Pat's Cross-Stitch Corner

A Place to Share a Craft I Love

Primitive Merry Christmas Pillow

By

The Primitive Merry Christmas Pillow is a recent release from Abby Rose Designs. I knew when I saw it I HAD to stitch this beauty. So off went my order to 123Stitch. And for once I had the recommended fabric to stitch it on, Brash by Picture This Plus.

Primitive Merry Christmas Pillow

The chart arrived and since I want to stitch this multiple times for friends, I selected first a piece of mystery hand dyed gold mottled fabric I had in my stash as well as the Brash which is more green than the gold in the picture. I also planned on using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads rather than what was recommended. NOTE: The symbols on this chart used for the berries and the holly leaves are almost identical and extremely difficult to read.

The design size is 90w x 79h.

Recommended Threads/Victorian Motto Colors I used:

  • GAST Cherry Bark/VMSS Heirloom Berry
  • GAST Cranberry/VMSS Varigated Cranberry
  • DMC 3371/VMSS Autumn Bark
  • GAST Forest Glade/VMSS Black Forest
  • Weeks Dye Works Loden/ VMSS The Holly and the Ivy
  • GAST Parchment/VMSS Sewing Notions
Primitive Merry Christmas finished
Primitive Merry Christmas

The second one I stitched on 16ct Picture This Plus Brash (recommended fabric) with the recommended colors.

Prim Merry Christmas pillow on PTP Brash.
Prim Merry Christmas pillow on PTP Brash
Primitive Merry Christmas times three
Primitive Merry Christmas pillows
Primitive Merry Christmas pillows

Woodland Berry by Linda Stolz

By

2019 was the first year for the All About Berries Club offered by Dyeing to Stitch. The 2nd kit sent out to club members was Woodland Berry, An English Sampler Berry, which includes the fabric, floss, and finishing materials (except for stuffing).

Woodland Berry kit contents.
Woodland Berry kit

The fabric included with the kit was 36ct Vintage Beeswax by R & R Reproductions. I can’t see to stitch on it so I substituted 16ct Sand by Picture This Plus. It turned out to be a fairly quick stitch.

Started stitching: 9.24.2019
Finished Stitching: 9.26.2019

Woodland Berry finished piece with finishing materials.
Woodland Berry finished piece with finishing materials

Update April 24 2022 – And here it is finally finished and ready to add to the berry bowl.

Pumpkin Farm by Blackbird Designs

By

Pumpkin Farm is #10 in the Anniversaries of the Heart series by Blackbird Designs. I knew when I saw Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppes new Glorious Autumn floss Collection, that some of the colors would be perfect for this design.

Pumpkin Farm chart cover

The design itself is 75w x 85h. The recommended fabric is 30ct Kona by R & R Reproductions. I do not like stitching on linen so chose a piece of 15ct Fiddler’s Lite that I had in my stash.

Recommended floss/My VMSS Floss

  • CC Gingersnap/VMSS Country Tan
  • CC Peanut Brittle/VMSS Tea Party
  • GA Apple Cider/VMSS Stitching Together
  • GA Burnt Orange/VMSS Autumn Range B
  • GA Endive?VMSS Spring Grass
  • GA Harvest Moon/VMSS Falling Leaves
  • GA Old Purple Paint (used this one)
  • GA Sarsparilla/VMSS Kansas Cone Flower
  • GA Tarnished Gold/VMSS Mixed Wood Brown
  • WDW Pecan/VMSS Heirloom Pumpkins

Started Stitching: 9/16/2019
Finished Stitching: 9/24/2019

I personalized this one with my little sister’s name Nan. The W is for her surname Wells and the J for her husband Jim. Also included the date of her birth.

Pumpkin Farm
Pumpkin Farm Finished Piece

On a recent trip to buy some floss for another project, I saw this board on sale for $3.50 and thought it would be perfect for this stitched piece.

Echoing Evergreens by Tempting Tangles Designs

By

Echoing Evergreens is another of the beautiful designs offered by Deborah Dick who is Tempting Tangles Designs as a SAL. I had already stitched three of her other designs:

and I knew I wanted to add this one to my collection. Her SAL’s are only $5 for the chart presented in 16 parts. I faithfully downloaded each piece of the project as offered but never really got the chance to start it although I had figured out the fabric and perhaps floss I wanted to use.

The design size of the entire project is 124 x 124 and the recommended fabric was Wichelt 28ct Jobelan Queen Anne’s Lace which is a mottled white and pale green. I knew I would never be able to see well enough to grid the fabric so chose a light green 14ct Aida I had in my stash.

The project calls for Dinky Dyes thread but I wanted to try some of the Valdani 3ply floss. Another stitcher sent me some to try out. It is beautiful but was a bit to thick for my fabric and kept knotting so I decided to switch it out for my favorite floss by Nancy Turner of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe. I love her floss and have used it on many projects now. The colors I selected were:

  • Mountain Pines (very dark green)
  • In My Garden (lighter green)
  • Kansas Cone Flower (orange/brown/gold color)

I started stitching on September 4, 2019.

Echoing Evergreens by Tempting Tangle Designs.
Echoing Evergreens

Finished Stitching: September 16, 2019

Echoing Evergreens parts 1-16.
Echoing Evergreens parts 1-16

July 2022 – Echoing Evergreens has been freed from the “prison drawer” and framed.

Come Into My Garden by Blackbird Designs

By

Come Into My Garden was introduced at the Summer Stitch Camp held at the Country Sampler in Spring Green WI in June 2019. It is available exclusively from that shop as a kit. Please note, the sampler in the picture is not finished as Barb ran out of time but the full chart is included.

Come Into My Garden chart cover

I wanted to stitch this piece but did not want to purchase it as a kit as it came with 36ct linen which I cannot see to stitch on and I wanted to change out much of the floss for Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss. I was luck enough to find another stitcher who was willing to let me borrow her chart.

I ordered a piece of 16ct Wren by Picture This Plus and selected the floss I wanted to use. On 16ct, the design size is larger measuring 15 3/8 by 15 5/8.

The recommended colors with my changes are listed below:

  • WDW adobe/VMSS Rust
  • WDW Bee’s Knees/VMSS Barnwood Tan
  • WDW Caper/VMSS Mountain Laurel
  • WDW Chickpea/VMSS Spiced Cider
  • WDW Cinnabar 10 yards (I need more since I am stitching with 2 strands
  • WDW Confederate Gray/VMSS Frog Prince
  • WDW Deep Sea
  • WDW Dirt Road/VMSS 1840 Brass
  • WDW Dolphin/VMSS Twitterpated
  • WDW Oscar 10 yrds/VMSS Rosebud Leaves and VMSS Hollyhock Leaves. I used Rosebud Leaves for the border and Hollyhock Leaves for all the plant stems and leaves to make sure I had enough. The two colors are almost identical.
  • WDW Pelican Gray/VMSS Toad Spell
  • WDW Sandcastle/VMSS Desert Grass
  • WDW Schneckly/VMSS Memory Quilt
  • WDW Sanguine
  • WDW Straw/VMSS Golden Sand

I started stitching this on August 14, 2019.

Come Into My Garden fabric and chart
Come Into My Garden progress
Come Into My Garden progress
Halfway point for Come Into My Garden
Come Into My Garden progress
Come Into My Garden

I finished stitching this piece on August 31, 2019 with the exception of adding my mother’s name. Trying to decide on Mom’s Garden, Marge Little, or Mrs. L which was my father’s nickname for her.

Come Into My Garden in memory of my Mom.
Come Into My Garden framed

And here it is October 27, 2019 and the project is now pinned and laced and in the frame. This is one of my favorite framed I have ordered and used in the past. Unfortunately, I think it is being discontinued.

The Quaker Four Corners Sampler

By

I recently saw a project posted in one of the cross stitch Facebook groups I am a member of and fell in love with it.

Quaker Four Corners Sampler

It had no information as to who the designer was so I posted and asked if anyone could identify it. The answer came quickly. The designer was Anne Brown, The Goode Huswife and it was called The Quaker Four Corners Sampler. And, of course, it was Out of Print.

A stitching friend contact me off list and offered to loan it to me. I quickly accepted. I already had the perfect piece of fabric and floss I wanted to use.

The fabric was a piece of 16ct Aida I had purchased from To Dye For Fabrics pictured below. The floss was Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Ginger Dark from Nancy Turner.

Rust Brown Aida

The chart arrived and I was ready to begin.

The Quaker Four Corners Sampler supplies.

Started: July 26, 2019
Finished: July 29, 2019

Quaker Four Corners Sampler stitched

I stitched this piece in memory of my Mom, Marjorie Little. I plan to add a small charm at the bottom of the V and finish it either as a small pillow or the same as the original one I first saw.

Quaker Four Corners Sampler.

And I plan on hanging the finished piece on the door to my china cupboard where I can enjoy it every day. Thank you Vonna Pfeiffer, The Twisted Stitcher.

We Live in Hope by Blackbird Designs

By

We Live in Hope was one of the projects at the Blackbird Designs Retreat held in Virginia Beach at Dyeing to Stitch. The chart itself was based on an antique sampler shared by Barb and Alma.

Antique Sampler that inspired We Live in Hope

The kit we received included the chart, fabric 36ct Vintage Honey by R & R Reproductions and the recommended floss.

We Live in Hope kit.
  • WDW Beige
  • WDW Blue Jay
  • WDW Bright Leaf
  • WDW Caper
  • WDW Cocoa
  • WDW Deep Sea
  • WDW Garrison Green
  • WDW Kris’ Bon Bon
  • WDW Red Pear
  • WDW Williamsburg

I chose to stitch mine on 16ct Toasted Almond from Fabrics from Stephanie using the recommended floss. If you choose to stitch this one and use two threads rather than one, you will need additional skeins of some of the colors Caper, Cocoa, Garrison Green and Red Pear.

Started Stitching: 5/7/2019
Finished Stitching: 6/2/2019 (with the exception of the bullion stitch which is the door knocker. Need to watch some videos and practice on this one.

A bit more progress.
e in Hope.
Alphabets finished, now to add the motifs.
  • The Finished Piece
  • Ship and Anchor Motif
  • Some of the baskets
  • The House
  • The Anchor
The door knocker using the bullion stitch
Completed piece with my initials and the door knocker added.
We Live in hope framed

A Dog’s Declaration by Ink Circles

By

When I first saw A Dog’s Declaration by Ink Circles, I knew I had to stitch it. Katie, our previous dog, and Shadow, our current dog were/are great pursuers of squirrels. My son knew how much I like it so he gave me the money to order the chart.

A Dog's Declaration chart.

A Dog’s Declaration chart

The design size is fairly big 243w x 315h. The recommended fabric is 36ct Tycho by Picture This Plus but I am going to stitch it on 16ct cream Aida as that is easier on my eyes. The recommended thread was 6ply cotton floss by Valdani. While I loved the variegated colors, I did not want to spend that much money on them and I had heard that they shredded easily. So I went with my very favorite floss, Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss.

  • P1 Old Brick/VM Burnt Red
  • P2 Olive Green/VM Dried Clover
  • P6 Rusted Orange/VM Rust Swirl
  • P8 Old Rose/VM Rose Plum
  • JP5 Nantucket Rose/VM Soft Pastel Peach
  • JP7 Faded Marigold/VM From Me to Thee
  • JP9 Herb Garden/VM Twitterpated
  • P10 Antique Violet/VMFrench Lilac
  • P12 Brown/VM Colonial Chrstnu & Classic Chestnut Blended
  • H203 Blackened Teal/VM Delphinium Blue
  • O31 Tealish Blue/VM Nine Patch
  • O512 Chimney Dust/VM Colonial Lavender
  • O513 Coffee Roast/VM P27
  • O518 Dusty Leaves/VM Into a Dragon
  • O526 Green Pastures/VM Dark Fern
  • O571 Tea Honey/VM Golden Amber
A Dog's Declaration 3-4-2019

A Dog’s Declaration 3-4-2019

A Dog's Declaration.
A Dog’s Declaration

Finished Stitching: July 16, 2019 (not sure when I started this piece.

And now (April 2020) it is framed and hanging on the wall.

A Dog's Declaration by Ink Circles.
A Dog’s Declaration by Ink Circles

Blackbird’s Winter Delivery

By

Blackbird’s Winter Delivery by Blackbird Designs is #5 in the Loose Feathers series.  Behind the blackbird is a rather sparse Christmas tree with a star on top. It is now OOP. It had never really appealed to me in the past but the more I saw the finished stitched pieces, the more I liked it. So I finally decided it was one I had to stitch. Since it is not a chart I own, I borrowed it from a fellow stitcher.

Blackbird's Winter Delivery chart.

Blackbird’s Winter Delivery chart

The recommended fabric is 28 ct. Cranberry Bog by R & R Reproductions which is no longer available. But I had a piece of 16ct Aida from Nancy Turner. that I thought would work. The closest DMC color looks like 3806.

Fabric and floss for Blackbird's Winter Delivery.

Fabric and floss for Blackbird’s Winter Delivery

I used the recommended floss: Gentle Art (GA) and DMC

  • DMC 310
  • GA Tin Bucket
  • GA Dried Thyme
  • GA Harvest Basket
  • GA Dark Chocolate
  • GA Flax
  • GA Cherry Bark
  • GA Chamomile
  • GA Sarsaparilla
  • GA Straw Bonnet
  • Mill Hill Glass Seed Beads #02045
Blackbird's Winter Delivery

Blackbird’s Winter Delivery

Blackbird's Winter Delivery small bird

Blackbird’s Winter Delivery small bird

I will probably finish them as small pillows but for now they reside in the finished projects drawer.

Blackbird’s Winter Delivery

And here it is finished and ready to join the other small pillows in my long basket.

Heart in Bloom Sewing Tray by Blackbird Designs

By

Heart in Bloom Sewing Tray was first released as a class project at the Shepherd’s Bush 2010 retreat in Utah. It was later included in the book, A Stitcher’s Journey. Both are Out of Print.

Heart in Bloom Sewing Tray

Heart in Bloom Sewing Tray

Stitch Count: 78w x 78h – The finished design size on 28ct over 2 is 5 5/8 x 5 5/8

Recommended Floss: Silk Floss by The Thread Gatherer. I was not willing to spend the money on ordering the floss so I used what I had in my stash. My changes are includes after the forward slash.

  • Bark and Branches (DMC 3787)/VMSS Regal Brown
  • Crimson Wood (DMC 3857)/DMC 3857
  • Worn Brick Path (DMC 355)/VMSS Hearthside Stitching
  • Tuscan Olive (DMC 3011)/DMC 3011
  • Olive Branch (DMC 3012)/DMC 3012
  • Ethiopian Rocks (DMC 644)/VMSS Sewing Notions
  • Concrete Meadow ((DMC 3752)/DMC 3752
  • Toffee Crunch (DMC 945)/VMSS The Dressmaker
  • Pond Scum (DMC 734)/VMSS Vintage Quaker
  • Hidden Canyon  (DMC 452)/VMSS Mocha Tan

Recommended Fabric: 30ct Espresso by R & R Reproductions. I chose to stitch mine on 28ct Cream Monaco 2 over 2 except for the initials which are stitched over 1. That part was difficult because of my poor eyesight.

Hearts in Bloom Stitched piece.

Hearts in Bloom Stitched piece

Started Stitching: March 6, 2019
Finished Stitching: April 12, 2019

Heart in Bloom framed with natural oak frame.