Cards for Q4

Haven't felt like doing much stitching or crafting lately.  I guess it's just time for a break.  Or else it's because I have been watching "Weeds" on DVD and it's taking my full attention.  I did manage to finish a couple of cards.

I was browsing through the Aug, 2015,  JCS magazine and noticed a design I had skipped over completely on my first pass.  It was too Christmasy for the types of things I stitch.  But when I looked closer, I saw that I could extract part of the design and make a pretty cool card.  It's the center of the Quaker Medallion by Giulia Manfredini.  I think the linen is 32 count HDF Pecan Butter or Bunny Brown from back in the day.  I wasn't expecting the cut-out window to look so much like a "D".  I guess I need to find a Diane, Dina, Doris or Danielle to give it to since it's much too girly for a Dan, Dean, David, or Dick.

For those of you planning a Halloween getaway, I think there is still room left at "Witch Inn" by Homespun Elegance if you dare to spend the night.  This design has been patiently waiting to be stitched for a year.

Both pics seem kind of blurry.  Too much light? Not enough?  Shaky hands?  Whatever....

Peace card, coin purse and ruler sheath

For a while now I wanted to try using a little fabric trim around an x-stitch piece for a card.  I needed a small x-stitch design for this since I always like to make standard size cards.  I can cut two cards from one sheet of card stock with no waste that way.  I went back to the JCS 2012 ornament issue and selected the Blackbird Designs "Peace" chart .  Stitched over one on 28-ct tea Monaco, it worked out to be tiny.  The camera wasn't happy with the rainy day on which I took the picture, but I think it actually was a reasonably effective technique.  I'm sure I'll be using it again.

The zippered coin purse that I made long ago and use every day has finally started to fray around the edges.  I never expected it to hold up so well since it holds my plastic cards, cash and change.  But it has been a sturdy little companion.  So to prepare for its coming demise, I picked  "Comme un Oiseau" by Tra La La to be the design for a new purse.  I like how the "ABC" in the upper left can be interpreted as "ALB", my initials.  This was done on 36 ct Edinburgh linen in some beigey/off-white color.  I've had it for a long time and label was gone. Not the worst zipper insertion of my life so I'm satisfied.

Sheryl of "Sewing After Seven" sent me a link to a video with a tutorial for making a sheath that was another alernative for constructing those 6" ruler sheaths I have been making.  She used the technique to make a holder for a fan here.   The video is in Spanish and I had to watch it multiple times before I understood what the presenter was doing.  But once I understood it, I was fascinated by how clever and simple it is.  I immediately tried it with plain quilting fabric and it worked like a charm.  Not sure if I'll be as happy with it when I use x-stitch linen and there is more bulk since the ruler sheaths are narrower than the fan holder that Sheryl made.

Here's a link to the video:

https://youtu.be/6Bsn0G37BHo

And you gotta love how the sheath color appears to match my shoelaces in this photo taken with my phone!