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.

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!

Fall Into Autumn

This called out to me to be stitched when I was rummaging through my thread stash for autumny colours, so I sat and stitched it up - it worked up pretty quickly, and I just used some of my Anchor collection to do so.

The button came in a pack from my LNS - although she is mainly doing scrapbooking at the moment, until the wheel of fashion turns. It is so nice having all the basic DMC colours five minutes walk away, because isn't it always the way that the colour you run out of is the one you don't have a duplicate of? LOL
Design Details

Fabric: 14 count aida, cream
Threads: Anchor stranded cotton
Designer: Erica Michaels for Rainbow Gallery
Chart Details: Fall Into Autumn - The Rainbow Gallery (c) 2003
Stitch Count: 55H x 58V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Back Stitch
Threads Used: Anchor 326, 671, 1305, 268, 341, 78, 890, one unknown, . Cross stitch in two strands.
Embellishments: Leaf Button
Modifications Made: Own choice of threads.

September Sampler Accent - Periwinkle Promises

I have most of the months of the year in this series, and each one has the same pleasures - and pitfalls.

Firstly - the pleasures. The instructions are excellent, very comprehensive and new stitches are clearly diagrammed. There's plenty of thread included in the kit. The jury is still out on whether stitching with silk is any better than plain old cotton - I don't really think so, but it is nice to work with for a change. Once the outer borders are done, the project grows rapidly, especially if - like me - you substitute regular cross stitch in for the Smyrna stitches!

The pitfalls - the amount of fabric is so measly that I can't put it in a hoop big enough to work the whole border on at once. Another 1.5" all round would solve that!

There's a lot of bands of double back stitch in these little pieces, which is fine although a little monotonous at times, but the dividing bands do grow so much quicker than that border. I hate the borders on these things - I do it first to anchor the design, but it is the thing that puts me off doing more than one in a row!

This will be made into a pillow for my smalls basket.

Design Details

Fabric: 29 count Glenshee linen, natural
Threads: Soie d'Alger silk
Designer: Barbara L Rakosnik, Periwinkle Promises
Kit Details: September Sampler Accent - Periwinkle Promises (c) 1998
Stitch Count: 47H x 59V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Running Stitch, Double Back Stitch, Back Stitch, Mosaic Stitch, Smyrna Stitch, Straighht Stitch,
Threads Used: Soie D'Alger in 4144, 4624, 4623, 4622, F13, 1835, 1846. Cross stitch in one strands.
Embellishments: Cream Mill Hill beads
Modifications Made: None. Many smyrna stitches subsitituted by cross stitches

Goals for Christmas!

Now it's the first day of November, I feel I can concentrate on Christmas! I've done a long list - almost as long as Santa's, I'm sure - although looking at it, there's not mountains of actual stitching to be done, as most projects are going to be quite small - it's the finishing that's going to take time, as I've a stack of ornaments from previous years stitch a longs to make up!

Stitching

Ornament for Parents - Checking His List by Dragon Dreams
Ornament for Niece
Ornament for Sister
Ornament for Simone's Exchange
Ornament for Crazy Exchange Exchange
Christmas Bells - Janlynn - this will be a Christmas card for my parents.
Ho Ho Ho Scissor Case - Lizzie*Kate - something just for me!

(there is no ornament for partner, as he loathes Christmas, and only tolerates it for my sake!)

Finishing
Christmas Ornament - Brightneedle
Christmas Rose - Elizabeth's Designs
Dear Santa, I Can Explain - Lizzie Kate
Ho Ho Ho - Lizzie Kate
Jingle Bell Time - SanMan Originals
Joy Ornament - Just Nan
Joy To The World - Lizzie Kate
Jungle Room Plaque - Dimensions/Sunset - my niece's Christmas present
Merry Little Christmas - Bent Creek
Noel
Peace - The Victoria Sampler
Peace Joy Love - Lizzie*Kate
Ready or Not - Lizzie Kate
Snow - Gail Bussi
Snowman Ornament - Bent Creek
Star Santa Ornament
Winter Peace - Sisters and Best Friends

UFO
Advent Wallhanging - Needlecraft
Christmas Sampler - Leisure Arts
December Sampler Accent - Periwinkle Promises
Hearts of Joy No. 2 - Charland Designs
O Christmas Tree - Prairie Schooler

Goals Review - October

Finishing - If The Broom Fits - Lizzie*Kate - not done - and I'm not sure why, as I have the goggle eyes, I have the felt ... this has to go to the top of the list after Christmas!

Finishing - Pig Fridge Magnet Freebie Kit - done

Finishing - July Needleroll - The Victoria Sampler - not done - and again, I'm not sure why!

Finishing - Groundhog Day - Bent Creek - done

Stitching - Acorn Scissor Case - Lizzie*Kate - done

Stitching - October Sampler Accent - Periwinkle Promises - not done. Having finished the September one, I didn't really fancy doing another.

Stitching - Pot Pourri Sachets - DMC - done

Stitching - September Sampler Accent - Periwinkle Promises - done

UFO - Bee Treat - The Trilogy - done

UFO - Country Mice - Needlecraft Magazine - not done - I couldn't find the chart!

UFO - Moonshadow Sampler - Shepherd's Bush - not done - I'm finding the fabric difficuly to stitch on, as warp and weft are different colours.

UFO - Pumpkin Flower Sampler - Bent Creek - done

UFO - Schoolhouse Needleroll - Shepherd's Bush - done

WIP to finish - Pastoral Sampler - Helen Philipps - not done - I'd to frog a lot!

WIP to finish - Sampler Bookmark - Needlecraft Magic - done

WIP to finish - Strawberry - Needleworks by Sue Hawkins - not done - there's a specialty stitch block that's causing me problems, so it's going away for a bit so I can return refreshed!

WIP to finish - Potted Flowers - The Bold Sheep - done

However, these are the things done that weren't on the original goals list!

Finishing - Sampler Bookmark - Needlework Magic - made up into a laminated bookmark

Finishing - Two Hardanger Squares - Mary Hickmott - made up (using The Drawn Thread's method) into scissor fobs

Finishing - Winter Fobs Needleroll - Heart In Hand - finished as (surprise surprise!) a needleroll

Finishing - Schoolhouse Needleroll - Shepherd's Bush - finished as (yes, you guessed!) a needleroll

Finishing - Peace Needleroll - Jeannette Douglas Designs - finished as (who'd have thought) a needleroll, although quite a small one.

Finishing - When This You See - Cathy Bussi - just for a change, I made a mini pillow/pin cushion

Finishing - Merry Mooseness - Something in Common - I made this into a Christmas ornament for my brother in law. He likes mooses!

Finishing - EduCATed - Bent Creek - another mini pillow!

Finishing - Tartan Thistles - Textile Heritage - although the kit calls for this to be made into a needlebook, I made this into a pin cushion instead!

Finishing - Robin on Egg - Bent Creek - I finished this as a mini pillow for my smalls basket.

Finishing - Groundhog Day - Bent Creek - I made this into another mini pillow for my smalls basket

Finishing - Fall Freebie - Trail Creek Farm - I turned this into a fridge magnet.

Finishing - Pig Fridge Magnet Freebie - and I made this one into a fridge magnet too!

UFO - The White Cat - Bent Creek - this only needed a few buttons on, and I finally had some I liked for this

UFO - Lamb - Shepherd's Bush - this again just needed buttons, and as I didn't want to spend the large sum needed for the recommended ones, it's been a matter of waiting until I found some suitable ones!

Miscellaneous - Buzz - Bent Creek - this has been finished for years, but the buttons I originally chose were too large, so I replaced them with some from my new haul.

UFO - Bee Treat - The Trilogy - I needed some small bee charms, and found some in a chart pack that I don't actually want to stitch. So they got re-assigned, and this piece is now finished - and framed!

Stitching - Fall Into Autumn - Rainbow Gallery - my only "new start" for October that I hadn't planned, so I'm feeling quite proud of my restraint!

UFO - Winter Needleroll - Heart in Hand - again, just a button job

Stitching - Fall Freebie - Trail Creek Farm - stitched for an exchange on the Bookcrossing UK Yahoo group.

UFO - Plum Berry Sampler - Bent Creek - yet another button job!

UFO - Pumpkin Flower Sampler - Bent Creek - this was only half finished when I picked it up again, so I stitched the pumpkin and vine, and added the buttons.

UFO - Schoolhouse Needleroll - Shepherd's Bush - this needed beading.

Pay It Forward

As inspired by Carol at Garden of Stitches, I am running a round of Pay It Forward gifting!

The first three people to leave me a comment asking to sign up will receive a hand-made gift from me, sometime in the upcoming year. In return, you will need to post to your blog that you will make gifts for three other people. Sound good? Sign up! :o) Don't forget to leave me a link to your own blog so I can the kind of things you like!

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.

Winter Needleroll - Heart in Hand

It's not quite winter yet, but I thought I would get these cheerful chappies ready anyway! I do like needlerolls as a way of finishing smalls, I did this one very simply with a standard "dressmaking" hem.

Design Details

Fabric: 28 count linen, natural
Threads: DMC stranded cotton
Designer: Cecilia Turner (Heart in Hand)
Chart Details: Winter Fobs - Heart in Hand
Stitch Count: 44H x 62V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Back Stitch, Rhodes Stitch, Oblong Smyrna Stitch, Closed Herringbone Stitch
Threads Used: DMC 712, 355, 680, 3740, 926, 729, 922, 844, 612, 3778, 927, 3362. Cross stitch in two strands.
Embellishments: Two star shaped buttons.
Modifications Made: Own choice of buttons. DMC conversion used.