Summer Shall not Fade was part of a retreat project (Spring Fling) offered by the ladies at Dyeing to Stitch and Blackbird Designs. I was not able to attend the Retreat but was given the opportunity to stitch one of the charts by a stitching friend.  Donna Rae Barrow in the Fans of Blackbird Designs Facebook Group posted a picture of the finished piece framed in a bird frame she found at Michael’s. There was a mad dash to find the frame and I was lucky enough to purchase one on sale for half price. The chart needs to be stitched on 16/32ct to fit in the frame. You could of course use 18/36ct if you wanted a bit more space around the edges. I chose to use 16ct Hand Dyed Aida. Not sure of the color right now but will add it when I find my notes.

I really never thought I would like to stitch any of the stockings series but I am finding out I was wrong. I had seen pictures posted of Never Far Apart with was issued as a Limited Edition and decided I would like to stitch this one. Unfortunately, this one was OOP as are many of the ones I have fallen in love with. Another generous stitcher loaned it to me.

This limited edition tin from Blackbird Designs includes everything needed to make this adorable 4 x 8 mini-stocking celebrating friendship. It is stitched on 32ct hand-dyed linen with Gentle Art’s Chives, Old Brick, Woodrose, Endive, Apple Cider, Brandy and Raspberry Parfait.  The sampler design features two houses connected with a friendship pathway. This is a complete LIMITED EDITION kit which includes the chart, linen, stocking lining fabric and hand-dyed flosses. Comes packed in a little round tin.

I am stitching the little stocking on 16 cream Aida with the recommended threads. Started June 30, 2016.

Finished July 8, 2016

Now to decide if I want to attempt finishing it myself or send it off to someone who knows what they are doing.

And the little stocking has been finished. Thank you Joy of Finely Finished for the nice job.

My Heart is True is a 32 page book by Blackbird Designs and Nicoletta Farrauto. The book has 9 projects to make and give (or keep) as gifts.

I was really only interested in stitching one of the projects, Friends With You Project book. Rather than stitch it as a project book, I chose to stitch it on 16ct cream Aida to finish as two small pillows for my long basket.  The project book is pictured below.

I had purchased a set of floss from the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe called Picket Fence Collection (pictured below) and decided to use these to stitch with. This was my first time of really changing all the colors suggested by the designer.

Part 2 – Stitch Count 75w x 90h. I started stitching this on Jun 13, 2016 and finished on June 20, 2016. For the most part this was stitched while my husband was in the hospital. Colors Used include: VM Dried Purple Plums, Carries Creation Blueberry, Crescent Colors Peanut Brittle, Crescent Colors Pea Pod, and

Part 1 – Stitch Count 77wx 91h Colors Used include VM Garden Phlox, VM Garden Ivy, VM Garden Mint, VM Cherry Blossom, Antique Violets, VM Rose Bushy, Crescent Colors, Peanut Brittle.

And the finished pieces. Thank you Joy of Finely Finished  for the beautiful job you did on my stitched pieces.

A few months ago I saw a beautiful basket display posted in the Dyeing to Stitch Facebook group. It was the Primitive Handwoven Long & Skinny Basket from 1803 Ohio Farm Baskets filled with small pillow finishes. I knew it was something I really wanted to display the small pillow type finishes I was planning on stitching. I ordered it and it finally arrived. After unpacking it and placing it on top of the piano, I began to fill it with a couple of the small designs that had already been finished.

I’ll take some pictures as I progress with filling it. The next one I am stitching if Bluebird by Blackbird Designs. My progress so far.

Bluebird finished stitching 4/22/2016. I stitched a backing for this with my maternal grandmother’s name and her birthdate.

And beautifully finished as a small pillow by Tammie Latimer.

Rose Garden

And the next one is Rose Garden, another small by Blackbird Designs. This one will be in honor of my mother. I am stitching this one on 14ct Rose Fiddlers Aida with Gentle Arts Jakey Brown. Started stitching April 22, 2016

Finished stitching April 28, 2016. I added my mother’s initials and her date of birth. Mom loved roses so this was the perfect one to stitch in her honor.

And beautifully finished as a small pillow by Tammie Latimer.

Peace Rose

Peace Rose is another of the Reward of Merit Pinkeep series. I stitched this one in memory of my paternal grandmother, Sammie Lipscomb Bayless with her initials and year of birth. It was stitched on a piece of 16ct mystery color Aida I had in my stash. I used the recommended threads. Started stitching May 6th and completed on May 10th.

And Peace Rose finished as a small pillow in honor of my paternal grandmother Sammie Bayless. Thanks Joy of Finely Finished for the beautiful job of finishing this small projects.

 

And look at the basket now!

I cannot remember where I first saw this piece but decided I wanted to stitch this for two of my friends. It comes as an instant download pdf which you can then print. Buy Such Friendship.

Stitch count: 78W X 82H
The model is stitched on 32ct. Flax Belfast Linen using a variety of sampler threads over 2 linen threads. 2 specialty stitches are featured with easy to follow stitch diagrams.

I don’t stitch on linen so selected a piece of green Aida from my stash and used the called for threads.

After I completed the stitching I stuck the piece in a drawer because I was not sure how I wanted to finish it. Fast forward to March 2016 and I decided to try a new finisher Vonna Pfeiffer – The Twisted Stitcher. I had three projects I wanted her to finish. After a few back and forth emails, I mailed them off to her. More back and forth as we discussed her suggestions.

I had first thought to have Such Friendship finished as a cube but Vonna suggested I try a flatfold. I am so glad I did. Below you can see the front and side view of the piece after she worked her magic.

Front of Such Friendship

Side View of Such Friendship

I can’t wait to get these back from her. They should arrive sometime next week. Now I am ready to stitch a second one for another friend.

Handprint on My Heart by Heartstring Samplery was first released as a kit as part of the Ladies Prim Society. It has now been released as a chart and available to everyone. The verse reads “You’ll always be with me, like a handprint on my heart.”

I decided I would like to stitch this in memory of my oldest son who had died just after his 50th birthday. I had a piece of light blue Aida which I decided to use and the floss I used was Seafoam from Victorian Motto Samplers. The back of the piece has his initials and the year he was born.

I was very happy with how the finished piece turned out and have sent it off to have it finished as a small pillow. I think I will be a memory basket of small pillow type finishes for folks I love and miss.

I decided to send these off to The Twisted Stitcher (Vonna Pfeiffer) for finishing and look what she did. I LOVE THEM!!