I’m going to start out today’s cross-stitch update with a few things that I purchased. I got a few different fun things in the mail.
First up I had a blog reader recommend this little tool. It’s used for cross stitching to count over and mark placement. You anchor one needle in place, count over and put the other needle in place. Then the place is marked and stays marked while you prepare your needle and thread and can start stitching. The tool is called a Thread Hopper and you can find it HERE. I can see this being handy if I am counting to see what count a scrap of linen is too.
After watching THIS episode of Daisy Kay Primitives floss tube, I ordered a few things from Charmed Jewelry Supply on Etsy.
She had shown a pillow she made and then sewed the small hole to the pillow. Then she ran a ribbon through the top hole to make a hanger for the pillow. I loved the idea and immediately bought some.
If you think you want a ribbon hanger on a project. Watch her video. I loved the idea.
Other happy news…My kit came for the stitch along. WHOOT! WHOOT!
There is still time to stitch along with us and order your kit. I talked to Liz this week and she said that most of the kits that requested 40 count linen went out this week. I’m excited to start this one!!
I welcome anyone to join us. You can find the link for the kit HERE. We aren’t officially starting until June 1st so there is still plenty of time to order and get your kit. HERE is the link. Judy at Patchwork Times is stitching along with us too. It’s so fun to have stitching partners.
The goal of this project is to introduce you to silk floss. Being we only need one skein, we thought it would be a perfect way to introduce you to it without a huge entry cost. In general, silk is about $2-$3 more per skein. Judy uses a lot of silk so if you have questions about silk, she’d be a great person to ask. Me, so far, I’ve loved it, but I’ve only used it on a few projects though.
Even more happy news. I have a finish. You might remember I was stitching on the little Blackbird Design piece that was featured in the 2022 Nashville Needlework Cookbook. I don’t have the best picture to show you of the chart as it isn’t a big picture. You can see a peek of the project in the photo below.
I’ve been stitching on this while I sit by Gannon or Georgia when they fall asleep at naptime. I finished stitching the center and then took it to my thrift store frame to see if there was room to add the border. There really wasn’t.
I ended up tea dying the whole piece after I stitched it. The fabric seemed a little bit light in the frame. Below you can see how the linen darkened after the tea dying.
I cut a piece of sticky board, added a layer of batting and then I laced the back…
I made the little bird yellow as I put out bird feeders and they are LOADED with Gold Finches.
In all the pictures I’ve shown of my sampler wall, this little frame has been sitting there but it’s always been blank with nothing in it.
I bought the frame at the thrift store for $1 because I loved it and knew someday I would come up with something to stitch and put in it.
I think it was perfect. It was just a little finish but oh my, I love it.
Next up, I need to do something for the little blackbird frame you see in the photo above. That too was a thrift store frame that I plan to stitch something for. Kayla designed a K for it and next up, I’m going to stitch that.
Now to my All Creatures Great and Small. I’ve told you that I jumped into FULL STEAM AHEAD mode on this project. That’s true. All of my evening time stitching has gone into this except two evenings. One evening I was helping Kelli. The other evening I was stitching on this. I was “in the zone” with my All Creatures Great and Small that I completely spaced off the calendar and the stitch along (I think I have “dog brain” too). So, one evening I picked it up and started back at it. I didn’t get far. It was a short evening of stitching. The plan is to do April and May before I put it back away again.
My All Creatures Great and Small got some attention. Here is where I was last week…
Here is where I am this week…
I extended the green at the bottom where the church is going to go, but my biggest focus was on the section here with the words. I extended the green line and finished everything in this area. There is a house in the middle after the words.
Before I started the house I decided to go up and work on the second section on the right-hand side. I got the dividing line stitched, and a flower and started on the rooster.
I am really liking how this is looking. It’s so pretty. So many times I’ve questioned the colors but then just stitched it as called for anyway (except the red is Anchor #20). I’m so glad I have. The colors although not what I would pick work so great together. What a fun stitch!!
I’m not sure where I’ll stitch next week. I think I’m going to either work on the border or work on the section with the rooster.
It seems like now that I’m concentrating on this, it’s getting done much faster. I keep getting super excited about it. But then I step back and remind myself the bottom row is intense stitching. Things will really slow down once I get to that point. Right now I have a goal of being done by July 4th. We’ll see. It’s going to get busier around here with gardening if the weather ever straightens up. I haven’t touched my garden yet and I always plant by Mother’s Day at the latest.
For now, I’m just going to enjoy stitching.
Hi Jo
a lovely piece, your wall is filling up, yay.
Spotted the phrase Accept what was? Can you let us know who it is designed by etc please.
Go for the puppy, so adorable. My old dog taught my puppy , house manners and to know her place. Now she’s the boss and my old dog, looks at me and shrugs, just so funny. You know what they say about Beagles? They are like chocolates, you can’t only have one!
The small piece you did for the empty frame is perfect, Jo! All Creatures Great and Small is looking beautiful
I have been looking for thrifted frames for a while. I have plans to frame some of my collection of crocheted doilies. I also use thrifts frames for stitching finishes. Yesterday I had fun mail! I bought a vintage wind up clock for my sewing room. I love how it sounds. And, I now have the patterns for the majority of things I would like to stitch and a lot of the fabric needed. Now to finish my Land That I Love so I can choose the next big piece. That will be a hard choice lol.
Will there be info on starting the stitching on the linen on SAL? And counting when moving around the piece? I’d like to see the stand your new little stitch is sitting on?
Your projects are beautiful! I am enjoying the stitch along, but I stuck with Aida instead of linen. wasn’t sure my eyes and brain could handle linen. So glad The Stitchery Nook is willing to offer Aida cloth. They sent along stitch markers with the kit. Never knew they existed.
Love seeing your stitching and your wall . The new small one is perfect where you have it.
Every time you show your beautiful “All Creatures Great and Small” piece, I start singing the song to myself! It’s always been a favorite.
I have a question for you and other SAL people: does anyone have suggestions for magnification? I have 20/20 vision with my glasses but I can’t see the threads well enough to stitch without magnification. I have an OttLite. It has a big magnifying glass encircled with the lights. The big magnifying glass isn’t strong enough for me to see the threads well but there is a very small circle that has the extra strong magnification. This works perfectly for me EXCEPT it is very small (size of a quarter) and I have to hold my work so close to the glass to get it focused that my hands bump the glass. I tried wearing a pair of reading glasses over my prescription glasses but so far that hasn’t worked either. It’s just blurry (maybe because I wear bifocals??). I am hoping I am not alone and others have found a good solution! I love this 40 count linen and really want to make it work….
Sally, I use MagEyes headband. They are very lightweight and come with 2 lenses of different strengths. You can also purchase 2 more. I have progresssive lenses and readers just were not working as well as they had been. I hate wearing hats but I don’t notice the MagEyes. A real game changer for me.
Thank you! I will look these up. I had not heard of them. Thank you for taking the time to tell me about them.
Sally, I wear progressive glasses and I stitch using Magni Clips that clip onto your glasses. I used to use the MagEyes for years, but once I discovered the Magni Clips, I haven’t looked back. I get them on Amazon, although I’ve seen them in some LNSs, too. They have several strengths, just like readers. There’s another brand called Magni-flips, so don’t get them confused. I like the Magni Clips better because they only cover the bottom of your glasses so you can see normally through the top of your glasses to watch TV, read your chart, etc. The Magni-flips cover your whole lens. Hope this is helpful! Toni
Toni, I appreciate your response! As I have gotten older, my prescription has gotten more complicated so something to work with my glasses seems to be what I need. These sound like they will do that. Hopefully either the Magni Clips or the MagEyes will be the solution for me. I really want to do the cross stitching! Thank you!!
Sally, I hope you like them! I have a complicated prescription, too – a strong Rx, astigmatism, bifocals, the works – and the Magni-Clips work great for me!
So many beautiful pieces. The one in the small frame is perfect. I can see where your stitch hopper would be a huge advantage. All Creatures great and small is a lovely song. James Harriet’s series using the phrases of the song for titles got me interested in the whole song. You do lovely work.
That small stitch is perfect in that frame! Most often, I have learned to trust the designers’ choices of colors. I’ve stitched a few Blackbirds and was hesitant about the colors of some (notably Octopus’s Garden and Yellow Submarine) but the charted colors worked together beautifully! I thought they were too bright and would be too cartoonish, but they’re not. I should have known better knowing Barb and Alma! All of your stitching is fabulous!