Good Luck Lady Lexi

Well, it's been about five weeks since I sent what was to be a surprise gift to Michelle.  Don't know where the package is, but it hasn't reached it's expected destination.  Michelle and I decided I could blog about it in hopes that just after I do this, the package will arrive as sometimes these things do.

Originally I had planned to do a Valentine's gift, but I fell behind on that score.  But then Michelle opened an Etsy Shop, Lady Lexi Designs, so I thought a little good luck gift was in order to wish her well on this venture.

I decided to stitch this pretty pink flower from the Workbasket.  You can find the pattern here.  It seemed perfect for an Altoid tin top and I love the design.  I had planned to put Michelle's initials on it, but then the shop name seemed like an even better idea.  Actually, the shop is named after Michelle's dog, so may this is a tribute to her dog as well!  It's stitched over-one on off-white Monaco.

To go inside, I crocheted a cute little pincushion sunburst granny square with #10 crochet cotton.  I made two sunburst granny squares and joined them together through the back loop.  There are two squares of blue felt underneath and some fiberfill inside.    If you are a crocheter and want to make your own,  you can find the instructions for the square here.

And hoping to provide a guardian angel, I included an adorable angel bead fob from Melanie's Moonraker Lampwerks.  I hope the angel doesn't let us down!

I also included a pretty bookmark made from a design by Pelin Tezer.  I don't see it online any longer.  This was done on 14-count Aida, a piece that Michelle sent to me as a gift previously!  It's very soft Aida and nice to work with.

If we all keep our fingers crossed, maybe this package will find it's way to Michelle!

Sleeping with Polar Bears

I really wanted this post to be about a gift I made and sent to a blogging buddy, but that mailing seems to be hung up in the maze of international postal operations.  It's been three weeks since I sent the package.  At week four, I will blog about it in any case.  Keep your fingers crossed that this is not a permanent loss in the ether.

Meanwhile, I had a pillowcase sitting around that was begging to be decorated.  I adapted another of Helen Dardik's design from Orange You Lucky.

I just picked a pile of embroidery floss in different colors and started stitching.  I mostly used satin and  stem stitch, but I threw in some buttonhole wagon wheels and some lazy daisies for fun.  I had thought I would try out lots of different stitches, but I didn't seem to have the energy to do the research.  I'm very happy with him.  It's nice to have a security polar bear!

My Jazzercise instructor and one of my cousins have each had a new baby.  One  girl and one boy and all are doing well.  Stitchertunities!  Yea!  So my work is cut out for me now and indeed, my fabric is cut out as well!

Halloween card and Ladybug Square

Not a lot of crafty things happening lately.   But I did get the urge to try making a card with an irregular cut-out frame.  And I wanted to try making little free-hand silhouettes to embellish it. Real card-making aficionados would be using a fancy die cutting machine for the embellishments or at least a craft knife.  I used whatever scissors was lying around.  When you are playing like you are in grade school, you just go with what you have.   The design is from Prairie Schooler, the 'Boo' mini-card.  It was just small and cute.  Plus Halloween has so many interesting motifs to use.  I think it turned out pretty well and I'm sure I'll be using this technique again.  Hope it doesn't scare you!

I finally finished a square for a ladybug-themed quilt.  I stumbled on this design in a folder of designs from magazines that I had saved before disposing of the issues.  Frankly, I rarely go back and stitch them so I guess it's a hoarding instinct.  In this case, I finally found a use for this cutie pie.  The design is from Cross Stitch & Needlework, May/June 2000.  That's a long time ago!  So many people have stitched a ladybug square that Bonnie, the quilter for World of Charity Stitching, plans to make two quilts.. one a 'silly ladybug' quilt which this one is destined for and one a 'realistic/elegant ladybug' quilt.

Thought you might like to see where some of these squares I've been stitching ended up.   Bonnie makes a lot of the quilts and the following three are ones she made.  She comes up with really interesting designs and she's fast as lightning.  You wouldn't believe how many of these she turns out.

Here is the teacup quilt that includes the Vermillion Poppy teacup on the right that I stitched:

Here is the birdhouse quilt with my Expect a Miracle square at the top center:

And finally, the lighthouse quilt with the square I stitched in the center:

You can see more WOCS projects on their blog.

Valentines and a Birthday Card

Just a few cards to show today.  I've been fighting off my intermittent headaches lately, so I stitch a bit only when I'm pain-free.  Luckily, I started these cards early so I had plenty of time to finish.  The first is a San-Man Originals design, taken from the February installment of a snowman of the month SAL from a couple of years ago.   I realized that if you are not a stitcher, you may not understand the incredible appeal of snowmen on everything.  Hopefully, by adding the words, I gave the snowman cupid a reason for being.  This one goes to a recuperating friend of mine.

Next, I thought I would experiment with a little stitchery for card-making.  I love the work of Helen Dardik, an illustrator of colorful, whimsical pieces.  I seem to see her work everywhere.  The latest was on some Target gift cards.  I follow her blog, "Orange You Lucky", and when I was seeking inspiration for this Valentine, I searched around and found a cute older design she had that advertised a giveaway.  Click here to see it.   I just turned it into a "Cup of Love" design and I will send it to a family with whom I always exchange Valentine cards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, I made a birthday card for my brother.  I had sent him an ornament last December that had an owl on it. He remarked that he really liked owls and had a pillow with an owl design that he loved.  I can't believe I'm finding this out after all of these years!  So it gave me a reason to stitch that cute French Country owl from JBW.  I saw someone else use this goofy color scheme, and it appealed to me so I used the sincerest form of flattery and copied it! ;-)  The owl is done in DMC color variations.  I know it's not a traditional birthday design, but who gives a "hoot", right?

Me and Mr. Jones plus an Angel Bookmark

The fabulous interwebs have once again presented me with an experience I could never have imagined in earlier times.  A delightful guy, Mr. Jones, contacted me via e-mail recently after seeing some of the Altoid tins with cross-stitched tops that I have shown on my blog.   Mr Jones is a guitar player. It seems that guitar players often use Altoid tins to store their guitar picks and other small items.  Mr. Jones asked if he could pay me to make one for him.  He wanted to install it on his pedal board.  I had no idea what a pedal board was, and for those of you in the dark like me, it is the board on which a guitar player mounts the pedals that control various audio effects.  Hope I said that right.

Of course I saw a fabulous stitcher-tunity!  I told him I would be happy to do this at no charge, just asked him to PIF.  He had an idea in his head for what he wanted that included his name and date on the top.  He knew the color scheme he was looking for and he sent a photo of some kind of logo in the 'vintage' style he had in mind.  I had no idea how to really do what he wanted, but I just started making designs for him to choose from.  We settled on an Art Deco alphabet and an interlocking knot border.  Came out looking kind of like a movie marquee from the old days to me. 

Mr Jones also asked if I could add a pink ribbon as a tribute to a breast cancer survivor who is close to him.  We decided to put that on the inside of the box. 

The stitching is on 28 count dove gray Monaco, 1 over 1 with DMC floss.

The box is completed and Mr. Jones has received it.  He seems pretty happy with the result.  It was a pleasure doing 'business' with him.

The sticker looks multi-colored, but that just a reflection.  It's black and silver in person. 

 

The ribbon is stitched 1 over 1 on 32 count jobelan.

 

And now for the real fun photo!   This is Mr. Jones' pedal board, complete with the mounted tin.  He used velcro for mounting, a pretty cool idea!

Just got word that another little gift was received from me by  Annette.  I started experimenting with different ways to make fabric bookmarks and this little country angel just made me think of Annette immediately.  She always makes such cute things for her kids.  The little stitchery is based on a digi stamp by Robyn's Fetish.  It's just kind of a funky, country thing.  I've seen similar things on the web and just wanted to try this out.  It's much faster than doing a cross-stitch bookmark and opens up all kinds of possibilities to me.  I'm always looking for ways to use stitchery designs too.

Ink Circles T-Shirt

Why is it that whenever I get sloppy and spill strawberry yogurt on a T-shirt, it has to be a new T-shirt?  Story of my life.  But waste canvas to the rescue plus a little freebie from Ink Circles,  Ink Spot #11, Celtic Swirls.  You can get the freebie by subscribing to the Ink Circles Newsletter. I changed the colors to try to match one I saw that someone stitched, but I kind of made that pink too light.  In any case, the strawberry stain is well-hidden.  Some weird rogue stitches with this as always happens when I work on this fabric.  T-shirts are just so stretchy and not at all well-behaved!

I finished another pair of fingerless gloves with the Fetching pattern, but I forget to take a photo before I gifted them.  They were done with Knit Picks Swish.  I love that yarn.  Just such a soft super-wash wool.

I had a surprise find a couple of days ago.  I was moving a bookcase and discovered I had stored and old piece of crewel embroidery behind it.  It wasn't in great shape at this point and I had completely forgotten about it.  It dates back from the 70's when you could buy marvelous crewel embroidery kits everywhere.  Take a look at all the different yarns and stitches.  Doesn't this look like a fun project?  I think it might be an old Bucilla kit or maybe some manufacturer that has long since bit the dust. 

The Happy Couple & Hugs

I was so happy that all of my little quilts sold for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, that it inspired me to make more.  When I saw "The Happy Couple" that  Brooke Nolan designed for the Attic Needlework annual breast cancer research auction, I fell in love with it.  Just the sweetest celebration of the young, and albeit white-haired, George and Martha. Then when Brooke offered it for free on her site, I grabbed it and started stitching immediately, knowing this was a perfect piece for a little quilt.  I loved stitching this on a 32 count hand-dyed evenweave fabric I had in my stash, just DMC, no beads.  But there was a reluctance to do the finishing since I really wanted to preserve the circle and do some hand-embroidered seam treatment.  I was afraid I would ruin it in trying that!  Luckily, that part worked out reasonably well.  I used a feather stitch and colonial knot combination for the seam treatment. Circle is a bit wonky, but I never expected perfection on that score.

I had also taken a chance on ordering a walking foot for my ancient Singer sewing machine.  It was a third-party generic foot that was at a good price, so I figured I wouldn't be out much money if it didn't work.  Turned out to work like a charm and did make the sewing a little easier.    Not a perfect finish, but I am pretty happy with the result.

  I used the same technique for the label as I did for the "Tortoise and Hare" quilt.  Simple and effective.  I love having a little touch of embroidery.

The World of Charity Stitching group decided to do an 'Encouraging Words" quilt for a Sandy Hook Survivor.  I picked this ornament from the JCS 2011 ornament issue, changing the word from "Joy" to "Hugs".  The designer is Little by Little Designs, Inc.  I've become quite a fan of that choclate blueberry color combo.

A super surprise package arrived in the mail from Michelle.   She spoiled me with an adorable snowman ornament, a sweet pin pillow, a beautiful piece of raspberry-colored fabric, a couple of nice picture-frame insert cards and the most beautiful counting pins ever!  Thank you so much, Michelle.  I love it all!

Best wishes for a safe, healthy and happy New Year everyone!

10 Minute Pine Cone

Someone on the 123 Stitch message board asked about an interpretation of a French pattern for a crocheted pine cone. I googled around and found the pattern in English. I had no particular use for this, but I was so intrigued by the simplicity of the pattern, that I had to try it. In the time it takes for a coffee break, I crocheted this on some old acrylic yarn that, theoretically, should have been too soft to work well. But I think it turned out perfect. Unbelievable! Thought I would share this for any crocheters looking to make some quick last minute ornaments or package decorations. Find the pattern here.

Wrist warmers and lighthouses

It's about that time of year when I get the urge to knit or crochet.  Of course, since I do this so seldom, I feel like I have to re-learn all the little tips and tricks and I figured out last time.   I bought some chestnut colored Wool-Ease to play with and tried out a couple of fingerless glove patterns that I had saved some time ago.   The first is a knitted pattern called Malabrigo Hand Thingies that I used to practice the double-pointed needles knitting in the round.  Had to make three gloves to get two to fit, but these are really warm and snuggly.  They don't look much like the samples from knitters on Ravelry so I must have misinterpreted something in the way I did the slip stitch, but I'm happy with them all the same.

 

Next, I tried a crochet pattern that had been on my radar for a long time.  These are shell stitch wrist warmers by Drops. Kirsten first showed them to me, but the pattern was in German with a crochet diagram and I was too intimidated to try it.  The pattern has been translated to English now, and I am better at reading diagrams, so I gave it a shot.  It was still a bit difficult to understand, but I looked at the photos of finishes very closely and figured out what I couldn't follow from the directions.  After that, it was a breeze.  Crochet zips along so quickly that I finished these in no time.  Another very warm pair.    I might not keep both pair for myself, but I do like them both.

And not to neglect cross-stitch, I signed up to do a square for a lighthouse-themed quilt at World of Charity Cross Stitching.  The theme didn't appeal to me, but when I discovered I had a suitable design of just the right size in Sue Cook's "Wonderful Cross Stitch Collection" right on my bookshelf, I considered it an omen.  It's stitched on White Monaco.  I changed the blue sky background to half-cross stitch to make it go faster.  The effect of that is to make the lighthouses really pop.  Couldn't escape doing the porthole borders.  They were small at least.

Vermillion Teacup & By The Bay SAL Bag

Back in the day, I just could not get my fill of Donna Vermillion designs.  I loved changing colors a billion times within a small space, doing loads of fractional stitches and adding just the right back-stitching to make a really realistic piece.  I still love the look and I still kind of enjoy stitching like that, but it now it just tires me out so fast!   The World of Charity Stitching is doing  a quilt with a teacup theme. Many of the members signed up to do one of the Vermillion teacups in Donna's current free series.  I knew if I chose one, it had to be a really colorful one.. 50 shades of white weren't going to cut it with me anymore.  So I did the poppies.  By the time I hit that third flower and final leaf, I was really ready to stop.  It isn't even that big, but it seemed like it took forever.  I must say, though,  I do love the results and I haven't tired of that part one bit!

And speaking of charity stitching, I'd like to say how happy I am about my contributions to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI).  I have made nine mini-quilts over the last year.  Three sold fairly quickly.  The remaining quilts languished on the sale page forever.  I stopped making them since I didn't want to burden the organization with quilts they couldn't sell.  In October, the group took about 2100 quilts to the Houston quilt show and sold about 1600 of them between Wednesday and Sunday earning about $75,000 for the cause.  I'm proud to say that all six of my remaining quilts sold as part of that effort!   You can see all of my quilts and how much they earned here.  This is such a great grass roots organization.  All the income from selling these quilts goes to fund research.  And  this group finds the worthy research projects.  They don't just pass the money onto some large organization.   I'm inspired to make more now!


I also finally finished the Autumn By The Bay Mystery SAL, just a bit late.  At least it's still autumn!
I decided to make this into a little cross-body sling bag.   It turned out pretty well, so this one will be a holiday gift.  I make these a little different every time, never quite finding the perfect way to do it.  This one mostly follows the Lazy Girl Runaround Bag pattern.  I add some iron-on interfacing to all the pieces to give it a little more heft.  I also leave really long tails on the straps inside the bag,  Then I sew those down by hand over the side seam allowances.  So no raw edges show inside on the sides.. only on the top and bottom seams that aren't so visible anyway.  Plus the straps are much more secure.  I think I really like this technique the best.  I've done another method that has no exposed seams in the lining. but it doesn't leave me a way to do those straps like this, so I think I prefer this method.  I think it's pretty cute and eye-catching.  Quite a conversation starter in the grocery store lines!