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Oh Joyous Day

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Oh Joyous Day by Blackbird Designs was released at the Spring Fling Retreat at Sitchville USA. I was lucky enough to buy it at the Spring Retreat held at Dyeing to Stitch in Virginia Beach. Right now (October 2019) it is available exclusively through Stitchville USA AND at Dyeing to Stitch in Virginia Beach (757-366-8740).

My interpretation of Oh Joyous Day will be a bit different than the chart. I am stitching on 16ct Colonial Parchment aida by Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie with recommended threads except for the border where I am using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads. Bands will be straight cross stitch rather than satin stitches because aida does not lend itself to the satin stitch and have it look nice.

I am going to stitch this one in honor of my parents, using either their first names or initials and the date of their marriage.

Started Stitching: September 27, 2019

Oh Joyous Day progress
Oh Joyous Day – 10.29.2019
Oh Joyous Day
Oh Joyous Day
Oh Joyous Day framed.

Primitive Merry Christmas Pillow

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The Primitive Merry Christmas Pillow is a recent release from Abby Rose Designs. I knew when I saw it I HAD to stitch this beauty. So off went my order to 123Stitch. And for once I had the recommended fabric to stitch it on, Brash by Picture This Plus.

Primitive Merry Christmas Pillow

The chart arrived and since I want to stitch this multiple times for friends, I selected first a piece of mystery hand dyed gold mottled fabric I had in my stash as well as the Brash which is more green than the gold in the picture. I also planned on using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads rather than what was recommended. NOTE: The symbols on this chart used for the berries and the holly leaves are almost identical and extremely difficult to read.

The design size is 90w x 79h.

Recommended Threads/Victorian Motto Colors I used:

  • GAST Cherry Bark/VMSS Heirloom Berry
  • GAST Cranberry/VMSS Varigated Cranberry
  • DMC 3371/VMSS Autumn Bark
  • GAST Forest Glade/VMSS Black Forest
  • Weeks Dye Works Loden/ VMSS The Holly and the Ivy
  • GAST Parchment/VMSS Sewing Notions
Primitive Merry Christmas finished
Primitive Merry Christmas

The second one I stitched on 16ct Picture This Plus Brash (recommended fabric) with the recommended colors.

Prim Merry Christmas pillow on PTP Brash.
Prim Merry Christmas pillow on PTP Brash
Primitive Merry Christmas times three
Primitive Merry Christmas pillows
Primitive Merry Christmas pillows

Woodland Berry by Linda Stolz

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2019 was the first year for the All About Berries Club offered by Dyeing to Stitch. The 2nd kit sent out to club members was Woodland Berry, An English Sampler Berry, which includes the fabric, floss, and finishing materials (except for stuffing).

Woodland Berry kit contents.
Woodland Berry kit

The fabric included with the kit was 36ct Vintage Beeswax by R & R Reproductions. I can’t see to stitch on it so I substituted 16ct Sand by Picture This Plus. It turned out to be a fairly quick stitch.

Started stitching: 9.24.2019
Finished Stitching: 9.26.2019

Woodland Berry finished piece with finishing materials.
Woodland Berry finished piece with finishing materials

Update April 24 2022 – And here it is finally finished and ready to add to the berry bowl.

Pumpkin Farm by Blackbird Designs

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Pumpkin Farm is #10 in the Anniversaries of the Heart series by Blackbird Designs. I knew when I saw Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppes new Glorious Autumn floss Collection, that some of the colors would be perfect for this design.

Pumpkin Farm chart cover

The design itself is 75w x 85h. The recommended fabric is 30ct Kona by R & R Reproductions. I do not like stitching on linen so chose a piece of 15ct Fiddler’s Lite that I had in my stash.

Recommended floss/My VMSS Floss

  • CC Gingersnap/VMSS Country Tan
  • CC Peanut Brittle/VMSS Tea Party
  • GA Apple Cider/VMSS Stitching Together
  • GA Burnt Orange/VMSS Autumn Range B
  • GA Endive?VMSS Spring Grass
  • GA Harvest Moon/VMSS Falling Leaves
  • GA Old Purple Paint (used this one)
  • GA Sarsparilla/VMSS Kansas Cone Flower
  • GA Tarnished Gold/VMSS Mixed Wood Brown
  • WDW Pecan/VMSS Heirloom Pumpkins

Started Stitching: 9/16/2019
Finished Stitching: 9/24/2019

I personalized this one with my little sister’s name Nan. The W is for her surname Wells and the J for her husband Jim. Also included the date of her birth.

Pumpkin Farm
Pumpkin Farm Finished Piece

On a recent trip to buy some floss for another project, I saw this board on sale for $3.50 and thought it would be perfect for this stitched piece.

Glorious Autumn

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“Autumn that year painted the countryside in vivid shades of scarlet, saffron, and russet, and the days were clear and crisp under the harvest skies.” Sharon Kay Penman

Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. I love the cooler temperatures and the beautiful colors of the leaves. It was also our favorite time of the year to travel especially out West.

Nancy Turner of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe has created a new collection of her threads called Glorious Autumn. With names like Autumn in Vermont which is a glowing orange, Heirloom Pumpkins (my favorite), Sugar Maples is shade of yellow and orange, and Chestnuts is a warm russet brown.

Glorious Autumn Collection by Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

The Autumn Glorious Collection sells for $29.99 plus postage. If you would like a chance to win a set for yourself, head on over to Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe and become a follower and enter the giveaway. Drawing to be September 30th and you must check back to see if you are a winner. 

I plan on using some of these colors to stitch Blackbird’s Design Pumpkin Farm. I think they are perfect for this project.

Pumpkin Farm by Blackbird Designs

“Autumn leaves are falling, filling up the streets; golden colors on the lawn, nature’s trick or treat!” Rusty Fischer

“Wild is the music of the autumnal winds amongst the faded woods.” William Wordsworth

Echoing Evergreens by Tempting Tangles Designs

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Echoing Evergreens is another of the beautiful designs offered by Deborah Dick who is Tempting Tangles Designs as a SAL. I had already stitched three of her other designs:

and I knew I wanted to add this one to my collection. Her SAL’s are only $5 for the chart presented in 16 parts. I faithfully downloaded each piece of the project as offered but never really got the chance to start it although I had figured out the fabric and perhaps floss I wanted to use.

The design size of the entire project is 124 x 124 and the recommended fabric was Wichelt 28ct Jobelan Queen Anne’s Lace which is a mottled white and pale green. I knew I would never be able to see well enough to grid the fabric so chose a light green 14ct Aida I had in my stash.

The project calls for Dinky Dyes thread but I wanted to try some of the Valdani 3ply floss. Another stitcher sent me some to try out. It is beautiful but was a bit to thick for my fabric and kept knotting so I decided to switch it out for my favorite floss by Nancy Turner of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe. I love her floss and have used it on many projects now. The colors I selected were:

  • Mountain Pines (very dark green)
  • In My Garden (lighter green)
  • Kansas Cone Flower (orange/brown/gold color)

I started stitching on September 4, 2019.

Echoing Evergreens by Tempting Tangle Designs.
Echoing Evergreens

Finished Stitching: September 16, 2019

Echoing Evergreens parts 1-16.
Echoing Evergreens parts 1-16

July 2022 – Echoing Evergreens has been freed from the “prison drawer” and framed.

Come Into My Garden by Blackbird Designs

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Come Into My Garden was introduced at the Summer Stitch Camp held at the Country Sampler in Spring Green WI in June 2019. It is available exclusively from that shop as a kit. Please note, the sampler in the picture is not finished as Barb ran out of time but the full chart is included.

Come Into My Garden chart cover

I wanted to stitch this piece but did not want to purchase it as a kit as it came with 36ct linen which I cannot see to stitch on and I wanted to change out much of the floss for Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss. I was luck enough to find another stitcher who was willing to let me borrow her chart.

I ordered a piece of 16ct Wren by Picture This Plus and selected the floss I wanted to use. On 16ct, the design size is larger measuring 15 3/8 by 15 5/8.

The recommended colors with my changes are listed below:

  • WDW adobe/VMSS Rust
  • WDW Bee’s Knees/VMSS Barnwood Tan
  • WDW Caper/VMSS Mountain Laurel
  • WDW Chickpea/VMSS Spiced Cider
  • WDW Cinnabar 10 yards (I need more since I am stitching with 2 strands
  • WDW Confederate Gray/VMSS Frog Prince
  • WDW Deep Sea
  • WDW Dirt Road/VMSS 1840 Brass
  • WDW Dolphin/VMSS Twitterpated
  • WDW Oscar 10 yrds/VMSS Rosebud Leaves and VMSS Hollyhock Leaves. I used Rosebud Leaves for the border and Hollyhock Leaves for all the plant stems and leaves to make sure I had enough. The two colors are almost identical.
  • WDW Pelican Gray/VMSS Toad Spell
  • WDW Sandcastle/VMSS Desert Grass
  • WDW Schneckly/VMSS Memory Quilt
  • WDW Sanguine
  • WDW Straw/VMSS Golden Sand

I started stitching this on August 14, 2019.

Come Into My Garden fabric and chart
Come Into My Garden progress
Come Into My Garden progress
Halfway point for Come Into My Garden
Come Into My Garden progress
Come Into My Garden

I finished stitching this piece on August 31, 2019 with the exception of adding my mother’s name. Trying to decide on Mom’s Garden, Marge Little, or Mrs. L which was my father’s nickname for her.

Come Into My Garden in memory of my Mom.
Come Into My Garden framed

And here it is October 27, 2019 and the project is now pinned and laced and in the frame. This is one of my favorite framed I have ordered and used in the past. Unfortunately, I think it is being discontinued.

The Quaker Four Corners Sampler

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I recently saw a project posted in one of the cross stitch Facebook groups I am a member of and fell in love with it.

Quaker Four Corners Sampler

It had no information as to who the designer was so I posted and asked if anyone could identify it. The answer came quickly. The designer was Anne Brown, The Goode Huswife and it was called The Quaker Four Corners Sampler. And, of course, it was Out of Print.

A stitching friend contact me off list and offered to loan it to me. I quickly accepted. I already had the perfect piece of fabric and floss I wanted to use.

The fabric was a piece of 16ct Aida I had purchased from To Dye For Fabrics pictured below. The floss was Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Ginger Dark from Nancy Turner.

Rust Brown Aida

The chart arrived and I was ready to begin.

The Quaker Four Corners Sampler supplies.

Started: July 26, 2019
Finished: July 29, 2019

Quaker Four Corners Sampler stitched

I stitched this piece in memory of my Mom, Marjorie Little. I plan to add a small charm at the bottom of the V and finish it either as a small pillow or the same as the original one I first saw.

Quaker Four Corners Sampler.

And I plan on hanging the finished piece on the door to my china cupboard where I can enjoy it every day. Thank you Vonna Pfeiffer, The Twisted Stitcher.

We Live in Hope by Blackbird Designs

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We Live in Hope was one of the projects at the Blackbird Designs Retreat held in Virginia Beach at Dyeing to Stitch. The chart itself was based on an antique sampler shared by Barb and Alma.

Antique Sampler that inspired We Live in Hope

The kit we received included the chart, fabric 36ct Vintage Honey by R & R Reproductions and the recommended floss.

We Live in Hope kit.
  • WDW Beige
  • WDW Blue Jay
  • WDW Bright Leaf
  • WDW Caper
  • WDW Cocoa
  • WDW Deep Sea
  • WDW Garrison Green
  • WDW Kris’ Bon Bon
  • WDW Red Pear
  • WDW Williamsburg

I chose to stitch mine on 16ct Toasted Almond from Fabrics from Stephanie using the recommended floss. If you choose to stitch this one and use two threads rather than one, you will need additional skeins of some of the colors Caper, Cocoa, Garrison Green and Red Pear.

Started Stitching: 5/7/2019
Finished Stitching: 6/2/2019 (with the exception of the bullion stitch which is the door knocker. Need to watch some videos and practice on this one.

A bit more progress.
e in Hope.
Alphabets finished, now to add the motifs.
  • The Finished Piece
  • Ship and Anchor Motif
  • Some of the baskets
  • The House
  • The Anchor
The door knocker using the bullion stitch
Completed piece with my initials and the door knocker added.
We Live in hope framed

Spring 2019 Blackbird Designs Retreat

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The Spring Blackbird Design Retreat was scheduled for April 26-27, 2019 at Dyeing to Stitch in Virginia Beach. I knew I just had to attend as this might be the last one I would be able to attend. It had been on my bucket list for sometime but because of Jim’s health I could not attend. I joined the All About Berries club so that I would be able to apply for the earlier registration. Registration was to open on Wednesday, January 30th at 10am. I filled out the forms, scanned them, and had them ready to send at 9:59 by email. Yippeee, I was accepted.

2019 Retreat Info.

2019 Retreat Info

I was up bright and early on Friday, April 26 with the car packed with everything I thought I might need and ready to hit the road by 8:30AM. The weather  forecast was NOT promising and it did not take long for the rain to start. Crossing the top of the mountain, was very foggy but that quickly disappeared and the rain continued off and on but got much heavier the closer I got to the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. I had decided to go directly to Dyeing to Stitch first and then head to the hotel. The shop was packed with lots of ladies buying all sorts of things. I registered and got my name tag and retreat information and Fridays project.  Barb and Alma were at the back of the shop so I headed back to introduce myself and have a chat. They are both so sweet and friendly and Ann Robbins was in the back so I chatted with all of them and got a picture taken.

Barb Adams, Alma Allen, Ann Robbins and Pat Geary.

Barb Adams, Alma Allen, Ann Robbins and Pat Geary.

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