Black Friday...

I am going to post one of my oldest, most wanted, coolest, 1988 patterns that I never gave up on starting.  It is called Pumpkins at Dawn, and had so many 3/4 and 1/4 stitches with mixed thread ever!!  Only 3"x 4" mounted on foamcore paper, I display it on an tiny easel.  Why didn't I use overdyed thread?  I just didn't think about it at the time.  Next time, oh yes.  Anyway, I finished it, and still love it.  So it will be my Black Friday contribution. The magazine was The Country Stitch monthly Oct. 1988 and does not give a designer's name for this pattern.
Now I actually did purchase a few pieces of floss today, but mainly visited with my girlfriend and baked a few goodies.  I want to show you my new Christmas ornaments that are cross stitched themed.  They are empty plastic pieces, that you can fill with anything that fits.  I am putting my ORTS (old ragged threads) and some other sewing bits.

 I also collect vintage salt cellers, so this is where some of my threads end....

That's all for today, will chat more later.  Off to stitch again, Kathy

It is nearly Thanksgiving, and I am so thankful....

Thankful that I have a new blog and one follower...(grin)  Thankful for all of you who take the time to look and read this. Thankful that I have a few finished pieces to show.  Thankful that I made out at Michael's 25% off everything sale...and I still have a few numbers of floss they didn't have...(grin)
Guess what I will be doing on Thanksgiving besides eating.  Yes, winding those new flosses onto cards.  Wonder if I can get the guys to help me.  Son is cooking turkey, I just have to bring the pies.

So here's a few photos...Cheetah top and bottom finished...sewing it together took a few hours.

Got buttons at JoAnn's and have to decide which ones...then make a few tassels, and one gift finished...Yeah!

Starting the next project...pulled threads, chart all ready....here are the photos I took in progress.

Happy Stitching....Kathy

What do you think about buttons???

At first, I loved them, went gaga over them, had to have them....even tried making some from FIMO..
Now, I'm on the fence.  Still love charms, painted or not....what do you think?  Beads are alright, I am not overly into them like some.  There are some patterns that are magnificent with them.  I think a few are nice, but can take or leave the buttons. 
Here is my Halloween Night Sampler by Shepherd's Bush, that used buttons.  The pattern came with buttons.  I only replaced one pumpkin button from the original selection.  I like it better.  I also splurged and bought hand dyed thread, most being Weeks Dye.  They were awesome to sew with, and I loved them.  However, being the cheap thrifty person I am, I will dye my own.  It really is fun and easy, and I certainly have enough ink to do it!!!  I used Lugana fabric to stitch on, and it's so easy since it doesn't wrinkle much.
You can click on the photo to see it larger.  (I hope) It is about 4" x 13".

  I had purchased this old frame at a swap meet, and when I saw this Vintage Witch silhouette, I knew it would be just perfect for it.  It went together very fast.  Designed by Laura Rimola of The Little Stitcher, website: thelittlestitcher.blogspot.com

Then I found this freebee from the Prairie Schooler dated 2012...it was so much fun to do!  I added little orange pompom trim around it. It is the size of a playing card. I have over ten more patterns of just Halloween that I have on my Must Do list.

Now this house I saw at MariPat's, and fell in love with it.  However, it was a discontinued Judith Kirby's Autumn house.  That didn't stop me from searching and searching.  Finally found it, on a website, and was thrilled to be able to find a discontinued house that she wanted.  So we swapped!!mine with fabric behind it. Size 4 x 5 1/2". I thought perhaps a mounted piece on a flat piece of fabric!  It is very hard to explain, if you haven't seen it before.  I saw it at Needles & Niceties and the directions were in the 2012 Just Cross Stitching Halloween issue on page 47..

Now I must tell you about my last trip to Las Vegas...I checked out to see if they had any good Cross Stitch stores...oh my, do they???  It is called Stitcher's Paradise, and I agree!!!  On a scale of one to ten, ten being best, this one is a 12!!!!!  Full of great patterns, old and new, more samples than I have ever seen anywhere, and boxes, yes, boxes of goodies!!  Do email them, if you need anything!  I had a blast, and my darling granddaughter wanted some thread.  Yes, she loves anything with rainbows, and they had such gorgeous threads.  I let her get one...I know, I'm so bad...so she picked an overdyed multi-colored rainbow pearl cotton...she couldn't wait to touch it.  We immediately started on a scrap of Aida cloth when we got to her house.  She wanted to learn how to cross stitch, and stayed with it for nearly an hour.  Not bad for seven years old!!  She was so engrossed, we forgot her Girl Scout meeting.  So I told her I would finish the pumpkin after she did the eyes, nose and grin!  I really need to finish it up, and get it to her in the mail. She didn't mind that it wouldn't be finished by Halloween, but Thanksgiving?  I think not!!!  Happy stitching!

Back to Halloween.....

Since I really didn't have a blog during October, I must go back and show you all the work that I did.
I went a bit overboard, but I hope you enjoy them.  It all happened when I saw this house/box/whatever do they call it?

  It was in a Halloween Magazine, so I immediately called the shop, The Silver Needle, in Tulsa, Ok. and ordered it.  Oh my, it is lovely.  still in the package of course. 

It is on my MUST DO list of 2014....I wonder how long it will take...ha ha...and then, I saw this!

Another Just Nan set of Halloween hats...of course, I had to have it right now...........

This was in a Just Cross Stitch Special Collector's Issue, Halloween 2013..
The design is by Wendy White of Wee Works.  I also loved the perforated paper.  It was smooth and glossy, easy as pie to stitch on.
Size is 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" on
20 Ct. paper.

On the same page was Witch 13...so much fun to stitch.
Designed by Pamela Byrd Smith of The Prairie Schooler. Size 2 1/2" x 3".  Little pin by Just Another Button Co.

Immediately after that, I did go crazy...bought more and more and started on several.  I discovered over dyed fabric and knew I could do it myself.  I actually did buy some to do this pattern,  "Something Wicketed" by La-De-Da....totally me!  The yellowish/orange fabric was a little blah after I finished stitching it, but then I added lots more orange ink... perfect now.  Well, except for that last word.  It is off...a little..but should I fix it??  Should I just forget it?  Let me know....This will probably be a pillow....I have some great Halloween fabric for it.  Size is 5" x 12".  I have the same fabric, also dyed to match to do "Toil and Trouble" which matches with her long nose!!

.

 


Out of the 2012 Just Cross Stitch Halloween Special Issue magazine was the Town of Halloween designed by Isabella Abbiati of the Primitive Hare...I thought easy...almost all black and some green, no problem...ha ha...I had many problems not marking my chart.  Never will do that again...This will also be a pillow...I think, maybe, I have plenty of time to decide!!  I didn't have to worry about mistakes as primitive is so forgiving!  Size is  6 1/2"x11 1/2" and the fabric is 16 ct. Aida cloth.  I find I like Aida less and less.

Last one is just a small pumpkin, I mostly made up...pincushion for my cute little pins.

Happy Stitching, Kathy

Moving along down the road....

I am going to show off some of the miniatures that I bought years ago... It is always fun to see what I have tucked away since I stored most of my miniature items.  My big doll house was collecting dust faster that I could say "Jackrabbit"...  So here are a few more.

Annelle Ferguson is a great miniature crossstitcher and I was thrilled to be able to purchase two of her fabulous samplers.  Since black is so hard to stitch on, these are extra special to me.  They measure 1 3/4" by 2" including the frames.  She did not date her
s but I bought them in 1993.  I wish I had asked her more about these.  She has numbers, but I don't know what they mean.

Here is another mini, only 1" square including the frame...Caren Garfen from London...dated 1993.

Now I must include a few old samplers that I had a few friends make for me.  One is by my daughter aged 6 at the time in 1988, and my sister, Jerri, who died from Lou Gehrig's disease or ALS. 

She did cross stitch all her life, even with only one eye.  I am so glad I have her sampler!  Sad to say, my daughter has not done any more cross stitching...Perhaps one day!

Happy stitching and I'll see you later, Kathy

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas...what???

It's not even Thanksgiving, but we are seeing Christmas everything around us.  Yes, I admit, I bought another little fake tree with lights.  I just can't see myself putting up the 10' tree again this year.  So I just got a plain green tree with lights.  It is going to be soo hard without the granddaughter around here.   OK, now back to cross stitching.  My plan is to get presents made and so started the first one on Friday.  It was very easy as my friend immediately told me this was the one she wanted...So I printed the free pattern from Sharon Manspeaker's website called xstitchhappy.com  She has lovely patterns, and this one is the Cheetah Biscornu.  It works up fast, so I am nearly finished after just three days.  Well, that is the top part.  The bottom is just a few pawprints, so will be fast also.
Here is a shot of it in progress.  Will have to find out how to put those darling little graphs that show your stitching progress. 

Now I will show you a few of my past gifts from girlfriends.  One is extra precious to me as that friend is now deceased. 

 This lovely heart cushion was made by Marilyn Laury who now lives in Georgia!  Miss you gal! 

This was was made by Louise Caine, who I lost many years ago.  Still miss her!

I made this Christmas memory box when Tim Holtz came out with these cute configuration boxes.  I put my favorite Christmas minis in here.  Yes, they are glued in. (I rarely glue anything)  As you can see there is my little snowman in the upper left box.  I always say this will be something I can take to the "old folks home"....ha ha...
Happy stitching and chat with you more, Kathy

oldies but goodies, more miniature work

These are close ups of some of my favorite miniature purchases.  I will give credits to those that I know.

Unfortunately this has no maker or name on the back..:(

 By Caren Garfen- London, England 1993

Sadly, part of the name has been lost, dated 4/96 by Laura

This is by Gail Reynolds, 1993...love them all!!

These are a few of my favorite things

Years and years ago I fell in love with miniatures.  That included needlework.  After getting special magnifying glasses with my prescription, I actually could stitch on 40 count fabric.  I made a few, bought a few, and would like to share some of these with you.  I just wish I had stitched more...don't we all?
Here for your enjoyment.  Remember, comments are like chocolate to me..(grin)

 This snow man is so tiny it is hard to photograph.  It is about 1/2" square!

 One of my first done from a kit.  Not sure whose.  If you know, please tell me, ok?

 I did the larger two from kits, and the little ghost from a long lost chart.

I did these two quilts, and the others were purchased.  I love the stains on "In God We Trust"....and the crooked frame on the red sampler is priceless.

I'll have more on those tomorrow.  Enjoy, and have a great day!

This is my "Just Nan" Spooky Hat finished.....I added a trim around the bottom of the hat brim.

 Here is the finished brim before cutting...(edited: better photo than before)

 Here is what the hat looks like before cutting and sewing together.  I loved doing this hat!!!

Any comments or questions are welcome!!  Enjoy!