Pat's Cross-Stitch Corner

Stitch All the Things

April 21, 2022 By patgeary

Stitch All the Things is one of the newest designs offered by Erica Michaels. The chart pack contains both the small pin pillow and strawberry. While I loved the design, I did not really care for the blue color scheme. I saw a posting by another stitcher using a color scheme using shades of rust. I ordered the chart and the vintage twill tape used for the finished piece.

I selected a piece of 16ct Parchment aida to stitch the pin pillow on and since there was some over one stitching on the strawberry, I selected a piece of 28ct antique ivory Monaco. For the floss, I selected Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads.

Ginger Dark
Terra Cotta
Peach Dahlia
Stitching Together (strawberry)
Dried Ferns (pillow)
Mocha Tan

Started stitching pin pillow April 14, 2022 and finished April 19, 2022
Started stitching the strawberry April 19, 2022 and finished on April 21, 2022.

Now to decide on the finishing fabric for the pin pillow and the extras for the strawberry.

Stitch All the Things with possible finishing fabric

And the finished pieces. The same fabric at the bottom of the pillow was used as the backing fabric. The strawberry is filled with crushed walnut shells and the pillow with fiberfill.

Stitch All the Things pillow and strawberry

A Heart Remembers

April 15, 2022 By patgeary

A Heart Remembers is one of the newest releases by Blackbird Designs. The 52-page book contains some of the older OOP charts and some new ones. And some of the last designs by Barb Adams.

One of the older series of OOP charts included is the Loose Feathers Mystery Sampler, a collection of 5 charts. I stitched it back in 2014.

The first one I am stitching is A Heart Remembers. I chose a piece of 16ct Wren aida by Picture This Plus with the called for colors.

I decided to stitch the entire border first to make sure I had enough of the floss – Classic Colorworks Stormy Nights and Carolina Cecil.

And the border meets, and I did not run out of floss. Used DMC for the house since I was not sure I had enough of the Uniform Blue. And I added my parent’s initials and the year they were married. Now to order a frame for it.

I decided to use a simple black frame I ordered from Amazon. This one has a deeper rabbet than the ones I usually get from them. I wish it had come in other colors but am happy with how it looks. Now where to hang it.

Christmas Rose

March 28, 2022 By patgeary

Christmas Rose by Blackbird Designs is #4 in the Christmas Sampler series.

I selected a piece of 28ct antique ivory Cashel linen as my fabric and am using the called for colors of floss with the exception of Weeks Dye Works Parchment which does not show up against the fabric. I plan on using a pale gold color instead.

I am using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Toffee floss instead of the Weeks Parchment.

April 10, 2022 – And that’s a finish! I am glad I at least tried stitching a larger sampler on linen but it is NOT my favorite fabric to use. I added my Daddy’s initials and the year of his birth to this one. He loved Christmas and it brings back memories of him calling me to come over and wrap his presents for my Mom.

This one joins the growing pile of stitched pieces that need to be framed.

This was my first time framing a piece stitched on linen. I decided to add a piece of thin batting to the foam core before I added the stitched piece. Linen was nowhere as easy to work with as aida is when trying to pin the fabric to the foam core. I did get it framed and am happy with how it turned out.

Christmas Rose framed in cherry wood frame

And it has been added to the “Christmas Wall” in my craft/sewing room.

Bunny and Violets

March 21, 2022 By patgeary

I recently saw this design posted in one of my Facebook stitching groups and new I wanted to stitch it. It’s called Bunny and Violets by SamplersPrimitive. It is one of several bunny designs she offers.

The chart was available as a pdf download so I bought it.

One a recent trip to my local Michaels store, I found two pieces of printed DMC 14ct aida that I purchased. One was called Sunset 3609 and was shades of pink, blue, and lavender and I decided to use that piece to stitch this one on. The regular price of a 15×18 piece of the fabric is $11.99 but I had a 30% off coupon.

The design uses 25 mostly DMC colors and I had all but a couple in my stash. Purchased the others with the fabric. I had most of the Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Arts floss and subbed DMC for what I did not have.

I finished stitching this on March 20, 2022. As you can see by the photo below, the colors are much darker than the photo of the finished piece shows. If I was going to stitch it again, I would select different shades of the green. I will most likely finish it as a small pin pillow.

And the backing fabric for this one is the same deep purple I used for Easter Parade.

Gathering Acorns

March 16, 2022 By patgeary

Gathering Acorns (pictured lower left corner) is one of the five charts in the Gathering series by Misty Purcel of Luminous Fiber Arts. This is the third one in the series I have stitched.

Again, I am using 16ct white aida with Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss Russet. I have chosen not to use the buttons on my projects. I have also ordered the trim that goes with each of them but not exactly sure how I will finish them. Next up will be the one pictured at the bottom left corner, Gathering Snowflakes. And the center one, Gathering Honey is on order.

Autumn Sound

March 6, 2022 By patgeary

Autumn Sound is one of the designs included in the book, Winds of Autumn by Blackbird Designs. Stitching this one is my second foray into using linen to stitch on. I was given a yard of 28ct Cashel linen in antique ivory and decided I needed to at least try it. My 16ct aida is much easier to grid but this looks so pretty.

I started this one on March 3rd and right away had to frog the bird. Gentle Arts and Weeks Dye Works both have a floss called Deep Sea but they are NOT the same color. I wondered why my bird was not a blue blue. Once the frogging was done and the correct floss pulled, it proved to be a quick stitch as I finished it on March 6, 2022.

I am very happy with the project and ready to try a larger piece on linen, one of the BBD samplers, I think.

June 2022 – I decided to try and finish this piece as a drum. Vonna Epperson Pfeiffer has an excellent tutorial on drum finishing in the Summer 2022 issue of Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher magazine as well as a video tutorial. And Claudia Bourgeois gave me a tip of using foam core for the top and bottom which made it easier for me to pin those pieces to the drum body.

Autumn Sound by Blackbird Designs finished as a drum

I still need to figure out how to keep the trim from raveling but maybe just run a needle and thread through the end. Anyway, I am happy with my first attempt and found two other stitched pieces in the drawer that I am going to try this finish on. I also ordered some felted acorns to perhaps dangle from the side.

Blooming Sunflowers Sewing Bag

February 28, 2022 By patgeary

I was recently given a collection of charts, and floss and fabric by another generous stitcher. I kept some and gave some away. One of the pieces was a one yard cut of 28ct Cashel Linen Antique Ivory. I had not stitched on linen since 1985 when I completed an Eva Rosenstand bird kit. I decided to try it again so selected a small design from the Winds of Autumn book by Blackbird Designs, Blooming Sunflowers Sewing Bag.

Blooming Sunflowers and 28ct Cashel linen

I had all the called for colors with the exception of WDW Oscar and DMC 3011 is almost a perfect match. The main reason I don’t like stitching on linen is the uneven thickness of the threads, some are like regular sewing thread and some more like pearle cotton. Gridding the fabric is a must for me and the uneven thickness of the threads makes this more difficult.

Started Stitching: February 27, 2022

Blooming Sunflowers progress February 28

Finished Stitching: March 1, 2022

Fast forward to November 2023 and this one is now fully finished. I used a pretty bronze colored ribbon to create the ruched ribbon trim.

Quaker Diamond by Hillside Samplings

February 4, 2022 By patgeary

I first saw the finished piece called Quaker Diamond in one of my Facebook groups for cross stitch. I went in search of the chart but could not locate it anywhere so assumed it is/was Out of Print. I posted in another group that I was In Search Of this chart and another stitcher was able to locate it for me. Once the chart arrived, I realized the alphabet was stitched over 1 thread which is hard on my eyes to see.

I selected a piece of 28ct cream Monaco that I had in my stash as the fabric and a hank of Mo’s Coral silk floss that I had just purchased. I started stitching the first part of February (not sure of exact date) and love it so far. May be another story when I get to the over one part.

I finished the easy part – stitching over two. All that is left if the over one for the alphabet, date, and my initials.

March 9, 2022 – Finished the over one stitching on this one. Messed up the spacing in the center but decided I was not going to frog over one stitches with one strand of silk floss. I can live with it.

Quaker Diamond closeup of over one stitching

I used a simple frame I got off Amazon. Not quite as elegant as mu usual custom frames but much less expensive.

Simple Harvest by Blackbird Designs

January 31, 2022 By patgeary

I recently joined a Facebook group, Cross Stitch Camp and am participating in a SAL Winter Cross Stitch Camp 2022. It’s virtual, and it’s free. You will start your Camp project on February 1 and finish by February 28. The challenge: Stitch a one color piece. It can be any color. It can be any size.

I have been wanting to stitch Simple Harvest by Blackbird Designs from the book With Needle and Thread for some time and this was small enough that I figured I could finish it in the allotted time. I chose a piece of 16ct aida I had in my stash and purchased some silk thread (Orchard) from Mo Bittner (Mo’s Sales) to stitch it with.

Started Stitching: February 1, 2022
Finished Stitching: February 3, 2022

Simple Harvest by Blackbird Designs complete

I saw another framed finish of this one with two buttons placed on each side of the bottom which I am going to use. Now to find the right size and color buttons.

And here it is the first day of February 2023 and this one is fully finished. Added a couple of buttons and a bow and button at the top.

A Token of Love by Blackbird Designs

January 31, 2022 By patgeary

A Token of Love was offered as a retreat project in 2021. It will hopefully be available to all at the Nashville 2022 Market. It was created by Alma Adams to celebrate the birth of her grand-daughter. It was a gift to me complete with fabric and floss. I did change the fabric to 16ct aida since it was easier on my eyes. I am going to stitch it in honor of my great-grandson, Killian.

I started stitching it on January 26, 2022.

Finished Stitching: February 21, 2022

I added the initials of my great-grandson and the year he was born. Now to get it framed. Since I already stitched a birth sampler for his parents, this one is for me.

And here it is framed. I decided on the Rustic Wood Sandstone picture frame from Graphic Dimensions.