Bisque d'Avril

I've joined the create-a-fish project on the blog of Chacharose.

Chart Pack Questions

In the mail today I received a chart pack cross stitch pattern (a 2005 design from a modern design company) that I bought via eBay. This is not the first chart pack that I have purchased, and so I knew that I was not going to get a big leaflet-type chart. However, I was flabbergasted to open it and find that each of the printed components were just thin paper!

There are two reasons why I find it surprising that designers market their patterns like this. First, thin paper is not going to last long, even if placed in a plastic sleeve when not in use. Second, it is much easier to violate copyright and make an illegal copy of a chart that is black ink on copy paper.

Plastic bags come in all sizes. I wouldn't mind a xeroxed color picture of the finished design IF it were larger than what I received, so that I can see it better. The chart itself should be on folder or card stock so that it is durable. This chart was marked $6.50 retail. I'm glad that I was able to get it for less on eBay. Do you have an opinion on the quality of chart paper?

Biscornu Completed

My granddaughter was ill with a fever for two days, so it took me longer than expected to finish this project because I was taking care of her.

I completed my Hooked on Exchanging biscornu yesterday evening. I sewed the backstitch once around both squares and had to rip it out and sew it again because my color choice was wrong. This was my first biscornu. I think that next time I will sew the back stitch line with a strand of DMC pearl cotton floss, instead of regular embroidery floss, because the regular floss kept "hiding" beneath the linen threads. I found it difficult to go under for the whip stitch when I sewed the two squares together.

I'm quite taken by the sculptural beauty of this design--that is, how a flat square with four sides can become a three-dimensional object with eight edges! My granddaughter wants one, so we will figure out her color choices while I begin my pinkeep (already have the chart).

The Gift of Stitching Magazine

I purchased and downloaded one back issue of this magazine. It was a simple and fast process. After saving it to my hard drive, I saved it to a disk. It's definitely worth the money. Even if you disregard one minor project, and take into consideration that I received only one part of a 4-part sampler series, the patterns are still worth over 3 X the cost of the issue.

I'll use one small project for an ongoing stitching exchange, another large project featuring cats as a birthday present to finish by July, and other smaller items as gifts.

I bought it to test the quality. I had wanted to download it and send the issue on a disk as a present to another stitcher (after erasing it completely from my computer), but that is not allowed. If you want to gift someone, you must know their email address as well as their street address, so that they can get the subscription information electronically. Only the subscribed person is allowed to download and use the issue(s).

Crane UFO

This is a UFO done in satin stitch on silk cloth. The design is a Chinese traditional one from Dover Publications. I don't know whether I'm going to make it into a pillow or applique it onto a jacket.

I like origami, Hiroshige's Tokkkaido, haiku, and my Omiyage book by Kumiko Sudo. I like Japanese and Chinese landscape and nature scenes, whether in paintings or on fabric. I like the asymmetrical design concept. Cranes are my #1 favorite motif!

Bookmarks in Progress

Here are two unfinished bookmarks. The left is a celtic interlaced design from Dover Publications Celtic Charted Designs for Cross Stitch. I hope that I'll get it done for this St. Patrick's Day.

The right one is from the defunct Cross Stitch and Country Crafts magazine. It is a design that was submitted for a contest on "borders." They're both DMC floss on perforated paper.

Biscornu Exchange

My biscornu is 3/4 embroidered. My granddaughter likes the design so much that she asked for one, only in different colors. I told her she'll be surprised when she sees how it gets assembled. It's for the Hooked on Exchanging
biscornu exchange.

Rose UFO

This is a design (by Stephen Hawkins?) from Cross Stitch and Country Crafts magazine (defunct). It's DMC floss on grey Aida. I started stitching it as a present, but that was ages ago.

Herbal UFO

This is an herbal UFO from many years back. It is a design from a Dover Publications book (possibly Gerda Bengtsson). It's DMC floss on Lugana cloth. I think the cross stitch is finished; I need to frame it.

Winter WIP

Several inches of snow, accompanied by furious winds, convinced me that spring is still is not on the radar. I decided to stitch another winter-themed piece.

This is a WIP freebie design from Anne that I changed because it is on cream Aida 18. I'd already stitched one winter design on blue, and I had several circular piece of aida that have been stashed for years. I changed the snow and snowflake from DMC white to pale blue and am surrounding the snowman with blue. I will rearrange the various snowflakes in a design that suits the circle, instead of Anne's square pattern.

ABC Sampler

This is a project from the now defunct Cross Stitch and Country Crafts magazine. I finished it as a picture. I had put it up on eBay about ten years ago, then the auction was never completed or something. I took it out of the frame and saw that it has rust marks on it from the brads that kept it under the mat, I guess. I am going to get some special spot remover for it and clean it. It's DMC floss on Aida.

Peppermint WIP

This design is from a Dover Publications book. It's stitched with DMC floss on linen. I'm going to finish it as a picture and make a companion design.

Two UFOs

This is a sampler that I started about ten years ago. Unfortunately, it didn't get finished because I stitched it over one thread, I think. I think it is Hardanger cloth (it's not Aida).
This was an initial that I started ages ago. It's on Aida that has gold threads in it. I didn't realize how many UFOs I had until this week, when I looked through everything in my cedar chest.

Embroidered Dish Towels

This is a set of cotton dish towels that I embroidered using the retro "Aunt Martha" days of the week hot iron transfers. The quality of the cotton is wanting, but I have found an online site that offers a better blank towel.

American Girl Doll Nightgown

This is my granddaughter's American Girl doll Samantha dressed in the pretty flannel nightgown that I sewed for her recently.

A Patriotic Wall Hanging

This is a machine-sewn wall hanging that is a WIP. I drew signatures of all of the signers of the Declaration of Independence on it. I stopped working on it when I ran out of the special indelible ink that I used for the signatures. Now I have more of the pens, but I need to finish other projects before I can assemble this and quilt it. It's to be a gift for my sister and brother-in-law, who retired recently after many years of service in the military and the government.

Here is a close-up of the cross-stitched center panel:

The liberty bell and stars of freedom are two freebie July designs by Erica Michaels
I designed the numbers. It's DMC floss on 14 ct. white Aida.

A Tiny Valentine

This is a very small heart pillow that I stitched for my granddaughter. It is embroidered in stem stitch with DMC floss on linen that was formerly a linen dinner napkin (found on eBay). It hangs on a mug holder, along with her "Snow Days." The mug holder is a good substitute for a wooden dowel display tree.

A Valentine Gift

This is a pretty freebie design by Maryse that I made into a small hanging pillow. My daughter loved it!

Small Winter Stitchery

This is another Glory Bee freebie stitched on 14-ct. light blue Aida. I'm going to finish it as a small hanging pillow. I'm trying to complete all of the winter-themed projects before spring arrives.

Celtic Bookmarks

These soon-to-be-finished bookmarks are stitched on 14-ct. perforated paper with DMC thread. I will mount them on green cardstock and send as St. Patrick's Day gifts. (I have Irish ancestors from Co. Cavan, Limerick, and Donegal).

The one on the left is a composite from Dover Publications "Celtic Counted Cross Stitch Designs," but I had to change the shamrock. The one on the right is from a library book on celtic cross stitch. I forget the exact title.

Cat Theme Pillow

This pillow is a work-in-progress (almost finished). It's to be a gift for my sister (who doesn't read this blog). Laurel Burch fabric will brighten anyone's day. The back will be sewn in an envelope closure so that the cover can be removed for washing.

Winter Themed Cross Stitch

This is a small pillow hang that I made for my granddaughter. We've had a lot of snow days this winter! I stitched mine on 14-ct. light blue Aida and added a cord of braided DMC floss.

Freebie from Glory Bee www.glorybeestitch.com

Cross stitch today

Today I finished the top of my biscornu (for the exchange). I have to sew a pillow cover together as well as work on some St. Patrick's Day bookmarks.