipient's wish list.  It was a lot of fun putting the exchange together, but trying to keep it a secret was hard. The revelation was on Christmas Day with the main gift.

There were coaster exchanges...

Biscornu exchanges...

And more besides.  A fantastic way to get to know one another.

Quilting was added to my repertoire. I managed two Christmas wall hangings, but another member finished the others for me.  I know my limitations!

Cormyr. Another dragon for hubby

I started my first blog - for A Crafty Natter specifically to share step by step tutorials on how to finish cross stitching. It features work by members of the chat site from how to create a biscornu to lacing up, ornaments to tissue boxes.

I learned how to make a bellpull and made each of my moderators a little thank you bookmark using hardanger and drawn thread.

My husband and his friend raised money for charity by taking part in Jailbreak. They had to get as far away from the starting point (a Victorian jail in the Midlands) in just 36 hours using none of their own money. We contacted Virgin Trains who kindly gave them the run of their rail network. They bribed a rail guard to use the regional train to get to Birmingham airport.  They'd set up a local company to pay for flights. They rocked up at Schipol airport with hubby sporting a long blue beard that he'd grown and dyed especially for the event! It helped to highlight the charity along the route.  The next leg was a flight to Rome. Once there they bartered with a tour bus guide for free passage to the Colosseum.

They raised well over £700 and won the competition! 

Oh yes, the point of this tale is the hardanger design I created above and sold to members of A Crafty Natter to assist the fundraising.

I taught our sons to cross stitch.

Broken Halo. 

The ACN members came together to make squares for a quilt or two for charity. One was made in secret as one of our friends was having her first baby...and then featured in a British cross stitching magazine!