Primitive Calendar Stitch-Along

Do you need a 2016 calendar?

Joyful World on Facebook is hosting a SAL of a twelve-month cross-stitched 2016 calendar. The patterns are her designs. The design for January has been posted to the files of the group, along with the thread list, etc.

You need to have a FB account in order to send her a request to join the group.


 Happy stitching!

This is my progress on "Patti Dovecoat." I need to buy a pair of clip-on magnifying glasses to be able to work better on this high-count fabric. Pattern is by Kathy Barrick.

Abe Lincoln Silhouette

This is how much I have stitched on "Abe Lincoln 1865."  Pattern is by Joyce Reed Folk Art.

A Limited RAK

    I was just reading someone's Facebook post about how lonely she feels at the holidays because she has no close family living nearby. I'm blessed to be close by family and have received so much joy from the cross stitch blogging community, and so I want to give two RAKs (Random Acts of Kindness) for the upcoming holiday season.

 I will make a cross-stitched little item for the first two people who leave a comment on this post (US residents only).

    When I email you, please reply with your name & mailing info, and specify if you want something that is religious Xmas, secular Xmas, Hanukkah, or general winter theme. I'll look through your blog to try not to duplicate something you already own/have stitched. I will send as soon as I stitch them. 

YOU are NOT REQUIRED to pass it on/stitch for others. 

 Trillium

Coeur Bonheur WIP

This is "Coeur Bonheur," a freebie by Maryse.

It is being stitched with Northern Lights magenta silk floss on 28ct. white evenweave (maybe Lugana).
Happy stitching!

Robin Freebie Finished

I finished my Robin On An Egg (Bent Creek) freebie:

I stitched the egg in startling colors on purpose, because I wanted to use some of the DMC variegated floss.
Happy stitching!

The Herald of Spring

OK, I know that robins might have been around all winter, especially since our winter was so mild, but I saw my first robin of March last week. I'm remembering him as I stitch this freebie by Bent Creek:

DMC floss (my choice of colors) on 28ct. Lugana

My Flickr is not the way I want it--if someone can explain to me how to get it to be a moving slideshow, like on Blacksheep's (and most) blogs), I'd appreciate it.

Happy stitching!

Progress on Winter Heart

I woke to see a flock of turkey buzzards sailing overhead. It's supposed to be 65 degrees out today, and sunny! I'm still in winter stitching, trying to get this Winter Heart (Passione Ricamo freebie)  finished. Here is my progress so far:

Happy stitching!

Floral Sampler Progress

I apologize for the tardiness of this post. I was in some anxiety because there was a possibility that I'd have to make plans to move to another state. I've only lived in this city/apt. for one year, and the thought of having to go through a move again so soon was very unsettling, along with other family reasons why a move is necessary.

Thankfully, a move will not take place until about 2014, so I can relax and focus on creating beautiful needlework.

I am almost done with the Floral Sampler (Reader's Digest chart). I need to put in my initials in the upper left.

Happy stitching!

Stitching Updates

I'm almost finished with my Floral sampler, but Michael's Crafts was out of the bright yellow DMC  floss that I needed, so I will substitute some other color in the remaining bottom border flowers.

I stitched some on my Coeur d'Hiver. I used some DMC specialty glistening  floss, and found it stiff and difficult to get to lie flat when used in two strand crosses. I'll be using it as one strand for some of the backstitched snowflake flowers.

 

I'm afraid we will have a drought this summer, what with the lack of snow and rain.

Happy stitching!

Back from Hiatus

I'm back from taking a blogging break. Since my last post, I have spent most of my time either creating something or researching on Ancestry.com. I received a 6-mo. gift membership (USA research only) and have been putting together the family tree for my (grown) children & granddaughter. I discovered that two of their lines go back to colonial America--Dutch and English settlers. pretty amazing! I feel this was money well spent as granddaughter has become intrigued by it all and now has info to use for certain school projects/essays.

So, that research has taken up many hours on the computer, and has made me bug-eyed at times. I have done some cross stitch. Now I'm almost done with this lovely floral sampler from "Reader's Digest Big Book of Cross Stitch Designs," borrowed from my local library.

I had my door paintballed by unknown assailants:

I waited until today to wash it off because it has been so cold--below 25 degrees. Today it is supposed to warm up to 42 degrees--a real heat wave!

I began this for my daughter for Valentine's day, but this is as far as I got:

It is the start of "Austrian I," by Bleu de Chine, from JCS Jan/Feb 2010.

I sewed a casserole carrier and machine quilted it with (my own) sunflower design.

This pattern only fits a small casserole or food container. The pattern is from Shannon Herbert. I plan to make some larger ones. I have them cut out, but need more of the heavy batting. It's so much better for carrying containers of food than plastic grocery bags!

I won't be joining any more cross stitch exchanges. Since my cancer has been declared gone (at least now), I just want to make things for family and close friends. I was so fortunate to receive the following box full of stitching goodies from stitching bloggers Jill and others (will add names later).

I have started on "Coeur d'Hiver,"  a freebie by Passione Ricamo, using a piece of blue linen from the box.

Last but not least, I went through my stash of fabrics and separated the cheap cottons from the better quality, brand-named cottons. I'm cutting out the cheap stuff into circles for yo yos and pie/casserole carriers. I have had some fabrics for over 10 years, and just had to be ruthless and sort it out. I'm not going to buy any more cheap cotton--only the best quality, because I want to make some quilts.

So far, I have completed about 120 yo yos to be assembled into a yo yo quilt top.

Thank you for reading this long post. I will be blogging regularly once more about my cross stitch.
Happy stitching!

Daydreams Kit Finished

I finished my Dimensions Daydreams kit "Hummingbird and Wisteria." It is lovely, but I forgot to take a picture of it before I wrapped it up.

Sewing Sets Finished

I finished the sewing sets, added some new needles and boxes of pins, and sent them off by Priority Mail. I forgot to add delivery confirmation. I really wish I would have insured them--at least I'd be paid for my time, if anything goes wrong. All of my packages sent via USPS have gotten to their destinations, so I believe these will also.

This is a matryoshka-themed set, based upon a biscornu freebie by Alexandrina.

and the backs:

The next set is a spring theme from Biscornu #509, by The Floss Box:

and the backs:

I'm ashamed that the motifs on the needle cases are not centered. Yes, I did measure , find the center, and count the threads, but I forgot to allow for the margin of fabric that gets turned under. The next time I will write down my plan on paper. Measure twice, stitch once!

The two "L's" are from charted design books by Dover Publications.

Oh, I learned how to make a humbug!
Happy stitching!

Scissor Cases Finished

Yesterday I finished the two scissor cases  and applied some matching trims. I'm not that happy about them. They are pretty, but next time I will cut out a wider, more V-shaped design.

The scissors were purchased from Anita's Little Stitches. I wanted two different pair that would complement the theme of the sewing accessories.

Now I must make two needle books and  two scissor fobs. The package has to be mailed tomorrow.

I see that I have acquired some new followers. Thank you! As soon as I can get all of my Christmas/birthday projects finished, I will overhaul this blog and put my free charts on their own page. I have some things half-charted to finish as well.

Happy stitching!

Christmas Box for Lynn B.

 Here's the box that I created for Lynn B. in the HOE Christmas Box Exchange 2011:

Chart: an adaptation of Christmas Pattern #17, by The Floss Box

 Stitched with overdyed & DMC floss on 32ct. antique blue(?) linen

I painted a lightweight wooden craft box Christmas red, then brushed Mod Podge on the sides and the bottom. The "snowball" trim was a lucky find of a couple of months back. I then filled it with an assortment of goodies that I thought she might not find in England.
Happy stitching!

A Biscornu Finished

Spring Biscornu #509, by The Floss Box ($1.50 PDF)
stitched with DMC on white Monaco (not sure of count)

This biscornu is finished, and the accompanying scissor case needs to be stitched together along the sides:

The red "L' is a mess--it turned out too narrow because I added a very stiff piece of polyester lining. I will embroider another "L" case, using a smaller (and more recognizable) "L" today. I omitted the stiff stuff in the spring case, so that will be wide enough. I don't like the directions that I used and should have trusted my instincts from the beginning.

Happy stitching!

A Reindeer Ornament

 Christmas Pattern #17, by The Floss Box ($1.75 PDF)

stitched with overdyed and DMC floss on 32ct. antique blue(?) linen

Edgar received the ornament I sent him in the HOE Christmas Ornament Exchange 2011, so I can finally show you a picture of it. Emily's patterns are really cute and fun to stitch. I have a good supply of them still yet to stitch.

Happy stitching!

Scissor Cases WIPs

I embroidered  the fronts of two scissors cases. The left is a fancy "L," from a Dover charted design book. The one on the right is from a biscornu pattern by The Floss Box.

I bought the fusible interfacing to iron on them, as well as some stiffer interfacing.  The scissors that will go inside them are very sharp, so I want the padding to be thick. I have to finish these two sets and mail them.

Happy Stitching!

Hummingbird WIP

I'm about 2/3 done on this Dimensions Daydreams kit. The coordinating mat is very beautiful. It is a Lena Liu design.

Today I am embroidering and assembling two scissors cases that will be part of three-piece sets (fob, biscornu, scissor case). They are stitched on white Monaco.

I'm making as many things as possible for family and friends because having cancer made me realize I want to leave them all with something beautiful from me. I was told if the cancer does not come back within three years, then it won't. I still have to be very careful and wear sunblock every time I go out. I got sunburned in the car in the afternoon last week, after only a 10-minute drive to the store!

Happy stitching!

Been Busy Creating

Where have I been, you are wondering? I spent much time hunting through CDs of all my old pics in an attempt to find the missing picture files from the early days of my blog. I just realized that there is a whole stack of CDs in a container here on the computer desk, under a pile of other things. I won't have time to go through them until after Christmas. I have several projects in the works.

"Merry Christmas," by All Through The Night

Victorian Motto Sampler Thread on 32ct. linen

This is what I stitched originally for my HOE Christmas Box Exchange partner, but had to abandon it because I couldn't find a suitable box for it.

Michaels used to have really nice, heavy, unfinished, chipboard boxes to decorate. I got one trip up there to the store and the quality of the boxes was poor. I had to stitch a smaller design to fit onto a lightweight wooden box that I painted red. I glossed the sides & bottom with Mod Podge. I can't post pics until it gets to it's destination.