Delicious Autumn was a recent retreat project offered by Blackbird Designs. I was lucky enough to be sent the kit as a gift. The kit came complete with everything to stitch and finish this project:

• 18ct Wren by Picture This Plus (called for fabric is 36ct Wren by PTP)
• Floss (WDW Chestnut, Cinnamon Twist, Cocoa, Cognac, Dirt Road, Oil Cloth, Oscar, Roasted Fig, Schneckley, Swamp Water)
• Finishing Fabric and Trim

Started Stitching: October 26, 2021

Finished Stitching: November 14, 2021

The finishing fabric is Toolbox Basics 0704-0138 by Marcus Fabrics, a houndstooth check.

And the finished piece.

Woodland Berries is a bonus chart included with Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers Summer. Stitching the 3 part Summer, Autumn, Winter sampler was my introduction to Blackbird Designs back in 2014. I have loved them ever since. A stitching friend gifted me the silk floss to stitch Woodland Berries and I used 28ct Monaco (cream) as the fabric. Stitching with silk floss was lovely.

Recommended Floss: Belle Soie Silks by Crescent Colors and Dinky Dyes Silk Threads

• CC Angel Blush (DMC 3771/3859)
• CC Pecan Pie (DMC 3829/680)
• CC Rustique (DMC 632/407)
• CC Tumbleweed (DMC 3782/3033)
• CC Vanilla Pudding (DMC Ecru)
• CC Weathered Vine (DMC 3012/3011)
• DD Black Coral 130 (DMC 310/535)
• DD Red Dust 74 (DMC 356)

I finished stitching it back in May of 2016 and it has been sitting in the drawer since then. I went through the drawer recently and decided to pull some of the smaller pieces out and try and finish them. Woodland Berries was one of tose pieces but is a bit bigger than what I normally finish as a pillow. It measures  4 1/2 x 7 1/2 on 28ct Monaco. I chose a piece of Blackbird Design fabric from the Hyde Park Collection to finish this one with and some rick rack that matches the big flower.

When I first saw this posted in one of my Facebook groups for cross stitch, I knew I wanted to stitch it for three of our grandchildren. So off I went to search for the chart.

I decided to stitch each of them on 28ct Monaco as I wanted to add the names of each couple over 1 under the verse.

Finished size: 3.75″ x 4″
Stitch count: 53h x 56w
Fabric: 28ct over 2

Floss colors: I used a combination of threads as I did not have all of the called for ones.

• DMC 224
• DMC 223
• DMC 3721
• DMC 611 or Gentle Art Toasted Barley
• DMC 610 or Weeks Dye Works Havana

I actually ended up with two charts as one got lost in the mail (finally showed up a month later). The 2nd one was purchased as a kit that included chart, linen, heart button and beads.

Once I got the three stitched with the heart button and beads attached, I needed to decide on a frame. Because of the embellishments and the fact they needed to be shipped, I decided to frame them without glass. I also decided to try out the frames for The Rusty Roof Etsy shop that several people had recommended. I order one 6″x6″ frame first to see if I liked them. It arrived and I did so ordered three more for this piece and one for another larger piece. The fact that the frames were on sale and they offered free shipping was an added bonus. While the rabbet in these frames is not as I deep as I normally use, they worked fine for this project. An added bonus is they came with a thing piece of backing board already cut to the proper size.

This is the finished stitched piece framed and displayed on the wrought iron stand that will be mailed with the framed piece. The couples name is blurred as I don’t want them to accidently see it.

June Berries is one of the charts in the book A Fine Collection by Blackbird Designs. It really did not appeal to me that much until I saw it actually stitched. I decided then it needed to go on my “stitching soon list.” The book contains a series of twelve charts, one for each month. It is copyright 2002 and is now Out of Print.

The called for fabric is 30ct Sleepy Hollow by R & R Reproductions but I selected a piece of 16ct Parchment aida by Zwigert. I had all of the floss that was called for except Gentle Arts Rhubarb so selected a couple of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss I thought might work.

Started Stitching: October 5, 2021
Finished Stitching: October 26, 2021

Recommended Floss/My Changes

• GA Raspberry Parfait/ I used Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Sweet Pea for the border
• GA Harvest Basket
• GA Rhubab – I used Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Weigela Blossom
• GA Dried Thyme
• GA Woodsmoke
• GA Cherry Bark
• WDW Cocoa
• WDW Schneckley
• GA Barn Gray – I used Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Bedazzled
• GA Forest Glade

And here it is finished. I think I am going to make a pin pillow out of it to add to the dough bowl.

And a good way to spend a rainy day is finishing this one into a pin pillow.

The Philanthropic Pumpkin, a collaboration between Hands on Designs and Lady Dot Creates, is a limited edition kit sold as a fundraiser to benefit Special Olympics IA and the Sioux City Knights Special Olympics delegation. All available kits have been sold.

The kit included everything you needed (with the exception of the DMC floss) to stitch the design and finish it as pictured. I was lucky enough to be able to purchase the kit. Also included are excellent instructions for finishing and assembling the final piece.

I am switching out the included linen for a piece of 16ct white aida which will make the finished piece the same size. Since I did not have all the called for DMC colors, I am using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss for the two shades of orange used. Heirloom Pumpkins is for the darker shade and Gray’s Lily for the lighter one.

And my start on the stitching.

I thought I had finished stitching the top but found out I missed the backstitching on four of the flowers so had to go back and fix that. I decided to read through the finishing instructions again before I started assembling. I decided to enlarge the circle template a bit (120%) so the stitching was not so close to the edge. The clipping around the circle made me a bit nervous so I probably did not clip quite as close as I should have so it is a bit lumpy around the edge but I figure the rickrack will hide most of it and besides pumpkins are NOT perfect circles.

For me, the stitching was much more fun than the finishing but I am happy with the end result. I need to get a stand for it so that is up a bit higher for display.

I decided to go through the stitching drawer to see how many smaller finishes might be in there that I could attempt to fully finish. There are a lot more than I thought so I pulled them out and put them in a smaller container. I selected five of them to work on. Four of them were by Blackbird Designs and one was a free Christmas Bonus Chart from the Linens and Threads Mystery Sampler for 2020.

I selected the backing fabric for each one and ironed on light weight interfacing to the front stitched piece and backing fabric. Since my eyesight is poor, I decided to mark the stitching lines on the back of the stitched piece to make it easier for me to sew.

Once they were all stitched together, I stuffed them with polyester fiberfill. I found the corners particularly hard to get the stuffing to stay put. I closed the bottoms with a slip stitch but next time I will try the Ladder Stitch. Sorry, no photo of that stage.

Next it was time to select the trims I wanted to use. I am very fond of the ruched ribbon trim and had used it once before on an earlier ornament so decided to try that for at least a couple of them. Vonna Pfeiffer, The Twisted Stitcher, has an excellent tutorial HOW TO: Rusche Ribbon.

I had some chenille trims from Lady Dot Creates that I also decided to try. While it turned out OK, I think this was a thinner chenille trim and even doubled and twisted it looked skimpy.

And as you can see, the basket will not hold them all so I need to get a bigger one. I have three of this size all filled with smalls.