Actually Stitching!!

Finished the Bastin piece in 4 days (I went back and added an extra 1/2 cross to the flower colors to make the stand out better!), then partially designed, stitched and finished a calendar cover insert between Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Love the result! The center Eiffel Tower design I found on a French site. Wish I could remember where so I could give due credit! The rest is me filling in the rest of the space. I'm hoping the words translate as: Things to Do. It's stitched on 14ct Ivory Aida. I sealed the cut edges with Fray Check. Nothing lasts forever anyway. Here's hoping it's appreciated by a 14-year old!

Finally stitching again - Nice freebie site with tutorials

I finally completed this Janlynn Flower of the Month freebie last week! Sorry my camera isn't working so this image is from that website. Stitched on 32-ct potato linen. Haven't decided whether to make into ornament, put in small circular frame, or maybe make a 2-year calendar cover out of it. If the cover, then I'd have to add fabric to top and bottom to fit. If you haven't seen instructions for that simple project, read through the 123MB posts here.

Am I the only stitcher that pines for a decent PURPLE thread? They are either too red, too pinky, too blue, and/or too "muddy" for me. Any suggestions? I want a pure purple!! Guess indigo is just too expensive these days. : (

I have been wanting to stitch this Marjolein Bastin design for years. It only came in a kit. I had posted a ISO post on the 123MB for just the chart, and was amazed to receive not only the original chart, but in its original kit (minus threads and fabric) as a PIF! I fully expected to pay or trade for it. Thank you! Thank You, Carry!! I started it Saturday and am already about 1/2 way through. I don't know if it's because I'm stitching on white 32-ct linen, or because I decided to stitch with just one thread over 2 (which has worked well for me with other florals), or simply the difference between the visual printed or .jpg image and the stitched version, but the colors just aren't as vivid nor are they the same shades as those pictured either here or on the glossy print part of the kit. What appears to be dark greens behind the flowers are actually 412-414-3799 dark grays. The blue in the flowers are the 341 cornflower series. The lightest "blue" is really 762 silver and barely visible. What appears to be white, is in fact white. The vase colors are 930-932. I'm seriously considering going back and adding an extra top cross to the single threads in the hopes that the colors differentiate a LOT better and hopefully stand out more. I've already done that with the few 3345 & 3347 green stitches, as well as the yellow and golden flower centers already. Or maybe I need to add some back stitching - even less thrilled with that idea. Like I said, I've been looking forward to stitching this one for a long time, and have to admit I'm somewhat disappointed in the design color choices as well as my stitching choices.

Cross Stitch Pro: Here's a site with many freebie of charts and instructions for making check book covers, book marks, a new no-sew vase cover and no-sew flat fold, etc.!!

More Online Freebies

May Sampler - from With Thy Needle and Thread
Welcome October - from With Thy Needle and Thread

C'est l'automne - from Gazette 94 - and many other freebies

Pinwheel's Ornaments & Tutorials - NOT freebies, but great ideas for finishing smalls!

Freebies from UK's Cross Stitcher Magazine

Best with color printer!

Margaret Sherry's ABC's - entire alphabet! - whimsical & delightful!
Scrolled alphabet
Christmas Pudding
Mini Dandelion - very quick stitch

Stitch a Star page includes (all are sepia-toned - click on the underlined "here" in each section): John Wayne, Michael Jackson, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Bruce Springsteen, James Dean, the Stig (?), Zac Efron, Keira Knightley, & Barack Obama

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The Toymaker: Came across this DELIGHTFUL site by a fantastic illustrator who features freebie toys, boxes, etc for you to print, cut out and glue together. She also publishes books of her designs.

Post Halloween Freebie

Jack takes a well-deserved beach break!!

Size: 34w x 43h
14 ct: 2-3/8 x 3 inches

Click on chart for larger size, then "save as" to your computer to print. All downloads are subject to the copyright information on the right.

Beach Wedding #2

Forecast was for lingering clouds and showers to completely clear by afternoon before the wedding with lovely clear weather near 70 on Saturday. Instead it was heavily overcast, damp and 53 degrees! At least the wind was calm and it didn't rain - though the ground was mushy from rain all week. Two of DD's friends of 25 years held a Bride's breakfast, then most there headed immediately to help set up decorations and put out the tables and chairs, etc. Large tent was erected in my parents' back yard, DD and friend of bride spent all day Friday cooking. He brought his huge cooker with racks of BBQ ribs, chicken and brisket, etc. LOTS of food. I guess it's not unexpected that many who RSVP'd didn't make it, but DD was disappointed nonetheless. Ceremony was again wonderful. DD left her vows "script" in the house yet recited it perfectly. Groom was in strong voice and equally happy to relate how he'd fallen in love with her blue eyes, and the minister was wonderful. Food was great. They decided not to serve alcohol and even forewent the champagne this time. They'd already arranged for an "after party" being held at the Karaoke bar where they met. The owner had ordered a cake and 2 dozen roses for them! I trailed in later, having taken left-over potato salad and their wedding cheese cake home to my fridge when I discovered they'd just left it sitting outside (plenty cool, but too risky - and then there was the possibility of hungry critters - not to mention rain.). Groom loves to sing karaoke. Those in my family took over the pool room, but I mostly sat and talked to the family from Germany who flew all the way to Texas to come to DD's wedding. Before we left, I was talked into joining Nephew, Groom, Sister and her DH for a go at Margaritaville.

Heather & Dan's Wedding

Before the Minister:


A Kiss for the Newlyweds:


The Sun Sets on Cue:


The Moon Approves:


Mom and Radiant Daughter:


First Dance as a Married Couple:


Embroidery on the Wedding Dress: I was asked to embroider highlights on the wedding dress, which made me rather nervous. I got the dress only 2 weeks ahead of the time she needed it back. Once in hand I had to figure out what to do and where. After a few days I started with the design on the lower right of the skirt (so any rethinks wouldn't be as obvious) and began to satin stitch, but quickly decided to limit that because of the strong color and the detail. I used outline/stem stitch around the rest of the design. For the design on the shoulder, I decided not to compete with her lovely face and only to outline most of it. Because the dress was lined I had to carefully avoid catching lining by passing needle between the layers as I stitched. Took a LOT longer than it looks! The design on groom's pocket is the lower portion of gerbera daisy petals, which I had DD preapprove. I'd started on a separate piece of linen I intended to tack over the top of the pocket with designs similar to those on her dress ... but I got about 1/2 done and just did NOT like it. Plan B - what DD had suggested as an alternative - something like petals in relief. Because by then I had to have the shirt back to her the next day. I actually brought it home again to start over, and stitched it over-night - again stitching only on the top layer of the folded pocket hem. I intended to add an additional row of satin stitching to that area to the left to balance the design and weight of color, but she called to say a friend was nearby and going to pick up the shirt several hours before I was told she needed it back. Yikes. Which mean a RUSH job on the bit I still had left when I'd crumpled over sound asleep, shirt in former lap and needle still in hand.


Wedding:

Just got back from Florida from my daughter's almost perfect beach wedding in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. The weather was perfect, if breezy. The bride was radiant and so very happy. She had waited a very long time for that day. The groom became so emotional he could barely read his lovely tribute and vows. I didn't flub my "who gives this bride away?" line, nor did I drop the flowers that were unexpectedly thrust in my hands. The sun was low over the Gulf of Mexico, suspended it's descent a few moments to allow photos to be taken, then went down on cue leaving a warm afterglow of both light and emotion.

The wedding party was small and mostly family. His live in that area. Bride and groom made the 12 hour drive from DFW, and bridge Mom flew in for a couple of nights. They stayed on a very nice condo on the beach. We all met at the condo, then walked out for the wedding. Onlooker peered from balconies and beach goers politely kept their distance. Afterward one family walked up to congratulate the couple and offer to take a group photo. Although very informal, my DD spent weeks getting everything ready. I kept asking what I could do to help, and finally she asked me to embroider something on her while sundress and groom's shirt. Yikes. I haven't embroidered in years and even after she delivered the dress to me in early September, it took days for me to get up the nerve to actually stitch on it. What I had planned for groom's pocket did not work, so DD suggested something and I stayed up all night the day before the left to stitch it. Not exactly what I wanted, but okay with them.

However, the weather was perfect, and the sun went down between them on cue. The bride was beautiful. The groom was besotted with love. It was a small ceremony with only family and her college roommate and child in attendance, however I noted several people on balconies watching as well as some people further down the beach. In fact one family came up applauding and to give their congratulations. Then the husband asked if we would like him to take a photo of the entire wedding party. Everybody was smiles, and by then the "minister" had wisely ducked out to make "another engagement."

Groom's sister and niece prepared far too much food for the small reception back in the condo, then plans to go out to party were scrapped and everyone went to bed before 9 ... BECAUSE ...

Earlier that day we'd been looking at the local sights, including the fishing and tourist docks. My sister's DH and imminent Son-in-Law decided on the spur of the moment that we should all go deep sea fishing the next morning. I've never been fishing, and DEEP SEA fishing was never on my list of top couple of million things to do in life. But it was either sit alone for 8 hours in the condo waiting to be taken to the airport, or tag along (despite the fact I was swigging Pepto Bismol before I even left home) and taking even a short ride on ANY boat was way against my better judgment. So the 5 of us were all up before 6am, my not-even-married-12-hours DD fixed a quick breakfast (of which I wisely only nibbled), and we were roared away from the dock at 8am for a 6-hour fishing trip to a secret spot somewhere 12 miles off-shore. I've been on cruises before with no problem, and the trip out and back didn't bother me but even large party boat endlessly rocking and rolling ... So was DD. It also played total havoc with my already iffy sense of balance to the point it was all I could do to stand, and sat as much as possible. But the weather was nice and not too warm, The Gulf apparently pretty calm (surely they were kidding!), and I fished for the first and last time, actually catching 3 fish - one that was under size and another much smaller one keepable, but with filets probably smaller than a fish stick. Mostly, however, we baited double-hooked lines then fed 95% of the bait to waiting fish and dolphins, who I swear heard the boat and wheeeed "Lunch is here," - then giggled when we reeled up heavy but empty hooks. It was not a good fishing day. I wasn't aware of how much all that rocking and rolling affected my balance until I took a quick shower before we left for airport - and almost fell over sideways. Less than 3 hours after getting off boat, I was on plane flying home. It took 2 days before my floor quit rolling and my TV and computer screen to cease rocking.

My DD and new SIL stayed another week for their honeymoon. Now they get a second opportunity at the wedding of their dreams when they repeat their vows in my parents' back yard on October 10th for a much larger group of family and friends that could not make it to Florida. Crossing fingers the weather is just as perfect, and that this time new Husband can sing the words he'd intended to before he was too overcome with emotion to do much more than whisper them.