Easter Cracker Sampler - Bent Creek

Design: Easter Cracker Sampler

Designer: Bent Creek

Threads: GAST and WDW included in kit

Fabric: 28 count evenweave from kit

Frame: picked up from local charity shop

I framed this in the summer, and won't be displaying it until the spring - isn't that a shame? I actually bought the frame with another piece in mind, but both The Hermit and I thought this was a better combination!

I have framed it straighter than this picture suggests, too, but I think in future I will ask my local framers to mount my work - they only charge £2-£5 for it, it's more expensive than that to buy the acid free self adhesive mount board in laces like Hobbycraft!

Winter Fob - Trail Creek Farm

Design: Winter (freebie - link seems broken)

Designer: Trail Creek Farm

Threads: DMC (my choice)

Fabric: 28 count annabelle, pale blue

I stitched this for an exchange which was going to a Southern Hemisphere partner - and I realised that it was actually summer there, so this got set aside and I mailed something more suitable! I've backed it with co-ordinating pale blue fabric and it's stuffed with polyfill.

Birth Sampler 2 - Helen Philipps

Design: Birth Sampler from The New Cross Stitch Sampler Book
Designer: Helen Philipps
Threads: DMC and DMC Color Variations, Seaside Treasures
Fabric: 28 count evenweave, bone

This was a commission from my sister for her friend, as she loved the sampler I made for her so much!

I altered the layout slightly, to incorporate the birth details, as my sister thought that would be a nice touch - and so did I, I didn't want to make something identical, I like all my pieces to be individual. The colours are used slightly differently too.

Wooly Zipper - Bent Creek

Design: Wooly Zipper
Designer: Bent Creek
Threads: DMC and Six Strand Sweets Perle 5
Fabric: mystery Tula-type fabric

Years ago, I traded for this chart and now finally, it's been stitched! The picture was taken under artificial light so it's a little 'yellow'. I used threads I already had in my stash as I'm really trying not to buy new stuff so my sheep and flowers look rather different to the designers:

But isn't that the fun of needlework, making your own personal work of art?

Follow Your Heart - Lizzie*Kate

Design: Follow Your Heart
Designer: Lizzie*Kate
Threads: GAST
Fabric: 14 count aida, tea dyed by me

Another use for my tea dyed aida, this was a very quick stitch and will be a present for The Hermit, given that his heart led him over the Atlantic Ocean :o) I will finish this as a wall hanging, I have some fabric which co-ordinates nicely.

I changed the main colour from the charted blue to purple as I'm really not a 'blue' person at all! This disappoints The Hermit as it's his favourite colour, but it just doesn't appeal to me!

Happy Bunny Bunny Day - The Trilogy

Design: Happy Bunny Bunny Day
Designer: The Trilogy
Threads: GAST and DMC (own choices)
Fabric: 14 count aida, tea dyed by me

Ooops, I've just noticed I've still not stitched on the pink buttons for 'flowers' ...

This happy little bunny had some modifications made in terms of colours, and I picked out my initials in pink to personalise it - I was pleased with how that looked and I'll probably do something similar with Trilogy/Heart in Hand/Bent Creek charts with alphabets in future :o) The fabric is a 'one off' too - some boring cream aida in my stash got the tea treatment. Unlike others, I don't bake mine in the oven, but I 'set' the colour with a hot iron, and hope that the piece doesn't need washing!

I still haven't decided how to finish this (which is probably part of why the buttons haven't been added!) but I'm leaning towards a pillow, it's a little large for a pin keep :o)

Birth Sampler - Helen Philipps

Design: Birth Sampler from The New Cross Stitch Sampler Book
Designer: Helen Philipps
Threads: DMC and DMC Color Variations
Fabric: 28 count evenweave, blush

I made this sweet little sampler for my sister for her birthday, as I didn't stitch her one when my niece was born - I stitched an afghan instead, and Ma stitched a sampler. However, the sampler has jungle animals, so was more for my niece than my sister, and she'd admired this when looking through my books, so I made this as a surprise!

It was easy enough to stitch, although I had to re-size the name and date blocks. I also modified the back stitch on the border - I wasn't going to do any over-one when I didn't feel it added to the design!

The book I've taken this from is probably the most used in my stash - I love so many of the designs, I'd highly recommend it!

Let It Begin With Me - SanMan Originals

Design: Let It Begin With Me (exclusive message board freebie)

Designer: SanMan Originals

Fabric: 28 count evenweave, antique white

Threads: Six Strand Sweets - Jelly Beans for the lettering, toning solids for the symbols

This has been lurking in my stash for nearly four years, stitched but not 'finished'. It was part of the 12 Days of Christmas freebies series that SanMan released in 2004 and I was going to stitch one a day from Christmas Eve onwards. This was the first - and only - one I completed, as my grandmother died unexpectedly on Christmas Day.

I do like the piece - I was a member of CND in my youth - but if I'd shared it with my gran, I can picture her wearing that slightly disapproving look she had - I am too liberal minded for us to have seen eye to eye on many subjects butwe saw past each other's hobby-horses :o)

This is a very simple wallhanging finish, with some lightweight batting inbetween the face and backing. I will use mini pegs to attach it to a hanger, when I've found somewhere suitable for it to hang.

June - Shepherd's Bush

Design: June

Designer: Shepherd's Bush

Threads: DMC, Gentle Arts Sampler Threads, Dinky Dyes

Fabric: 28 count linen, antique white

I think this was another chart from my friend - and arch-enabler - Marci - which I have finally stitched. See, it may take a while, but I get there in the end :o) Marci used to be a demon stitcher, but over the last few years has been bitten by the bead bug - she has some nice earrings in her etsy shop, but that's only the tip of the iceberg as to her lovely creations! Marci, not only did I find the bead shop in Nottingham, I've found one that I didn't know existed in Chesterfield ... it's a conspiracy I tell ya!

It was a pretty quick stitch, and relatively trouble free. Because I didn't have the overdyes called for in the pattern, I substituted ones I had to hand, and the purples are slightly darker, but I like the effect.

I don't know whether to frame this to go on the "wall of bees" (which I really should photograph) or to make it into - yes, you guessed - a pinkeep!

Swirly Sampler Freebie - version 2 - Bent Creek

Design: Swirly Sampler Freebie
Designer: Bent Creek
Fabric: 32 count linen, antique white
Threads: Gentle Arts Sampler Threads

This is the second version of the sampler - I used a finer fabric, but the difference in size wasn't as big as I'd hoped. This time, I used GAST to make it a little more subtle. This is my preferred version, so I'll keep this for myself! I may indeed make it into a pinkeep after all - I have some great fabric that will co-ordinate really well with it, plus a mountain of mount board to use up :o)

Swirly Sampler Freebie - version 1 - Bent Creek

Design: Swirly Sampler Freebie
Designer: Bent Creek
Threads: DMC
Fabric: 28 count jobelan, apricot

This was my first attempt at my pinkeep exchange for Hooked on Exchanges - I thought it came out a bit big for a pinkeep, but it's a really nice design! The Hermit likes it a lot, so I will probably frame it for him.

Dear Santa, I Can Explain... - Lizzie*Kate

Not the greatest picture - padded wallhangings don't tend to want to lie flat!

This is another finish that has been languishing in my finished pile for several years - in my defence, I hardly went near my stitching in 2006 and for most of 2005 :o)

This was made up quite simply with a couple of remnants from my fabric stash - I didn't have enough of the holly print to go all the way round, and as I'm trying not to buy anything new, went with a matching plain fabric. I think now that the printed fabric all the way round might have been too much anyway.

There is wadding in the middle, and a calico backing, and I hope to get (or make) a wire hanger which I can peg this too with those cute mini clothes pegs.

Sally - I'm setting aside one day a week when I do some finishing, otherwise it just won't happen! It tends to be Sundays, as there's less distractions. I'm hoping that when the backlog is dealt with, my finishing day can go to one day per month, or that I will finish as I go!

Pot Pourri Sachets - DMC

There are actually four little bags in the kit, but I did two of each design. The kit came with pot pourri, but as it was so old (an eBay purchase) it had lost mos tof its scent, and what was left wasn't particularly nice, so I ditched it! These are currently stuffed with fibrefill and in my smalls basket, but I think I will get some dried lavender for them. But it's finding lavender since Culpeppers closed! You'd think in a large city, someone somewhere would sell it, but I can't find any!

The heart shapes were pre-finished, and despite the designs having beads and metallic threads, they stitched up pretty speedily. I think they look quite funky, although I don't think cross stitch is ever going to be cutting edge trendy...

If anyone would like the chart, do say so in the comments box.

Design Details

Fabric: 28 count linen, antique white
Threads: DMC stranded cotton and metallic threads
Designer: not credited
Chart Details: Pot Pourri Sachets K4302 - DMC (discontinued kit)
Stitch Count: various - heart is 27H x 27V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch
Threads Used: DMC 704, 718, 792, 959, 3812, 3843, 3845, 3852, 5283, 5284. Cross stitch in two strands over two.
Embellishments: Cerise metallic beads.
Modifications Made: None.

Acorn Scissor Case - Lizzie*Kate

I love this little scissors case - it's so cheerful and warm looking! I forgive it for being a pain to stitch - stitching over one on a pre-finished item isn't fun, let me tell you! I don't really like stitching over one these days anyway, and having to manipulate the fabric around to get to where you wanted to put in the needle - erk!

Anyway, I think it turned out nicely in the end, and this will be on my scissors now until mid December!

If anyone would like the chart, just say so in the comments box!

Design Details

Fabric: 28 count linen, cream
Threads: Various over dyed threads
Designer: Linda Ebright
Chart Details: Acorn Scissors Case - Lizzie*Kate (c) 2004 (discontinued kit)
Stitch Count: 34H x 20V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch
Threads Used: Gentle Arts Sampler Threads: Maple Syrup, Nutmeg, unknown bit of purple, Burnt Orange. Minnamurra: 250. The Dye Is Cast: Pumpkin Patch. Weekes Dye Works: Pistachio Nut. Cross stitch in two strands over two.
Embellishments: Two small round buttons, brass acorn charm.
Modifications Made: Own choice of threads.

Potted Flowers - The Bold Sheep

This was last month's travel prject - stuffed into handbags, worked on in waiting rooms, on buses, trains and trams... I'm quite relieved it only came out with one small mark on it!

The kit was quite straightforward to stitch (although there is an error in there, but I've worked round it!) and there was a generous amount of fabric and thread included, so I was happy!

The finished piece is about 4 inches square, so I will ikely make this into a cushion centre.

It anyone would like the chart, please say so in the comments!

Design Details

Fabric: 14 count aida, white
Threads: Anchor stranded cotton
Designer: Louise Ellwood- The Bold Sheep
Kit Details: Potted Flowers CSPOT - The Bold Sheep (c) 2004
Stitch Count: 57H x 57V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch
Threads Used: Anchor 31, 185, 246, 295, 387, 109, 187, 265, 376. Cross stitch in two strands.
Embellishments: None
Modifications Made: None. Although there is an extra column of stitches on the left hand side.

Klimt Geometric - Cobweb Designs

I'm afraid I'm going to rant a little about this kit - I ran out of the metallic thread used to highlight part of the design, and there's no indication on the kit what it was. The company just confirmed that the kit was discontinued ... I'm not profligate with thread, so heaven help those that aren't as economical... In the end, because I couldn't match the gold, I used a black metallic, which works okay, although there was already some black back stitch in the design. I could have frogged all the existing gold and replaced it, but it would have taken too long for my impatient heart!

That said, it was a nice kit to stitch, the colours are simple but work well, and I think it's more interesting - and stylish - than a lot of other designs on the market. But then again, I think Gustav Klimt is a genius...

Design Details

Fabric: 14 count aida, unknown colour
Threads: unknown stranded cotton
Designer: not credited
Chart Details: Klimt Geometric - Cobweb Designs (c) 1999
Stitch Count: 41H x 41V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Back Stitch,
Threads Used: unknown stranded cotton in black, white, gold, ecru. Unknown gold metallic. Metallic black from the DMC Light Effects range. Cross stitch in two strands.
Embellishments: None.
Modifications Made: Some back stitch done in metallic black not metallic gold.

Easter Holiday Cracker Kit - Bent Creek

I love Bent Creek kits - the materials included are top quality, and there's plenty of them - lots of spare fabric round the design, so there's so many options for finishing ... that said, this will probably be framed, as it will be on show for at least three months of the year!

I made a couple of modifications - the bottom left corner became yellow and not raspberry, to make it symmetrical, and one of the raspberry blocks was stitched in cross stitch and not Rhodes stitch - why do all that extra work and then hide it behind a button? LOL The chick's beak, eye and legs didn't show up very well in the charted colour, so I made them black instead...

Design Details

Fabric: 32 linen, natural
Threads: DMC, Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Arts Sampler Threads stranded cottons.
Designers: Marsha Worley and Elizabeth Newlin
Kit Details: Easter Cracker Bent Creek (c) 2001
Stitch Count: 65H x 65V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Straight Stitch, Satin Stitch, Colonial Knot
Threads Used: GAST Summer Meadow, Peacock, Mulberry, Evergreen, Raspberry Parfait, Maple Syrup, WDW Whitewash, Cocoa, DMC 775, 612, 310. Two strands used throughout for cross stitch.
Embellishments: Four hand dyed green buttons.
Modifications Made: DMC 310 substituted for 938. Bottom left corner stitched in Summer Meadow. One Raspberry Parfait block was stitched in cross stitch and not Rhodes stitch.

Baa - The Bold Sheep

Sheep are another favourite thing of mine to stitch, and I thoroughly enjoyed stitching this funky specimen! The colours really sing, and it's impossible to look at Dolly (yes, I named my sheepie!) without smiling!

Because the design was whole stitches only, and no backstitching, I kept the aida that came with the kit. I find using a fine Petite needle makes stitching on aida a pretty smooth process - the needle doesn't need the usual tug to get through the hole so I might be becoming reconciled to aida - maybe!

The only downer on this kit was I ran out of one colour with six stitches left to make - which was very annoying, as I'm very economical with thread, and there was plenty of the others left. What made it worse was that the threads used are Anchor, and I have only a (relatively) small collection of that, whereas I have a full set of DMC!

This will probably be finished as pillow.

Design Details

Fabric: 14 count aida, white.
Threads: Anchor stranded cottons.
Designer: Louise Ellwood.
Kit Details: Baa - The Bold Sheep (c) 2004
Stitch Count: 60H x 60V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch
Threads Used: Anchor 24, 109, 140, 147, 255, 386, 403, 874, 943. Two strands used throughout for cross stitch.
Embellishments: None.
Modifications Made: None.

May Our Home Be Too Small - Design Works

Another kit bought from eBay, and another one which I substituted out the aida! I think evenweave or linen looks more attractive if there are large areas on show.

The message is appropriate, because our flat is tiny! My DBF wondered if I was going to change the message to read "stash" or "books" - both of which would have been equally valid - but I stitched it as charted!

The design was straightforward to stitch, despite some very close colours, as it was virtually all whole cross stitch, with a little back stitch outlining. There was a generous amount of thread included, so no problems there! I really like working with golds and yellows, I find them both soothing and cheering! There's a little more blue in this design than I would normally like, but it sets off the golds beautifully - the scan doesn't really capture the vibrancy of the piece.

The finished article will be framed and added to my "wall of bees".


Design Details

Fabric: 28 count evenweave, cream
Threads: unknown stranded cottons
Designer: Joan Elliott
Kit Details: Our Home - 9757 - Design Works Crafts Inc
Stitch Count: 68H x 86V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Back Stitch.
Threads Used: Unknown stranded cotton in 20 colours. Two strands used throughout for cross stitch, one and two used for back stitch.
Embellishments: Mill Hill beads
Modifications Made: Substituted beads for black French Knots. Substituted evenweave for aida supplied in kit.

Winter Peace - Sisters and Best Friends

I finished the stitching on this one in January 2007, but put it away as I didn't have the charms needed to complete it. Unfortunately, when I took it out again, I left it too close to an uncapped ink pen, and there was a black ink stain about 5mm across on it! Disaster! Especially when the ink didn't budge after two washes and Stain Devil treatment!

However, I raided my box of embellishments, and found the four snowflake buttons pictured - and one of them (guess which one...) covers the stain pretty effectively!

The colours on the scan are a bit duller than in real life - the effect is actually quite pretty, and wintery without being Christmassy. The fabric was one I had in my stash - it was quite a grubby cream/pale tan with greyish bits in it, I can't remember where from! The greyish bits also help disguise the remnants of the ink stain!

I enjoyed stitching this, but all the white on the snowman seemed to take forever!

I will probably finish this as a small banner as I have some nice hand dyed quilting cotton from Silkweaver that I think would co-ordinate well with this.

Design Details

Fabric: 28 count evenweave, colour unknown
Threads: Gentle Art Sampler Threads, DMC
Designer: Sisters & Best Friends
Chart Details: Winter Peace - SBF12 - Sisters & Best Friends (c) 2003
Stitch Count: 59H x 115V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Back Stitch, Algerian Eyelet, Straight Stitch.
Threads Used: DMC 310, 3609, White. GAST Hyacinth, Butternut Squash, Cornflower, Pine, Avocado, Sugar Plum, Morming Glory. Two strands used throughout for cross stitch, one and two used for back stitch and straight stitch
Embellishments: Four snowflake buttons
Modifications Made: Substituted buttons for recommended charms. Omitted French knots on one snowflake.