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On the Alder Bough

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On the Alder Bough by Blackbird Designs was one of the projects at the 2022 Shepherd’s Bush Retreat.

The recommended fabric is 36ct Veldt by Picture This Plus. I chose to use 25ct white Lugana. I used the recommended floss 3 over 2. The finished size is a bit under 5″x 5″.

Started Stitching: May 11, 2023
Finished Stitching: May 19, 2023

I added the initials of my maternal grandmother Ruby McLaughlin Tucker who was born May 20, 1895. She lived to be exactly 84 years old and died on May 20, 1979.

The frame is from therustyroof.

Tiny Pumpkin

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Tiny Pumpkin by Blackbird Designs is from the book, When the Leaves Fall.

The project was meant to be stitched on Moda toweling fabric with black banding (19 inches per stitch wide x 21 stitches per inch high). I chose to stitch it on what I had in my stash which was 16ct aida with the called or colors.

I was not really sure how I was going to finish this one but decided on a long, skinny pillow. I did add some rickrack to each end and the back is just the same fabric. I just folded it over and made the seam in the middle of the back. It joins some of the others in the dough bowl.

2023 Collector’s Heart

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I love red and projects stitched in red. When I first saw the 2023 Collector’s Heart by Heart In Hand Needleart, I wanted to stitch it but it was only offered as a kit which came with linen as the fabric. I saw the chart only offered for sale on one of the stash selling sites and I grabbed it.

2023 Collector's Heart cover.

I chose a piece of 16ct white aida and DMC 115 which is variegated garnet.

Once I finished stitching it, I decided to mount it on a reddish color board I had in my stash. I laced the stitched piece to a piece of matboad.

The first image shows the stitched piece with a guideline added for lining up the stitched piece to the matboard. The 2nd Image shows the stitched piece laced to the matboard. And the last image shows the finished piece mounted to the board.

Top Ten Ways to Personalize Patterns

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The Colorado Cross Stitcher offered this article in her last newsletter. Some of them I have done and some I have not. She also shares some visuals of these on her FlossTube Channel linked below.

(182) Flosstube #39: Summer Camp, Projects, and Personalizing – YouTube

1. Add your name or initials and date.
2. Add a relative’s name, birthplace, dates. (This one I do quite often when stitching samplers or smalls.
3. Change the colors of some of the motifs to match your decor.
4. Replace motifs that you don’t care for with ones that you love.
5. Lighten or darken some (or all!) of the floss colors.
6. Change the called-for fabric to a different color. (This one I do most often as I don’t stitch on linen and I select lighter color fabrics.)
7. Stitch parts from patterns instead of thinking you need to stitch the whole thing.
8. Stitch multiple patterns from a series into one big piece.
9. Add names of cities you’ve lived in, pets you’ve had, friends that are special, addresses where you have lived, etc.
10. Stitch family initials (in sampler alphabets) in a different color. (Special thanks to Daleen from Sew Grateful for this tip, which I continue to use in my stitching!)

More Blackbird Designs Reprints

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Blackbird Designs has reprinted some of their designs. They are all listed on the Hoffman Distributing website. Any local needlework shop or online shop can order them for you. The Lydia R. Cohagan chart that was an exclusive, has also been released to everyone.

They are as follows:

  • Away We Ride
  • Bells On Christmas Day
  • Elizabeth Jane
  • Farm House (Anniversaries of the Heart 5)
  • Loose Feathers – All the Hills Echoed
  • Loose Feathers – Autumn
  • Loose Feathers – It’s Spring Fever
  • Loose Feathers – Last Ripe Berries
  • Loose Feathers – Pleasure of the Fleeting Year
  • Loose Feathers – Sing A Song of Seasons
  • Loose Feathers – Summer
  • Loose Feathers – Winter
  • Midnight Watch
  • Moonlight Visitor (Anniversaries of the Heart)
  • Strawberry Fields Forever
  • Sweet Summer Come Again
  • Violet’s Blue
  • Winter Is Past

Sky Full of Birds

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Sky Full of Birds is one of the designs included in the Blackbird Designs book When the Leaves Fall. I wanted something small so that I could mount it on the top of one of the playing card boxes I bought some time ago. I stitched this one on 25ct Lugana 3 over 2. The border was supposed to have eyelet stitches as part of it, but 3 strands made them look messy to I did smyrna crosses. For the five eyelet stitches within the design, I used two strands of floss. The three birds across the top are also stitched using only 2 strands. Now to paint the box and finish the inside and outside.

I painted the box a deep, dark green. The hardest part was trying to put the hardware back onto the box after painting. I had a hard time seeing the holes and the screws are really tiny.

The inside of the box has four compartments. For two of them I used some Blackbird Designs fabric I had and covered two pieces of chipboard with batting on top. I also stitched two pieces for the Blackbird Designs book, A Stitcher’s Journey which is out of print now. Tulip Pincushion is the one with the rick rack and botton. The other one is Birds and Berries Pinkeep. The pins are Lady Dot’s Sunflowers for Ukraine pins and the charm is something I had in my stash.

Happiness is Homemade 2022

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Happiness is Homemade is the 2022 Nashville Needlework Cookbook and is filled with your favorite designers’ recipes and cross stitch charts.

The first one I stitched is on Page 5 by Blackbird Designs. The design has no name. Since the design is small (57wx50h) I decided to use 25ct white lugana over 2. I did not have all of the called for floss so I just selected some from my stash. It was a quick stitch.

Not sure yet how I will finish it. Perhaps on the top of a box or a small pillow.

Mr. Green Thumb

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Mr. Green Thumb is one of the newer designs offered in the Nature section of Pigeon Coop Designs. I knew I wanted to stitch this one as soon as I saw it. While the chart recommends 14ct aida, it contains quite a few fractional stitches which are NOT easy to do on aida. I chose to use 28ct Monaco. The design uses all DMC floss. The finished size is 4 3/8 x 4 3/4. Not sure how I am going to finish it was yet.

Mr. Green Thumb

Mr. Green Thumb will join the three other Pigeon Coop Designs I have stitched – Festive Cardinal, Three Pines, and Northern Forests. Next up is Lush Valley to join the latter two I have finished to display as a trio.

And here he is, all ready to display.

Can Do Attitude

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Can Do Attitude by Silver Creek Samplers is a free chart offered by the designer on her website.

On 16ct which is what I chose to stitch it on, the design measures 2 1/4 x 4 1/4. I decided to stitch it as a small pin pillow using the called for colors – Gentle Arts Peacock, Tropical Ocean, Sea Spray and Olde Red Paint. I had already decided on the backing fabric which was perfect for this small project. It was a beautiful batik I got from my quilting friend.

Once I finished sewing it together and stuffing it, I wanted to use ruched ribbon for the trim. I found a green that looked good and added it. Vonna Pfeiffer, The Twisted Stitcher has a wonderful tutorial on creating ruched ribbon. The small pillow joins the others in the dough bowl.

Reprints/New Designs from Blackbird Designs

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Alma has announced the following designs will be available from Hoffman’s Distributing at the Nashville Needlework Market.

Birds of a Feather was first released in 2006 and has been Out of Print for some time now. Retail Price is $14 for this one.

Birds of a Feather

United We Stand will include three patterns celebrating the love of our country The mattress pincushion, scissor holder and The Clustered Stars needle book are all included. Retail Price for all three of these is $20.

United We Stand

This one is included in the Nashville 2023 Cookbook Happiness is Homemade. The charts do not usually have a title. Retail price for the cookbook is $12.