"Night Before Christmas" by Birds of a Feather

"Night Before Christmas"

by Nancy Davis and Connie O'Brien of Birds of a Feather

This design is from the 1998 Just Cross-Stitch ornament issue magazine.  I stitched it in cotton threads, both solid from DMC and overdyed threads from Weeks Dye Works.  It is stitched on 32 count natural linen from Zweigart.  I used my giant ball-o-blue-yarn for the twisted cording, along with a sparkly blue Kreinik metallic, which I accented with a clear glass bead as I attached it to the ornament.  I stitched this in 2010 and did the finishing in October 2012.  

Birds of a Feather, when I used to collect their patterns, was run by Nancy and Connie.  I stitched several of their pieces and they have really fun designs.  I see on their website now that they no longer have counted cross-stitch designs and do only painted canvases.  

"Tweet Gift" by Full Circle Designs Finished

"Tweet Gift" by Lynda Watkins of Full Circle Designs

This ornament was a lot of fun to stitch because I used up lots of little bits of overdyed threads I had in my stash.  It is stitched on 32 count linen.  For the finishing I used a textured red velvet for the back and made cording in colors to accent the design.  

I knew I wanted some kind of greenery at the corners.  My original vision was pinecone buttons but I think the holly berries are even more cute.  It has a flat back and flat padded front.  To attach buttons like this, wait until after the ornament is finished and then use a matching thread to couch them onto the ornament.  It is a little difficult as you can't stitch through the matboard but it is more frustrating if you sew them on first and then try and do the finishing because your thread will catch on them over and over.    

Full Circle Design's website is not working at this time but you can see other designs

 they have at ABC Stitch.  

" 'Tis Red" by La-D-Da 2010 Ornament Finished

'Tis Red

by Lori Markovic of La-D-Da Designs

This shade of red, DMC 814, is my absolute favorite color. Whenever I see a new type of specialty thread I pick up a skein in this dark red because I know that someday I'll use it.  I may also buy white, but that is not nearly as exciting to me as red.  The thread I used in this is an overdyed silk from Victoria Clayton that I saw and loved and I may have bought an entire hank of it.  (shhhhh)  The ornament is stitched on 36 count white linen from Zweigart.  

La-D-Da has one of my favorite designs that I've never finished.  I still need to mail it to my friend Suzanne because she said she'd finish it for me.  Super nice, yes!  I finished another ornament from Lori some years back as well.  

I embroidered the back with the year on my sewing machine, using a crisp white rayon that really shows up with the red silk dupioni.

The beaded edge of the ornament is created after the ornament is completed by alternating bead colors, in this case a dark clear rose and white, in the string and placing 8-10 beads on a single stitch.  The smaller stitch size forces the beads to curve in an arch away from the edge.  A simple embroidered ribbon bow finishes the top.  

Teresa Wentzler's "Father Winter Ornament" finished.

"Father Winter Ornament" by Teresa Wentzler

I have always been a huge Teresa Wenztler fan.  I've stitched several of her designs over the years and enjoyed them immensely.  Her sense of color and balance are masterful.  Plus, she's super nice and incredibly generous with her craft.  This pattern is free on her website.  You can see her other wonderful pieces on her website as well.  

I originally stitched this ornament in July 2006 on 28 count green evenweave fabric using DMC cotton threads and Mill Hill seed beads.  I finished it in October 2012 with a silk dupioni backing and white trim with pink seed beads.  I love the beads!  

Mirabilia's "Bluebell"...

"Bluebells" by Mirabilia

I stitched this for my friend Jessie.  It is stitched in cotton floss and an overdyed Waterlilies silk.  The wings and a lot of the details are in Kreinik Metallic threads and there are quite a few beads.  Always fun to stitch these fairies!  

I kept thinking about my friend Laura and how she would have loved this piece: purples, Mirabilia, fairy with no antennae.  So I'm happy that it is for another friend.  

Christmas stockings finished...

Every year I lots of Christmas stockings, and this year is now exception. Dark red velvet is so lovely. It is both traditional and striking at the same time.

These three stockings are all finished with self-welted cording on the sides and twisted cording around the top and for the hanger. Very fun!

Darleen O'Steen's Cranberry Sampler...

is completed! Isn’t it beautiful?


http://www.summerlouise.com/albums/stitching/designers/darleneosteen.html



Well, it is as completed as it’s going to get. In the pattern there is a second cutwork band at the bottom, but it wasn’t a design that I liked. So, the sampler is 2″ shorter. This will be framed eventually.