Completed 2006

Savannah's Birth Sampler by Charland Designs is now Aria's Birth Sampler! This is for my niece, Aria Kai Murrell. I'm just waiting on the bellpull hardware so that I can finish it. The kit came with 2 different ribbons so you could choose one for a boy or for a girl ~ but I like the look of both of them!

This was my first time doing a band sampler. It was interesting. The kit included the 29 count Ecru Banding, the Sterling Triple Intertwined Heart, and The Thread Gatherer Silk 'N Colors 057 English Meadow. I also used DMC floss and DMC #8 Perle Cotton 822.

Christmas Musical Heart Tin by Lorri Birmingham was a fun little piece to do. It didn't take very long at all. The kit had the heart-shaped cinnamon Altoids (and I *love* Altoids!) :b It included the 28 count Tea-Dyed Monaco, DMC, Kreinik Blending Filament 002, and the gold-plated Star for the top of the tree and the Xmas Heart for the bottom. I had forgotten about the placement of the heart when I signed my work, but it still looks neat. You lift the heart, and you'll see my name and the date!

Lorri Birmingham's piece, Hardanger Heart Tin ~ First Steps to Hardanger, was actually one of my first steps! I am learning hardanger so that I can do my sister- and brother-in-law's wedding present (the wedding was in 2004), but I don't want to mess up the cutting. So I'm doing a few smaller hardanger pieces to get the hang of it. I love the look of it. I just need to find a small piece of linen to put behind them before I make it into the tin.

The kit included 28 count White Lugana, Czech Crystal Glass Pearls, DMC floss, and Kreinik Blending Filament 002. I choose to use my spool of Sulky Gold instead. I liked the look of it better.

Lorri's Heart Tin by Lorri Birmingham was a quick stitch. I completed it in an evening of "watching" TV and enjoying getting something done. The kit included 28 count White Monaco, Czech crystals, DMC floss, Kreinik Blending Filmanet 002, Kreinik Silk Mori, Needle Necessities Overdyed Floss Sarah Belle, and a Cinnamon Altoids Tin.

What can I say about Lorri Birmingham's This Day Sarah's Wedding Sampler? It was extremely frustrating. I did find quite a few errors in it, such as the rectangle around the poem did not have a row of stitching for the side boxes. I took out the side diamonds about 3 times before I got it right. On top of that, when I started doing the box around the poem, I realized the piece of fabric that came in the kit was smaller than the design! Since I had already worked on it for so long, stitching and ripping out and restitching, I wasn't about to restart the whole design. So I improvised and left off the bottom hardanger and then tried to decide what to do with the top. I had an idea, but what I ended up with was what, literally, came to me in a dream. I think it turned out very nicely. However, I am still going to have to sew muslin on the ends in order to have enough material to stretch it when it is framed. Still, I think my husband's sister and her husband will appreciate it.

The kit included 28 count Antique White Monaco, Crystals, DMC floss, Kreinik Blending Filament 002, Kreinik Silk Mori, & Pearls. I have learned a valuable lesson ~ even if it's from a designer you've never had problems with before, always check the amount of the material you are given!

I love Mirabilia's designs. This little fairy, Easter Fairy, was bought after I fell in love with her companion piece, Christmas Elf Fairy. (That's next on my list) The kit came with 32 count Natural Linen, but after stitching a little bit, I didn't like it. I found this 28 count Purple/Blue Solo from Silkweaver which seemed to fit the mood more. I also changed the Mill Hill Petite beads, 42010, to the regular size beads, 02010, since I opted for the larger count fabric.

The kit also included Crescent Colors Baby Chick, Bella Rosa, Betty Bluebell, Blue Beatrice, Blueberry Tart, Bramble Bush, Fool's Gold, Sassy Brass, St. Bernard, Tufted Yellow, Wasabi, and Zach Black. This was my first time working with Crescent Colors, and other than the fact that they are not colorfast, it was quite fun to see the floss changing colors before my eyes! The design also called for Kreinik #8 Braid 3223.

This little necklace, Victorian Red, from Pat & Pam Heartland Hardanger was quite an experience. I'm still learning hardanger and had to take this out several times when I realized I hadn't quite followed the design. Thankfully, I hadn't cut anything when I realized that! I traded this kit with another cross-stitch for something I had. The kit included 28 count Victorian Red Brittney, Clear Beads, DMC #8 & #12 Perle Cotton in Ecru, Ecru Cord, and the Heart Necklace. It's hanging up in my Sewing Room right now.

The ladies from Shepherd's Bush Printworks says these are a series of 8 ornaments. So far only 6 have come out in the Just CrossStitch Ornament Magazines. I completed the 6 this year for my Mom. I just have to put them together now.

2000 Years Ago was the first ornament and was found in the 2000 Just CrossStitch Ornament Magazine. It was stitched on 32 count Dark Espresso Linen (R&R Reproductions) It uses both GAST & Weeks overdyed flosses, and calls for Shepherd's Bush Sterling Silver Shepherd's Crook charm. I attached this with clear nylon.

As Bethlehem Slept is the newest one from Shepherd's Bush Printworks, found in the 2005 Just CrossStitch Ornament Magazine. It was stitched on 32 count Dark Espresso Linen (R&R Reproductions) It uses both GAST & Weeks overdyed flosses, and calls for Shepherd's Bush Sterling Silver Inn charm. I attached this with clear nylon.

In a Stable is another in the series from Shepherd's Bush Printworks. It is found in the 2004 Just CrossStitch Ornament Magazine. I used the 32 count Dark Espresso Linen (R&R Reproductions) It uses both GAST & Weeks overdyed flosses, and calls for Shepherd's Bush Sterling Silver Star charm. I attached this with clear nylon, and put it a little further down than originally called for because I liked the look of it better there.

Shepherds Watching, by Shepherd's Bush Printworks, is found in 2002 Just CrossStitch Ornament Magazine. It was stitched on 32 count Dark Espresso Linen (R&R Reproductions) It uses both GAST & Weeks overdyed flosses, and calls for Shepherd's Bush Sterling Silver Sheep charm. I attached this with clear nylon.

The Angels Sang is the second ornament in Shepherd's Bush Printworks' series. It is found in 2001 Just CrossStitch Ornament Magazine. It was stitched on 32 count Dark Espresso Linen (R&R Reproductions) It uses both GAST & Weeks overdyed flosses, and calls for Shepherd's Bush Sterling Silver Horn charm. I attached this with clear nylon.

Wisemen Came is from Shepherd's Bush Printworks and is found in 2003 Just CrossStitch Ornament Magazine. It was stitched on 32 count Dark Espresso Linen (R&R Reproductions) It uses both GAST & Weeks overdyed flosses, and calls for Shepherd's Bush Sterling Silver Bottle charm. I attached this with clear nylon.

I made these Hardanger Made Easy towels from one of Stoney Creek's Make-It & Take-It Classes in Dallas in 2004. I got another kit online and so have 2 towels for our Guest Bathroom. I used these to learn Hardanger on, so that when I finish my Lorri Birmingham wedding piece, I will have (hopefully) made most of my big mistakes. I did one of the hardanger parts on one of the towels 4 spaces off, so had to fudge some. This kit used Anchor Pearl Cotton & Anchor floss on 14 count White Huck Towels.

This lovely Snowflake Lace is by Simply Old-Fashioned from Just CrossStitch Ornament Issue 2001. I used everything the pattern called for, except I used clear nylon to attach the beads instead of DMC 824. The beading did give me fits, however. Trying to figure out exactly where they went took quite a bit of thought ~ but I finally got it done! It is stitched on 28 Nordic Blue Linen from Wichelt.

Snowflake Shimmer by Simply Old-Fashioned is from Just CrossStitch Ornament Issue 2000. I used everything the pattern called for, except I used clear nylon to attach the beads instead of DMC 824. It took me awhile to figure out the Diamond Eye Stitch over twelve, and the Diamond Rhodes over twelve, but after a bit of frogging, everything turned out great! It is stitched on 28 Nordic Blue Linen from Wichelt.

This is a lovely little kit & design from Silkweaver Fabrics called Deco Duet. It's a little needleroll. I thought about changing the colors, since I'm not really a brown person, but I wanted something somewhat mindless (although speciality stitches rarely are!) and so kept with what came in my kit. I did enjoy it. The kit included 28 count Heritage Linen (Silkweaver), Mill Hill Beads, and Stranded By The Sea's Beach Paradise Overdyed Floss. I pulled the DMC floss for the project from the directions given.

B is for Bunny is by The Sweetheart Tree. It was a Teenie Kit, so I used what was in the kit. This included 28 Summer Khaki Cashel Linen, DMC, DMC #12 Perle Cotton Ecru, Rainbow Gallery Wisper W89 Ecru, Mill Hill Beads 40123, 3mm Antique Cream Pearls (8), Ivory Pearl Heart, and the Sterling Bunnies Charm. The only difference is that I attached the beads & charm with clear nylon, and I coated the charm with clear nail polish.

I love The Sweetheart Tree's patterns. They are beautiful. I wanted something I could finish rather quickly in between some larger projects, so picked up Buckingham Rose Sampler ~ which I've had in my stash for quite some time. The backstitch vine was rather challenging ~ as I got off several times and had to restitch it, but overall, it was definitely worth it. This kit included 32 count Antique White Belfast, Caron Waterlilies Rose Quartz, Kreinik Silk Mori, DMC #12 Ecru, Mill Hill Beads, Crystal AB Pailettes, and a Rose Pendant Sterling Silver Charm.

C is for Kitty-Cat is by The Sweetheart Tree. It was a Teenie Kit, so I used what was in the kit. This included 28 Summer Khaki Cashel Linen, DMC, DMC #12 Perle Cotton Ecru, Rainbow Gallery Wisper W89 Ecru, Mill Hill Beads 40123, 3mm Antique Cream Pearls (8), Ivory Pearl Heart, and the Sterling Cat Paw Charm. The only difference is that I attached the beads & charm with clear nylon, and I coated the charm with clear nail polish. I really like her designs.