Mattress Pincushion for Anna

Design: Victorian Pincushion Designer: Brenda Keyes Fabric: 28 count evenweave, cream Thread: Stef Francis Fine Mercerised Cotton (hand dyed)

I stitched this for Anna as an exchange on the Hooked on Exchanging blog. This is the first mattress pincushion I have ever made, but thanks to Vonna's great tutorial, it was really pretty straightforward to put together.

The top was the Victorian pincushion design from one of Brenda Keye's books, and I stitched it using a single strand of Stef Francis fine cotton. The motifs from the reverse and for the sides came from my old favourite Bristol sampler by the same designer.



I added some goodies for Anna - some Vikki Clayton silks and a chart from Anna's wishlist, as well as beads, a chart booklet and a chocolate cat.

I really loved putting this exchange together, and learning a new technique!

Sampler Bird - Brenda Keyes

Design: Sampler Bird
Designer: Brenda Keyes
Threads: DMC
Fabric: 28 count evenweave

This was my second attempt at a floss tag, and showed my first was beginner's luck - I didn't use interfacing to stiffen it, and my sewing was a little skew-wiff. However, I like the motif, so I will use it :o)

Crazy Exchange to Edda

I've heard from Edda that the Crazy Exchange Isent has arrived, so I can now show you pictures.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you might recognise the design - it's a small sampler by Brenda Keyes, which I've stitched before, but this time, I've stitched it in my favourite DMC varigated red (DMC 115). I've also personalised it by adding mine and Edda's initial and the year, before making it up into a pinkeep. The fabric I chose for the backing can be seen in the middle picture.

Button Alphabet Sampler - Brenda Keyes

Design: Button Alphabet Sampler

Designer: Brenda Keyes

Threads: Anchor Multicolours

Fabric: 22 count hardanger, antique white (stitched over 2)

This sampler comes from a book by Brenda Keyes - a designer to whom I turn to time and again when I'm looking for something to stitch as a gift. Her designs are timeless and tasteful and enjoyable to stitch, too.

This is quite different from her usual style, but I was looking for something suitable for my niece's second birthday.

The original design called for it to be stitched over 2 blocks of aida, and to use shirt buttons, but I wanted to keep to stuff I had in my stash, so I stitched it on hardanger and used a packet of tiny buttons I'd ordered online for another project, but had only needed 6!

I made this up into a wall hanging, with ribbon loops for suspending from dowel, but there is enough fabric hidden so that the piece can be framed at a later date.

It took me two evenings to complete - and that included the making up - I think I will keep this in my repertoire in case any friend decides to have a baby in future.

Pinkeep - Brenda Keyes

After dithering about whether my first choice for the pinkeep for the Hooked on Exchanges exchange was too big or not, I finally decided that it was. Running short of time, I looked again at my partner's details, and picked out that she liked alphabet samplers, and purple.

So, once again I turned to a favourite design of mine, from Brenda Keyes's excellent book The Sampler Motif Book. I chose to stitch the design on antique white evenweave, with a limited edition Gentle Arts Sampler Thread. I've stitched this particular design half a dozen times at least, always using one colour thread, sometimes an overdye, sometimes not, and on many different scales, from 18 count to 6, and it always looks great.

I made this up using the conventional method for a pinkeep, although I stitched the two pieces together, rather than relying on glue. The fabric I chose for the back - or rather, the one the quilt shop lady picked, which I endorsed - can be seen in the background. It's rather nice - you can't see from the picture, but the flowers are surrounded by the words "daisy, daisy give me your answer do..."

These were the goodies I included for Jayne (who has no blog) - some overdyed threads, and some beads - all in purple, of course!