Finished - Home Of A Needleworker Too

Here is a picture of the finished pattern (with my tweaks). 

I adore the pattern and I'm really pleased with it. 

I used DMC threads and I incorporated more red than the recommended blue - the swirls under the wording. I also stitched the top and bottom pattern in dark green rather than brown. 

I didn't intend to make any other changes but as I was stitching I tweaked the 'H' slightly and made the little house with the red door. I also changed the front door of the big house to make all of the windows more prominent. 

Lavender Sachet

This gorgeous fellow was stitched from a magazine pattern call 'Birds of Beauty' designed by Lesley Teare. It is part of a series for a coaster, notebook and bookmark shown in Cross Stitch Crazy issue 166. 

This is the pattern for the coaster.

I substituted some metallic threads and added the design on the back and the bead edging. 

Do you like him? 

Gorgeous Tree of Life 

This pattern has also been taken from Barbara Hammet's wonderful book on Elizabethan Cross Stitch. It is still my favourite book on cross stitch. 

If you don't have access to the book you'll be pleased to hear that large portions of it, including this gorgeous pattern, have been reproduced in well known cross stitch magazines. The Tree of Life featured in Issue 113 of the Cross Stitch Collection dated January 2005.

Elizabethan Cross Stitch pt4

This is the last one in the series.

I'm now on a hunt for something similar. 

Please let me know if you are aware of a pattern like this because I am keen to add more to this little collection. 

Elizabethan Cross Stitch pt3

This is the third one in the series.

There is one more to follow.

Elizabethan Cross Stitch pt2

Here is the second cross stitch in the series. I just adore the golden swirls, birds and bugs in this. 

Elizabethan Cross Stitch

This is the first in a series of patterns taken from one of my all time favourite books on cross stitch called Elizabethan Cross Stitch by Barbara Hammet.

More pictures in this series will follow soon. 

Rainforest Round

Here is a picture that took me many, many hours to complete. It is called Rainforest and it is stitched on 22 count cream Aida with DMC threads.

More Garden Birds

This is another pattern from 'The Country Diary Collection' entitled 'Wren and Hedge Sparrow.'

This is the third pattern that I've stitched from this collection. I shared the 'Willow Warbler Feeding Young' last year. 

I have a plan for all three and I hope to show you the finished article soon (wrist permitting). 

White Throat and Nest

Here is another picture of my completed cross stitch. This one is taken from 'The Country Diary Collection' and stitched in DMC threads on Aida.

Two little cuties!

These little cuties have been taken from a pattern published by Textile Heritage for a Bluetit Bookmark.  

I've used them before but I love them so much I couldn't resist stitching them again. 

These two will form the front and back of a lavender sachet. I have a pile of dried lavender from the garden drying in the conservatory and just waiting to be used! 

Winter Wonderland

I stitched this little picture a while ago and I'd forgotten all about it until I uncovered a stash of completed stitching recently. 

It is entitled 'A Winter Wonderland'. It is part of a set of four designed by Julia de Medieros and it can be found in Cross Stitch Collection 99 (December 2003). I fell in love with the snow drops, berries and web. 

My other news is that I now have some good days with my wrist which means that I've just managed to finish the curtains for the lounge. I'm also thinking about my next project - my first Roman Blind. I'll be using my sewing machine for most of the stitching.

Sadly I've not been able to do any cross stitching yet.

Variegated Bookmark

I am no technophobe  I just like the look and feel of real books. My home is full of books and a pretty bookmark makes reading even more pleasurable. 

This stitching project was a departure for me as I used an Anchor thread instead of my usual DMC. The Anchor thread was an impulse buy. I just couldn't resist the colourful thread when I saw it in my local hobby store.

I believe this pattern is a web freebie but I've had it a while and I am ashamed to say that I can't remember where it came from, whomsoever you are, thank you! If you stumble across this page, please forgive me for my shoddy record keeping. 

I hope you like my bookmark and handmade tassel!

Bear Sewing Tools

I've just finished making the sewing tools to match my new Bear Sewing Set and I am keen to share them with you! 

I've made two stitch markers with semi-precious gem beads that pick up the colours in my sewing plus a bear charm which I've painted brown with enamel paint. 

I've also made a matching laying tool and hook tool. The tools are conveniently joined by a chain. The laying tool helps to ensure that the top stitch in each cross lies flat. The hook is something that I use for all sorts of things - catching loose threads, tightening threads, pushing stuffing into awkward shapes and corners etc. 

I've added a long chain, bear charm and a tiny heart clasp to the smallest magnetic needle rest so that it can be attached to my sewing bag or magnetic pattern board. 

I've also added a shorter chain, beads and bear charm to the bigger magnetic needle rest. 

Lastly, I came across this gorgeous carved bear in agate on Ebay and I just had to have him. I've been waiting for him to arrive for a month! I've simply added some semi-precious agate beads and a lobster clasp so this fellow can act as a scissor fob, bag charm or weight for splitting threads or twisting cords! 

Bear Finishes

This is a picture of the full bear set - Sewing Bag, Thimble Purse, Pin Cushion, Case for Sewing Tools (I'll be making these next) and two Magnetic Needle Rests. This is the first time that I've finished each piece as I go instead of leaving all of the finishing to the end. It didn't stop me hating the chore but at least it broke up the chore!

Bear Bag

Regular readers will know that I've been making some stitching accessories substantially based on an LHN pattern called 'Bear Tree Forest.' I loved the bears, birds, squirrels and the forest but I wasn't too keen on the little house and snowman that made up much of the left hand side of the pattern. 

I've got a picture of a bag for bobbins hanging from a work lamp on my Pinterest board called 'Inspiration.' I decided to make something similar and retire my highland cow accessories (now sold for charity). 

I decided to make a shallow embroidered bag to hang from my floor standing embroidery frame. It will hold my magnetic pattern board, bobbins, thimble purse, pin cushion etc. 

For the front of the bag I omitted the house and added a tree lined hillside, snow and more bears. I also made some other tweaks!

For the back I used the same extract from the LHN 'Woodland Sampler' pattern that I stitched on the purse.

I lined the bag with the same sage green linen and added a hand made label as a finishing touch.

Finally, I stitched some little trees to the base of the handles and lined them with the same sage green linen.

Stag Snipper holder and Needle Rest  

This gorgeous fellow is taken from a Textile Heritage kit. He used to hang from my floor standing frame and hold snippers and act as a Needle Rest. It is currently for sale to raise money for my favourite charity. 

Bear Thimble Purse

Those of you who look at my Pinterest board 'Inspiration' will know that I have been inspired by patterns for thimble purses and the purses pictured on Yumikuhiguchi's blog. 

I decided to have a go at making an embroidered purse myself using a metal purse frame. When I'm using my cross stitching in a different way I'm always worried about getting it wrong and not being able to salvage my cross stitching. I looked at various purse making tutorials on line. The scariest thing was not having a pattern to match my frame. Unless you buy a kit you have to make it up as you go along and I've never used a metal purse frame before. I probably should have used fabric first and then my embroidery, but I didn't!

It took me a while to decide whether to use a frame in which you glue your work or a frame to which you stitch your work. In the end I decided to use a 'glue in' frame because I liked the invisible join of fabric and metal.

I bought two new gold coloured 6.5cm purse frames in an ebay auction for less than £2! I already had my favourite UHU fabric glue in my sewing tools. The rest was trial and error and guess work!

I embroidered the front of the purse with a small bear, snow and two different types of tree from LHN 'Bear Tree Forest'. 

For the back I chose part of an LHN design called 'Woodland Sampler.' It fits well with my Trees and Cardinal set and the Bears as it features a fir tree branch a Cardinal, Squirrel and Rabbit with snowflakes.

I 'squared off' the corners and lined the inside with the same sage green linen that I've used before. I added a handmade label as a finishing touch. 

This is a first for me! I've learnt a lot and there are a few things that I would do differently but overall, I am very pleased with the result. It can comfortably fit my thimble, my gold stork scissors, my beeswax, Needle Case, Handmade Needle Threader and Magnetic Needle Rests. 

Bear Pin Cushion

I wanted to make a large pin cushion and so this time I stitched a big bear and two snow laden trees on a ground of snow. 

It is backed with the same sage green linen as the needle case. I was going to leave the sides plain but now I've made it I am thinking about adding some decoration! I'm just not sure yet. 

I'll have a think while I work on the next Bear accessory. 

Bear Case for Sewing Tools

For the front, I stitched a small bear and three trees on a ground full of snow.

The closure is a gem bead and a hand sewn loop.

The back features three trees and more snow.

The inside is made of plain sage green linen without decoration and I put a thin layer of padding inside so that the tools can be inserted directly into the case without having to add another layer.

Now I just have to make the tools!