Fall Into Autumn - Rainbow Gallery

Design: Fall into Autumn Designer: Erica Michaels for Rainbow Gallery (freebie available here) Threads: own choice (mainly Anchor stranded cottons) Fabric: 14 count aida, cream Finishing: Pinkeep

Although I'm currently not active on the Crazy Exchange group, I recently completed a birthday exchange for Marlies there - I had already received you see, my birthday being in February. It was really nice to have another exchange to put together and I found lots of nice autumnal themed items to add to the package - it's amazing what one can get in a fairly small padded envelope! LOL

The card is one I made myself, as is the floss tag. Also added to the package were two small charts, a small kit, some backing fabric, beads, rayon floss, metallic floss, multi coloured floss and a small spring hoop!

Marlies told me she felt very spoiled, so I feel my work is done :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.

Update

My camera batteries are flat - again - so I can't show any pictures at the moment. Not that I could for one project anyway, as it's a return exchange from my last days as a member of Crazy Exchange :o) I finished it as a pinkeep, and that's the only clue I'm giving ... so that was last night's creative endeavours.

Sunday, as promised, I started a SAL with Sally. We're stitching Morning Song by Just Nan. I've chosen to do mine on a plain linen - Flax 28 count Cashel. I managed to stitch most of the right hand barn, the picket fence and the tree trunks - seems straightforward so far, although I haven't attempted the over one parts yet!

My travel project is currently Rooster Strut by Meme's Quilts (who no longer appear to do cross stitch designs, only quilting and applique). I'm stitching it on Tula, which at 10 count is quite a change from my usual stuff! It was one of the first folk style charts I traded for on Chartswappers so it's been sitting in my stash for quite a while!

Christmas Exchange

I'm trying to get the back log of pictures caught up with. This was another Christmas exchange I sent out, but I can't remember at the moment who too! That's bad ...


I do remember what the design is though - it's a Bent Creek snowman, from an old JCS ornament edition (2002 or 2003) - stitched on black aida with various overdyed threads.

And here is a picture of the whole exchange:

Crazy Exchange from Edda

Edda sent me this fantastic exchange all the way from Iceland:

In it was the most delicately stitched fob - for which I've been out and bought some new scissors! - yummy purple ribbon and floss, and the sweetest bee patterned fabric, as well as a fascinating postcard.

Many thanks, Edda, I shall have to get thinking about something worthy for the return!

Exchange from Virpi

The other package I received came from Virpi in Finland, and contained my first biscornu! I've been intrigued by these since I first saw them on people's blogs, and now I have one of my very own, and stitched in one of my favourite colours too! It is beautifully done, and very delicate looking. One the reverse, Virpi has stitched her initials, my name and the date. The gathering is done through the tiniest buttons I've ever seen, smaller even than the ones I've been using recently.


The rest of the package was great too - two tiny flexi hoops, which are just the right size for holding my fabric when I'm stitching scissor fobs, and four funky buttons which came in their own cute little bag.

Thank you for a great gift, Virpi!

Exchange from Amarins

I had a great mail day today! Not only did my Amazon order arrive, I had two little Jiffy bags turn up - I'll get to the other one in my next post, but first let's admire Amarins's handiwork!

Top of the picture is a card - you can't see clearly from the picture, but the rose is decoupage, and the border isn't drawn - it's stitched! The snowman in the left is wooden, and attached to a cute little felt bag with leather handles. The snowman on the right has been beautifully cross stitched on linen, and finished with a ribbon bow and hanger.



Thank you so much Amarins for a package of beautiful goodies!

Crazy Exchange - To Judith

This is the exchange I stitched for Judith - it's another one of my hardanger fobs, and to this package I added a needleroll chart, some threads and a little notebook with a stitched cover.

Crazy Exchange - To Virpi

This is the scissor fob/ornament I sent to Virpi. It was stitched using Anchor Multicolours Perle in a hardanger style design, although there wasn't any cutting involved! I finished it using the "Drawn Thread" method, and hid the seams with ricrac braid. The tassel is made from threads pulled from the leftover fabric. I added some DMC threads, a couple of buttons and a couple of heart charms - I never really know how much to add, but I try not to go over the top due to postal charges!

EduCATed - Bent Creek - Exchange to Karen

Now I know that she's received it, I can post about my return exchange to Karen from CrazyExchange! In fact, I've used her picture as it's so much better than mine :o)

Karen said she liked Bent Creek, so I made up EduCATed into a little pillow for her. He's not sitting on as many books as the chart says, but I wanted to keep a pillow like proportion. The postcard in the picture is of the Botanical Gardens in Sheffield, and I also added some threads, buttons and a fridge magnet.

I really enjoyed this exchange, and I'm looking forward to many more!

Crazy Exchange

I have finally got round to posting a picture of the super exchange Karen from Crazy Exchange made for me.

Isn't it lovely? Sheep are one of my favourite things and the stitching and finishing is lovely! Karen also added some cheery bits and pieces - I especially like the peg with the flower on, it's ideal for keeping little charts together!

Karen's return exchange is in the mail - I will post a pic when it arrives.


This is a picture of the item I made for Amarins - I wasn't totally happy with how the fob turned out once made up, so that's part of the reason why I've been doing a lot of finishing this week, to get back into it. I also send a little notebook, which I'd stitched, and a couple of ribbon roses, and rose charms - yes, it was all on a theme!