Christmas Crunch Time

Put your hand up if you have never stayed up past midnight, bleary-eyed, stitching madly to put the finishing touches on a stitched gift. Some of us thrive on the pressure, and some of us fold (for those of us who fold under that pressure, we'll have a post soon of thoughtful stitcher gifts that don't involve stitching at all).

Here are a few projects you might want to start before Christmas (shhhh--we're exactly two weeks out today), even if you don't finish until after the big day. From the Cricket Collection, "Sugar Cookies."

I've started it, and it's a blast. It makes you hungry to contemplate all these sugar cookies.


Lower calorie: "C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S"


Shop models, big and little of this Blackbird Designs chart. Bet you could start and finish it in the next two weeks.


Definitely you could finish this little pillow by next week and have time for a second one!


How about "Christmas Adam & Eve?" Come on, they're small!


This might take a little longer, but it's well worth it. By With Thy Needle & Thread.


Small and cute: sheep, cardinals and snow, all in the same little design: C Street Samplerworks' "He Giveth Snow, a Little Winter Sampler."


Homespun Elegance's "Jingle Jingle" ornament.


Are you a fast knitter? Knit one of these gifts now, promise the others for later. Or knit them all if your fingers fly.


Two beauties by Plum Street Samplers: not Christmas, but bright and cheery, and we love the red bird.



Just Cross Stitch Magazine with lots of projects and suggestions to take you beyond the Christmas season. We have to smile at the cover project: "Seasonal Snowflake Wreath."


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Happy stitching!