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.

Finished: Flea Market Souvenir

This piece really intrigued me: 3 different designs stitched on 3 separate pieces of fabric, sewn together and then embellished with crazy quilt stitches. The result is one long piece with a ‘vintage’ feel.

Flea Market Souvenir by Blackbird Designs
30 ct LaCrosse Blend & 30 ct Kansas City Blend (2 separate cuts)
Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Arts

Here are some close-ups of the stitching embellishment sewn over the seams before framing.

The chart did not describe how to sew the pieces together. I ladder-stitched the fabrics together leaving a seam of ½ inch which was then reinforced with the crazy stitches and the border stitches. I was worried about tension on these seams when framing but all went well.


Here’s a picture of the wrong side showing the border stitches and the crazy stitching over one of the seams. Not very neat - I was worried more about reinforcing the seams.

I actually completed this in March but just finished the framing.