"The Gift" by Darlene O'Steen of Needle's Prayse

"The Gift"

by Darlene O'Steen of The Needle's Prayse

This ornament was published in the 1998 Just Cross-Stitch Ornament issue.  This magazine became very hard to find by the year 2000 and still usually sells at a premium on the internet.  Darlene wrote an incredible book called "The Proper Stitch" which includes two samplers: "Our English Heritage Sampler" and "The Proper Stitch Sampler".  I made her Cranberry Sampler in 2007 and plan on making the other two someday as well.  

I finished the ornament in October 2012 with a silk dupioni back and cotton twisted cording.  I may keep the bows or remove them later... I tend to be very traditional in my own finishing and am trying to get to like bows.  

Sorry for the water drop in the photo - it was raining here in Washington when I took the picture!

Home Sweet Home quilt #1

Home Sweet Home

I started this quilt a few years back.  I saw a model finished up in the quilt store in Kelowna and bought the book because it was so beautiful.  It is called Home Sweet Home and was written by Barb Adams and Alma Allen.  I cross-stitched for many years and Blackbird Designs was well known to me.  I had not known that they did quilting designs as well.  The book itself has several quilting patterns that I plan on making in addition to the Home Sweet Home quilt.  I just need more hours in the day!  I also really like the "lifestyle" chapters where they visit a friend's home and show how they decorated for different holidays.  Lots of beautiful things there.  I've read it several times - it's like a beautiful magazine you look at again and again.

Anyway, I digress.  I started the quilt with raw-edge applique using blanket stitch on my machine to stitch them down.  I thought they looked great, and made four blocks.  Then I got distracted with Lollypop Trees, which I worked in needleturn applique, and realized I wanted to work Home Sweet Home in needleturn applique.  I made one block with needleturn, realized that it wouldn't look like the others, and set it aside.  I decided to finish up these four blocks into one smaller quilt.  I'm labeling it #1 because I am going to work #2 quilt someday!

Other designs from the book are pictured below.  Isn't it beautiful?

   

 

 

Sheepish Design's "Frolicking Flowers"...

Stitched on 28-count linen from Zweigart over one linen thread.  Stitched using hand-dyed cotton floss in the following colors: Weeks Dye Works in Navy, Ivy, Sweetheart Rose, Squash, Angel Hair, Iris, and Americana.

Stitched in April - May 2010.  It took me about five days to stitch.  I would estimate 12 hours?  The design, when stitched over one, measures about 3.25" square.

Ellen Chester's Quaker Hornbook...

"Quaker Hornbook"

I stitched this piece in April 2010.  Our ANG chapter will be stitching it for the June project so I stitch the class piece first so I can teach it if needed.  This linen is 36 count Permin and most of the design is stitched over two threads.  The alphabet is stitched over one threads.  I used overdyed six-strand cotton threads - "Tree Bark" from The Dye is Cast and "Cappucino" from Crescent Colors.  I made the twisted cording from some brown Impressions thread.  A fun, quick piece to stitch!

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

http://www.withmyneedle.com/

Birds of a Feather "Kindness Sampler"

"Kindness Sampler"

This is stitched on Permin linen.  I think it was 32 but if may be 28 count.  It is a beautiful ginger color.  The threads are mostly Weeks Dye Works hand dyed cotton threads but the dark brown is DMC cotton floss.  The design is 8" square and I think the frame is about 12" square.  I stitched this in April 2010.

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

Five Birds by Barrick Sampler

"Five Birds"

designed by Barrick Samplers

I stitched this little sampler in April 2010 for my friend Sharon.  The linen is Permin linen, 28 count.  The cream thread it Weeks Dye Works in Angel (angelhair?) and the blacks are Weeks Dye Works Coal and Charcoal. 

Tape Measure

This measuring tape is approximately 2" in diameter.  Trimmed with pearl beads and silk ribbon, it will be an elegant addition to your sewing case.  Design by Olde Colonial Designs.

Needlebook

A double-sided needlebook with a padded mattress center and felt pages. Brass headpins are inserted into the satin ribbon with glass beads as decoration.  

Bellpull - Sampler

This cross-stitch design is finished with golden brown velveteen backing and trimmed with light gold twisted cording.  The stitched fabric tabs hang over a white wood rod.

"On Golden Shores" Sampler Present Box

This stand-up box is flat on front and back, with a center button to tuft the box.  The ribbon trim on the edges and bow at the top complement the design perfectly.  Design by Truswell Needlework Design.

Heart in Hand Stand-Up

This sampler is fnished into a wedge stand-up pillow.  The bottom is weighted.  

Design by Heart in Hand. 

Whitework Sampler III

Last night I finished stitching Linda Driskell's "Whitework Sampler III".






This is a gorgeous piece! I stitched it on the recommended 19 count linen. A few years ago I'd stitched #1 and I stitched it on 28 count linen instead of 19. While it was more delicate, there just wasn't room for all the coral knot festoon trips. This time, since I did it on 19 count, there *was* room. I'm very pleased with it. It will smooth out after lacing and framing but for now it's just going in my finished project drawer to make friends.

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.