I didn’t have a lot of cross time this week. Between having a lot of company and playing catch up, and fostering dogs, it was often 9 or 9:30 pm at night before I sat down to stitch…more about that in a bit. First I want to tell you about some goodies that came my way.
I can’t remember if I told you…I don’t think I did but a blog reader sent me some cross-stitch goodies.
I think she knows that I love the designer Brenda Gervais of With thy Needle and Thread. Here are the goodies…
I was really excited about the Coming to America piece. I had thought about stitching it but it was too late. This was an exclusive and was only available for a short period of time. I had given up on ever stitching it. Then it came and I immediately called my sister Judy. She’s the genealogy expert in the family. I asked if she knew if we had a relative on the Mayflower. She’s not sure. She was suspicious of Dorothy Bradford but that fell through. So…I might…I might not. If I find out I do…this is going to get stitched right away, if not…it will wait for a spot in the queue. I do really like it though.
This came with the other chart. I love this one…It was only ever available if you purchased the Mayflower kit so I was happy to get this. I’m hoping it will be in my dough bowl this fall. I don’t think it would take long to stitch.
I mentioned in last week’s post that I order some linen from Kitten Stitcher. She really has one of the best selections of linen. I bought all 40 count.
Fox and Rabbit Hogbristle is on the left and on the right it’s Picture this Plus Ale and Doubloon which I will use for starting some new you’ll read about later in this post.
Kitten Stitcher also sells a bit of fabric. She had a ton of Blackbird Design fabric. She had two-yard cuts for only $10. I bought this as I’ve seen some cross stitchers use it for the inside of a box and then add a cross stitch piece to the top of the box. I thought I better buy some in case I ever want to do that. She has a sale section that really has good discounts. This fabric can even be bought by the bolt for better deals.
I also wanted to show you my thrift store find…
Enough of that…here’s what I was stitching on this week…
Apostle’s Creed piece this week. I am stitching this on a 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.
Not much got done on this one…I did the one row that I am committed to finishing each week…but no extra.
I’ve had some people tell me that they don’t love this one because the words are broken up onto two lines. That bothered me for awhile but then I decided I liked it enough to not that bother me.
I did a tiny bit or work on The 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.
I had kind of told myself to just leave this one. I have enough stitching done to qualify as having the first 1/4 of the sampler done but I ended up pulling it one night when Kayla was here. I only stitched two letters, the “F” and “N”.
Who knows if I’ll still stitch on this or just leave it alone?
I love these script letters!!
Come to the Garden project by Teresa Kogut. I am stitching this on 40-count Vellum by Picture this Plus with the called-for colors. Here is where I was last week.
I almost didn’t stitch on this but last week I promised myself that I have to put a minimum of one length of thread into it each week…so I did a tiny bit.
It was a night I only had about 45 minutes to stitch…so it was the perfect project to pick. I filled in the leaves on the flower I started last week. Then I stitched that do-dad flower to the right of the leaves.
I am determined to get this done, even if it’s only a tiny bit at a time.
I started the Spring Messenger Stitch Along. It’s hardly a start. If you read the blog earlier this week you know that I did a video about this. If you missed the video, you can find it HERE.
I didn’t stitch on it any more than I did the video. I’m hoping to work on it this week.
You might remember that I started With Thy Needle and Threads pattern. I’m stitching this on a scrap of Vintage Country Mocha in 40 count. I am using the called-for floss colors. This was my focus project this week. Any extra time I had, I stitched on this.
I watched Olivia at Pumpkin Hollow Quilts on Flosstube and she started stitching these. I decided I would try to catch up with her. I didn’t but I did make progress. I got this one finished…
I started this one and made quite a bit of progress. I picked this one as it was the one Olivia had stitched. I am hoping I can keep working on this one and finish it this week. I’m going to go on and start another of them if I get this finished.
For the longest time, I have been hesitant on starting these as I was afraid I wouldn’t do the whole grouping and wanted to. Stitching these as Olivia stitches hers is giving me the push to stitch them. She said she plans on stitching them all so, I am grabbing onto her coattails and doing everything I can to keep stitching along with her. She already started another so I need to push to get caught up. That’s why most of my stitching is going to focus on these this week.
Part of me would love to have these done in the next month or so. This was a pattern I bought last year when the big market releases came out and I’d love to say I finished it before market this year. The needlework market is the first weekend in March. That means I need to get stitching.
Because of all of that, I didn’t start Blackbird Designs Birds of a Feather. I plan on stitching this with the called-for flosses and using Picture this plus Doubloon in 40 count.
It might wait a week or two…We’ll see.
That’s what is new in the cross stitch department…what’s new in your cross stitch life?
Hi Jo a while ago I sent you fabric that came in to the thrift store I volunteer at that was tagged x-stitch I was wondering if you were able to find anything more about it
Sadly, it wasn’t cross stitch fabric. It looked like it but it was regular linen. I wasn’t able to use it so passed it to someone I thought could. Thanks for thinking of me.
I’m plugging away on my “Christmas Garden”. And pondering changing the words at the bottom to “Grandma’s Garden”. I saw someone else do that and put the initials of all their grandchildren and their own initials on it and I thought that was a fabulous idea as it could be left up all year (which I’d probably do anyway even with Christmas stitched on it). I’m using Vicki Clayton’s hand dyed silks on this and am absolutely head over heels in love with her silk. And the cost of her silk was exactly the same as if I’d purchased all the overdyed cottons for it.
I have the “Keeper of the Pins” patterns – need to get that out soon also!
So many fabulous patterns and fabrics to stitch! There needs to be more time in a day!
Janet- I’m considering a change to those words also. Just haven’t decided what it will say. It’s such a beautiful piece! It has to stay up longer than Christmas season. Maybe Winter Garden. Just not sure..
I’m stitching Coming to America right now but I have taken out all the names since I do not have an ancestral connection. It also makes it a more manageable size for finishing. I’m really pushing to finish it soon!
Hhmmm…I might need to do a little genealogy research. My mother’s maiden name is Eaton. Good job on your progress, even though you were very busy this week!
I would love to stitch that Harvest Blessings as an SAL, but probably can’t get the chart to do it, right? I’m surprised you got any stitching done this week! A little bit is better than none!
Janet- I’m considering a change to those words also. Just haven’t decided what it will say. It’s such a beautiful piece! It has to stay up longer than Christmas season. Maybe Winter Garden. Just not sure..
I would love to do that one as a SAL also.
But it is my understanding that it is not available to us.
I was planning on starting “Heaven and Nature” earlier this week, but decided to continue stitching my Long Dog sampler “The Pilgrim”. I am getting so close to done, after almost a year of stitching, I think I may finish it by the end of the month.
Yesterday was a beautiful spring morning when I walked our dog. I saw my first robins of the year! As I had just received Spring Messenger from Stitchery Nook I am very excited to get that started. Hopefully today!
I would love to do that one as a SAL also.
But it is my understanding that it is not available to us.
Oh my goodness! I wish I had known about the Mayflower stitchery when it came out. Mary Allerton is an ancestor of my family. I will have to look for it. Or perhaps you would loan me your copy after you’ve done yours.
Hi Jo. I am currently working on a Lizzie Kate piece for our 2nd granddaughter. I want to stitch the Spring’s Messenger project, but I’m making myself finish the LK project first. Love seeing all your beautiful work. You inspire me!
Susan, my husband had a relative on the Mayflower too. His name was Edward Doty. Too bad there’s not a stitchery with men’s names on it. I’m currently working on the Accept what Is chart from Lizzie Kate. I’m hoping to finish that soon and then start Spring Messenger. Or maybe I’ll just start Spring Messenger and have that going as well.
I just started “Bloom” by Brenda Gervais and, after watching your video, have started using the sewing method. Should be much faster! The only thing is I also got more linens online and started this on one called ‘lambswool’. It looked like a good color match for the project but the weave is very loose and open; the thread covers okay but not sure about the finished look. I’m still on the learning curve!
There are some people who like the more open weave. They say they like it so they know where to put their needle. Me, I don’t like it because there seems to be too many places to put my needle. HA~~ If you want a tighter weave try Linen and Flax, Fox and Rabbit, or Picture this Plus.
Great cross stitch charts. I always like everything you work on. Such good taste! I have wanted the Coming to America Chart and missed the release. I have 6 ancestors who were on the Mayflower. 3 of the women on the chart. I hope to find this and be able to purchase it to have with my family genealogy. I am on the hunt.