More Mini Samplers

May, June, and July Mini Samplers. I know, I know. I’m w-a-a-a-a-y behind! Some things just can’t be helped since life does have a way of making demands. I’m frantically playing catch-up now that things have quieted somewhat.

We’re into Fall but here’s a glimpse of summer past.

MAY - yummy red ripe strawberries . . .

May Flowers by Periwinkle Promises
28ct antique white Glasgow linen
Soie d’Alger silk floss

JUNE - flying kites and ice cream cones . . .

Kites & Cones by Periwinkle Promises
28ct raw Cashel linen
Soie d’Alger silk floss

JULY . . . get ready for a picnic. Burgers, baskets, & watermelons and, yes, those are ants running around the border!

Picnic Feast by Periwinkle Promises
28ct antique white Glasgow linen
Soie d’Alger slk floss

Exchange Fun!!!

As a member of Tiny Treasures Exchange I’ve had the delight of making and, especially, receiving small needle accessories. The talent and creativity of the exchange partners is amazing.


Floss Tag Received


Our latest exchange was a Floss Tag. Here is the tag that I received from Rochelle @ Blue Cornflower Stitches.


She chose designs from Cross Stitch Happy .

Rochelle stitched an absolutely beautiful dragonfly in blues and greens embellished with beads (oh, how I love beads!) The beads make the dragonfly sparkle just like a real one!

On the reverse is -
You wouldn’t believe this was her first attempt at a floss tag AND an octagonal shape. She did a marvelous job! She cleverly chose ribbon instead of an eyelet to attach the ring.

I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful "stitchin' friend" and am anxious to put the gold needles and pearl cotton that she sent to use in the near future.

Floss Tag Sent

Here is the floss tag that I sent to Pokua @ Crossed Yarns .

This was my first floss tag attempt and hope to do better with the eyelet attachment next time.

Take a look at Pakua's web site - her pictures are much better than mine.

I chose Flower Sampler 2008 from Rosewood Manor’s "Something Old Something New 10th Anniversary Book of Celebration" using 28 ct linen, stitched 1 over 1 with DMC cotton floss. I personalized the tag with the year, our initials, and TTE.


This shape and the addition of the eyelet was a challenge! I love trying new and different things, don't you?

Another Fish Story

Life has been very demanding this month and my stitching time has been very limited so in keeping with the last entry here's another 'fish story' to share . . .



KOI POND from Cross StitchHappy. A free design available here.


I fell in love with this design the minute I saw it and knew I had to stitch it. I also had the perfect piece of fabric in my stash which had been haunting me for many years. When I began I had no idea that it was going to evolve into a stitcher's wallet but I wanted to use as much of the fabric as possible so the project g-r-e-w and g-r-e-w.

More about this particular piece of fabric. It was originally purchased with a specific design in mind but I didn't enjoy stitching on it so I ripped out what little I had started and put it aside. The fabric is not even (translation - uneven) which I didn't realize until all stitching was completed. The graphed design is square, however, the stitched design is not! Surprise!! It is longer than it is wide! (Lesson learned - beware of older fabrics at bottom of fabric stash that are unmarked and unlabeled.) I believe it is 22 count but for Koi Pond I stitched over 2 threads for 11 count. The DMC colors suggested were used with Kreinik metallics added for shimmer.


The wallet has a front and back cover with one inside page and is closed with a ribbon tie.







A scissor pocket is on the inside back cover, thread rings are on the inside front cover, felt needle pages are on the inside, and a separate scissor fob is included.

Here’s a picture of the page inside. I knew I wanted this extra page but had no idea how to attach it so I enclosed its edge within the front and back pages. (I tapered the bound edges of the inside page to reduce some bulk. ) Then I had the dilemma of what to do with this bulky edge so I added initials and the year. See what I mean by "evolved"?

The scissor pocket shows a repeat of the koi.

An extra piece of ribbon was added to gather thread dangling from the thread rings (hard to see in the photo).

Sizes are approximate: Closed: 3 ½” x 5”. This includes includes ½” on the edge for initials & year. Open: 9” x 3 ½”.

A lily pad was repeated on on the back and the water swirl was a perfect design for the scissor fob.

Here’s a closeup of the beads on the spine. I was thinking 'fish scales' when I added the beads.

I've had requests for a tutorial for this since it appeared on Cross Stitch Happy's site. I've tried to create one (after-the-fact is very difficult) but my attempts are very amateurish and unsuccessful, at least for publication. I did use the backstitch/whipstitch biscornu method for finishing. If I were to do this today I would stitch the front and back patterns, initials and year on one long piece of fabric. Since I really didn't know what I was doing everything is on a separate piece of fabric which made for a lot of extra and unnecessary work in sewing everything together.

If you decide to create something like this, please learn from my mistakes and it's a lot easier if you have a definite plan in mind before starting.

But sometimes the most fun is in the discovery.

Goldfish

While visiting my sister recently, I took a picture of this little hanging that I made and gave to her about 6 years ago. She has a koi pond and I thought this would be a cute, if not unusual, gift for her. And, besides, she seems to really like my 'homemade' gifts. At least, that what she tells me to my face. (Maybe she just doesn't want to hurt my feelings.) Well, here goes. This was an experiment with wire, beads, yarn, and a non-frame finish.

"Goldfish" from Cats of the World in Cross Stitch by Jayne Netley Mayhew & Nicki Wheeler
18 count cream Aida (I think), DMC cotton floss, Kreinik blending filament

Here’s a closeup of the goldfish. I added Kreinik blending filament to the stitching for a bit of shine, some fuzzy 'seaweed' yarn, and various beads at the sides for even more shine and texture. And I didn't stop there. I quilted around the fish and dangled beads and shells from the bottom for even more texture and interest.

If you look closely you can see the quilted outline of the fish on the backing fabric (which is an entirely different story). This was my first attempt at embellishing with beads other than cross stitching them in. If I were to do this today, I would add lots more beads. Oh, yeah!! LOTS more! It was also my first (and last) attempt at twisting wire into different shapes. Not too smooth but I tried and, of course, I had to add the little charm to the hanging.

Because I love my sister!

Mini Sampler: April

Another mini sampler has joined the bunch. Here's what I've done so far -

The group picture shows April in front. While doing these I've noticed something interesting happening. At first I was very stingy with the polyester stuffing and then became very generous. January is slim, February isn't quite as thin as January, March is rounded, and April is chubby. By the time I get to December, it'll be rotund! I'm going to have to go easy on the stuffing or they're going to split their seams!

Here's April, with tiny blue raindrops falling on umbrellas.

Spring Showers by Periwinkle Promises

28 count linen, silk floss

The top flower vine is scattered with spider web rosettes, a new stitch introduced this month, and the vine below it is done in Queen's stitch with French knot flowers.

Not related but a quick-to-stitch project - a free chart that I got with an order.

First Robin of Spring
designed by Elizabeth Foster

I think I like the red frame better.

Making Lemonade!

I had such big plans -

wonderful, grandiose plans,

BIG, super glorious plans.

My creative hat was on.

Ideas were coming fast and furious.

I could hardly contain myself. And then . . .


and then something happened.

It went from this . . .

It’s Spring!” from Madame la F’ee (here)
25 ct evenweave DMC cotton floss, Kreinik blending filament, beads

to this . . .

and I almost cried.


This is what I salvaged. I just couldn’t toss it aside. I love the design, the flowers, the colors, and most of all I love the bees.

and the Moda fabric on the back.

Here’s another bee closeup -

I wanted that shiny, inky black color on the bees that only shiny, inky black beads can give so – I used - shiny, inky black seed beads on the bee bodies. I also wanted the wings to glitter so I used Kreinik blending filament.

I’ve learned to love my mistakes.

Or should I say - my creative misadventures!!

Petites Lettres Rouges

Blackbird Designs has offered a free chart of a wonderful little red sampler to be stitched for a contest. I don't think I've ever stitched so fast so that I could complete it in time.



This was stitched in loving memory of my grandmother whose name is stitched into the sampler. Unfortunately, I don't know her age at the time this photo of her was taken.
I was raised miles away from her in another state, but the same warmth and beauty that surrounded my father as he grew up was felt the first time I entered her house. Multi-colored quilts, embroidered linens, and crochet-edged pillowcases adorned every room. I believe my love of needlework began the moment I stepped within these walls and saw these beautiful ‘labors of love’. While stitching Petites Lettres Rouges, I added the motif of the crown over the heart which symbolizes love – her love of needle and thread. This love of handwork now encompasses another generation since my daughter has found the great satisfaction of creating with her hands through knitting and quilting.

Petites Lettres Rouges by Blackbird Designs
32 count off-white linen

DMC cotton floss - 814, 815, 498

Gentle Art Sampler Threads - Onyx

I backed the sampler with the same linen and stitched "In Loving Memory", the year, and my name. The front and back were then sewn together using the backstitch/whipstitch method as for a biscornu and added a red floss hanger. Around the red border on the front I did a running stitch with white floss to create a raised effect on the edge as a 'self-frame' which you can see
here.



I plan to frame the photograph of my grandmother and display her photo and the sampler together. I might even mount the sampler onto linen and frame. I will then write memories I have of her and a brief history of this sampler and place this in a pocket attached to the back of the frame.