‘Flowers for You’ - Blackbird Designs

 I’m so pleased that I decided to stitch this Blackbird design to commemorate what would have been my mum’s 99^th birthday on the 27^th May, because it turned out so pretty.

I love the subtle colours and the flowers reminded me of her favourite Sweet Peas, although I do realise they are not actually Sweet Peas.

I didn’t uses any of the called for threads on this occasion, because I need to try and use up some of my ever growing thread stash, but I did try to keep to a similar pallet.   The threads I used are listed below.

You will see that I added mums initials and her birthdate along the bottom.

 Next job, finish it as I little pillow!

Happy Heavenly Birthday Mum 💖 

I'm also extremely excited because I received a very special box all the way Canada over the weekend.  

Can you guess what's in it?

It's the 'Quintessential Frisian Smalls' Sal from Modern Folk Embroidery, with Evertote, and Roxy Floss Co.

We've all seen this beautiful chart, I'm sure, but I'm not going to show your everything else that was in the box because I don't want to spoil the surprise for those that may not have received theirs yet.  What I will say though is that you're not going to be disappointed!

How on earth am I going to be restrained enough to wait until August 1st to start stitching this gorgeousness?

Happy Stitching!

Sue

 x

Flowers for You

Designer – Blackbird Designs

Fabric – 36ct ‘Antique Sampler Collection’ – Nicholas Flamel (Etsy)

Threads –Own Conversion

Weeks Dye Works (Bright Leaf, Jay Bird, Oscar, Sandcastle & Tarragon,) Roxy Floss Co – from Advents 2022 – 24 (Birthstone, Chantilly Cool to Yule & Royalty Free

 

‘Bee Contained’ Etui by Betsy Morgan

When I started this project back in August 2023,  it was on the back of finishing the 'Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet' , from the first ‘Willing Hands’ book.

There were so many beautiful Etui and Sewing Box projects in there, and I wanted to stitch them all.

Then I saw somewhere on line, a photo of the ‘Bee Contained Etui', in the Willing Hands Book 2, and knew I had to stitch it too!

I can really recommend these two books if you are looking to stitch a sewing box because there are so many beautiful designs in them.

I collected all the materials together and started stitching, but what I hadn’t realised at the time was that the designer, Betsy Morgan was inspired to design it by my wonderful and very talented ‘on-line’ friend Stasi Buhrman, who is a long time friend of hers.    

Stasi is better known in our community on Instagram as  #stasibee  and she has a blog, Bee-mused and Bee-stitching.

I stitched the larger piece for the box itself first

and put it away for a while, but then in February this year I decided that I needed to get it finished and quickly finished all of the remaining pieces.

After that, it was put away again because I was worried about the detailed finishing that was needed, but this past weekend, I took the bull by the horns, so to speak.

The Etui consists of a six sided box, topped with two sweet Bee charms.

A Needle case

A Scissor Fob

A Thread Winder

Two Measures, one in centimetres and the other in inches

And last be not least is the cutest little Pin Cushion, in the shape of a tiny Bee Hive.

All that remains to do, is to acquire a couple of 'Bee' counting pins and I'll be extremely happy!

I already have another Sewing Box in progress but it’s not from either of the books. 

This one is from Jeanette Douglass, so I’m going to start working on this one again!

 

Happy Crafting!

Sue

x

 

Chart – Bee Contained – from Willing Hands 2

Designer – Betsy Morgan

Fabric – 32ct Linen – Lemon Squash – Nicholas Flamel Designs (Etsy)

Threads – Gloriana Florimell Silks

 

 

 

My Sewing Box

Started 29/2/2024

Designer -  Jeanette Douglas

Fabric – 32ct Murano Linen

Threads – Called for Classic Colouworks Belle Soie, NPI Silk, Gloriana Silk & Rainbow Gallery Splendor

Beads – Mill Hill

 

All Year Round Stitch-a-Long – June & July

 Can you believe that we are already halfway through the month and almost half way through the year too.

I’ve been on a roll with the ‘All Year Round’ sal, thanks to the fact that the magazine  ‘Cross Stitcher’, which hosts the sal each month, publishes it a month in advance.

So not only did I have the chart for June but also for July, so instead of just stitching the right segment during the appropriate month (ie June during June) I decided to go on and stitch July as well.

The June  potion features solitary flower heads of Centarea Cyanus, better known as Cornflowers.

Don’t you just love that cute little bee!

The section for July really indicates that summer is in full bloom, adding a big pop of yellow with the pretty Roses.

You can almost smell their fragrance!

Now I have just one segment left to stitch for August and the sal with be finished and I wonder what flower we will get?

I’m thinking Sun Flowers, what do you think?

Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

 

Project Details

All Year Round Sal – from Cross Stitcher Magazine

Designer – Amanda Butler

Fabric – 18ct Aida – White Zweigart

Threads – Anchor and DMC’s

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Twilight Moon – Tiny Modernist

 I know last week I said that I might stitch on my Chatelaine over the weekend, but that didn’t happen because I got carried away, working on my Cross Stitch Camp project and couldn’t put it down. 

In fact, I finished it!

Then came the pondering……..how was I going to fully finish it?

I considered just putting it in a frame but quickly dismissed that thought because I wanted to do something a little more challenging.

 The next thing that came to mind was to make it into a needle book,  but again I decided against that too, in favour on doing a mattress finish.

I had lots of unused thread left, so came up with a design for the sides, using motifs from the main chart.

Then it was just case if joining the sides and base and stuffing it well.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

X

Project Details

Twilight Moon

Designer – Tiny Modernist

Fabric – 32ct Twilight Blur  Linen - Wichelt

Threads – ThreadWorx – 1049, 1115 & 1129      Anchor  178

                            

Noel – Christmas Blue Ornaments – Joan Elloitt

Once again it’s time to stitch another of my 12 in 25 Christmas ornaments and this is No.6 for June, which means we are half way through the Sal.

I’m still working my way through the 9 charts of Joan Elliott’s 'Christmas Blue Ornaments' and this one is ‘Noel’.

Once it was finished I decided to go right on and FFO it

and at the same time I FFO’d the previous two months ornaments as well.  It seems quicker somehow to do two or three at the same time, especially when they are all being finished in the same way.

The next thing I stitched on was my Cross Stitch Camp piece, ‘Twilight Moon’ from Tiny Modernist which I'm about half way through.

That’s about it for now. 

I’ve not really given much thought as what I’m going to stitch on over the weekend, although I’ve not touched my Chatelaine for several weeks, so maybe I’ll put some stitches into that, who knows!

Whatever you’re plans are this weekend………..

 Happy  Stitching!

Sue

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 Project Details

Chart – Blue Christmas Ornaments

Designer – Joan Elliott

Fabric -  32ct Antique White Evenweave

Threads – DMC

 Project Details

Chart - Twilight Moon

Designer -  Tiny Modernist

Fabric - 32ct Twilight Blue - Wichelt.

Floss  - Called for ThreadWorx and Anchor.

 

Cross Stitch Camp 2025

Summer is finally here, and that can only mean one thing in the stitching world..............Cross Stitch Camp!

For those not in the know, although I can’t believe that anyone one that stitches wouldn’t have heard about it over the last few years, Cross Stitch Camp  is a virtual gathering, where we take part in three monthly challenges, set for us by Sherri, the Colorado Cross Stitcher.

Ahead of camp starting, Sherri always designs a camp badge for us to stitch and attach to out project bag.

I stitched mine on a piece of mystery 36ct linen and changed the called for threads to Roxy Floss Co, Whistler & Coniferous and Weeks Dye Works Curry & Deep Sea.

So what is the first challenge?

Sherri asked us if we were a night or day stitcher and for June, to pick a chart that includes a motif to represent day or night.

Being retired, I have the luxury of being able to pick up my stitching at any time of day, but I suppose I get most done in the evenings.

I have gone with Tiny Modernist’s ‘Twilight Moon’,

and I’m going to be stitching on the called for 32ct Twilight Blue linen from Wichelt. 

I did find it a little difficult finding all four of the ThreadWorx  threads, so I have three and am using the suggested Anchor thread for the fourth.

 I can’t wait to start stitching, so I’ll see you by the camp fire!

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

X

 

Project Details

Twilight Moon

Designer – Tiny Modernist

Fabric – 32ct Twilight Blur  Linen - Wichelt

Threads – ThreadWorx – 1049, 1115 & 1129      Anchor  178

Well, where did the month of May go!

 I don’t know if it’s only me, but this year seems to be flying by faster than ever, with the first day of meteorological summer being tomorrow.

For the first time in a long time I had days for one reason or another, when I didn’t pick up my stitching at all, which is really unusual for me, but I’m more than happy with what I did achieve during the month. 

I did manage to slip one last new start in for the month and that was ‘Flowers for You’ by Blackbird Designs.

When I first saw this chart, I immediately thought of my mum. 

Sweet Peas were her favourite flowers and although I know these aren’t actually Sweet Peas, they really reminded me of them.

It would have been her 99^th birthday on the 27^th, so this pretty chart seemed the perfect new start.

I’m stitching this on 36ct ‘Antique Sampler Collection’ linen from Nicholas Flamel (Etsy) using my own thread conversion.

So, how did my month pan out?

Well, apart from the 6 days I didn't touch any of my projects at all, I stitched for a total of 19 days and spent a further 6 days on Fully Finishing and here's the breakdown......

I had 4  new starts, 4 finishes and just 1 fully finish, but that's misleading because it was a book that consisted on 14 charts that needed to be constructed, which is why it took me 6 days to complete.

On to summer stitching and projects I'll be working on for the next seven months, including lots of new starts.

 June, July and August I’ll be participating in virtual ‘Cross Stitch Camp and then there five new starts for the Sal collaboration with Modern Folk Embroidery, Roxy Floss Co and Evertote , which will run August to January, with a break in December,  to make time for the Evertote Advent, which I am also taking part in again this year.

So that’s at least nine new starts to come, and I’m sure there will be more thrown in there somewhere too!

OK, I’m off to enjoy the beautiful weather we are having at the moment and sit and stitch on my patio.

Enjoy your weekend and ……….

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

 x

Flowers for You

Designer – Blackbird Designs

Fabric – 36ct ‘Antique Sampler Collection’ – Nicholas Flamel (Etsy)

Threads –Own Conversion

Weeks Dye Works ( Bright Leaf, Jay Bird, Oscar, Sandcastle & Tarragon,) Roxy Floss Co – from Advents 2022 – 24 (Birthstone, Chantilly Cool to Yule & Royalty Free