Crafty Recap of 2025

I wanted to talk about my crafty finishes in my last post, however it became too long with my life updates. So lets do it now . 

2025 was year I restarted crafting and blogging and I'm quite happy with what I achieved .

First finish of the year was this cross stitch wedding sampler I stitched for an Instagram snailmailing friend whose wedding I couldn't attend due to work . 

The wedding was in Feb 2024, I was able to send her before her 1st wedding anniversary. I love the vintage look of this project and quite happy with the framing too.

Second finish of the year was this Knitted scarf , gifted to Instagram snailmailing friend. I wasn't sure about the color, I thought it was gaudy. To my surprise , everyone on IG has liked the color.

Some more knitting gifts , which I showed here 

These cards were finished in May .

40th Birthday gift for my penpal, I was late only by 1.5 years

My next finish is a freebie from Silvercreek Samplers which was a SAL with a Instagram friend. This one I'm keeping for myself.

Knitted washcloths were my next finish, gift for husband's colleague

Husband asked for gloves, I knitted mitten because they were easy :)

My last finish of the year was this ATC I stitched for ATC swap organised thru Instagram

I entered 2026 with 3 cross stitch WIPs and 1 knitted WIP . The knitted WIP was finished last night. Hoping to finish the other WIPs soon(read in 2026)

I will add details of each finish on my finish pages if anyone is interested in pattern names.

Which one do you like most?

Let the people choose-July-Finishing

Hello Friends,

Today I join Jo for another SAL which she is hosting called THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE SAL. You can read about it on her blog.

The theme for this month is Finishing-that is final finishing.

I haven't been posting on my blog as I'm still not crafting specially cross stitching since my move. So I didn't think I could post for this SAL, however Jo's post gave me some ideas.

I have read that most of the stitchers dread finishing and have a pile of completed projects waiting to be framed or turned into something.
Call me weird but I have never dreaded finishing. In fact , I'm not boasting, I don't have a single project waiting to be FFOed. Well there are two reasons for that : fully finishing makes me super happy , secondly all my stitching is done for gifts, so I try to FFO the gift before giving it to the recipient. I made a mistake of not framing two pieces and gave the stitched project as gift. The pieces  haven't been framed after 3 years(I know that because I keep asking about it) and it hurts me...Anyways
I have tried few easy methods of finishing my projects apart from framing, let me show you the first of each kind.
My first book mark, made in Aug 2014 .

Now something you can laugh at , a project pasted on cardboard and covered with clear plastic sheet. Look what I did to the logo of Volkswagon😅

My first cross stitched card , made in Feb 2015 .

First heart shaped ornament,made in July 2015

First pillow shaped ornament,made in July 2015

First fridge magnet, made in Aug 2015

First hanging :stitched piece glued to foam sheet, made in Sep 2015

First hanging :stitched piece hung on plastic hanger that came with the kit, made in Nov 2015

First cushion cover finish, made in Dec 2015

First hanging :stitched piece sewn in as insert on fabric, made in Dec 2015

First project as potpurri sachet which was pre sewn,made in Feb 2016:

First ATC ,made in Sep 2016

First luggage tag, my own design

First biscornu, made in Mar 2017

First no-sew cube,made in June 2018

First hoop finish,made in June 2018

Oh, I'm tired just including the pictures,I'm sure you are too looking at them.
Year 2015 was clearly a fantastic year with so many firsts. Actually this was the year I discovered cross stitch blogs and was inspired to try finishing other than framing.

Do you have a favourite among these?
May be looking at all these finishes will inspire me to pick up my needle.