I’m going to start out today’s post by answering a question from Char.
She asked:
“I’m so happy your blog appeared as a surprise today! Can you tell me where you got the APOSTLE’S CREED? Is it a kit or chart? I’d love to find some other ones like that: Lord’s Prayer, Doxology,& Desirata(sp?)! If anyone knows where to find these, please let me know. Thank you kindly.”
The Apostle’s Creed that I am stitching is from Beth Twist of Heartstring Samplery. Find it HERE. This is an older chart and I highly doubt you can get it kitted. You could call a needlework shop and have them kit if for you.
Heartstring Samplery also has Psalm 23. This is on my list to stitch. I’ll do that as a row-a-week project. I can’t find this chart for purchase online. I wonder if it’s coming out at Market in March and not out yet. I bought mine as an exclusive off the website. It was all kitted. She only does limited kits so I think they sold out. You’ll have to watch for this one to come.
Heartstring Samplery has a lot of religious cross-stitch pieces. There are many that go with popular hymns. You can find Heartstring Samplery HERE.
Erica Michaels has Nancy Alden 1787 sampler. I hope to stitch this one day too. It has the Lord’s Prayer. Find it HERE. The way it is pictured, the Apostle’s Creed is there too. All of that is stitched over one which didn’t excite me. I was however excited to find out that she has an option to only stitch the Lord’s Prayer and leave off the Apostle’s Creed. That way nothing is stitched over one.
My Big Toe has a pretty version of the Doxology. I have the chart. Seeing it in person is even better!! Find it HERE.
Little House Needleworks has The Beatitudes. My daughter Kelli plans to stitch it. Find it HERE. I’d love to stitch this one day too.
I’m sure there are many others but these are the religious pieces that I can think of that I have seen and liked. If you are reading this and know of other of these types of samplers please tell us about them in the comment section.
I plan to work on these one after another as I finish them doing the “one line a week format”.
Now onto what I stitched this week…
I put time into was Heartstring Samplery Apostle’s Creed. I am stitching this on 40-count Thornfield by Needle and Flax. It called for Harvest Basket by Gentle Arts for the words but I am using Trail Dust by Classic Colorworks for the lettering instead. Here is where I was last week.
Here is where I am this week. I am ahead of schedule on this project and that makes me so happy. My goal is to stitch one row a week but if I get more done, that’s great too.
I got two rows done and another row started. I love that I am ahead on this project.
I want to go back and stitch the other crown that needs to go in the row of crowns but I was kind of all over with my stitching this week and didn’t get to it. Maybe next week…
But, maybe not. My next piece has me wanting to put most of my time into it.
I worked on We Live in Hope by Blackbird Designs project. I am stitching this on a 40-count Picture this Plus linen called Legacy. Here is where I was last week…
I am using all of the called for flosses. I just love this. I had a goal to get the next two rows under the alphabet finished.
Here is where I ended stitching for the week.
It seems I will tell you my goal and then end up stitching completely different. I went down and finished the boat, did a few do-dads and stitched the words We Live in Hope.
The sails don’t show up the best with this linen. I am currently debating about outlining them with a slightly darker color of floss. Any opinions?
Then I stitched the flower row at the top under the alphabet. I had it in mind that I might be able to stitch that in one night. NOT. It took me 2 1/2 evenings of stitching.
I ended up with no time to stitch the next row underneath.
This project is getting close to a finish so I’m tempted to set everything else aside and stitch only on it. Not quite yet I don’t think. Who knows…I do think I’ll work on stitching the house this week.
Next up…
This is Rudolph and Friends by With Thy Needle and Thread. It’s on mystery linen with called-for flosses. I only stitched on this one evening the previous week. This is tiny- only 3×3 on 40 count. This is where I was…
I finished the border on this one and connected up the green vine. Then I stitched the red berries. Oh, it’s so cute. I put in a few stitches of the called-for-white, Grits, but I think it’s too blendy for my linen. I’m going to explore and see if I can find a brighter white.
After taking the picture and seeing it in a picture, maybe the white is noticeable.
What do you think?
I worked on was our stitch-along, Black Dog Sampler by The Scarlett House. I am stitching mine on a 40-count Dirty Tea Cup by Needle and Flax. Here is where I was last week.
Here is where I am this week.
I finished the motif in the upper left corner and started stitching the “A”. For a bit here while I have other things I’m working on, my plan it to make sure I stitch a motif or letter each week. If I can do that, I’ll have it finished by the end of the year. So far, I’m ahead. I’m sure once I get so far along I’ll drop everything and finish it but for now, I like this easy pace.
I have doctor appointments next week at Mayo Clinic for my cancer recheck. I have a few appointments and I always take a project. I like to pick something that has a lot of fill work. I can stitch one color and not have to look at the chart very often. Something where I can stitch a bit and not have a lot of color changes.
None of the projects I am currently working on fall into that category. My last project was Heaven and Nature. There was always something in this pattern that was repeating. I often stitched on the house when I waited. I have numerous pictures of me in the waiting room stitching on this. More detail on this project can be found HERE.
So, I decided that I want a new project. I already had this chart…and the floss. I just needed a linen.
It calls for a 35-count Tin Roof. That’s a Weeks linen and I’m not a Weeks fan. If you look at the picture the linen is pretty gray.
As tempting as it was to just order something, I pulled out my linen and gave it a look. I really don’t have much gray linen. I ended up pulling this piece.
It is 40 count Seraphim in the color Boston. It isn’t as dark as the picture, but I think it will work, and feel pretty comfortable with it.
The colors show up nicely on it. I probably won’t get enough stitching started on this so I can stitch the house while I am in the waiting room but, check out those triangles along the bottom. I think I’ll start with those.
I’ll likely only get two triangles stitched while I wait but it’s a great excuse to start a new project.
What have you been stitching on…I’d love to know.
I am really loving the progress on your samplers.
As for the sails, maybe stitch a few of them on a different piece of fabric similar to what you are using and chose the best one? Maybe on the very bottom of the same fabric where it will be cut off when framed.
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers for your trip to the clinic
Love and prayers
Love that Seraphim Boston linen! I think it looks great. I don’t like Weeks linen, either. I’ve started Cinnamon Stars by Plum Street. Loving it!
I am working on Gingerbread Village by Country Cottage needleworks on 16 count Lambswool with DMC floss. I started it when my husband had to go physical therapy back in August
I am in complete envy of your ability to stitch on linen. Your samplers are awesome. I was struck on the doxology when there were letters from words on two separate lines. That would be a stopper for me. What a lovely legacy you are building on your wall of needlework.
Your cross stitch enthusiasm is infectious! I like Donna’s idea of using the edge of the linen to try different colors of white. I agree that the white sails blend in too much. They are an important motif and I would probably change them out rather than outline. The white snow does look good in the photos, bright and good contrast. The frame around that is so sweet!
I’ve been working on Three Things Sampler. I’m working on 18 ct Aida and am about 2/3 of the way done on the first page I started, the upper right corner. I kept intending to set this aside and work on some other things too but I can’t seem to put it away…lol
If you can’t put it away, I say GO FOR IT!!
Love seeing all your projects…current and future! and that Seraphim linen looks great. Have a question for you since you use so many different linen brands. Do you notice any variation in thread count even if it’s all called 40? I used Mallow by Zweigart for the Floral sampler and then got Cappuccino by Fiber on a Whim for my current project. Both sold by 123stitch as 40 count. As soon as I started stitching on Cappuccino, it looked like smaller stitches to me. I finished the border first (and it all matched!!!) then measured. It was supposed to be 9.5″ but finished at 9. So, close to 40 ct but a little off. Just wondered how often this happens between brands. Thanks!
I think alot depends on the dying process. I find that several 40 count fabrics are sometimes a higher count due to how it’s dyed.
I have mostly been working on my Black Dog Sampler. But I am getting a small together to stitch for a retreat in April.
Your projects are coming right along. I always like seeing your progress on the different projects. Wishing you well at your appointments next week. Prayers.
Hi Jo! Love your fabric choices. I wish my eyes weren’t 68 years old. lol Char can always go online and search the type of cross stitch sampler that she wants. I checked 123stitch.com, and there are many different samplers on it. Etsy has several Desiderata patterns on it along with many other inspirational quotes. Hope this helps.
I just started Variant of Interest from Long Dog Samplers on 40 count antique white. The nice thing about it is the single color. I didn’t think anything could be more intense than Death by Cross Stitch, but I was wrong. I am having to take more frequent breaks in this one. But what a great stitch!
I am wondering if the floss comes with the cross-stitch pattern, if not how do you order the floss so it is altogether as a kit.
Typically with cross stitch nowadays, the floss does not come with the kit but you can call the needlework shop and tell them you want the project kitted and most will do that for you.
I am amazed at your ability to work on more than one project simultaneously. Years ago, with younger eyes, I did the Prayer of St Francis on linen. It was not a kit. I think it was a Leisure Arts graph. Thanks for sharing your lovely work.
I love seeing what cross stitch you’re working on. I’m plugging away on Heaven and Nature. I just finished all of the red house tonight. That house took forever to do. I realized the other day that I should have stitched it with my stitch path horizontal instead of vertical. Then it would look more like siding. Oh well. I won’t tell anyone. lol. I am excited to move along on this project now.
What fantastic work you do, each week you updates keeps me going, as for the white sails? and elderly neighbour who was cross stitching into her 80’s taught me if the white doesn’t show, first outline in a grey before changing it out. Has worked well for me in the past
Love and prayers for next week.
I just ordered Pet All the Dogs, the called for flosses, and the Tin Roof linen yesterday. I will be so excited to watch your progress. Why, may I ask, do you not like the gray linen? Is it just a personal color preference or is gray somehow harder to stitch on (like black)? I have only ever stitched on lighter creamy colored linens. I am itching to start this one!
It’s the Weeks Linen I don’t like…I don’t mind gray.
I stitched “Pet all the Dogs” while you were stitching “Heaven and Nature”. Funny that we stitched the red houses at the same time, I thought to myself, if Jo can get through this, so can I. I am thinking of starting “Heaven and Nature” soon, so maybe we will be house stitching together again :)
That is so fun!! I can’t wait to start it. It will be a slow stitch for me as I’m planning to try to save it for fill in work.
Thanks for all the links to the religious pieces. If anyone is interested, I’m working on a Lord’s Prayer from Design Works. It’s a 12×18 kit. Also, I’ve gotten Scripture verse patterns from benandhannahdunnett.com. They have some really cute designs and will create charts for you if they don’t already have the verse you want or you want it with a different border, etc.
Pet All the Dogs is a perfect stitch for you, Jo! Try the newer Weeks linen sometime. It’s a Zweigart base. I really enjoy your cross stitch updates and look forward to them each week.
Nancy, I have tried the new Weeks and it’s still not my favorite. I love a tight weave. Picture this Plus is perfect for me. I love Needle and Flax, R&R and Fox and Rabbit…oh, Needle Bling Designs too!!
Hi Jo, I love seeing your work! I’ve been stitching on Pandemic by Long Dog Samplers on 40 count linen. I’m brand new to 40 count and I’m just now realizing that I’m doing it wrong. My 12 stitches take up about a quarter of an inch! This makes me think I should be stitching over 2 threads. Is that right? It’s super tiny over 1 thread and it’s taking forever. Do most people stitch over 2 when working on 40 count?
YES!! On linen most people stitch over two threads. If they do stitch over one thread it’s typically for a name on an antique sampler.
Oh, my word! Thank you so much! I’m glad I didn’t get that far. Stitching over one was driving me crazy. This’ll be so much more fun.