Log Cabin Quilt – Log Cabin Christmas - Little House Needle Works

I’m finding it hard to believe that we are almost ¼ of the way through the year already, with tomorrow being the 1^st of April and it reminds me of my mum telling me that as you get older the time seems to fly by so much faster. Well she wasn’t wrong because it only seems like five minutes ago we were celebrating the New Year!

So as we look forward to the prospect of ‘April Showers’ we can also enjoy the lighter evenings now the clocks have been put forward and we are into British Summer Time and hopefully some warm and sunny weather and stitching out on the patio, enjoying the garden.

I did manage to get one last new start and finish in this month and that was the centre square of Log Cabin Christmas, and that was Log Cabin Quilt.

This one took a little longer than the rest to stitch because to all intense and purposes it is full coverage.

So now I’m passed the half way mark and just have four more charts to stitch to finish the whole thing.

There is also one final wip that I put some stitches into, ‘Sing for Joy’ from Cottage Garden Samplings.

I finished filling in the little house, put some more stitches into the big flower above it and you may remember the last time I shared it, I was saying that I had picked out a slub in the fabric. I had to fudge my way around the leaf that the house sits on, making it fatter, because picking the slub out left white threads showing.  Well, I finished off filling it in and although I can still see where the pulled thread was, I don’t think you would notice if you didn’t know what had happened.

Now for a little re-cap of my stitching for the month of March, because it’s always fun to see written down in one place what I actually achieved.

To start with, I managed to get some stitches in every day during the month.

5 new starts

8 finishes

3 Fully Finishes – two of which were old pieces that I framed.

And I worked on 3 other wips.      

Plans for April………..well, I don’t really have any but I fancy having a new start or two, aside from the sal segments, Christmas ornament and squares for Log Cabin Christmas, so I’m going to have a sort through my charts and see what I have kitted and ready to go.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

 

Project Information

 

Chart- Log Cabin Christmas – Part 5- Log Cabin Quilt

Designer – Little House Needleworks

Fabric – 32ct Zweigart Linen – Raw

Threads – Called for Classic Colorworks

 

Chart – Sing For Joy

Designer – Cottage Garden Samplings

Fabric -  36ct Linen – Nicolas Flamel Designs ( Putty)

Threads – Weeks Dye Works

A Gathering of Quaker Samplers – Pages 9 & 10

 It would seem that I miscounted when I said that I only had two more pages (four motifs) left to stitch for my little book of Quaker samplers, because I realised there was one that I thought I had stitched, but hadn’t.

Never mind, I’ve now stitched pages 9 and 10 and this time really do have only two more to go.

Before I can start the construction of the book, I have to work hem stitch around each of the pages, which I think is going to take some time, so I'm thinking I should make a start on them now, before finishing the other pages.

 Perhaps I’ll pace myself and may be just do an hour each evening so I don’t get too bogged down with it……..that seems like a plan!

In the mean time……

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

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My Quaker Sampler Book Kit

Designer – The Cross Stitch Guild. /Ackworth Collection

Fabric – 32ct Belfast Linen – Raw

Threads – 6 stranded cotton

Silk Lining fabric

You’ve Been Framed!

And about time too, when it comes to ‘Faith’ from Cottage Garden Samplings.

This is my 8th finished piece from the series ‘The Song Bird’s Garden’ and I stitched it back in June 2021.

Since then it’s sat in the box of doom waiting for me to order the frame for it.

As usual, when I’m framing something myself, I ordered the frame from Picture Frames Express and while I was at it I ordered a second one for another finished project and then spent an afternoon FFO’ing them.

So here’s ‘Faith’

And this is ‘Santa’s House’, another piece from Cottage Garden Samplings.  

I’m not sure if I went a little OTT with this frame, but I really love the moulding and went for it.  

What do you think?

Also during the last week I managed to put some stitches into ‘Mary Allcorn 1764, the reproduction sampler.

I managed to finish the alphabet and number band

and the two bands of Algerian Eyelets, which I really loved working on.

and made a start on the flower vases on the next band.

 Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Mary Allcorn 1764

Designer – Hobby House Press

Fabric – 36ct

Threads –Gloriana Silks and Classic Color Works Belle Soie Silks

Christmas Blue Ornaments - Joan Elliott

Here's my 'March' ornament for the 12 in 25 sal that is hosted by Carol over at Stitching Dreams Blogspot every year.

My plan is to stitch all nine in the series using the same thread conversion, and finish then all in the same way.

Happy  Stitching!

Sue

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 Project Details

Chart – Christmas Blue Ornaments

Designer – Joan Elliott

Fabric -  32ct Antique White Evenweave

Threads – DMC conversion -  3852, 3854, 19, 3855, 3823 and light gold metallic. 

‘Bee Contained’ Etui by Betsy Morgan

At last my extra skeins of thread have arrived from across the pond , so I knuckled down and finished all the stitching related to my ‘Bee Contained’ Etui.

These are the components that will make up the box.

The pretty hexagon shaped box is edged top and bottom (although it looks like the sides on the stitched piece) with a honeycomb

pattern and the panels that make up the sides are decorated with 1

over one bees, bee hives and crowns, as well as over 2 bees, some blackwork lace, the year and my initials.

Then we go on to the goodies that go inside the box.

 First up is the needle case

Scissor Fob

Ruler

Thread Winder

And finally, the tiny pin cushion

and of all the pieces, this was the piece that gave me the most problems.

I’ve never stitched long arm cross stitch before,  and although we did look at it while taking part in the Academy of Needlework  last year, with Nicola Parkman, I had so much trouble stitching it and just couldn’t  get it right.

If I frogged it once, I frogged it at least half a dozen times, so in the end I found a tutorial that Jean Ferrish had done on her floss tube. . 

If I didn’t already have completely grey hair, I’m sure I would have had a few more by the time I mastered the stitch, Lol! 

But in the end it was so worth the effort, because I love the texture it gives,

Next comes the finishing, which I hope to make a start on next week.  I have the feeling it's going to take some time  but I already have everything gathered that I need, except for the beehive charm that goes inside the lid which I’ve been unable to find so far, but I can always add that at a later date. 

Happy Crafting!

Sue

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Chart – Bee Contained – from Willing Hands 2

Designer – Betsy Morgan

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

Threads – Gloriana Florimell Silks

 

All Year Round Stitch-a-Long – September & March

This week I continued to stitch on my ' All Year Round' sal and stitched the September  segment, which is where the sal originally started (I didn't start mine until January, hence me playing catch-up) and the March segment, which sort of brings me up to date. I say sort of because the next issue of ‘Cross Stitcher’ magazine is already out, with the April chart.

So first is the September segment, which is beautiful Poppies 

and nestled between them is a cute little field mouse.

It's these extra special little details that add to my enjoyment  stitching this design, and the March segment is no different.

This part has lovely sunny Golden Daffodils to welcome the spring. 

The Peacock Butterfly is a great addition because they usually hibernate over the winter and emerge from their chrysalis  from early March.

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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I Can Hear Humming………………

And it’s not coming from the bees!

It’s my Hummingbird Lace Chatelaine and I’ve been working on it over the weekend while joining in with the Chatelaine Weekender Sal, which runs every weekend, Friday to Sunday. 

I find a great way to put some stitches into it, without feeling overwhelmed by the size and intricacy of the project and it was what helped me get to the finish of Butterfly Lace last year.

I only picked this one up on one evening during February and this is where I had got to.

And after three evenings of stitching, I finished the four sides to the centre square and started to work on the first of the flowers.

I’m still not sure if I’m going to bead as I go with this one.  I left it until the end on Butterfly Lace but it was daunting being faced with more the 4000 beads and crystals to attach, all on one go.

I believe this one has even more but I’m worried that my silks will catch on them if I do them as I go. 

The members from Chatelaine group on Facebook were very helpful, giving their experience when asked, but having read all the comments, I still can’t make up my mind, Lol!

I guess what I will have to do is may be bead the centre square and see how it goes.

 

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Hummingbird Lace Mandala - Chatelaine

Designer - Martina Rosenberg
Fabric – 28ct Jobelan Evenweave – Antique White
Threads – Called for Silks, DMC and Petite Treasure Braid
Beads – Swarovski Crystals and Delica Beads