Floral Sampler Progress

I apologize for the tardiness of this post. I was in some anxiety because there was a possibility that I'd have to make plans to move to another state. I've only lived in this city/apt. for one year, and the thought of having to go through a move again so soon was very unsettling, along with other family reasons why a move is necessary.

Thankfully, a move will not take place until about 2014, so I can relax and focus on creating beautiful needlework.

I am almost done with the Floral Sampler (Reader's Digest chart). I need to put in my initials in the upper left.

Happy stitching!

Stitching Updates

I'm almost finished with my Floral sampler, but Michael's Crafts was out of the bright yellow DMC  floss that I needed, so I will substitute some other color in the remaining bottom border flowers.

I stitched some on my Coeur d'Hiver. I used some DMC specialty glistening  floss, and found it stiff and difficult to get to lie flat when used in two strand crosses. I'll be using it as one strand for some of the backstitched snowflake flowers.

 

I'm afraid we will have a drought this summer, what with the lack of snow and rain.

Happy stitching!

ABC for April K.

I was informed that my  HOE ABC Exchange package to April K. was received at last. Unfortunately, it seems that the enclosed postcard was missing. The whole thing is very strange because I sealed that Priority Mail flat-rate box with good quality packing tape.

I think that I had sent her a special greeting card as well.

Anyway, here is a photo of the stitched piece on the cover of a hard-bound writing journal.  I sewed the journal cover in coordinating fabric and then appliqued the cross-stitched mini sampler onto it. I embroidered a green stem stitch border around it to disguise the edge.

The pattern is from an old Piecework magazine. I'll post the creator later.

Petites Lettres Rouges--My Version

I found this Blackbird Designs blog contest two days before the deadline, which was not enough time for me to enter. I've just finished my version of the "Petites Lettres Rouges," in shades of DMC reds on tea-colored
28 ct. linen.

I wanted a lot of birds in it, so I left out many of the numbers as well as the date. I put in two swallows from "Ann Orr's Charted Designs (Dover Pub.), a crane of my own design, a stork from "Scandinavian Charted Designs from the Lindberg Press" (Dover Pub.), and a chick from "Ann Orr's Charted Designs" (Dover Pub.).

I place my name on it. Although I've stitched many samplers, this is the first one to have my full name. I haven't decided whether I'll make this into a pillow or frame it. It will depend upon finding a suitable frame.

My printer did not print the symbols clearly, so I might have made mistakes in the coloring of the borders.

Acorns and Owls

This is "Acorns and Owls," a freebie by Blue Ribbon Designs. It's stitched on 28-ct. white Monaco, and I haven't made it into anything yet as I'm still deciding what to do with it. I changed a couple of the colors (DMC).

ABC Sampler

This is a project from the now defunct Cross Stitch and Country Crafts magazine. I finished it as a picture. I had put it up on eBay about ten years ago, then the auction was never completed or something. I took it out of the frame and saw that it has rust marks on it from the brads that kept it under the mat, I guess. I am going to get some special spot remover for it and clean it. It's DMC floss on Aida.