Quaker Family Register was one of the projects taught by Barb Adams and Alma Allen at the Spring Fling Retreat at Stitchville USA in April 2017. While I did not personally attend the Retreat, a stitching friend offered to lend me the chart to stitch. NOTE: This chart is now available in And Blossom as the Rose released at the Nashville Market 2018.

Quaker Family Register by Blackbird Designs

While the recommended threads were Weeks Dye Works, I chose to use Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads instead of some of the colors.

Recommended Floss and what I used:

• WDW Caper – VMSS Black Forest
• WDW Confederate Gray
• WDW Dirt Road
• WDW Loden – VMSS Garden Green
• WDW Parchment – VMSS Country Tan
• WDW Schneckley – VMSS Basket Weave
• WDW Straw

Design Size: 178w x 159h
Recommended Fabric: 36ct Veldt by Picture This Plus
Started Stitching: June 2, 2017
Finished Stitching: June 18, 2917

Quaker Family Register Fabric, Chart, and Floss

I chose to stitch this one on 16ct Veldt by Picture This Plus.

I did make some changes from the floss pictured as I stitched. Part way into the project, I decided to stitch this in honor of my paternal grandparents, Leonard Little and Sammie Bayless and their five sons: Adrian (my father), Winston, Clifford, John, and Mahlon. My grandfather was born in Fayettteville TN and they were married there. All but the youngest son was born there so I used that place on the project. Rather than using the initial of the children, I chose to use their first names. Since the dates for the birth of the children were stitched over 1, I chose to omit them. I plan on adding a sheet to the back of the framed piece with all of the information on this family.

Stitching Progress June 6, 2017

Progress June 12, 2017

Progress June 17, 2017 before any personalization.

Quaker Family Register personalized

Now to decide on the framing.

It is now October 2019 and I am finally getting around to framing this lovely piece.

Quaker Family Register

Our spring garden, bursting with tulips and pots of posies, welcome the birds returning from their winter home. Some joyous songs will fill the air as the birds work like industrious carpenters building their homes of twigs patched with bits of mud.

Come, sit on the porch with us and stitch a bit while we welcome spring.

The Winter is Past by Blackbird Designs

I knew when I first saw a preview of this chart from the Nashville 2017 Market that I HAD to have it. I love the soft blue colors. The recommended fabric is 36ct Oaken by Picture This Plus but I can no longer see well enough to stitch on that small a count fabric, so into my stash drawer I went in search of something else. I selected 16ct Toasted Almond from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie and used the recommended threads.

Supplies for The Winter is Past

Started Stitching: April 23, 2017
Finished Stitching: May 12, 2017

The Winter is Past by Blackbird Designs

Now the decision on how to frame it and where to display it so I can see it every day. Thanks Barb and Alma for another beautiful project.

Update: December 23, 2018

The Winter is Past framed

Sunflower Charms is another of the older charts from Blackbird Designs and one I had in my collection. It was in my collection, that is,  until our new puppy dog decided to eat it. I had left it on the bed as I was going to use it to stitch the sampler for my great-granddaughter. Big mistake!!

Sunflower Charms chart by Blackbird Designs after being destroyed by puppy.

I was lucky as an online stitching friend offered to loan me her chart. I had the perfect piece of fabric called Frothy Toffee by Joni Nolen of Fabtastic Hand Dyed Fabrics on 14ct Aida and instead of the recommended threads, I chose to use Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads – Golden Chestnut, 1880 Pumpkin, Butter Pecan and Parsley.

Materials for stitching Sunflower Charms

I started stitching on April 18, 2017 and finished on April 22, 2017. It really was a quick stitch and I love the way it turned out.

Sunflower Charms finished piece.

Now to select a frame for it and get it in the mail to her.

Sunflower Charms Framed

Moon Garden is one of the early Blackbird Design charts I purchased soon after discovering these designers. While I sorta liked the colors and kitted it up, I could not really get started on it. Then Jane Douglas posted her stitched piece using totally different colors. I LOVED the look of it and decided to use at least some of her colors when stitching mine. Information on both color schemes can be found here.

Moon Garden by Blackbird Designs chart

Since there were no specialty stitches and only the date was over one, I selected 16ct Highland Aida by Picture This Plus as the fabric and threads from the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe.

Moon Garden Fabric, threads and chart

Moon Garden Progress 12.21.2016

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Threads except where noted.

• Black Watch Plaid
• Iris Leaves
• P27
• Dried Peaches
• Gentle Arts Pineapple Sherbet
• Carrie’s Creation Soot

I used Iris Leaves for the alphabet with the exception of my initials, for which I used Black Watch Plaid. For the words Moon Garden, I will be using P27. The birds are stitched with Soot and P27 so they look more like Red Winged Blackbirds. The bird’s eyes were stitched with VM Sunflowers.

Started stitching December 18, 2016
Finished stitching: December 28, 2016

Moon Garden Finished

Moon Garden Bottom

Moon Garden Top

UPDATE DECEMBER 2017: Now that my sister has received her package and unwrapped it, I can show the finished piece. I decided to finish this one as a bellpull.

Moon Garden finished as a bellpull