Secret Garden Necessity Box and Strawberry which is #20 in the Loose Feathers series is one of the charts (including fabric and floss) which I recently purchased from another stitcher. I don’t stitch on linen so I switched the fabric out for 16ct white Aida. I did use the included floss (Weeks Dye Works Turkish Red). These two pieces would be beautiful using any of the bright colored over dyed threads. It was a fairly quick stitch as I started June 21 and put the last stitches in this morning July 2nd.

For right now, it will go in the drawer of finished stitching but still to be finished until I decide what to do with it. On to the next item in my stitching rotation.

November 2019 I have had three of the Sudberry Key Racks for many years and decided this would fit perfectly. So i finished the red one and then decided to stitch a second one.

This is my current project for my granddaughter’s high school graduation.

The visible design area is 7½x7½ and the box itself measures 9½x9½x2 3/4 and has a mahogany finish and is fully lined in black velvet.  The design area is covered with glass.

UPDATE  May 2009: Finished stitching the piece from Woodland Flowes by Astor Place for the top of the box. Please with how it turned out.

The piece was stitched on 14ct Aida using DMC floss which measures 6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″. After cleaning and pressing the piece, it was stretched over a very think piece of foam board that came with the box and inserted under glass with a picture frame type backing that also came with the box.

If you were using needlepoint canvas or a thicker piece of fabric, you might have to forgo the glass or the foam board. My stitched piece fit perfectly even after stretching on the board and lacing the back.

Little House Needleworks has a collection called Simple Samplers which are small projects that do not take forever to complete.  I’m working the Music and Books design on 28 count khaki Jobelan. The finished piece measures 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″  I’ve finished one and started on the 2nd one.  You can view and purchase any of the Little House Needlework designs from 123Stitch.

Enlarged area of Books & Music.

Fast forward to November 2023 when I pulled out a bunch of smalls and decided to finish them. I chose a simple black frame from Amazon to finish off these two pieces.

Friendship Memories Wall Hanging

This pattern appeared in the May/June 1991 issue of CrossStitch & Country Crafts. It can be worked in shades of pink and green or red and blue and you have two choices for the bottom design. You could, of course, choose your own color scheme.

Reunions, farewells, graduations – wherever and whenever friends and relations gather to celebrate – beg to be recorded, and not just with cameras. How much more satisfying to inlcude handwritten sentiments from all involved, crowned by a friend’s loving stitches.

Friendship mini quilts in two color schemes breathe new life into the notion of “one of a kind.” Not only are they destined to become mementos, but they’ll be the “life of the party,” as well-wishers clamor for a choice spot to dash off a witty or heartfelt message.”

I stitched the Friendship Memories top and the bottom pineapple design and my good friend Beryl Lawson did the finishing work. The finished piece was presented to our good friends, Don and Elinor Fankhauser as they were leaving the area.

Detail on lower Pineapple Design.