It's Cold Again!

I don't see how I lived in the north for all those years because I am freezing here in 50 degree temps.  Either it has to do with blood thinning or just old age.  I'm voting on the second one.  To all of you who are still suffering under this last cold spell.....stay warm.

I have a finish to share.  I started this last weekend and I really got it finished fast....at least for me.  It's a BBD design and it really doesn't have a name.  The title just says "Necessity Box and Strawberry".....but I didn't make the strawberry and I finished it into a pillow.  I have to laugh at the names of the fabric and threads I chose...Gingerbread 28ct. and it's stitched with Crescent Colors Cherry Cobbler.  Sounds yummy doesn't it?

I've had that cotton print fabric for years and finally got to use it to make the pillow.  My motto:  Never throw anything away because you never know when you might need it.  This has gotten me into trouble several times with trying to find room in my sewing room for storage.

My next project is another BBD design called "Hats off to Uncle Sam".   I love how they have it finished and I'm not sure if I want to attempt it or not.  I'll wait and see and make up my mind later.

I'm stitching it on the called for fabric but am using different threads that I have on hand.  

Thank you all for stopping by to see what I've been up to.  Have a fantastic week and again, stay warm.

Blessings, Barbara

A finish and a tool laid to rest

The other day I showed you the new Gloriana silks I had picked up.  Well this is the little sampler I decided to stitch with them.  This is a freebie pattern and thank you to Mouse who found the designer for me. It's Marly at Samplers and Santas and the chart can be found here......http://samplers-and-santas.blogspot.com/search/label/freebie.  While you're there, take the time to check out the rest of her blog....it's wonderful.

Today in Japan is Broken Needle Day where women take their broken and well loved needles to shrines for them to be laid to rest.  They place them in tofu so that they have a soft resting place but since I don't have any tofu, I'm using a soft piece of wool felt.  The needle you see is a gold #26 and it has seen better days.  I've used it for the entire stitching of Fallen Roses so it deserves a rest.  I will use one of it's sisters to finish the design.  I think this is a wonderful tradition so that we don't take our everyday necessities for granted.  We are lucky to live in a time where needles are plentiful and this day is just a little way of celebrating their existence. 

Now for my next project.  It is by Brenda Gervais and it's called Be My Valentine.  I have purchased the heart shaped box for the finishing and I think this is going to be alot of fun....stitching and finishing.  This will be my Valentine to Me.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Baby it's cold outside.......

 or so I've been told by my friends in the north.  You probably recognize this as a Cricket design and you'd be right.  I stitched it on 18ct. flax linen using DMC floss and the finishing I saw on a French website and I instantly fell in love with how they did this. 

I have another one of these planned but I'm still looking for the perfect cross stitch design in browns and reds.  If you like this one, you can find it in my store.

I'm starting a commissioned piece that should take me a few days and I'll be sure to post pics when I'm finished with it.  Until then, stay warm.

As always, Barbara

A Little Scissor Bed

As soon as I saw this sweet little poem on The Sampler Girl's blog, I knew what I wanted to do with it. I stitched it on 20ct. Valerie using Sulki varigated thread in greens. I made the bed with a cute pillow (even a pillow case) and set it off with some lace and bows. The poem reads "This dear bed keeps my scissors safe. I promise to stitch both night and daye...here my scissors sleep while I playe. Good Night".
You can find this for sale in my store if you are interested.
As always, Barbara

Red Quaker Pillow

This was a fun stitch from Samplers and Such and it turned out great using HDF silks. I used the color Old Maid of the Heart and it is just lucious. I stitched in on 30ct. hand dyed linen from Weeks Dye Works and it's very close to a natural linen in color. The under pillow is a red cotton and the bows are gold satin. You can find this sweet little pillow in my store if you are interested.

As always, Barbara

I'm Stitching Cool Thoughts

Here it is the first day of summer and I'm stitching fall designs. Maybe it's because of the heat down here this past week, but you'd think I'd be use to it by now. I think I'll go with that it has to be fall somewhere in this world and they are celebrating the changing leaves and enjoying that nice crisp air that everyone associates with fall. Whatever the reason, this La D Da design was a hoot to stitch. I stitched it on the recommended fabric "havana" with an HDF silk called Begrimed. I couldn't believe when I found all these coordinating fabrics right in my own sewing room and really didn't have to buy any. I love it when a plan comes together!!! LOL

As always, Barbara

A Gift for a Friend

One of my friends needed a gift for a co-worker and asked me to make one of my pillows for her. I was told she loved daisys so this is what I came up with. The design I stitched on pale blue 32ct. Belfast with AVAS silks. I used the words "bloom where you're planted" to make it a little more personal and I even found a pewter daisy charm. It's lined with a cotton print of a darker blue with little white daisy's on it and the ties at each end are white ribbon. I love doing these pillows because the work up really fast depending on the cross stitch design you use.

As always, Barbara

Needle And Thread, Needle And Thread

I'm sure everyone recognizes this as the newest design by Little House Needleworks from this years market. It was definitely a fun stitch and the assembly was easy as pie. The entire poem on the pillow goes like this:

Needle and Thread

Needle and Thread

When starlight fades

I lay them to bed.

As always, Barbara

Ooooo La La Paree'

This was a freebie pattern I found on the net and with me loving anything french, I knew I had to stitch it. I tea dyed the cotton lace around the pillow and the stitching was done with Dinky Dyes called Taylor's Sweet Pea. Isn't that the prettiest name?

Just a quick reminder to enter my contest below if you haven't already. Deadline is this friday.

As always, Barbara

My Easter Giveaway

I've decided to have my first giveaway being an Easter design. This sweet little "wabbit" is from Sheepish Designs. He is stitched on a 28ct. peach/pink linen using overdyed cotton floss. The approx. size is 3 x 7 inches. He would be sweet as an ornament or maybe placed in a basket.
Please leave your name and email address and I will have DH pick a name on March 13th. Good luck!