Stitch, stitch, stitch!

I often resist the consumer urge to think about Christmas till after Bonfire night [November 5th], battling the constant media and store advertising to spurge, to buy now, to stock up and decorate. Yet this year I'm battling against time to finish this table cloth of Christmas designs. Although its not huge, its only really a centre piece, yet its large enough to require a lot of time, thought and consideration.

Moreover in the process I've had to learn how to embroider. While I've been cross stitching for years since being taught by my mam and producing a pile of work that still awaits mounting. I've never been able to embroider, or really never been given the opportunity or even reason to learn. Until this tablecloth was offered after sorting out my gran sewing things in her passing. So now i'm trying to find tune the workings of steam, buttonhole and satin stitches, anything more currently passes me by ... at least I only have to follow the lines!

So it's now become my mission, choosing the silks was half a task but now I'm battling against time. While I have two months left, I have boarders, lines, squirrels, robins, Christmas trees and mistletoe to finish, I may however be finishing it on Christmas Eve!

Does anyone else embroider? Doing any sewing projects?

Hope you all have a delightful weekend!

[Laptop update: I'm still on the old one, still hitting the random keys and it turns on. While I do have some replacements in mine, money is rather tight and I'm trying to make this one work as long as I can. And while it still works my posts will continue! It will take more then a half dead laptop to stop me and my blog!! Thanks to all of you who helped and left comments with regards to my technical hitch, means a lot!!]