I’ve been busy cross-stitching. I’ve tried really hard to do as much as I can as I know summer and gardening season will be here soon and that will take a lot of my time cutting into my cross stitch time. So…I’ve stitched.
I try really hard to stitch for at least one hour every night before bed but that doesn’t always happen. I have been trying really hard for two hours a night over the last month.
You might remember I’m stitching Anniversaries of the Heart by Blackbird Designs. I was here when I last showed you my work. This is designed to stitch one panel each month…and designed to record people/events that important to the stitcher. You can see I have Karl’s block first, then comes my Dad’s side of the family. Next, I had started a bonus block.
That bonus block is actually in chart #7 of the series.
I ended up finishing that block and went on and stitched the March block. Here’s where I am now…There is only one more block and the top row is finished which means I’d be 1/3 of the way done!! YAHOO.
I finished the bonus block…
I did the March block. This one is for Kelli’s family. You can see her name, Kelli Kramer, her husband’s name Jason Hanken at the bottom. I stitched Georgia’s “G” and will stitch in the twins’ initials after they are born and know them. I did screw up something though. Kelli got married in 2014, not 2015…so that has to be fixed. It shouldn’t be a problem.
I changed up some of the colors. I’ve had the worst time with floss colors on this entire piece. I just keep telling myself it will all blend when it’s done.
Next up in the series is this…Pink Hill Manor. This one will be stitched for my Mom’s family. I have to do a little tweaking to get the names all in but that’s okay. I’m getting better at that.
After I was done with the block for the month, I went on and started back on my Heaven and Nature sampler. I LOVE THIS!
Here is where I was at the end of February. I have the top stitched…
..and I had moved down to the bottom stitching the lower right corner. The top picture is really the true colors.
This month I completed the entire border. I had the main vine all the way around but I didn’t have it filled in from the bottom right corner all the way around to the middle left-hand border.
It was mostly all of this and a little more that I stitch in.
I stitched this basket in the bottom center. I had intended on continuing and stitching the left lower section but…I didn’t.
I decided to start up and do the middle of the right.
Everything above the bird is new stitching.
I had planned to leave the entire house for last but then decided that I might hate myself if I do. I don’t mind lots of fill-in stitching at all, but that is REALLY a lot of fill-in stitching. So I decided that the red that is the color of the house is also used in many different places. So, if I went and outlined part of the house, I would know where the red should go. If I stitched a flower that used that red, rather than put the thread away after the flower was stitched, I could instead go to the house and stitch the rest of the piece of floss into the house. I thought that might save me some time as I would be always loading needles with floss.
I also like to have a piece that is just fill-in stitching at the ready should I be in a situation where stitching and visiting are okay. For example, last Friday night Karl was over and we were chatting about our week. Karl didn’t mind at all if I stitched while we chatted. Having the house outlined is perfect. I can stitch away and not count or worry.
I think I am going to outline the main house next…
and then go back to stitching Anniversaries of the Heart. Sorry, the color is all wrong in the photo above but I wanted a picture of the whole piece. It’s the biggest piece I have ever stitched. On 40 count it’s 14 1/4 x 18 inches.
All of me is screaming to just power through and finish this piece but I’m afraid if I don’t keep up with Anniversaries doing the monthly panel, I’ll peter out and not finish it. I really don’t want that to happen, because I really want to stitch that too!! Such a dilemma.
I might do the April block and then just stitch Heaven and Nature until it’s finished…we’ll see. I really want to…really bad, but as I said, I’m afraid I won’t keep up with Anniversaries if I do. We’ll see.
I also finished Kind Words by Notforgotten Farm. This was quick and easy. I need to finish it into a pillow. Hopefully, in the next cross-stitch update, I’ll have it finished. This is where I was last time.
Here it is finished. Sorry, I forgot to iron it.
I’ve been loving stitching these small quick pieces. They are perfect for using up the small leftovers from previous projects.
Here’s another one I stitched…This is Love Never Fails. It was a freebie from The Primitive Hare. Find it HERE.
I started this freebie also from The Primitive Hare. Find it HERE.
They also offer this freebie that I plan to download and stitch. I’m not a fan that it says “primitive” so I think I won’t stitch that word just the others and maybe add a couple of more snowflakes or something.
I’m stitching many of these up with the hope to make them into pillows for my dough bowl. I wrote about the dough bowl HERE.
Market Expo was held in March. That’s when all the designers release all of their new designs. I did good and only bought one new chart. I got Teresa Kogut’s Come to the Garden.
Here’s a close-up picture…
I loved it BUT, I wasn’t a fan of the verse…so I didn’t buy it. Then, I remembered the hymn, In the Garden. The beginning words are, “I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses”. This was the hymn that was played at my mom’s, dad’s, and at my niece Jody’s funerals.
I decided that I would buy the chart as I love the flowers and the borders…I love everything about it except the verse. I am going to rechart the words to be, “I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses”. I’ll need a different font to make it fit but I think I can do it.
Then I am going to put my mom’s, my dad’s, and Jody’s initials into the chart. The chart is pretty full but I think I can fit them in somehow. I like to stitch things that are meaningful to me and this would certainly be meaningful.
I had the linen and most of the floss in my stash. I only needed five flosses so that was great! It’s all kitted and ready to stitch if I ever can get to it.
I did spend a little other money over the last six weeks on cross stitch. I bought the dark gray linen as there is a freebie that was done on gray and I have no gray linen.
The other linen came from The Attic. I didn’t buy it all at once. I asked to be put on a list and have the linen sent to me if it ever comes in. All of that linen is Lakeside brand linen and it’s very hard to find and gets snatched up immediately when it does. I was hoping to get a few nice pieces so I could pick what looks best when I start a new sampler. It is hard living rural and not being able to shop as I wish I could…but I am happy I had this option.
I also got my next installment of the Sunday Stitches by Heartstring Samplery. I am on a list and get the pattern sent to me each month. I plan to stitch several of the hymns and add them to a sampler wall should I ever have enough pieces stitched to make one.
That’s about it for cross stitch for the month. Oh my, I am loving stitching SO-SO MUCH. Although I spent plenty this month on it, the cost is way cheaper than therapy and I don’t really buy fabric much anymore so it balances out. With that, I’m off. I have some quilting I need to get done with the goal of finishing some things up and then it will be to the couch to stitch. Heaven and Nature is calling me to outline that big house.
I do love seeing your cross stitching – the Heaven and Nature Sampler is just gorgeous!
Love and prayers
I remember when I first start quilting and we were camping in Texas. The lady next to us was from Boston and said she used to be a quilter until she started cross stitching. I used to do cross stitching but my left eye is going out on me, so now I just enjoy looking at all the things you make. I’m more into florals instead of primitives, but I still enjoy your handiwork.
I always like seeing ht progress you have made on your cross stitch projects – they are beautiful! You inspire me to do some cross stitching again.
You are the reason I re-started cross stitching, after a nearly 20 year hiatus, thank you! I too enjoy my stitching hours before bed, I’m almost finished stitching “Pet All the Dogs”. The big red house was the first thing I did on that sampler, I like your idea of using the ends of red threads to slowly fill it in. I have “Heaven and Nature” kitted up and ready to go, I’m going to put a note in it about the red thread :). Next up, I’m going to start “Strawberry Fields”, by Blackbird designs, a little smaller and maybe I’ll get it done in a month.
Love, Love. Love seeing your progress Jo!
I’m so slow, but loved your tip of stitching 1-2 hours a day. Our sampler walls are slowly being built!
My best, Connie
Love, love all your cross stitching pieces. You do beautiful work. The “garden piece” could just be lengthened by one row of words to accommodate your version.
Just received my copy of the APQ for June.. your “Fly the Flag” quilt is stunning!! And you’re right, they did a great job with the photos!! Love it!!
Peggy S
Oh ! :)))
my Mom and her sister used to sing that song a lot “He walks with me, and he talks with me, and he tells me I am his own…” brings back such sweet memories of my Dad accompanying them on our piano in the evenings. They (sadly) have all gone on ahead now, but I do cherish that memory thanks for refreshing it for me…
I have never been able to work out counted cross stitchery, it seems! I do stamped ones, but they have nowhere near as pretty patterns as the counted ones…maybe i should learn, huh?
Lovely pieces you have in your WIP stash….hugs, Julierose
Such beautiful pieces and I am happy it gives you such pleasure. So nice that you can add or change things up to make them more meaningful to you! That is just about as perfect as it gets!
Don’t worry, Jo. If we, the blog readers, see that you are falling too far behind on your Anniversaries piece, we will remind you to get back to it! Let’s keep an eye on her everyone!
I like your idea of changing the verse in your come into the garden. In the garden is a great hymn.
Always make your stitching your own. It just means more to you and your family. I get to The Attic when we are there in the winter. It is a fabulous shop and Jean and her staff love to help. It’s a must see if you have the time. Plan on at least 2 hours there if it’s your first time there, you will be inspired and overwhelmed.
And you cross-stitch too?! I just restarted stitching. Its been 5 yrs since my husband passed. I was working on a piece that was to be a gift to him and when he died suddenly from a heart attack and congestive heart failure(his brother knew he but didn’t want me to know). I got so mad at him even though he was gone that I tossed all cross-stitch supplies in trash. So now I’m back to stitching away thanks to your quilting blog. Thinking about learning how to quilt but my love for cross-stitch reels me back in, lol!
You inspired me to pull out my embroidery and get back on it. It was a line print on loose weave fabric, not a pattern. I bought a yard and started embroidering! Life intervened, and I put it away for a while. Embroidery is very satisfying, as you know. This is a floral pattern and I have worked in a few beads. My sewing machine expired, the new one might be here on Monday. Trauma! Embroidery helps soothe the savage breast…
Just love all your cross stitch pieces! After over 20 years, I’m now retired and have been stitching up a storm. Live in North Texas and it’s difficult to find good cross stitch stores. Would like recommendations in some good online websites to buy from. Joan from Bonham,Texas
I have been cross stitching since 1976. Im doing a lot of native American and wolves. My favorite is taking a picture and make a pattern on computer
That sounds amazing. I have xeroxed photoes and drawn outlines with markers a few times, transferred to cloth with a light box. Very clunky.