NFSAL 2021 - Announcement Post

Welcome to the first of this year's announcement posts! This one is, as you may have noticed, for the NFSAL - its back for another year! This will be the sixth year I'm doing the NFSAL and the second one solely on my blog rather than (also) on Deviant Art where it all began. If you want to read more of the history of the NFSAL please check out my post from last year! Like last year I'll be giving several options - which one you choose to do is entirely up to you!

What:

• This is a SAL to use your neglected floss.
• The patterns can be three sizes depending on what you choose to do.
• The patterns use cross stitch, straight stitch and backstitch  
• There will be twelve monthly patterns. 
• Each pattern is given in three colours. You can use the suggested colours or having fun doing a different colour every month!
  

Where:

• All patterns are posted here on my blog.
• There is a Facebook group to share progress and talk about the project here.

When:

• You get the patterns for the borders and whole year frame now - scroll down to the bottom for the patterns.
• New patterns will be given every fourth Friday of the month - there will be a "calendar" in the side bar so you can see the exact dates, which will be added sometime in December
• I will start on the 22nd of January 2021.

Stitch size:

• Single monthly pattern: 20 stitches square
• Single mini border for one monthly pattern: 36 stitches square
• Whole year frame: 126 stitches wide x 96 stitches high

Please note that the light brown (DMC 434 in the pattern) square of cross stitch is in fact part of the 20 x 20 pattern - I'm just giving them as part of the border patterns as it's easier to stitch the borders. If you only want to do the 20 x 20 patterns you could get ahead of the curve and stitch them in advance!

Floss:

Three colours for the whole year or three colours per month. I am giving the floss amounts with the colours I charted with, if you want to change the colours then by all means do so. In fact that's what whole point of the NFSAL! Please note that the floss amounts are based on 14ct Aida, if you use a higher count fabric then you will need less floss. As you can see below it was already a huge undertaking to do it for just the one fabric count - doing it for more was just too much work. If you need help with floss amounts either comment below or ask in the Facebook group.

Amounts (grouped with colours to hopefully make it easier to see):

• If you do each month without the frame you will need for all 12 patterns:
• 0.3 skein of DMC 3755
• 0.5 skein of DMC 434 (if you already included 0.3 skin with the floss amounts of borders then you need only 0.2 skin here)
  
• 0.2 skein of DMC 898
• If you use more colours you will need less per colour - you should have enough with 0.1 skein of floss per colour per month.
• If you want to do a mini border around the basic pattern then you will need per border in addition to the floss for the monthly pattern:
• 0.1 skein of DMC 3755
• 0.1 skein of DMC 434
• 0.1 skein of DMC 898
• For twelve mini borders you will need for the borders ONLY in addition to the floss for the monthly patterns:
• 0.1 skein of DMC 3755
• 0.1 skein of DMC 434 (to include the light brown borders you need 0.3 skein extra)
• 0.8 skein of DMC 898
• For the whole year frame ONLY you will need:
• 0.1 skein of DMC 3755
• 0.1 skein of DMC 434 (to include the light brown borders you need 0.3 skein extra)
  
• 0.3 skein of DMC 898
• If you are only using three colours for the entire NFSAL with the whole year frame then you will need:
• 0.3 skein of DMC 3755
• 0.6 skein of DMC 434
• 0.4 skein of DMC 898
• If you are using different colours per month then you should have enough with 0.1 skein of floss per colour per month.

Fabric:

You can use any fabric you like - if you want it smaller use a higher count fabric, if you want it bigger use a lower count fabric. Given that there are so many variables for this I am only giving the sizes for 14ct Aida/28ct evenweave. If you wish to calculate the fabric for yourself based on your plans or with less finishing space then this is a helpful tool. If you need help either comment below or ask in the Facebook group.

• If you do each month as a pincushion/biscornu you will need a square of fabric of 7 1/2" square for the stitched front, which includes 3" framing allowance on each side.
• Or 7 1/2" x 10" if you want a front and a back.
• If you want to do each month with a mini border then you will need a square of fabric that is 9" square
• If you want to do 12 mini frames on the same fabric you will need to stitch them 10 stitches apart. For this you will need a piece of fabric that is 18 1/2" x 15 1/4", which includes 3" framing allowance on each side.. If you want to stitch them further apart you will need more fabric.
• If you also want to stitch a back for each of the patterns you will need a piece of fabric that is 18 1/2" x 25", which includes 3" framing allowance on each side.
• If you want to do it with the frame then you need fabric at is 15 1/2" x 13 1/4", which includes 3" framing allowance on each side.

The patterns:

Please note that the patterns are centred which makes counting easier. I did not count this extra space in the fabric allowance but should you decide to grid please take this into account and start your grid two stitches in from all sides.

Click to enlarge

You can download the Whole Year Border here

You can download the Mini Border here

I'll be back tomorrow with the next part of the Autumn Mystery SAL 2020 and the Weavers Animals Band Sampler SAL.