Filed under: Baby pieces
This was one of the baby gifts I did that was different for my niece, Molly. It is still a kit (I do not find I kept any information about the designer) & is done with all tent or continental – not sure. I’m amazed that someone can tell the difference from the front – it looks the same to me.
Filed under: Uncategorized
You know what happens after June weddings? Eventually, anyway. These are done in cross stitch & I love to do them for a baby gift. The bears are good for boys or girls. Once you know the sex, you can select a frame based on the sex or the color of the baby’s room. I’ve done a few more than I need to post here!
And, it makes a nice piece to carry on a trip. I can stitch everything except the name and date. Not that I get that much stitched on a trip. But, I don’t need to work with a frame or hoop for it because I’m able to control the tension just holding it. The colors are limited and the pattern is relatively easy. And, I can use “Threader and Cutter” from AC Moore (http://www.acmoore.com/p-24941-needle-threader-and-cutter-2pkg.aspx). It works great for floss. Anything heavier & the threader part breaks easily. There is a tiny portion of a blade in the plastic for cutter and it is inexpensive in case I lose it. I don’t fly often (prefer driving) but never had a problem with it when I have taken it along on a plane. It’s nice to have one in progress or even ready, if possible, so when the baby is born, all I have to do is stitch the name, frame it, & visit the mother and newborn with a personalized baby gift!
Filed under: Pieces of Eight
And, I finally finished the napkin rings. I met with Bianca from Rittenhouse Needlepoint who showed me how to sew a backing onto a piece. There had actually been a trunk show for napkin rings right around the time I met with her. They provided several different examples of how to finish a napkin ring. Although they looked pretty, I just wanted something simple (no loop or tassel, etc,).
Then, I connected the ends. 
I’m keeping these for myself!
Filed under: Pieces of Eight
These are the finished octagons in frames which were ready just in time for our ANG Chapter dinner (this past Monday night). We had a lovely dinner at the Painted Teacup in Upper Darby. Several of us brought our finished pieces to show. Two had completed the whole 25 motifs but in different colors. Others had done smaller sets, for example, 2 motifs placed in a purse insert and 5 motifs in a rectangular wall hanging. These are from Pieces by Eight by Gayle Bicknell (available at https://www.needlepointnow.com/product/pieces-of-eight-by-gayle-bicknell/).
And, now I’m at my mom’s house distributing them to the wonderful aides who help her everyday. I put them in a bag all wrapped up & they are picking one. So far, I’ve seen 4 of the aids and each one loves them. I’m so grateful to each of these dear ladies.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Here’s an adaptation from the wedding card I purchased for another friend/co-worker. No fancy stitches just half cross & cross-stitch. I used a wooden embroidery hoop & found a lace edging & sewed it over the hoop.
Filed under: Love
I did the same basic pattern for a friend/co-worker (& her husband) for their wedding. It’s the same design as mine & not that I didn’t have enough pins or an appropriate one to use, but the design for the O was an original design from their wedding invitations. And, she’s actually the taller figure on the left!! The back of hers was done differently than most.
Filed under: Love
Since June is the wedding theme, I’ll post mine 4 months to the day early. After however many years this has been . . . I have to stop & do the math . . . 23 years!! I knew I was more than 20 but less than 25.
This is a “Pinsations” original design & stitch selection. The pin is added to the piece so that the pin can be removed, worn, & replaced. I made this to see if I could get something to recreate for other folks as wedding gifts. I only had two other weddings worthy of creating a piece of needlework since I did this & one I did differently (you’ll see).
I’m using whipped running stitch for the light blue part of Love & not sure I found this combination of stitches for the dark blue parts or made it up myself. The heart darning stitch for the background.
June is all about weddings, including my parents on June 9. So, I left this design in tact & selected different stitches.
I used:
- Rhodes Heart for top ornament
- Love is done in backstitch in top layer of cake
- Snowflake stitch in middle layer
- cross stitch & a partial Herringbone for bottom layer
- Woven Spider for flowers with leaf stitch in bottom layer
- darning pattern for background
- 6-trip herringbone for outer border
Stitch books used:
- Stitches To Go by Suzanne Howren and Beth Robertson
Filed under: Pieces of Eight
These are the last 4 I’m doing of the Pieces of Eight. Turned out nice. Not sure who’s getting this one yet.
As a reminder, the directions for ‘Pieces of Eight’ by Gayle Bicknell are available at https://www.needlepointnow.com/product/pieces-of-eight-by-gayle-bicknell/. They are reprinted all in one issue for $18.
Octagon X (upper left) is Rhodes Stitch Variations, Octagon Y (upper right) is Walneto Stitch Variation, Octagon T (bottom left) combines Spratshead with center diamond, & Octagon V (bottom right) combines Byzantine & Rhodes Variation. I added Kreinik around the edges in various patterns.
I did the centermost section in what may be a new stitch – if it is, I’m calling it Sunburst. I do not see it in any books of mine. And, if any of you know of a stitch being done this way, do let me know. I placed #16 braid in a small center square & then did needleweaving from the outer portion under the center & back over & out to the same hole. It gets a raised effect at the very center. And, I placed Frosty Rays in the hole left in the center. I’m playing with making a couple of variations.
Filed under: Tinkerbell
I made this Fairy for one of my nieces, Erin, to hang on her wall to hold necklaces. I used the outline of an outdoor wind chime from a friend’s yard.
The threads are Gold Rush 14 Variegated (231C) and Kreinik #16 Braid (057F) using Criss Cross Hungarian (from Stitches To Go by Suzanne Howren and Beth Robertson). The Kreinik is fluorescent. I expected the thread would be cool to glow in the dark but that didn’t pan out. Even when I held the thread under a lamp, the glow was faint & brief. Oh well. I still liked how the piece turned out.
The finisher, working out of Fireside Stitchery, did a lovely job. I left it entirely in their hands & really like the selection of the braided trim. When I provided the hooks (from AC Moore or Michaels), I hadn’t told them how to place them. While I had thought they’d go across the bottom, the random placement is much better!
I used a 14 count vinyl canvas. The canvas is available from www.crafterspride.com (under Fabrics).
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