Swap Pages

My second set of swap pages

(the Rust pages were the first set)

were due to be mailed out just

as my old computer 'gave up

the ghost.'  So I took photos with

my phone, and am just now

remembering (and figuring out how)

to post them here on my blog...

The theme for these pages was

"Childhood Memories."  Which I

found a bit challenging, since my

childhood memories from here in

rural Ohio might not be anything like

those of someone in a different area

of the country, and possibly in an urban

area.  What childhood memories

are universal? I did have a hint that the

recipient enjoyed stitching themes,

so I took the opportunity to add

fabric, lace and stitching. I found this

charming illustration in a vintage book

and thought it was so cute, so it

became the focal point of the page.

Another vintage illustration from an

old book -the children reading- found

its way onto this page.  I painted the

violets on a page of text that had been

covered with gesso. I used to pick

violets for my mother when I was young,

so that's why I chose violets.  Fabric

scraps and some watercolor doodles,

along with some cross-stitch flowers

finish off the page.

This is the tag for the "Childhood

Memories" page, with the credit to the

illustrator.  Not shown was a tag for

the illustrator for the 'children

reading' image by Annabelle Prager, c.1972.

A fun theme to interpret...

what are your favorite

childhood memories?

♦  ♥  ♦

Halloween Stitching on T Tuesday

Joining Bluebeard and Elizabeth for T Tuesday

over at Altered Book Lover blog.  

 Thought I'd do an art journal page with

a Halloween travel mug...wouldn't this be

a stylish way to have my coffee or tea? 

Here is a sweet pattern that 

was created by Lori, the designer of

Notforgotten Farm.

She published this wonderful Halloween

freebie on her blog, and invited her readers

to get it stitched up by October 15th.

Readers were urged to come up with an original

finished project.  I decided to make a 

'little black bag' to hold fall foliage.

It's hanging from my ladder back chair.

It would also make a nice door decoration!

  It is stitched on Natural
 48 count linen, with black and orange floss.

 The finished design is appliqued onto
 the bag with blanket stitch in black thread.
Tan felt scallops decorate the bottom of the
bag, with black felt circles, and orange buttons
for a 'penny rug' feeling.  Loosely stuff the
bag with fiberfill, and place artificial fall
foliage in the top of the bag.

♥

Lori is taking

a vote on her blog starting on 
Oct. 16th, 2013, to determine the readers' 
favorite finished project  from this pattern.

Please go to  Notforgotten Farm
blog, and place your vote.  Click on
 the number of your favorite in the right side bar.
Voting ends on Halloween!
The winner receives a
gift certificate from Lori's etsy shop.

♥

To get the free pattern from Notforgotten Farm
go here.  No stitch colors are given on the chart --
do whatever you like!  It would be very striking
stitched in all black, or all in orange on black fabric!
The challenge is over but you can still
stitch a fun Halloween decoration!
Thanks for stopping by, and 
don't forget to vote!

♥

Handicrafts ~ ICAD 2013

The Index-Card-A-Day 2013 Challenge

continues with 15-21.

This week I ended up with the theme

of 'handicrafts.'  My Webster's dictionary

defines it as "an occupation requiring skill

with the hands."  A broad definition.

Above, a sketch of a cookie form

made from cast iron.  Somehow my

bird ended up looking angry...

Above, a motif inspired by chintz fabric.

I love big old-fashioned cabbage rose images.

I decided to draw some of the many pin cushions

that I've made in the last year.  Above, the heart-shaped

pin cushion that I made in February, using traditional

cross-stitch sampler motifs.

This cross-stitch pincushion is a design by

Homespun Elegance, c. 2010.

They call it a 'Pin Poke.'

I really liked the gathered circular shape.

When I got the pattern home, I discovered

that the gathered fabric base was a pre-made

item, and there were no directions included for it.

So...a little trial and error, and I made my own.

As I've mentioned before, I have 

a hard time throwing away any small

scraps of even weave fabric, so here is

a drawing with watercolor of a book mark

that I made using sampler motifs

on 11 count Aida. I whip-stitched the

edge to prevent more raveling.  It's 

considered poor form to cut things 

this close, but the rebel artist in me

doesn't really care about that.

Hope your day is filled with

flowers and bird song.

Stop by Daisy Yellow to see more

ICADs!

Mini Sampler Bag

Here is the bag I made from the mini sampler.

I am pleased with the way it turned out.

The cross stitch is 'framed' with tan fabric, as 

well as the back of the bag and the lining.

I made the handle from two separate pieces
that are tied together in a bow, and trimmed with
a few buttons and a bow from twine.

The bag will probably hang from the ladder back chair

in the living room, though it could be used for a small purse,

or a place to keep sewing supplies.  I am enjoying

the springy colors on the sampler,

especially since we are having snow and

wind and cloudy skies again today in Ohio!

Cross Stitch Mini Sampler

This is what I did this week

while I was fighting a terrible cold...a

mini cross-stitch sampler on 11 count Aida cloth.

It ended up just under 4" x 6".

I sat on the couch with my box of tissues,

decaf herbal tea--of which it felt like I drank buckets--

and stitched away while watching 

Monarch of the Glen on Netflix.  Now 

fighting a cough, but on the mend, and 

happy with the results of the stitching.

Cross stitch motifs combined from

Antique Sampler from Jeremiah Junction Designs

by Linda Coleman (light switch cover designs),

Complete book of Cross Stitch by E. Van Zandt,

and 

The Sampler Motif Book by Brenda Keyes.

Not sure how I will finish this...

I am leaning toward making a little

drawstring bag...stay tuned.

Wedding Decor: Pillows, part 2

Continuing the burlap

and lace 

theme...

burlap pillow with antique lace

(purchased at a flea market)

and large vintage buttons

from one of my grandmother's

button jars.

Counted cross stitch pillow with 'love birds'

design in dark plum thread.

I crocheted the lace for the pillow trim.

Now the fun will be to pack everything

up and get it to the reception venue.

Lots of flowers, glassware, doilies,

pillows, candy dishes and crates.

Hopefully, it will all come together...

The important thing is that the couple

lives happily ever after!

Cross Stitch Bookmarks

Cross stitch bookmarks make

a nice little gift slipped into a

card sent in the mail.  The

bird and urn, above, was a (free)

pattern from Prairie Schooler.

(Click on the image for a closer look.)

I often adapt the colors to what I

have on hand, rather than strictly 

adhering to the 'pattern requirements.'

The unusual color combination of the 

bird's plumage intrigued me however, so

I tried to make it similar to the pattern

 guidelines. I also whip stitch several

squares beyond the embroidery, then

ravel several rows for the fringed border.

This flower pattern was done

on a scrap of Aida that really

was not wide enough. You can see

that there were only a couple of 

squares outside the pattern after it was

worked. This is considered bad form when

stitching, but I simply couldn't throw out this

perfectly good scrap! So I blanket stitched

around the finished embroidery to keep it

from raveling, and put a felt backing on

which is also blanket stitched. Turned 

out rather well, I think, for a 'scrap.'

This bookmark is actually embroidered

on paper. The lettering may seem a bit

'uneven,' but that is common in the lettering

of traditional cross-stitch samplers. The

cord at the bottom was created by twisting

six strands of floss until it is so tightly twisted

that it doubles back on itself and creates a 'cord.'

Finally, a bookmark cross-stitched

from a sampler border pattern.

The flowers are in 3 shades of pink:

dark, medium and light pink. Sampler

borders are ideal for the long slender

shape of a bookmark, and usually

work up quickly because of the 

repeating pattern.

Quick little sewing projects make a
nice change when mixed media art
is not 'calling' to me... what other
crafts do you do?

Stitching Roses

Christmas gifts stitched for someone

whose Christmas tree is decorated in

white crocheted ornaments, with

accents of mauve and light pink.

Cross-stitch on cream Aida

with organza ribbon and white cord trim.

Rose patterns from a book by Leisure Arts

titled "Sweeter Than The Rose," copyright 1993.

I used portions of larger patterns to 

create the ornaments.

Sewing Projects

Inspired by some photos tagged on Pinterest, 

I decided I had been neglecting my needlework.

(I have been working on a baby quilt, but as the

baby isn't due until several months from now,

the surprise musn't be spoiled by showing

the finished quilt too soon.)

Some adorable 'pinkeeps' which I have 

always called pincushions, are showing up

on blogs, and I really love them. This one

was created from a traditional border pattern

found in The Complet Book of Cross Stitch

by Eleanor Van Zandt.  I've used this pattern

many times to make bookmarks. It's fast and easy,

so I decided to try my hand at this

'drum' shaped pincushion.

It's taller and thinner than the examples I saw,

but turned out well, I think. Stuffed within an inch

of its' life to make it stand up! (weighted with a couple

of nickels inside the bottom to make it stable!)

The cross-stitched bookmarks are stiffened 

with fabric glue on the end of large paper clips.

They have cotton fabric for backing.

I made a dozen of these in one evening.

Let dry overnight, and then trim close to stitching.

A diversion from my paper arts...

but will be returning to that soon.

Must get my Halloween swaps ready!