Bird in Tree - Historic Needlework Guild

Design: Bird In Tree

Designer: Historic Needlework Guild

Threads: unknown, came with kit

Fabric: 28 count linen, antique white

Another 2007 finish. I thought that this would make a nice pinkeep and although it might sound like blowing my own trumpet, I was right :o) I think cording is good on these, it lies nicely in the groove between the mounted pieces.

Alphabet Ribbon Sampler - Historic Needlework Guild

Design: Alphabet Ribbon Sampler

Designer: Historic Needlework Guild

Threads: Unknown - from kit

Fabric: 28 count linen, antique white

I finished this piece back in August 2007 but made this piece up in August this year. I gifted it to Tammie for her birthday as she was my partner on the Stitching Bloggers Birthday Club.

Miniature Sampler - Cathy Bussi

Design: Miniature Sampler

Designer: Cathy Bussi (freebie kit from an old issue of Cross Stitch Collection)

Threads: DMC

Fabric: 18 count aida, antique white

The sharp eyed among my blog readers will have spotted the date on this. For those of you who don't read blogs through a magnifying glass, the shameful secret is that I stitched this in 1996. Yes, thirteen years ago, and only now have I done something with it! Okay, to be fair, it was a little small to frame but still...

It was a trifle fiddly to turn into a pinkeep, but I managed, and I think it looks very cute! Not really 'me' these days, but it's pretty. Perhaps when The Tot can be relied upon not to stab herself with the pins, she can have it for her bedroom, which is very pink!

Neat Country Stuff - Homespun Elegance

Design: Neat Country Stuff (plus a bit of inspiration from the Sheep Button Sampler)

Designer: Homespun Elegance

Threads: DMC as charted

Embellishments: vintage button and snap from stash

Fabric: 28 count natural linen

This project, because of the colours used, got subtitled 'The Sludge Monster', although my darling Ma used another word beginning with 'S' to describe the colours! I love my Ma,  but she is a bit of a one woman crusade for 'keeping your feet on the ground'...

I started this last year, and really tried to finish it, but there was always something more exciting going on. So, when my Stitch n Bitch group went away for the weekend in August, I packed this with the firm intention of getting it complete! And it worked - my motivation came back, and I only had the last square to do when we returned.I've left the start date on it though, I couldn't face the idea of frogging and restitching!

I love that this sampler contains two of my favourite motifs - beehives and sheep - as well as bunnies and blackbirds, of which I'm also rather fond!

The last square was always going to be more work. I really disliked the charted sheep in the original - I thought it looked more like a pig, so wanted to replace it with something else. The designer had produced a Sheep Sampler, but that sheep was too big for the space... so, out came the graph paper and pencils, and I shrank a sheep, kept the bird from the original, and now I know I genuinely have a unique sampler!

The button used is a vintage one from my tin - it may have come from my gran, but I think it's more likely from a charity shop or car boot sale. The big black snap I used (in place of the four small buttons the chart called for) on the other hand did come from my gran's stash, which I was given when she died. I rather like the idea of having something of hers in a piece that I've worked, as she did treasure the stitching I made for her.

The finished piece is framed now- I found a suitable frame in a charity shop, and my friendly framers stretched the piece and cut a mount to fit at a very reasonable rate. I'll try and remember to take a photo of that one day...

O Christmas Tree - Prairie Schooler

Design: O Christmas Tree from the out of print Christmas Samplers chart
Designer: Prairie Schooler
Threads: DMC as charted
Fabric: 28 count evenweave, unknown colour

I finished this back in January, but it looks like I didn't blog about it!

This had been a UFO for a couple of years, but when I set to, it didn't actually take a huge amount of time to finish - or at least, it didn't feel like that, because like most Prairie Schooler designs, it was a joy to stitch.

The Hermit is not a huge Christmas fan, and doesn't like ornaments and such, but I'm afraid I'm just going to have to ignore him and get this framed and displayed prominently this Christmas!

As we don't have room for our own Christmas tree in our flat, I think this is a good substitute, and it can preside over the baskets of ornaments...

Petites Lettres Rouges - Blackbird Designs

Design: Petites Lettres Rouges
Designer: Blackbird Designs - freebie available here
Threads: Stef Francis Fine Mercerised Cotton - Colour 41
Fabric: 28 count evenweave (jobelan) - antique white

I think I ought to rename this Petites Lettres Arcs-en-ciel, because of the rainbow of colours in it :o) They haven't come out very well, as it's a very dull and rainy day here today, and I wanted to email the picture to Alma and Barbara.

I loved stitching this, because using my great grandmother's name triggered many happy memories - she was so much fun, and always full of mischief, even when her health failed and she developed Alzheimer's. I've misplaced a CD of family photos, so I can't share any at the moment, but there is a classic one of granny pinching sweeties ...

My sister has a very strong resemblance to my great grandmother as a young woman. My grandmother too looked very like her mother. And my sister's child, my niece - bizarrely, given that she was born almost twenty years after the death of little great gran - has some of her mannerisms - and way of walking ;o)

I have to say, I look more like my other maternal great grandmother, but in character I think I'm more like my little great gran - I try not to take myself too seriously, certainly!

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!

Fit Words - The Sewing Circle

Design: Fit Words
Designer: The Sewing Circle
Threads: Gentle Arts Sampler Threads
Fabric: 28 count linen, random hand dyed piece

This is a companion piece to the Alphabet Sampler and was a lovely quick stitch. It will probably get finished as a pinkeep as there isn't a bit border of fabric available for anything else.

Abigail Adams Sampler - Chartmakers

Design: Abigail Adams
Designer: Chartmakers
Threads: DMC
Fabric: 28 count linen, antique white

This lovely piece has been sat in my 'framing' pile for probably four years (or more) - I know I finished it fairly early in my days in the flat, as I thought it quite fitting for a gravestone angel to go on our walls, as our main window in the flat overlooks an undertakers... yes, I have a black sense of humour at times!

However, not being of standard dimensions (like 4" x 6") I couldn't find a ready made frame cheaply, so it languished undisplayed - until I discovered the wonder of pinkeeps :o)

Crewel Vase - DMC

Design: Crewel Vase
Designer: DMC
Threads: DMC Crewel Yarn
Fabric: Pre-printed linen

This was a kit I acquired off eBay, and I quite liked it when I started it. Then I went off it, and finished it through gritted teeth and now that I've made it into a mini pillow, I quite like it again - I think!

I used slightly different stitches and fewer strands than the design called for and overall I think it's okay. My trouble with freestyle embroidery with wool is that it can look scruffy (that might just be me) and I like the regularly of cross stitch and counted thread work. When I'm normally not the world's tidiest person, it soothes me that my stitching can be very neat :o)

Tall Trees - Brightneedle

Design: Tall Trees

Designer: Brightneedle
Threads: DMC and Olde Willow
Fabric: 28 count evenweave, cream

This is the co-ordinating pinkeep to Bunny Hop. I decided to make a neat bow to finish the top - not my usual style, but sometimes it's nice to try something a little different :o)

Alphabet Sampler - The Sewing Circle

Design: Alphabet Sampler
Designer: The Sewing Circle
Threads: Gentle Arts Sampler Threads
Fabric: 32 linen, hand dyed

This is a little sweet sampler that had been hanging around my UFO pile for too long! I think it was because I wasn't happy with one of the charted colours, but I hadn't had the 'round tuits' needed to make a decision about swapping it out - and frogging!

This time, when I pulled it out, I quickly made some colour choices which is why my fruit and initials are Cherry Wine rather than Old Brick - I think they lift the design and cheer it up. Grey isn't really my thing - I wonder if that's because of my school uniform being predominantly that colour? :o)

My Favorite Things - The Drawn Thread

Design: My Favorite Things
Designer: The Drawn Thread (Cynthia Zittel)
Threads: DMC as charted
Fabric: 28 count raw Cashel linen

Sorry about the fuzzy picture! Because it's quite long, it's hard to get a good picture of the whole thing, especially as I'm not a good photographer! This is the first 'full size' DT that I've stitched, and it's what got me hooked. I love the design, although that didn't stop me making a few alterations of my own...


A few Queen Stitches got the chop - I subbed in Smyrna crosses and eyelets instead, and after the alphabet, you can see that a bee appeared - also from a DT chart, to keep the style consistent, although I had to stitch it over one to fit the space. If a design is going to be called 'My Favorite Things' how can it not have a bee in it?


I like bunnies (which were on the original design) but I like sheep better! These were from DT's 'Generosity' design, and fitted in very well, although they are closer together than I would have really liked - but that's just me being very very picky! The vertical band on the left had its Queen Stitches subbed too. They are definitely not one of my favourite things! The initials belong to my partner and to my dearest friend.



The completed piece has been made into a bell pull and it is hanging in my hallway - which is too dark and small for me to get a decent picture. Just take my word for it, it looks really nice :o)

Make Much of Time - Historic Needlework Guild

Design: Make Much of Time
Designer: Historic Needlework Guild
Threads: Silks as charted
Fabric: 28 count linen

I finished the stitching for this early in the year, but it was only during my recent finishing frenzy that I constructed the final item! This was a kit I bought some time ago. The stitching was pretty straightforward, mostly over two with some over one lettering - I love the motto, I think it's one I try to live by :o) The construction was reasonably straightforward - the instructions were clear, but I backed the piece with lightweight iron-on interfacing before cutting, to reduce fraying. I'm glad I did, otherwise the gathering and stitching the strawberry 'hull' would have been trickier and even more messy than it was. I had to start it twice because the first attempt had bits of the stuffing caught in the spider web!

Morning Song - Just Nan

Design: Morning Song

Designer: Just Nan

Threads: DMC as charted

Fabric: 28 count Cashel linen, flax

Here it is, finally finished! I've been stitching Morning Song as a SAL with Sally, and I completed it at the weekend.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I've made a few amendments to the charted design, namely the fabric, stitching the over one section as petit point, and omitting the butterflies from the rooster band - I have an aversion to butterflies in stitching, don't ask me why! I've just noticed I haven't stitched the sheep charm on yet, either - and actually, looking at this, I might not.

Thank you Sally, for your company and your encouragement!

Goldfinch Card

Design: Goldfinch

Designer: Not known, from a British Cross Stitch magazine of the 90s

Threads: DMC

Fabric: 28 count evenweave

This card is a companion piece to the card I gave my dad for his birthday, but this time it was Father's Day.

Goldfinches are another bird that flock to my parents' garden - drawn by the seeds they put out, and the sheltered spot they have, with plenty of trees and shrubs. I love finches, they are so perky and cheerful!

I have two more birds stitched up, so that is next year sorted... (Lord willin' an' the creek don't rise...LOL)

Wren - Birthday Card

Design: Wren

Designer: unknown, from an old edition of Cross Stitcher (UK) - I think

Threads: DMC

Fabric: 28 count evenweave, cream

To go with the gift, I also stitched my dad a birthday card. This had been lurking in my finishing pile for ages, and was going to be part of a patchwork cushion as there are three other birds in the series. However, my mum isn't keen on birds in art, so I thought it might be better to have the little jenny wren only on temporary display!

I chose the wren for the birthday card as there is nearly always a nesting pair of wrens in one of the hedges that form the boundary to my parent's garden. They are such sweet and perky birds, and I think that the designer has captured that very cleverly - before the backstitch went in, the bird was just a beige blob, but the outlines really brought it to life.

July Needleroll - The Victoria Sampler

Design: July Needleroll
Designer: The Victoria Sampler
Threads: DMC and Kreinik
Fabric: 28 count quaker evenweave

This has been languishing in my finishing pile for longer than I care to remember (possibly four years...) and thanks to Becky's Monthly Finishing Challenge blog, it's now made up!


The ends are hemstitched, as are the ribbon carriers, and the seam is French seamed, to hide the raw edges. I sew all the seams by hand too, it's easier than setting up my machine, and it's nice and relaxing, too.

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!

Goals, reviews and future plans...

Where has February gone? Even with an extra day, it's just zipped by!

Fortunately, I achieved my goals for the month, so I'm a happy bunny :o) (white rabbit! by the way)

I'm still very behind on posting pictures to my blog, or even writing much to this one, but I'm getting there - at least photographs have been taken of everything I stitched in 2007, plus exchanges that have arrived here, and some of the things I've made this year ... I'm in awe of the people whose blogs I read, who manage to write something entertaining regularly, and post regular updates!

I don't know if I've mentioned, but my new job is part time, flexible hours (and it's bliss...) - so Thursday and Friday I had the flat to myself, so I hauled out the charts from my stash, the boxes of fabby from my stash, and tried to kit as much as I could up! And yup, it took a day and a half ... obviously, some of the fabric that the charts called for I had, and some I didn't, so often it was judgement calls - and have you noticed how inaccurate the cover photos on charts can be when it comes to fabric colour? I used to specify a lot of print in previous roles, and would never have accepted some of the repro I've seen... Anyway, I have nearly *blushes* 150 projects ready to go with fabby, and I've divided them up into little groups of 8 or 10, and my goal is to work my way through a bag in six months... the upside of this is that I've really looked at my stash, and some charts on my pile I just didn't feel like giving up my precious hoard of fabric to use, so they will probably get passed on.

As a result of this exercise, I have a new start - one of the many Drawn Thread charts in my stash, none of which I have stitched. It's called My Favorite Things, and can be seen here.

I'm not actually stitching it on the specified fabric, but the floss toss worked for me, and I'm enjoying it so far. It's a little more challenging that a lot of the things I've been working on lately, but that's a good thing - and the instructions are incredibly clear.


The picture is a little dark, but it shows my progress after one evening - I've nearly completed four sections, just the backstich tree trunks to do but I can't find my floss in that colour. There's something like 32 sections in total LOL so there's a way to go yet. I have a craft shop within five minutes walk of the apartment, so the lack of floss will shortly be rectified :o) Unfortunately, the shop has become less of a needlework shop in the time I've lived here, and more a papercraft shop, but that seems to be a general trend. At least I'm okay if I run out of DMC :o)