The first is an older design by San-Man Originals. It was called "Winter Quaker" and was part of a free SAL in 2010. I had that mauve fabric lying around so I modified the colors a little to be sure I had enough contrast. It's a little different from the type of design that comes to mind when you say "stitch a snowman". I like that because I think it gives nice variety to the finished quilts.
The second design is Pam Kellogg's ornament from the 2006 JCS Ornament issue. I used to stitch her designs like it was nothing. Now I find this kind of stitching to be quite the project! The design as printed has tons of color changes and the chart in the magazine was really tiny. I'm glad I stuck with it, because it is really cute. The snowflakes on the upper left were my addition to replace the space for a date. I used some snowflakes from Sue Hillis' Swirly Snow freebie that you can find here on 123 Stitch. The fabric is cornflower blue 28ct Jobelan. And you could not pay me enough to show you what the back looks like!
After reading one of Vonna's blog posts about using a hoop, I decided to take one of my old wooden hoops and wrap the inner ring with bias tape. I used Mary Corbett's tutorial for this. You can find it here. I used it to stitch the snowman above and I found that I really liked it. Q-snaps are too much for a smaller piece.. too heavy and you need too much extra fabric. My spring tension hoops sag near the handles and really leave hoop marks that are hard to iron out. I put the fabric in the hoop 'backwards' so that the stitching is recessed. It means my hands mostly only touch the back of the fabric so it stays cleaner. I think I'm sold on this method for now. Here's a picture of my little helper.
23 comments:
Sweet! I really love the colors on the first piece. ;)
they are so pretty.
Annie, I love the pinks you used for those snowflakes and all of the snow men are adorable!
Congratulations on both finishes! My favorite of the two is the San-Man one in the first picture. Interesting tidbit about wrapping the inner hoop; off to read the link you shared.
They both look wonderful. I really love the changes you did to the SMO. Very pretty! :)
Beautiful!! The second one is very cute :)
Both are beautiful pieces. Saw that snowman too but it put me off to stitch with the lots of different colours in it.
Happy Holidays!
Great stitching. I love the Quaker one
what pretty work Annie, I especially like the Winter Quaker design. I always stitch using a covered wooden hoop, I once bought the q snap type which I find difficult to use.
Love your blocks, especially the first one! I'm glad you've found the wrapping the hoop method to be useful. It's good to know. I stitch in hand, but if I ever go back to equipment, I'll keep it in mind.
Lovely little snowmen! Gorgeous stitching.
I have disposed of all my wooden hoops since they started marking my fabrics.... now hooked on qsnaps. I really like the tension on those.
Have a lovely little Christmas!
Both of these little snowman pieces are so cute, Annie--great colors in each as shown with your new iPad mini!! I'm sure you're having a great time with it--love my iPad for enlarging those freebie patterns and stitching right from it!
I can't seem to get used to anything holding my fabric so I just stitch in hand. I'm sure my stitching would be better if I used a hoop or Q-snaps, but they just take away the joy of holding the fabric...
Hope you have a fun weekend planned :)
I love snowmen, so of course I love both of your quilt blocks! :) Pretty fabric choice for the first one. I need to invest in some hoops...when I stitch a smaller piece I usually don't cut the fabric to size which means a lot of extra annoying fabric to deal with. I'll have to remember the bias tape.
You made two very very cute pieces
I always loved the San-Man patterns, they are so cute!!
The other snowmen I don't know, but its very cute too
Both your designs are just gorgeous. I love these snowmen in between the Quaker snowflakes in different colours and I think the whole block looks very harmonious.
Oh, I know what you mean about the tons of colour changes in Pam Kellogg's snowman. But I love stitching these this kind of patterns very much, they are never boring and the effect is always so great.
Like you, after I read Vonna's post, I also wrapped a hoop with bias tape. (I also treated myself to a hoop but that's another story!) I am an in-hand stitcher and used to use a hoop many moons ago and am trying it out again now.
How generous of you to do charity stitching - your patterns are perfect. And look at you, rolling with the new technology! Can you teach me?!? :)
both have turned out really well, the first one is quite an unusual design, very pretty
Love both designs Annie!But my preference goes to the San-Man with less color. I hate the "color changes confetti" cross stitches and I know all about the back :-))))
Thank you for the tip about the using the wooden hoops.
XXX Hetti
I had to laugh when I read that we couldn't pay you to show us the back. I feel the way about my projects too. I forget the rule about ending your stitching if you have to move more than 2 stitches. The 2nd snowman looks like there is some confetti stitching which I don't enjoy at all. It does have a beautiful effect though. Love the colors in the top one - it's really a unique snowman and it's gorgeous!
Oh I LOVE your snowmen. Love the way you used colors "outside the box" and the one with the "confetti" MULTI color stitching is gorgeous. I hate that kind of stitching as well, but they sure do look lovely when done!
Lovely stitching!! Both so cute :D Beautiful :)
Merry Christmas sweetie :)
A Very Merry Christmas and and a creative 2016, Sunny greetings from New Orleans, Alice
Two lovely pieces!
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