YEAH!! Marjolein Bastin freebie: In the Garden

I stand corrected. Just yesterday I discovered the link I had to the BH&G Australia site was broken. Despite numerous attempts and considerable time trying to find one that worked, I couldn't and sadly concluded this wonderful chart was no longer accessible. BUT ..... DeeinTee tracked down an old link that still works! Yeah!!!! Thanks Dee!!!

Working link: http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/better-homes-gardens/gardening/articles/a/-/5832195/from-the-garden-sampler/

Suggestion: visit and d/l the chart ASAP.

8/15 UPDATE: Ooops! I managed to post a link to my own blog instead of the one to Garden Sampler. I've since corrected that! There are just some days .... : /  Thanks to SoCalDebbie for letting me know!

Well, that correction still ended up back on my own blog, but I'm sure that is really IS fixed the 3rd time around. Sorry for the inconvenience!

LindaMc

Broken link to Marjolien Bastin freebie

In adding more links on the Freebies page, I discovered that the wonderful Marjolein Bastin Garden Sampler, which was originally posted online by BH&G Australia in 2001, is no longer available. It's a wonder that it was accessible for as long as it was. A very sad loss and a reminder that when you find a freebie you may EVER want to stitch, d/l and backup the chart immediately.

And PLEASE, if you run across a broken link for a site listed on one of the Freebie  pages, please let me know so I can remove or at least note it. Thank you!

WIP UPDATE: I'd planned to finish stitching LK's ABC's of Aging Gracefully and move on to something else that has been waiting patiently in the wings for months (or years as the case may be) while watching the Olympics. Instead I'm absolutely stuck on trying to substitute ONE color which just doesn't show on my blue fabric. I wanted to just choose a slightly darker hue but immediately realized the DMC # of the provided floss (3848) was incorrect, spent a long while trying to figure out whether it was 504 or 3818 or 3813 (all so close in hue under my home lights all but impossible to determine), spent over an hour driving to Hobby Lobby and my LNS with different lighting trying to determine same, then emailed LK who kindly took the time to email back and confirm it is 3818, and would like a photo of the finish on the Wedgewood Blue fabric. The the next darker hue is 503, but darker than I want, so have spent even MORE HOURS trying to choose a totally DIFFERENT color and haven't been happy with a gold or yellow or a peach or a different blue or aqua or a lavender; definitely did NOT want another pink, etc. In the meantime, I could have FINISHED the piece had I not been stuck on that one single color choice. As of last night, I finally decided I did not want to introduce a whole new color into the original color scheme so my next experiment will be a blend of the provided 3818 and 503, and see if that works. If I hadn't already ordered and put money down for framing, I'd just set it aside and come back to it in a few weeks or months.

Don't you hate it when one tiny, pretty much totally inconsequential thing stops you dead in your tracks and you simply can't move on until you resolve the issue? Or in my case, make sure it's exactly right?

Marjolein Bastin Freebie - Garden Sampler

BH&G Australia first released this freebie in 2001. Warning: the printed quality of the charts and the keys is not that good. They've since turned the key into a fairly readable .jpg. In the past I've recharted portions of this for easier stitching (never done), and turned the Key into a Word.doc. The outside border is DMC variegated 114 green, which may or may not still be available. I'll be honest, I don't know who stitched the one on the right but would be delighted to give due credit or remove. Not only was the border left off but instead of 666, the stitcher used a neutral or maybe light green overdye for the lattice work at the bottom - which I much prefer!  Stitched design area: 9.8" x 12.2"  or 25cm x 31cm    Marjolein Bastin's Garden Sampler

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.

I have wanted to stitch this Marjolein Bastin design for years. It only came in a kit, and I don't care for kits. I had posted a ISO post on the 123MB for just the chart with intent to purchase or trade, and was amazed to receive not only the original chart, but in its original kit (minus threads and fabric) as a PIF! 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 413-414-3799 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 have to admit at present 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.!! (06-13-2011 Link no longer works and am unable to google site so it may have been taken down. If you can connect, please let me know.)