patgeary

Loose Feathers Mystery Sampler by Blackbird Designs

September 25, 2014 By patgeary

Updated October 1, 2014

Earlier this year I discovered a new designer, two actually – Barb Adams and Alma Allen who are Blackbird Designs. I kept seeing pictures of Loose Feathers – Summer, Autumn, and Winter which was a sampler in three parts released by this team. I just had to stitch it and did. It now hangs framed in my bedroom. Thus began an addiction to some of their designs, many which are now out of print.

As I looked for other projects of theirs to stitch, I saw a picture of the finished sampler shown below:

The photo is courtesy of Vaida Balaseviciute

The Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler is comprised of bonus charts that were included in the Loose Feathers charts 31 – 34, in 2008 and 2009. It can be stitched in parts on separate pieces and colors of linen and then sewn together OR as one piece. I plan on stitching it all as one piece on 28ct Antique White Monaco.

Charts

Blessings and Kind Wishes, Loose Feathers #31 with Bonus #1 (75w x 120h) & #2 (60w x 120h)
Beyond My Heart Loose Feathers #32 with Bonus #3 (79wx 120h)
Keepsake Box & Pinkeep Loose Feathers #33 with Bonus 4 (60w x 120h)
Two Hearts, Loose Feathers #34 With Bonus #5 (75w x 120h)

Fibers

GAST Mulberry (DMC 3857) – 2 skeins
GAST Gingersnap (DMC 400) – 2 skeins
GAST Flax (DMC 612 & 613) – 2 skeins
GAST Peacock (DMC 3768) – 2 skeins
GAST Shaker White (DMC 822) – 1 skein
WDW Basil (DMC 3041 & 3051) – 1 skein
GAST Roasted Marshmallow (DMC 3865)
WDW Charcoal (DMC 844) – 2 skeins,
WDW Moss (DMC 469) – 3 skeins
WDW Olive (DMC 732) 2 skeins
CC Caterpillar – (DMC 801 & 3371)
NOTE: You may choose to stitch the flowers that are Shaker White in Flax as suggested by another stitcher. Where more than 1 skein is listed, it comes from someone who had already stitched this.

Fabric

Overall measurement for Mystery Sampler is (stitch count 349 x 120h)

30ct 23 ¼ x 8 plus 4” all around – cut fabric 32 x 16 ½
28ct 24 7/8 x 8 ⅝ plus 4” all around – cut fabric 33½ x 17

Mystery Sampler Progress Jan 1 2015

http://dragonxser.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/blackbird-designs-mystery-sampler-finish/

http://blackbirddesigns-stitchers.blogspot.com/2010/08/mystery-sampler.html

Started stitching January 1, 2015
Finished stitching Part 1 January 5, 2014

Part 1 Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler

Progress January 13, 2014 Parts 1 & 2 finished

Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler Parts 1 & 2

Progress February 14, 2015 – Parts 1, 2, and 3 finished.

Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler Parts 1, 2, 1nd 3 finished

Progress March 17, 2015

Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler.

Completed stitching May23, 2015

Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler in 5 parts.

And here is what it will look like framed. Still have to pin and stretch the piece and get the glass. While the mat looks blue in the picture, it is a deep mottled green.

Loose Feathers Mystery Sampler framed

Sunflower House by Blackbird Designs

September 11, 2014 By patgeary

After stitching Loose Feathers – Summer, Autumn, and Winter I decided I had to stitch more of the projects by Barb Adams and Alma Allen who are Blackbird Designs. Most of the ones I really liked were Out of Print so I went looking to see what I could find. The prices on EBay are RIDICULOUS, at least for the buyer. I found some of them for what to me was a reasonable price (no more than $20.) I chose Sunflower House to stitch first and ordered some fabric and the required floss. I am stitching this one on 28ct Blue Monaco that I bought from a fellow stitcher using the called for Gentle Arts Sampler Threads – Mulberry, Butternut Squash, Sarsaparilla, Grecian Gold, Brandy (2), Deep Sea, and Burnt Orange.

Blackbird Designs Sunflower House.

Forgot to note when I started stitching but believe it was Monday, September 8, 2014.

Sunflower House floss and fabric.

Progress September 26, 2014

Progress October 7, 2014

Blackbird Designs Sunflower House.

Finished October 27, 2014

And finally, here it is June 2022 and this one is finally fully finished and ready to hang on the wall.

Dare to Fly

August 23, 2014 By patgeary

Dare to Fly is another project by Silver Creek Samplers. I’m stitching it on Summer Sky Aida using the recommended floss – Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Art Sampler threads. Stitch count is 144×71.

I started stitching this on August 15 2014. Below is my progress as of August 23rd.

Progress as of August 29, 2014

Dare to Fly by Silver Creek Samplers as of 8/29-14.

Finished stitching August 31, 2014

UPDATE – June 27, 2022 Now I can enjoy this one finished as a drum. The trim was some really thin Lady Dot chenille trim made into twisted cording.

DMC Merged Colors

August 22, 2014 By patgeary

I subscribe to the Scarlet Quince Newsletter and this was in the edition I just received. I am going to post it here mainly so I can find it again:

In 2005, DMC "merged" some of their color numbers in Europe. Changes in their dye formulas caused by evolving regulations and restrictions on chemicals used in dying meant that 7 pairs of colors had become so close together as to be indistinguishable. For each pair of colors, they discontinued one of the numbers and printed both numbers on the label of the other. Up until now, all 14 separate color numbers have been available in the US, but now the new labeling is going into effect in the US. Here are the colors in question:

Discontinued	Substitute
504	3813
731	732
776	3326
781	782
806	3760
971	740
3773	407

You can read the full article and see an example of the new labeling in the Scarlet Quince Newsletter.

Forever Love – by Silver Creek Samplers

July 6, 2014 By patgeary

I have a new designer of counted cross stitch that I have recently discovered – Silver Creek Samplers. Forever Love is just one of the charts I have purchased recently.

“Love believes bears hopes endures never ends”. Model stitched on 32 Ct. Golden Harvest Lugana with Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Art Sampler threads. Stitch Count: 95×61

Because of my eyes, I decided to use 16 ct Aida to stitch the piece rather than the 32 count recommended so I ordered a piece of 16 Count Bo-Peep Pink Aida and the recommended Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Art Sampler threads. I also have a piece of 16ct Melody hand-dyed Aida from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie which I will use to stitch a 2nd one as a gift. The first one will be for my husband.

As you can see below the fabric is gridded, the floss and chart are ready. Hopefully I can start stitching soon.

Started stitching: July 13, 2014

Progress July 19, 2014

Forever Love by Silver Creek Samplers as of 7-19-2014

Finished Stitching: July 22, 2014

Forever Love finished stitching

Finished and Framed by Jill Rensel Framing. Thank you Jill and Amber.

Forever Loved – Framed by Jill and Amber of Rensel Studio.

Lovebird by Just Another Button Company

May 23, 2014 By patgeary

I recently participated in a Giveaway on the 123Stitch Message Board and the prize was the chart Lovebird by Just Another Button Company. Once I complete stitching it, I will pass it along to the next stitcher.

Since I was placing an order with 123Stitch.com, I decided to go ahead and order the buttons since the giveaway was for the chart only.

The buttons needed to complete the chart are:

1 Black Heart – 3438X – $1.40
1 Large Red & White Checked Heart – 3368L – $2.00
1 Black Ken – 3354 – $1.40
1 Tiny Black Cherry Heart – 3446T – $1.40
1 Rosy Red Heart – 3521 – $1.80

I’ll be using DMC floss rather than the specified Weeks Dye Works floss and 28 ct white Jobelan over 2.

I’ll be taking this to the beach next week to stitch.

Here it is, all kitted up and ready to start stitching. Only two of the buttons arrived. Rest are on backorder.

Lovebirds, chart, fabric, floss, and buttons

Finished stitching! Now to iron it and add the buttons, then decide on framing. Fabric is actually white!

Lovebird by JABC

And here it is finished in a small metal tub with some nesting material.

Sing a Sampler by Silver Creek Samplers

May 23, 2014 By patgeary

I knew as soon as I saw this series of charts by Silver Creek Samplers that it was something I HAD to stitch. Each of the four charts can be stitched individually or horizontally as one long picture.

The four charts are:

Sing a Sampler 1 – Part 1 of a 4 part series. "Do a deer, a female deer." "Re, a drop of golden sun."
Sing a Sampler 2 – Part 2 of a 4 part series. "Mi A name I call myself, Diane. Fa A long long way to run."
Sing a Sampler 3 – Part 3 of a 4 part series. "SO a needle pulling thread, LA a note to follow SO."
Sing a Sampler 4 – Part 4 of a 4 part sampler – "TI a drink with jam and bread, that will bring you back to Do.."

I am going to stitch them horizontally. The finished piece will look like the picture shown below.

Stitched on 16ct Lambswool Aida with with Gentle Art Sampler threads and Weeks Dye Works floss. Will add photos of my progress once I start stitching.

Neighborhood Friends

April 26, 2014 By patgeary

Neighborhood Friends by Little House Needleworks is one of two charts offered as part of a fundraiser for animal care organizations.

Diane Williams of Little House Needleworks and Theresa Venette of Shakespeare’s Peddler wanted to help this country’s homeless animals and have created two designs, the proceeds from which will benefit dogs and cats looking for their fur-ever homes.

You can read about the project and purchase one or both of the charts from LettersGreatandSmall. The second chart is for Cat Lovers and is called Cats in the Garden. Since we are a dog family, I purchased the Neighborhood Friends chart.

I am stitching this project on a piece of hand-dyed 28ct Chocolate Milk Jobelan from Hand Dyed fabrics by Stephanie.

In the picture below, you can see my progress as of April 26, 2014

And as of Jun 13 2014 – almost there.

Neighborhood Friends by Little House Needleworks as of 6/13/2014

March 31, 2021

After seeing Neighborhood Friends posted in a couple of groups and knowing I had purchased it and started stitching it when it first came out (2014), I went in search to see what had happened to it. I found it stuffed in a plastic page protector with the working copy of the chart. The white dog had no head, the bench had no left leg and the two left bones were missing. You can do this says I. The fabric is 28ct Jobelan Milk Chocolate from Fabrics by Stephanie and it has NOT been gridded. My eyes feel they they are going to pop out of my head and I have a headache BUT it is now finished. Or at least I hope nothing else is missing. I will frame it or make a wall hanging and give it to our vet which was my original intent. The chart was a fundraiser by Diane Williams of Little House Needleworks and Theresa Venette of Shakespeare’s Peddler and is no longer available. I am happy to have actually finished it now.

And here it is framed in a simple blue 9×12 frame from Michaels.

March 2022 – Little House Needleworks announced they will be re-releasing this chart as Neighborhood Dog Show.

Neighborhood Dog Show by Little House Needleworks

Frostys Tree Trimmers

April 11, 2014 By patgeary

Frostys Tree Trimmers from By the Bay Needleart is a family of four snowman ornaments. They can be stitched individually, in a grouping of four or in a horizontal or vertical row. I’m stitching mine individually for the first set.

Frosty Tree Trimmers from By the Bay Needleart.

This is Mrs. Frosty stitched on 14ct Pale Blue Aida.

Mrs. Frosty as of April 11, 2014.

Frogging

April 1, 2014 By patgeary

I had never heard the term “frogging” before joining the 123Stitch Message Board. Of course I have done a lot of it in the years I have been cross stitching! Frogging is what a lot of needle workers call removing stitches because they say "rip it, rip it" and sound like a frog! Most times when I have to do some ripping out of stitches it is only a few stitches. But on one occasion, while stitching this cardinal, I had to take out all the stitches for one wing because I had used the wrong color for a symbol. It was not an easy task and I did not really have the proper tools for doing it. But I had too much time invested in stitching the red bird to throw it out and start again. Below are some suggestions for tools you might find helpful if you have a visit from the frog!

Tools

Stitch Fixer

A Stitch Fixer has a tapestry needle in one end and a bent point on the other end. Use both ends to remove stitches, anchor thread ends, repair finished works, adjust stitch tension, tidy backs of stitching, repair snags, weave ribbons, and lay silk fibers. See Needlework Tool: Thread-Tucker-Tweaker-Fixer-Thingy

Snip A Stitch scissors

I bought a pair of Snip A Stitch scissors for my Mom one time and they have been a big help. Not sure what brand mine are. The hooked blade easily picks up stitches for clipping without danger of damaging fabric. Others recommend Gingher scissors.

Stitch Blade

The Stitch Blade has a razor sharp surgical steel blade cuts threads or yarns without pulling. Tip slides easily under a single stitch while blunt outer edges protect fabric or canvas.

Judy’s Boo Boo Stick

Judy’s Boo Boo Stick is linen and even-weave friendly – By dragging clipped floss out the back of the fabric, the positioning of the fabric threads are not dislodged and the delicate fibers are not frayed. For a demonstration of how to use it view Judy’s Boo Stick Video Tutorial.

One of the ladies on the MB today said she had made a "Frog Box" for herself.

I got one of those little pink Sew-lutions boxes by Art Bin from Joann’s (with a coupon–the cost is outrageous). In this (labeled, of course) box are my thread plucking tweezers, a "stitch blade", some "stitch fixers" in several sizes, a Star DeTailor, a Boo-Boo Stick, a toothbrush (had to saw 3/4" off the handle so it’d fit in the box), and a pair of stitch remover scissors.

It seemed like every time the Frog came to visit, I’d have to locate all this stuff for my ripping session. So, in the interest of efficiency and organization, I made the Frog Box. Works for me. At first I called it "Repair Tools", but that wasn’t as cool as "Frog Box".

This is the article that inspired me to write this post – Needle Delights Originals Tips on Frogging. I hope the frog does not come to visit while you are stitching.