A Place to Share a Craft I Love
“Sampler Heart” was designed by Diane Williams and was a gift with the purchase of the new Classic Colorworks thread colors, Chesapeake Bay, Lighthouse, and Mariner’s Compass.
I bought it and decided to stitch it on 16ct Nessie by Picture This Plus using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Nine Patch floss.
It really was a quick stitch.
Not sure yet how I will finish this one.
I first saw this stitched piece posted in one of the Facebook stitching groups I belong too. The one on the right hand side was the one I was particularly interested in. It had been stitched in a yellow floss with dark brown and light brown accents.
At one time it was a free chart but I had no luck finding it so contacted the designer, Marjorie Massey to see if I could get a copy. She indicated it would take a couple of days to convert it to a pdf file and would be 16Euros. I sent her the money and she sent me the chart . It does contain both of the charts pictured above. You can order both charts from her by sending an email to
I decided to stitch it on 14ct white aida with Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss.
Started stitching on June 4, 2021
September 2022: I decided to mount his one on a fabric covered matboard and then mounted on a board I got from Michael’s and painted. It is now ready to hang.
One of the cross stitching Facebook groups I belong to is Homespun Needlework, Cross Stitch and Samplers recently had a give-away for the chart La-D-Da Quaker by Lori Markovic. When I first saw the chart I knew I wanted to stitch it so entered the give-away and surprisingly won one of the three charts. I even knew that I would be stitching it with Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads although the model was stitched with Needlepoint Silk. DMC colors are also given. The model was stitched on 36count Parchment linen by Weeks Dye Works. Since the project uses all full crosses, I selected a piece of 16ct cream aida that I had in my stash.
My choice of fabric and floss is shown above although I will be adding/changing colors as I stitch.
Started Stitching: February 21, 2021
Finished Stitching: December 8, 2021
Colors Used: Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads
Traditional Stitches, a Canadian shop located in Calgary is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year. As part of the celebration, they are offering an exclusive design by Blackbird Designs What Remains is Love.
The chart and kit can ONLY be pre-ordered through Traditional Stitches which will begin shipping sometime in March.
You can order the chart only or the chart plus fabric and threads. There is even a silk conversion being offered. Please note that all prices are in Canadian Funds.
What Remains is Love from Blackbird Designs ~ Traditional Stitches Exclusive Design
PS – I ordered mine last night!!!
April 2021– My chart arrived in the mail and I could not wait to get started stitching it. I chose a piece of 16ct Parchment aida from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe to stitch mine on. While I am using some of the recommended colors, I am switching some of the colors out for Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss I have in my stash.
Started Stitching: April 24, 2021
Finished Stitching: May 21, 2021
I stitched this in memory of my son who died 10 days after his 50th birthday and my husband who died at the age of 102. Loved every minute of this one. Now to order a frame for it.
A Sister’s Love is one of the samplers included in the newest book by Blackbird Designs, Winds of Autumn Since I have both a brother and a sister, I am renaming it A Sibling’s Love.
The recommended fabric is 36ct Straw by Weeks Dye Works but I chose a piece of 16ct Stone aida by Fabric Flair I had in my stash. It has a mottled antique look which I liked. It is stitched with only four colors of Weeks Dye Works but I am going to switch out some of the floss for Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss.
Started stitching: February 2, 2021
Finished Stitching: February 14, 2021
A word of warning when stitching the border, don’t get too cocky as there are additional stitches in a couple of places.
Now that it is finished, I am going to wait until the place I order my frames from offers flat rate shipping as I now have four projects I want to frame.
And here it is framed ready for spacers and glass.
Wild is the music of the autumnal winds amongst the faded woods.
~ William Wordsworth ~
Mighty Acorn is one of the samplers included in the new book by Blackbird Designs called Winds of Autumn. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw the cover photo. Once I received the book, I cut some fabric for two of the included samplers and pulled the floss.
Recommended Fabric: 36ct Wren by Picture This Plus. I am stitching this one on 16ct Heartland by Picture This Plus. At least, I think that is what it is.
Recommended Floss and any changes I made cause I did not have the color.
Started Stitching: December 31, 2020
Finished Stitching: January 31, 2021
And the finish line is in sight. I really am loving this one.
I added the initials of my two sons, Frank and Michael to honor them. We lost Frank to cancer in December 2011.
And here it is framed ready for spacers and glass.
Forever & Ever a celebration of love by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle & Thread was released at the Nashville 2019 Needlework Market. I knew when I first saw it, I had to have it.
It is a fairly large piece measuring 336w x 113h. The recommended fabric is 40ct Sheep’s Straw by R & R Reproductions. Besides not liking to stitch on linen, I knew I could not see well enough to use 40ct. I selected 16ct Sand aida which would give me a design area of 21 x 7 1/8 inches. There was a small amount of stitching over one but I decided to improvise.
I started stitching on August 27, 2020.
Because I did not have all of the recommended floss colors, I am going to switch out as I go with Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe thread.
Recommended Floss/What I used
The photo above shows the stitched piece just sitting in the frame. I still need to measure, pin and lace it but wanted to see how it looked. Very happy with my frame selection.
Details on the frame I ordered:
| Textured Gray Wood Picture Frame SKU: WX586_pkg Frame: WX586( 21 3/4″ x 8 1/2″ ) Total Cost including tax and shipping was $50.93. |
Evergreen by Blackbird Designs was released in 2005. Like many of their early charts, it is now OOP. I have had it on my To Do list for some time and after seeing a recent finish posted in the Fans of Blackbird Designs Facebook group, I decided it was time to move it up on the list.
I selected a beautiful piece of 18 Count White Opalescent Aida which had been gifted to me and sparkles so would be perfect for this piece. And rather than the called for threads, I decided to use Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads in brighter Christmas colors.
Nancy Turner who is Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe offers beautiful hand dyed floss and her various Christmas Collections of threads are some of my favorites.
Started Stitching: July 26 2020
Finished Stitching: August 3, 2020
The photo in no way does the fabric justice as it is a sparkly white not dull gray as this photo shows.
And here it is beautifully finished by Vonna.
I saw I See Red as a preview of new designs being offered at the Nashville 2020 Needlework Market from The Scarlett House and KNEW I just HAD to stitch it. I pre-ordered the chart along with quite a few others. If I had realized how much over one stitching there was, I may not have been so eager to stitch it. I also ordered the butter board that is is shown displayed on from Homestead Needleworke. The butter board is designed to fit a piece stitched on 32/36ct fabric.
Once I saw how much over 1 stitching there was, I decided I would need to use 28ct Monaco (white) as that is all I can see well enough to stitch on. Rather than the recommended Classic Colorworks Cherry Cobbler floss, I chose to use Autumn Glow by Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe. It is a beautiful variegated rust orange color dark to lighter.
I started stitching this one on May 3, 2020.
There are three rows of alphabets plus numerous motifs that are stitched over one so I will not be stitching this one until it is finished. My eyes will need a rest in between. But I do love it.
Finished Stitching: May 8, 2020. Not sure how I am going to finish it as it is too big for the butter board I bought.
August 2021 – The original butter board I ordered from Homestead Needleworke did not fit as I needed to use a larger count fabric so April sent me one for 14/28 count which was the perfect size. Now how to do the rounded corners. Thanks to advice from my Facebook stitching friends I was able to cut the mat board with rounded corners. I watched Cathy Wurtz Haberman’s flosstube tutorial #57 to figure out exactly how to make the rounded corners smooth when lacing. The corners or a bit thicker than I would like but I am happy with the finished piece for the first time trying this finish.
Home from the Sea by Blackbird Designs was first released at a Dyeing to Stitch Retreat held in April 2019. It was one of two designs released. The other one was We Live in Hope.
Both charts were released as a leaflet at the Nashville 2020 Needlework Market.
The kit itself came with both the fabric and floss to stitch the project, I chose to change out the 36ct Vintage Honey linen by R & R Reproductions to 28ct cream Monaco but used the recommended floss.
Recommended floss colors Weeks Dye Works:
Started: March 21, 2020
Finished: April 6, 2020
I added the year I stitched it and my initials as well as my husband’s initials to commemorate his time in the Navy.
