Stitchy updates, and a Valentines Freebie

Hello my faithful followers, and a warm welcome to my new followers, I'm sorry that I have deserted you for so long, but life, and illness have got in the way, but now I am back into the swing of things. I have a freebie which I have designed for you all to stitch which is on a Valentines theme, and I hope I am not too late for you all to have a go at stitching it. It is not very large and can be found further on down the blog.



The picture above is of a beautiful little freebie cross stitch pattern which I found some time ago on a blog belonging to Sablaise,thank you Sablaise; and which I stitched sometime before Christmas. I thought it most apt now that Valentines Day is on this coming Sunday. However, I love hearts, and I think they are great anytime of the year. I haven't made the piece up into anything yet, but I thought I may make it into a Pinkeep, as the one that I use now, is a little bit worse for wear. The link for this pattern can be found here

The following pics are of some more stitcheries which I have stitched that are to be included in the quilt which I am going to make for my bed.

The pic below is of the Winter birds, part of the seasons set from My Aunts Attic which I have now finished. I do intend at a later date to do all the seasons.

My Gift to you for Valentines Day.

please click on the Pattern Pic to enlarge and then print

Valentine Rose

A Rummage in the Attic, a Finish, and a Giveaway

Thank you to all the ladies who posted a message to my blog last time. All messages are greatly appreciated. To those of you who just come to have a quick peek, just say Hi, I would love to hear from you.

As you can see from the picture above, I have been buying yet more stash. The pattern that you see I bought online on Saturday from a site that is new to me. The lady who owns it is called Fee, and I think, but wouldn't be sure is a fairly new designer. If you click on her name it will take you to her site. The site is a bit strange in the fact that when you get to the site you need to scroll down to see what you have clicked on, after choosing what you want to look at.

I really fell in love with her little star and thought it quite different to the normal patterns for Christmas.

The Hardanger was a snip on Ebay, and the two reels of heavy Braid are what I found when I visited our local recycling centre. I was amazed that anyone should throw that away. All they charged me was £1 for the two reels.

The Stef Francis thread is gorgeous, and I am going to use it to embellish ornaments at Christmas. If you click on her name that I've highlighted it takes you to her website for the most gorgeous of stitching threads, silks, linen thread, hand dyed threads etc., which you can buy online much more cheaply than through retailers.

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I have been driven mad for a while now wanting to find a Deighton's book of patterns that I had bought back at the beginning of the 90's. After turning out every conceivable drawer and cupboard I tuck things into, and still not being able to find it, I decided that it must still be in a box in the attic which I hadn't sorted out when we moved to this house 7 years ago. Much as I hate heights, I endeavoured to climb the ladder into the attic, I just couldn't believe all the boxes of stuff I had made my poor suffering husband Phil, put up in the attic. I sorted through kids toys ,to wallpaper, to boxes of pottery and porcelain, records, and you name it it was there, but no pattern book. I knew exactly what things it was with too. Eventually after turning much rubbish out I was ready to get out of the attic, and frustratedly said to my husband well I expect it is staring me in the face but I can't find it. I just turned to get on the ladder, and it was there right in front of me. It would have hit me in the face getting in the attic if it could have done. So now I am happy, and can do some Italian Quilting..... I believe some people call it Trapunto.


Another treasure I want to share with you is from my childhood. Whilst in the attic I found a little book that my Granny gave to me, as I was sooo into books, fairies and poetry. Alas, I have found out that the little book would have been worth about £250 today "if", I hadn't have drawn dear little pictures above each poem. The book is a first edition of Rose Fyleman's " The Fairy Green". The little book was printed in 1919. Here is a pic of the book and one of my favourite poems from it. I don't care of the value it would have been. Memories of childhood, and the love of a Granny mean more than money to me.

The Fairy Green

Upon the magic green I stood

within the fairy ring,

Close to the little rustling wood

Where fairies always sing.

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I was a little bit afraid,

I kept my eyes shut tight,

While all around they danced and played-

I felt the shining light.

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Nearer and nearer still they came,

They touched my dress and hair;

They called me softly by my name;

I heard them everywhere.

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I never moved, I never spoke

(oh,but my heart beat fast),

And so the little fairy folk

All went away at last.

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To-morrow I shall go again

And seek the magic place,

I shall not be so foolish then,

I shall not hide my face.

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But I shall stay for hours and hours

Until the daylight ends,

And we shall dance among the flowers

and be the greatest friends.

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And I shall learn their fairy song;

And when I come away,

Shall dream of it the whole night long

And sing it every day.

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Giveaway

Whilst searching I came across a cross stitch pattern that I know I will never stitch, as it was when I used to be interested in all things mystical. So I have decided to do a giveaway. If anyone who would like to have the pattern ,put your email address on a message at the bottom of this posting, and then I will put all the names into a Randomiser so that the giveaway is fair. I will do the drawing of the names on Sunday 13th September, and post out the following day.

This is the pic of the pattern, click pic to enlarge:

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My Latest Finish

Unfortunately I had to take the pic through the glass of the picture frame, so if things look a bit cloudy you will know why.

And this is a little stitchery treasure pod I made whilst watching TV

Two New Cross-stitch Books

These two books which I have shown here are my new acquisition from Freecycle.com. I can't believe my luck in someone wanting to get rid of these books which are new and never been used, and me being able to have them for nothing. The lady who gave them away for recycling had bought them with a thought of starting cross-stitch but never had the courage to try and stitch. I am just amazed.

The "Cross Stitch techniques and design encyclopedia", is absolutely full of projects and charts, and have chapters of Celtic & Medieval, Traditional,Folk Art,& Contemporary.

The Teddies book has some really lovely samplers and cute things to make. I have never been into teddies in cross-stitch much, but there are a few small items which I am going to make, like the pin cushion, and jam pot covers etc. I shall not be doing a large sampler,as I like smalls best. I will put pics on my blog when I have stitched them.

I think that when I have done the items that I want to do, I shall have a little competition on my blog, so that one lucky winner can have the book of Teddies for their own..........keep watching out for this. I will put a note on all the stitching groups I belong to when I have organised how I am going to arrange the competition.

What a weekend........

All weekend the sun shone, we had to go down to Cornwall to take a few bits and pieces that DS had left behind when he moved, and to see DGS, I was feeling a little apprehensive about going since there had been three nasty accidents in the past week on the A38 where people had died, and I just couldn't help worrying. That road is not good at the best of times.

On the Thursday afternoon prior to us going to Cornwall my arm and shoulder started to give me grief to the point where I couldn't even sleep. I got progressively worse, and no painkillers would stop it hurting. I got in touch with the out of hours doctor, and he was worse than useless, and said just to take paracetamol, and some brufen which I already had. They didn't touch the pain. By Saturday morning, I couldn't even dress myself. Every time I moved I shouted out like a banshee. No doctors available Saturday, and anyway we had to go to Cornwall. Worst of all, I couldn,t do any stitching either(total boredom & misery).

I can now fully appreciate how difficult some peoples lives can be, not being able to do the simplest of things for themselves, like going to the loo, dressing themselves, washing etc., the list goes on. Do you know just how many times you use your favoured arm!!

Finally after a long Saturday, and not sleeping, and ouching constantly I got to see a doctor at the hospital who said that I had Tendinitis in my shoulder joint. He reckoned that I had injured it by straining my arm by lifting something heavy or awkward. He prescribed me some hefty painkillers, which when under the influence of I have no pain, but I cannot drive, and have to rest my arm, but at least I can now sleep of a night time.

Needless to say DH has had to do all the household chores this weekend, as well as the cooking, and mowing the lawns. I did appreciate all that he did for me, bless him, but I was so bored with not being able to do anything, I thought I would go mad.

By the way the sun is still shining. Spring is finally here.

Little Alphabet Sampler......& Spring Holidays

I just loved stitching this small alphabet sampler. I have stitched it on Belfast Linen 28ct, and used DMC floss. I found it a while ago as a freebie. Its title is " Bluebirds and Daisies", and is a complimentary design from: www.blueribbondesigns.com . I found it very easy to stitch, and I thought I may incorporate the design again along with more motifs to make a larger sampler.

My latest stitching project is a birth sampler for my new little grandson, when finished I will show it on my blog.

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Spring Holiday..... Well a rest for DH anyway....

The weather was beautiful, and silly me I thought that we might go out and about for a few days, especially as it was Easter school holidays and all that. We had even talked about going up to the Fleet Air Arm Museum, and the American Museum up in Somerset, as DS wanted to go there, but no such luck, DH just wanted to rest up. I suppose I can sympathise in a way as he does have a strenuously gruelling job,but I would have driven, and all he had to do was to sit there and look at the countryside.....but no. He just wanted to stay at home. I think that he was just enjoying the fact that my eldest son had moved out the week prior to that, and he just wanted to enjoy the peace that now reigns in our house. I did manage to get DH to go into the garden, and finish digging the veggie patch that we have decided to have this year, especially as people in the UK are being encouraged to grow their own fruit and veg. We have planted Tomatoes, Courgette, Broccoli/Purple sprouting, Lettuce..various varieties, carrots, peas, broad beans,and aubergine, also a custard courgette.

We did however manage to get down to visit the newly arrived Grandson after him being born about 10 days previously. He's so cute,he weighed in at 6lb 6oz and is now gaining weight, and getting stronger every day. They are all coming to see me tomorrow, so I will get to cuddle him again. I do love tiny babes especially when they are not your own and you can hand them back when they start crying.

Easter Saturday, saw a big spring clean out, we had so many old books, and clutter, that we thought it was time to get rid of the excess. Doesn't it take an amazing amount of time, as if you are like me you seem to come across things that you have forgotten and than you start to look through them all particularly photos, or that little memento you had kept for posterity. Eventually we had a huge pile of books which we put on our local Freecycle.com group, www.freecycle.com and there were many takers. We still have loads to do, and get rid of before we can even start to think about decorating. I really must stop hoarding, and stashing.

On Easter Sunday there were many bootsales, and flea markets on, and it was wonderfully warm so we decided to go to one. Yet again I couldn't resist, and found some fabric to add to my stash. Not only do I like doing cross stitch, and blackwork, but from time to time when the mood takes me I do like to do patchwork. I was lucky enough to get about 4 square metres of Calico for £1, and 2 metres of really nice checked material suitable for all sorts of projects. The colours were not too dissimilar to the colours I used in the ABC sampler above.

I also added to my cross-stitch stash, as a lady was selling a piece of 14ct Aida, and all the threads to make a teddy bear sampler. I don't fancy making that up, but the threads, and aida will come in for something. I also was lucky enough to get Donna Kooler's " 555 Fabulous Cross-stitch Patterns" book for 50p. There are so many nice little motifs that I am sure I can incorporate into things that I will make, both for exchanges, and for myself.

Its amazing what people will get rid of for next to nothing. I also had the pick of whatever I wanted out of an old sewing chest. I had a powder bowl full of pins, some with nice heads on, and some buttons for covering, and a velvet press type brush. I shall be covering the little buttons with some cross stitch flowers I think.That all cost me £1 too.

My Antique Porcelain find......

I was just about to leave the bootsale/flea market when I came upon this stall that just had a load of old junk when I found this wonderful little Dresden side plate decorated with purple pansies, and hand gilded with little dots of gold on the pansies, and gilding to the scrolled edges.The age of the plate is around the 1880's-1900.

A Bit of Victoriana

Little did I know 16 years ago when I made the pattern'Lace Trifle' just for me to stitch (pictured here), that it would be so popular with other stitchers.Not having any crossstitch programme at the time, let alone a PC, and wanting to make my own patterns, I had to get the graph paper out to do my own thing.
I have always had a mania for Victorian things, so I decided that I would make a pattern that looked a bit like a victorian calling card. At that time there was nothing in the rectangular space, I added the heart, and the rose and love later.
I have had some lovely comments from the fellow stitchers in the Groups that I belong to, as I have offered this pattern as a freebie to them. My Groups can be found on the side panel of my blog.

For many years now I have wanted my own cross-stitching site, but finances never allowed me to do it, nor did I have the time to keep the site maintained. But the children are older now, so I think it is time I did something about it.However, is this the right time with the economic climate as it is. Only today I heard that my next door neighbour is to be laid off from her job, along with all the rest of her workmates at a well known Mail Order Stitching Company, which is linked to a well known Publishers.There is a lot to be considered.

I would like to show you another picture of a pattern I designed two years prior to the one above. I don't have the pattern anymore, but I do have the piece which I stitched, and have never framed it, which I suppose I should have done. Its just been tucked away in my great big sewing box.

Another little Finish.....Pendibulle Ornament

This little pendibulle was supposed to be a Christmas Pendibulle originally, but I have prettyd' it up with a little bit of rouched lace and a little 3mm burgundy satin ribbon. The pattern is part of a set which also includes a Biscornu, another Christmas Orni, and the Pendibulle. I have stitched the little ornament with a an brick/burgundy coloured thread, and seed pearls, on 14ct aida.

The pattern was offered on the www.waldchamps.com webiste as a freebie.

Finish to Scissors Case

This is my finish for the Quaker " Mes Ciseaux" pattern for a scissors case. I thought it was lacking when I had completed it, even though I lined it with a patterned silk; so have made a little scissors fob echoing part of the design on each side. I have finished the fob with a 2mm cream satin ribbon, attached to the fob on either side with a single Mill Hill glass seed bead ( no02068). The linen which I stitched the piece on is a 36 count off white linen. I cannot say what make the linen is, as it was part of a professional soft furnishing persons stash, which she kindly gave me.

The pattern once again was a freebie pattern from http://www.carinne.ht.st/ which was kindly offered back in 2006.

Going greener...Not only in stitching

Having had a' bit of a week' last week, it was nice to see the sunshine arrive in our little part of the world on Sunday. Although D husband had other ideas I was able to nudge him up the garden with me to clean out the greenhouse. In it we had a collection of Cacti which I had inherited from my D Daughter when she went to live in Goa, I am really not into Cacti even though some of them produced the most beautiful flowers for one day or so in the summer. I therefore had decided that they were taking up valuable space, and that they had to go in order that I could get my vegetable seeds under way, and in particular my tomatoes. This year I am going to grow them in the greenhouse, along with cucumbers, so that no matter what the British weather throws at us we will have luscious tomatoes all summer.

By the way don't be sad for the cacti all thirty odd of them. I listed them on http://freecycle.org/ and gave them away to a home, and to someone who would appreciate theThe rest of the garden is going to be redesigned this year. We have been here now for seven years this year, and after having to start my garden from scratch in the beginning as it was like a wilderness, I think it is time for a change. Not only that,but in England now the powers that be are encouraging people to try and grow their own Veggies and fruit. Well we already do that but not on a very large scale, so I have decided that the round lawn has to be moved, and the shrubs and put into either the front garden, or to be arranged somewhere else. That way where the lawn has been, and is virtually virgin soil can be my new vegetable patch.

These are some of the pics of the plants in my garden last year.

Clematis

Aquilegia

Spring.....Dutch Iris

Calla Lily

Rose: Dawn Chorus....has the most glorious scent

Voodoo Lily

Lavender

Australian Bottlebrush

Spring....everything not out yet.




Blue Angel Wings

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Still on a Green Note

I got to thinking last week apart from all that we have done to be "green with our electricity", I cast my mind back to when I was a child and thought about what my Mum used to have in her house that was different today which didn't use electricity but was so useful. Do you remember those carpet sweepers that you push along to pick up the bits? I really thought this would be a great idea to get one so that when I had finished stitching I wouldn't have to get the vacuum out just to pick up the ends of threads etc., and it would also be eco friendly. I hadn't got a great deal of money to spare this month, so I put a "Wanted" on http://freecycle.org/, and 'voila', some dear soul had one that I could have. So I am now saving money in electricity bills, and it takes less time to pick up bits.

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Stitchers Heaven Group SAL......Finished part three of Alla Turca

Stitched in French Navy DMC 311 on 28ct evenweave linen

My WIP at the moment

I have quite a few freebies stored in my stash on the PC and yesterday I wanted to do a small for me. I decided on this beautiful little Quaker Scissors Case pattern which was offered back in March of 2006 on http://www.carinne.ht.st/ for personal use only.

I have cross stitched it, and have decided to line it with some contrasting patterned silk that I had in my stash, yet to be finished, but here is the pic before finishing into the scissors case.

Eyelashes the Giraffe Ornament

I was so chuffed the other evening when my husband came home. Look what he brought me. I just love giraffes. Only on Sunday we were watching a programme on TV about Paignton Zoo, and how the zookeeper was having trouble trying to hand rear this baby giraffe when it was born, as its mother had rejected it and kept kicking it, and at the end of it all the baby giraffe died. I was so saddened, as the baby giraffe was so cute you just wanted to reach out and help it.



Animal Prints and Fabric and Crossstitchers.

I have a passion for animal prints in particular, zebra, and leopard imitations. However they have to be not garish, for me anyway. I really don't like these faux fur fabrics you see and the prints that the manufacturers put onto throws.

As I am in the theme of animal prints I though you may care to have a look at the link I have given, as there is a very nice scissors case, biscornu, scissors fob, and needle case, all stitched in cross-stitch. The pattern is by Sharon Manspeaker, and she is offering it as a freebie for personal use only. The link is:-
http://www.xstitchhappy.com/2008/10/cheetahleopard-needlework-set-scissors.html



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My Eldest Son Justins' Design & Finished Piece

Through the winter when the weather was bad, and when my son was feeling a bit poorly he decided that he was going to do his own design rather than using a chart made by someone else. He is a very fast stitcher, and completed it in about three days, I was amazed. This is the result.



He has always been artistic, mostly nudes, but he has recently started a new style of art, modern, clean curving lines that would fit in with the minimalistic style that a lot of people like today.

This is one of them painted in acrylic on canvas .