Gather The Flowers - Helen Philipps

Design: Gather The Flowers

Designer: Helen Philipps, from the book The New Cross Stitch Sampler Book

Threads: DMC as charted

Fabric: 28 count linen offcut, cream

Embellishments: Mill Hill seed beads

I have heard from Ronel that she has received this piece I stitched for a Friends Through Threads exchange, so I can now share it with you all!

I've always wanted to stitch this little piece, as I thought it was very sweet, and when I read Ronel's likes and dislikes included pansies, I went straight to the book and started pulling the threads! The chart in the book is a colour chart, and looked a bit more restrained than this - I did wonder at first what on earth I was doing, but the palette does work. I did change the lettering from black to the dark green/gray colour though, and cream stitches were replaced by beads (the model had been stitched on darker fabric). I also left off the other backstitch.

The finished piece had to be a pinkeep, so I used some nice bright fabric to back it, and to keep the contemporary feel going.

I really enjoyed working on this, and I'm so pleased Ronel likes it!

Pinkeep Received!

 

On Saturday, this little gem arrived from my near neighbour (in global terms) Hazel! from the Friends Through Threads exchange blog. It's wonderful. The design is from Carriage House Samplings, from their Folk Art Pincushions chart. I loved especially how the lady is wearing a shrug just like *my* favourite one - I think Hazel must have been spying in my wardrobe, even The Hermit noticed the resemblance - mind you, I was wearing it at the time :o) Hazel's stitching and finishing is great - the ribbon is double layered, which must have taken some time and patience to get to work on the bow :o) The backing fabric is a Moda design, and as I told Hazel, I've just bought a fat quarter of the same fabric, so again, she got my tastes spot on!

Thank you again Hazel, for a special gift, and it will be treasured!

A Merry Tree for Thee - Full Circle Designs

 

I chose this ornament from the JCS 2002 edition for Cathy on the Friends Through Threads Exchange. Cathy does some lovely work and I though she might like this tree as it's not just cross stitch. I used the fabric you can see in the picture to make this into a pinkeep style ornament. The colours in the picture above are a little off because I took it under artificial light.

 

 

This is much more accurate!

Design: A Merry Tree for Thee
Designer: Full Circle Designs
Threads: DMC as charted
Fabric: unknown linen
Finish: Pinkeep

Friends Through Threads Christmas Exchange

Isn't this sweet? Goldie on the Friends Through Threads blog made me this really sweet ornament with some of my favourite motifs - letters - and although it's very festive, it will be appropriate to show it off all year round! Thank you Goldie, it's lovely!

Sew and Sew - Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin

Design: part of Sew and Sew (an old freebie)

Designer: Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin

Threads: DMC

Fabric: 28 count evenweave

I stitched this for Goldie on the Friends Through Threads blog. Our theme was 'Needlework' and I thought this design fitted it to a 'T'.

I decided to experiment and make a needlebook in a way I'd never tried before. I wasn't quite as smooth as I anticipated, but I think it worked out okay in the end, and Goldie loved it, which is the important thing.

I used the ingredients above - card, fabric, felt, eyelets and ribbons - and made a 'loose leaf' needlebook, so hopefully it can be added to if useful. It's all tied together with a big bow

 

 

I also sent Goldie some goodies, following on the ribbon theme :o)

Needlebook Arrived!

I got home yesterday after an exhausting day at work - not only am I doing my 'normal' work, I've been roped in to perform at a festival this weekend so we're rehearsing for that, and I'm not a natural performer - to find a lovely package from Jill!

 

 

Jill tells me this is a Lizzie*Kate design which she adapted. The sunflowers are so cheerful and one of my favourites - and of course there's a bee :o)

 

  

 

The leaf of needles is attached by the little cute star, and the lining fabric matches the border on the front perfectly - and is another one of my favourite colours! 

 

And talking of bees:

 

 

Jill included this really sweet Shepherd's Bush kit from my wishlist! Wow! My needles are itching to start it already!

 

Thank you so much for a lovely exchange!

The Drawn Thread Exchange

Design: Spring Keeper
Designer: The Drawn Thread (freebie available here)
Threads: DMC as charted
Fabric: 28 count jobelan, antique white

I stitched these for Marie for an exchange on the Friends Through Threads exchange board (where there are better pictures, Marie is a better photographer than I!) I did most of the stitching on a lovely spring weekend I spent in York.

I made one into a scissor fob, and then using the same method, made the other into a floss ring.

Marie was also my sender, and she took my breath away with this piece - it has been beautifully mounted onto a photo album which co-ordinates perfectly! The design is taken from Brown Ranch Sampler chart. Marie also kindly included a Prairie Schooler chart, thread, fabric, buttons, tassels ... lots of goodies in my favourite colours - there's a good photo on her blog of everything, and a better photo of the album!

This was a fun exchange - thank you Marie!