Breaking the long silence!!

Hello dear friends and fellow stitchers, its been such a long while since I posted anything on my blog!  I'm not proud of that by any means, however I’m back to share some of what I have been doing over the past months.  I’ve been doing some cross stitching but still need to do some finishing.  I am also stitching my Christmas ornaments and am pleased to say that I am one month ahead, yeah!!  During my long absence, there was a Spring Exchange with my group from Hooked on Exchanging (HoE).  My partner was Marie P and I choose a motif from Signs of Spring from the Prairie Schooler Book No. 163.  It was a fun stitch and I was pleased with how it turned out considering there was a lot of frustration on my part putting it together.  My sewing machine broke down which meant I had to stitch it by hand.  Marie seems pleased with what I made for her and I breathed a sigh of relief thanking God that she liked it.

Design: Motif from Signs of Spring

Designer: The Prairie Schooler

Finish: Pincushion

Fabric: Creame Jobelan Evenweave

Cotton fabric for backing

Trim: Olive green satin ribbon

I received my exchange from Linda O.  She stitched a sweet “Lizze Kate” design made into an ornament.  Thank you Linda!

With that done, I’m off to start my next exchange – HoE summer 2013 Exchange.  It should be fun stitch again. Along with that I will be doing my Christmas ornaments and hopefully some finishing to show off.

Bye for now and happy stitching!!

Sandrajay

Strawberries and Cream and other Finishings

Here in Barbados we don't grow strawberries but it was a pleasure to stitch this one.  This was also the first time I stitched a strawberry ornament.  This is a freebie offered by Janie Hubble Designs in her June 2011 newsletter.You can click on the link and sign up for the newsletters.  I found this to be an interesting and different pattern to stitch.  I also like the addition of the beads - all in all I liked this pattern very much.

Design:  Strawberries and Cream (Freebie)

Fabric: Jobelan 28 Count Evenweave

Thread: DMC 962
Trims: Beads, cream and pink ribbon

Finished as: Strawberry Pin Cushion 

Designer: Janie Hubble Designs

Next, I stitched and finished this freebie pattern as a tag which can also be used as a floss holder - just replace the ribbon with a floss ring.

  
Design:  Cute Birds Motif (Freebie)

Fabric: MCG Textiles 32 Count White Linen

Thread: DMC
Trims: Blue ribbon

Finished as: A Tag/Floss Holder

Designer: Manka Mintia

As mentioned in my previous post, I participated in the HoE Fall 2011 exchange.  My partner for that exchange was Michelle. I stitched the Fall motif from the pattern Measure of a Year by Prairie Schooler.

 

  

Design:  Fall Motif (Measure of a Year)

Fabric: Jobelan 28 Count Beige Evenweave

Thread: DMC recommended
Trims: Orange ribbon and Pins

Finished as: Pin Keep

Designer: Prairie Schooler

I received my Fall (Autumn) Exchange for 2011 from, surprisingly Michelle!  We had each others name for this exchange.  It took a really long time to get here that I was a bit worried that it would have gone missing in the mail but it arrived safely.  She stitched me Just a Little Autumn by San-Man Originals.  Thank you Michelle and sorry that's a bit late in posting but as the saying goes better late than never.

Thank you for visiting and have a great weekend!

Starting all over, again.........

And I hope it wouldn’t be rough..........

 

It's been more than a year now since I haven't added anything to my blog and I must say that I'm not so  very proud of myself.  Honestly, I became disinterested in blogging, but  have decided after all this time to make a fresh start at blogging, again.  Although I was away from my blog, I had not put away my stitching but rather, I have been doing some stitching whenever the time permitted.  I have a whole host of "finishings" to complete along with lots of stitching projects to start.  I just have to get myself organized during my vacation in August.  Then I hope to accomplish lots of stitching,  finishing and keeping my blog updated.  Hopefully, I can get all this done while keeping my fingers crossed.

Here are a few pieces and an exchange I did for fall on the HOE for 2011 while I was away.

 Design: Pique aiguilles (Freebie)

Fabric: Jobelan 28 Count Linen

Thread: No name orange variegated thread
Trim: Orange Ribbon

Finished as: Pin Cushion 

Designer: Found here 

This cushion finished up much bigger than I expected but nevertheless it was a joy to stitch and the flower in the center was very easy to make. I just love the colours surrounding the cushion.

My next finish is another pin cushion called 'Love'.  This is the first of its kind for me.  I love the leaf stitch and the satin stitch in the word love.  I love how this turned out.  Thanks to Carol from Just Carol's Place who substituted with DMC colours.

 

Design: Love (Freebie)

Fabric: Jobelan 28 Count Ivory Linen

Thread: DMC Nos. 315,523, 3046, 3727 and 3740

Finished as: Pin Cushion 

Designer: Betsy Foster of Elizabeth Designs

Next, I tried my hand at stitching a mattress pin cushion.  I was a bit disappointed with the finish as it turned out a little crooked. I guess practice makes perfect so I will stitch another one when I find a pattern I like for a mattress pin cushion.  The pattern I chose is the Rabbit motif from the Prairie Schooler book In the Wood.

Design: Rabbit (In the Woods)

Fabric: Jobelan 28 Count Beige Linen

Thread: DMC recommended

Finished as: Mattress Pin Cushion

Designer: Prairie Schooler

I did a pinkeep as well.  I wanted to stitch this pattern from the first time I saw but only now got the opportunity to do so.  It is a freebie from Aion Designs designed by Christine-Ann Martin.  Unfortunately, it is no longer available and I believe their website no longer exist.

Design: Sampler Motif (Freebie)

Fabric: Jobelan 28 Count Cream Linen

Thread: DMC recommended
Trims: Pins, violet blue ribbon and backing fabric,
 violet glass beads

Finished as: Pinkeep

Designer: Christine-Ann Martin

Well, that's it for now.  I will share the others at some other time.  Thanks for stopping by!

Other Stitchy Stuff

I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend and that you had some time to make a stitch or two or even had some finishes done as well.

Well, today I continue to show you what I manage to stitch in between the exchanges, work and household chores and what ever made life interesting in 2010.

Design: Angel Freebie (named by me)

Fabric: 32 ct Ivory Linen

Thread: DMC

Finish: Hanger

This was a freebie I found on the internet some time ago but cannot remember where I found it. I am not sure if it is still on the internet. Sorry about the quality of the pictures but my camera just won't co-operate with me at the time I took the pictures. I stitched a four-sided stitch all around for the border with a little help from Moreen whose work I admire very much.

I also did this little pouch which I made to carry my jewelry when traveling to work in one of the other islands.  I stitched  a monogram of my first initial.  It turned out beautifully and I was very pleased.  The pouch was fully hand stitched. The monogram can be found here, no. 107.

Designer of Monogram: Sajou

Fabric: 28 ct beige Jobelean

Thread: DMC

Finish: Pouch for Jewelry

I also stitched a little cover for my stick drive.  I stitched a rose motif from the chart "Rose Sampler" by Little House Needleworks. I hope to stitch the sampler soon.  This also features a four-sided border as well.

Designer: Little House Needleworks

Design: Motif from "Rose Sampler'

Fabric: 28 ct beige Jobelean

Thread: DMC recommended

Finish: Stick Drive cover

Until next time, do have a great week and thanks for stopping by!