Pat's Cross-Stitch Corner

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Sun, Moon And Stars

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Sun, Moon And Stars by Little House Needleworks was originally released in 2014 as thread packs (three separate charts including floss), Over the Moon, Beneath the Stars, and Under the Sun. I purchased them in 2014 and they have been sitting and waiting to be stitched since then.

When I saw the new release, I decided to dig them out and kit them up. I decided I wanted to stitch them as one vertical to possibly finish as a bell pull. I selected a piece of 16ct Summer Storm aida by Seraphim that was a mottled blue fabric with all the called for floss.

Two down and one to go.

The first photo gives a better idea of the actual color of the fabric I stitched it on. Now to go in search of some bellpull hardware to finish it.

I’m not real happy with the hanging hardware but it was all I had on hand and not as many shops offer the nicer ones in the correct size. I’ll keep looking.

Nebraska Prairie

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Recently, my little brother gave me three cigar boxes. I wanted them to mount stitched pieces on. Each box top measures 10″x 5 1/2″. The boxes were nicely made and had NO smell to them. They did have quite a bit of inscribed writing on the top, sides, and bottom of the box as well as the inside. The stitched piece would cover the top of the box where the most writing was and the other parts just added “character” to the box.

I went through some of my blackbird design books to see what might work. Nebraska Prairie  from Winds of Autumn has a stitch count of 108w x 47h. If I stitched it on 25ct  the stitched piece would measure 8 5/8 x 3 3/4.

Nebraska Prairie Drum Pinkeep by Blackbird Designs is one of the designs included in the book, Winds of Autumn. Rather than finishing it as a drum, I intended to mount it on top of one of the cigar boxes.

Winds of Autumn book cover.

I chose a piece of 25ct Potato Lugana I had in my stash. The floss colors used were Weeks Dye Works – Blue Jeans, Charcoal, Hazelnut, Pecan, and Chickpea. Lovely Fall colors.

I laced the stitched piece on a piece of matboard which allows it to be thinner than if I used foam core. I then selected a piece of Blackbird Designs fabric to use to line the top and bottom inside of the box.

Peace and Plenty

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Peace and Plenty is a Christmas Sampler included in the book Sisters by Blackbird Designs. It was published in 2013 and is now Out of Print. It could easily be added as the 5th sampler in the Christmas Sampler series.

Sisters by Blackbird Designs cover.

I chose a piece of 16ct antique white aida I had in my stash and used some of the called for floss and subs for the ones I did not have.

  • Gentle Arts Antique Rose – I used DMC 223
  • Gentle Arts Brandy
  • Gentle Arts Endive – I used DMC 3011
  • Gentle Arts Heirloom Gold
  • Gentle Arts Linen – I used DMC 950
  • Gentle Arts Old Hickory – I used DMC 611
  • Gentle Arts Old Red Pain I used au a Ver Soie 109
  • Gentle Arts Piney Woods
  • Gentle Arts Tarnished Gold
  • Gentle Arts Toffee – I used DMC 167
  • Gentle Arts Woodrose – DMC 407
Peace and Plenty stitched.

I made a mistake on the bottom border but decided to leave it. Now to decide on a frame and add it to my Christmas wall.

November 2024 – I decided to order a frame through Craig Frames. I had used their frames in the past by ordering custom frames through Amazon. This time I ordered directly through their website which seemed to offer a wider selection. They do not offer fractional sizes but that was OK for what I needed. The shipping was free and the frame came just as well packaged as those from pictureframes.com which has been my go to store for years.

And a closeup of the frame.

Strawberry Quilt and Berry Basket

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Strawberry Quilt and Berry Basket were part of the Sip and Stitch Mystery Box offered by Primrose Cottage. I did not purchase the Mystery Box but a friend loaned me both of the charts. If they offer one for Christmas this year, I think I will try and purchase one.

The Strawberry Quilt design is 55 x 55 stitches and calls for 32ct Berry Smoothie evenweave. The fabric was also offered in aida and I purchased a piece of 16ct. The recommended floss is DMC 9471, 783,3712,3831, and B5200. I decided to use Anchor white in place of B5200. I used Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Hollyhock Leaves for the 471 and Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Heirloom Red Cherry for 3831. I decided I wanted the finished piece to be a bit bigger so used a piece of 14ct pink I had in my stash. I finished this one as a small pin pillow with a ruched ribbon trim.

The Berry Basket has a stitch count of 99x 76 and calls for 28ct Light Ash Gray. Recommended floss is DMC 471, 645, 783, 3712, 3810, 3811, 3831, and B5200. I used the same two Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss colors on this one. I chose a piece of 16ct Picture This Plus Storm I had in my stash.

The small pillow is fairly heavy as I used poly pellets for the filling topped off with fiberfill. The gray wool flannel patch keeps everything inside the pillow. Rather than adding any kind of trim around the edges, I decided to add a hanging wax strawberry to the display of Berry Basket.

As the Crow Flies Pinkeep

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In October 2023, Hobby House Needleworks offered As the Crow Flies Pinkeep by Stacy Nash Designs as a kit. Since Fall is my favorite time of year and I love the Fall colors, I purchased it. The kit came with the chart, floss, fabric, and finishing trim. I chose the 16ct aida option.

The called for fabric is Cosmic Platinum fabric. I am not sure what the kit shipped with as I did not write it down but it is a mottled orange/tan fabric. It is a little darker than I normally stitch on so I am using the lighter side of the fabric.

I’m working on building the house now and planting grass in the front. I’m not sure if I will finish it as a pinkeep or not. I may mount it on a board OR frame it. We’ll see once I finish stitching it.

I decided that rather than framing this one, I would mount it on top of one of those boxes that look like a book. I would have preferred one a bit darker brown but I did not want to risk messing it up by painting it. The dimensions of this one is: 1.88” H x 10.31” W x 6.69” D

I mounted the stitched piece on a piece of matboard with a single layer of batting, then laced the stitched piece to the board using upholstery thread.

Right now, the stitched piece is just sitting on the book box. I will probably use acid free double sided stitchy tape to attach it to the box.

Thistle Manor

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Thistle Manor is another of the free charts offered by Blackbird Designs. Copyright 2002. It’s not a big design with a stitch count of 92h x 75w and calls for only one color of floss. You could choose almost any fabric and floss to stitch it with.

I decided to use a piece of 18ct Platinum aida I had in my stash and Farmhouse Flossies Royalist Blue floss.

It turned out to be a fairly quick stitch and because I used 18ct, not very big. I will probably finish it as a small pin pillow.

While I prefer the look of the solid color backing fabric, I am not that great at doing the ladder stitch to close the opening. When using the method of cutting a hole in the backing fabric, I can easily (or not so easily) use poly pellets for a good portion of the filling material the fiberfill for the rest. The patch which is wool felt, covers up the hole and keeps everything inside the pillow.

Honeybee Quaker

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Honeybee Quaker is another in the Quaker series by Primrose Cottage.

Honeybee Quaker cover.

The model was stitched on 25ct white Lugana but I chose to use 28ct as it is what I had stitched the others on. I used all the called for DMC colors. It really was a quick stitch.

While roaming around in Hobby Lobby one day, I found this bee fabric and thought it would be perfect to finish this series with. I used poly pellets and poly fiberfill to stuff the small pillow and it joins its cousins in the tiered tray. I love the added weight of the pellets but not working with them.

A Little Bit of Spring

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A Little Bit of Spring is the newest release from Blackbird Designs. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to stitch it.

A Little Bit of Spring cover.

The design is based on an antique sampler purchased from the UK. The called for fabric is 36ct Iced Cappuccino from R & R Reproductions. I chose to stitch mine on 16ct Dusty Road by Seraphim. The wording on the design is meant to be stitched over one so I will need to make an adjustment for that.

I used the called for floss but ran out of two colors but was able to match those with rom my collection of Victorian Motto floss. For Old Red Paint, I used Southern Red Trillium and for Confederate Gary, I used Twitterpated (love the name).

The border flowers were supposed to alternate Old Red Paint and Mocha but I had a hard time distinguishing between the sold heart and solid circle so mine are all stitched with Old Red Paint.

I love how it turned out and decided rather than try and figure out some wording that would fit, I added another motif. I thought I had a frame that would work but it is a slight bit too small (11″x11″) so will need to order something.

I found a 12×12 frame for half price that I liked so here is the framed piece ready to hang.

Soaring Pigeon

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Soaring Pigeon is one of the nature inspired designs by Pigeon Coop Designs. It is available both as a pdf file or a kit which includes everything needed for stitching the design. I chose the pdf because I like to select my own fabric and floss.

I chose a piece of hand dyed 16ct aida in a mottled blue that I had in my stash and used the called for colors with the exception of one which I did not have.

I mounted it on one of the round mini boards and added some blue rick rack and a bow. Simple but I love it. It joins Festive Cardinal and Spring Robin on my “bird wall.”

Emily’s Bliss

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Emily’s Bliss by Summer House Stitche Works was an exclusive offered in the Facebook group, Homespun Needlework (Cross Stitch and Samplers) in November 2021.

“Every leaf speaks bliss to me; fluttering from the Autumn tree.” Emily Brontë penned her poem Fall, Leaves, Fall as an ode to the beauty of the seasons in 1846. It was this poem that was the inspiration behind Emily’s Bliss. Fall is my favorite season with it’s crisp days, smells of apple and pumpkin and of course, the falling, colorful leaves that cover the mountainsides. The design is stitched with luscious Gloriana silk floss on 32 count Natural Light Linen from Wichelt. The overdyed silk brings the autumn colors to life as they dance around the drum finish. What better way to continue the autumnal fun than to top it with cozy wool from Weeks Dye Works, embroidered wool felt leaves and a wool felt acorn with a real acorn cap. As the days grow shorter, I hope you enjoy stitching up Emily’s Bliss to celebrate the season! (Note: Kits with 16 count Aida and/or an overdyed cotton conversion from Weeks Dye Works and Classic Colorworks are also available.)

I ordered the kit with 16ct aida and the overdyed cotton floss.

I stitched this much and then for whatever reason put it aside.

I picked it up again in April 2024 and decided I had to finish it. And it is much prettier than this photo shows. I will probably finish it as a drum to add to my drum collection.

The top is a bit wonky but at least it is finished.