New Year Biscornu

 

 

Design: New Year Biscornu - free chart available here 
Designer: Linden Bee Designs - i.e. me!
Threads: DMC
Fabric: 14 count aida, white
Finish: Biscornu
Trims: 2 green star shape buttons

This biscornu (and the fob) are based on my Thistle Stitching Accessories set, but with a twist to make them New Year designs. I found out that I'd not got the thistles just how I wanted them, so made an amendment and then had to email new charts out to those people who had kindly requested them. I'm sometimes a bit of a perfectionist... ;o)

The aida oddments I used made the counting for the border nice and easy, and aida helps the structure of the biscornu too, I feel, even if it is not quite as attractive a fabric as linen. It's good to use stash though, and I do like the finished effect.

New Year Scissor Fob

 

 

Design: New Year Fob - free chart available here 

Designer: Linden Bee Designs - i.e. me!

Threads: DMC

Fabric: 14 count aida, white

Finish: scissor fob

I decided to stitch this set from my own designs as my first project for 2010. I'm glad I did, because I noticed a couple of changes I wanted to make, and so it meant I could amend the chart and get the corrections out to other people, as well as making myself something I'm pretty pleased with.

I used aida as I basically had some small pieces in my stash, so starting the year frugally!

Thistle Stitching Accessories - Free Cross Stitch Charts!

Happy St Andrew's Day to all you Scots (and persons of Scottish descent!) out there :o)

To help celebrate, I've come up with these little designs for stitching accessories, incorporating the 'national flower' of Scotland, the thistle. The word Alba is Scots Gaelic for ... you've guessed - Scotland! I was only intending designing a biscornu, but I got a little carried away ... er, inspired!

The Biscornu, Needlebook and Pincushion charts are all interchangeable, so you can 'mix and match' the fronts and backs - my designs are only suggestions, after all!

If you would like copies of the charts, please comment below with your email address and I'll get them sent out to you - I'm working on a little more professional presentation this time round :o) I'm so pleased to get pattern requests - thank you for liking what I do!

Thistle Scissor Fob

Thistle Biscornu Front

 Thistle Biscornu Back

Thistle Needlebook Front

Thistle Needlebook and Pincushion Back

Thistle Pincushion Front

Thistle Scissor Pouch Front

Thistle Scissor Pouch Back

If you do stitch this set of charts, I'd love to see a picture - and there will be a prize for the first one I get!

Edited to add: If you feel so inclined, a donation to the MS Trust for this chart would be appreciated. Pennies will do - and you can make payment via the link in my sidebar or by clicking here.

This pattern is offered for personal, non-commercial use only. Items made from this pattern may be sold on a small scale basis such as on Etsy or at craft sales. Sales for charity are positively encouraged! This pattern and the text and photos contained within, may not be copied or reproduced for any purpose other than personal use. Please direct people to this blog rather than forwarding the pattern, thank you! Copyright 2009 N M Wray

Scotland International Heart - The Victoria Sampler

Design: Scotland International Heart

Designer: The Victoria Sampler (Thea Dueck)

Fabric: 25 count evenweave, white

Threads: DMC and Kreinik #4 braid

I liked stitching this heart - for once, all the elements looked like they were supposed to, although I did fiddle a little with the piper's pipes :o)

These little kits are great for learning some new specialty stitches, as the instructions are so good.

The bird is a type of grouse called a Capercaillie - which coincidentally is the name of one of my favourite bands!. Their Myspace page can be found here.

I did think about making all of them up into a quilt, but know I've discovered pinkeeps, they may very well end up as a series of those!

Tartan Thistles - Textile Heritage

When I finished this, I was unsure about making it into the needlebook sugessted by the kit manufacturers. In the end, I opted for the much simpler pincushion, and I'm pleased with the result.

Tartan Thistle Needlebook - Textile Heritage

Of course, being half Scottish, I have to stitch the odd thing which reflects my heritage ... haggis not being terribly attractive, I have a few thistles lurking in my stash...

In real life, the colours are really nice, and although they don't immediately say "Scotland" to me, they were nice to work with.

The design is much simpler - and quicker - to stitch than it looks, as long as you follow the instructions and construct the framework first!

The instructions called for the cross stitch to be done in three strands, but I find that looks terribly chunky, plus it's a pain to get twelve strands into one hole - I like stitching to be smooth and quick, not a tug of war! So I did it in two, and it looks fine to me!

The piece will be made into a needlebook, but I have reservations about the making up instructions included in the kit - has anyone done any Textile Heritage needlebooks like they say?

Design Details

Fabric: 14 count aida, white
Threads: unknown stranded cotton
Designer: Lesley Clarke
Chart Details: Tartan Thistles Needle Case - Textile Heritage (c) 2002
Stitch Count: 45H x 45V on each piece
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Back Stitch, Satin Stitch
Threads Used: unknown stranded cotton in dark purple, mid purple, pale purple, green, turquoise, grey.
Embellishments: None.
Modifications Made: Cross stitch and some back stitch done in two strands, not three.