Gift for my Aunt

I've been close with my Aunt Jean for as long as I can remember.  When I was a kid I loved going to her house for sleepovers with my cousins and to just spend time with her.  She is the person who introduced me to cross stitch at 14 or 15 with a huge carousel horse pattern with blended threads and a million colours.  Needless to say, I never finished that project but my love of cross stitch has remained.

My aunt is always doing nice things for me, we talk on the phone a lot and email each other frequently too.  I decided I really wanted to make something for her to display this winter.  (I'm also sending her a cookbook we talked about last week and an iTunes card.)

Frosty Flakes by Little House Needleworks

Fabric:  30 ct.  Straw Linen by WDW

Fibre's:  as charted

Embellishments:  #02014 Mill Hill beads

Finished as an ornament

A view of the twisted cord I used for finishing.  (I used thick chipboard coasters from Michael's as my finishing form this time.)

View of the back.  I started using homemade iron on tags instead of stitching on the year and my initials on my projects.  Way faster and convenient too!

It's a dreary, rainy day here today.  Just how I like my winter days!  I'm making a pot of Loaded Baked Potato Soup.  Make this soup!!!!  It is so delicious.  One piece of advice, use really good quality bacon.  I didn't once and it was not a good result. 

Have a great day. 

Advice Needed for CaHRH

I started Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow in October and I'm feeling the urge to get back at it. I'm stitching it on 36 count linen with one strand of floss.

The advice I need is this. I'm not too happy at all with the coverage of one strand but I don't want to frog what I've already stitched. The coverage that is seen in my photo is deceptive. So, do I:

1. Continue on stitching with one thread even though I'm not too happy with it?

or...


2. Start stitching with 2 threads part way through the first block.

or...

3. Rippit, ribbit! 


What do you think? I'm anxious to hear your advice.

Prairie Schooler Giraffe

I finished up my final Christmas ornament this morning.  How bad is that?  I'm almost an entire month behind.

Book No. 71 by Prairie Schooler, Two by Two

Fabric:  Mystery 36 ct. linen

Fibre's:  as charted

Embellishments: Ruched ribbon

I added some holly and beaded berries to make it look more Christmasy:

My daughter didn't mind about the lateness at least and she thought it was so cute.  She loves giraffes so this was perfect for her.

I am definately starting my ornament gift stitching WAAAAAY earlier this year.  No more late gifts!!! 

Hey Sandra:) do you recognize the little zipper bag in the background of my pictures??

My lucky kids got a snow day today.  It didn't snow too much but they're calling for freezing rain this afternoon.  I guess the roads were pretty bad this morning.  My kids go to private school and they have kids driving from all over the place to get there so when it's bad, it's a snow day. 

The cities east of us had all their schools closed since Wednesday, even the public ones which is unheard of! 

Take care everyone and have a nice weekend!

Winter Squirrel

This is the ornament I made for my son this Christmas (though the actual finishing wasn't done until 2012.  OOPS)  I always forget how busy I get before Christmas.  I think I need to set a reminder in my calendar that says "Start Stitching Ornaments" to come up the 1st of November every year.

Winter Squirrel by The Victoria Sampler

Just Cross Stitch 2011 Ornament Issue

Fabric:  28 ct. linen

Fibres:  some as charted, some what I had in my stash

Embellishments:  #02063 Mill Hill Sead Beads, Poblano Pepper Crescent Colors Chenille

Finished as an ornament

This finish is my new favourite!  I love how crisp and professional it looks, plus it's way faster than when I put together a pillow ornament.  I used my awesome diecut chipboard pieces for the form again.

Candy Cane Ornament

Here is the ornament I made for my mom this Christmas.  She just loved it.

Fabric: 32 ct. Platinum Belfast linen

Fibres: as charted

Embellishments:  white Mill Hill Beads on berries, Kreniek metallic thread around berries for definition

Finished as an ornament

Candy Cane by Madame la Fee

click here for the FREE chart

I have to say I'm so pleased with how this turned out.  I used chipboard pieces for the finishing form and it worked perfectly.  It's really sturdy and thin too.  I went to my local scrapbook store, bought the chipboard and used their dies to cut out the ovals.  (The chipboard, which is like a thin, sturdy cardboard, came in 8x10 sheets and cost just over a dollar per sheet.)

I whip stitched all around the design to get it nice and tight on the form, did the same to another oval with coordinating fabric, glued them together and finished it with silver rick rack.  Does anyone know if this method would work for square ornaments too?  I have a hard time getting them tight on the form with nice, square corners.

Take care!