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Blackbird Designs Christmas

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Just after Christmas I received a lovely surprise box from my very favorite designers, Barb and Alma of Blackbird Designs. Just look at all the goodies that were included.

Blackbird Designs Christmas Box.
Blackbird Designs Christmas Box

The charts were ones from a recent retreat held in November 2019 at The Attic in Mesa AZ. I had seen them posted earlier and really wanted to stitch the two smaller ones. The large sampler, Little Birds, I will hold for a later start as it is BIG. Two pieces of 18ct Heartland aida were also included. Needless to say, I am a very happy camper. Thank you Barb and Alma.

I decided to start on Autumn Abundance first, so gridded the piece of fabric and started stitching. I have stitched two of the five sections.

Autumn Abundance two of the five sections stitched.
Autumn Abundance two of the five sections stitched
Autumn Abundance all five sections

I asked another stitcher, Jan Emerick, if she would finish this one for me. Here is the finished piece and I love it especially the little twig at the top.

Autumn Abundance finished as a pindrum

Home of a Needleworker

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Home of a Needleworker by Little House Needleworks has been in my stash for quite a few years now. The Little House Needleworks Facebook group offered a Samplers Sunday SAL for 2020 and I figured this might just be the encouragement I needed to get started. The official starting date was December 29, 2019 and while I had my supplies assembled, I did not actually start stitching until January 4, 2020.

Supplies for Home of a Needleworker

I chose to stitch this one on 16ct Heartland aida from Picture This Plus using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads.

  • DMC Ecru/VMSS Olde Buttercream
  • DMC 355/VMSS Autumn Bounty Dark
  • DMC 356/VMSS Autumn Bounty Light
  • DMC 420/VMSS Primitive Stitching
  • DMC 729/VMSS Dried Cinnamon
  • DMC 869/VMSSS titching Together
  • DMC 3051/VMSS Fern Fronds
  • DMC 3052/VMSS Spring Grass
  • DMC 3371/VMSS Harvest Brown
  • DMC 3828/VMSS Summer Playhouse
Progress as of January 5, 2020

I put the final stitches in this piece on April 30, 2020. I’m going to have a friend help me finish it as a quilted wall hanging.

I went to visit my friend, Beryl Lawson, who is a quilter and fabric collector. I wanted to see if she had anything in her fabric collection that might work with this piece as a wall hanging. Look at this beautiful fabric she gave me.

Now I need to get to work finishing this piece which I am going to hang on the door of my craft room/office.

And here it is finished and ready to hang. I had a hard time sewing a straight line because of my poor eyesight and I could not hold the IPad straight enough to get a good picture.

Bristol Grace by Dutch Treat Designs

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I first saw Bristol Grace posted in a group as part of a discussion on Bristol Orphanage Samplers. I was intrigued with it and the monochromatic color scheme which appealed to me as well as the smaller size.

Bristol Grace Sampler Cover.

This sampler is in the style of the samplers stitched by the girls living in the Muller Orphan Homes in Bristol, England. It is not a reproduction of an original 1800’s sampler. All the alphabets and motifs in this design were stitched in orphan needlework. This design is a tribute to the intricate and amazing original Bristol samplers.

The stitch count for this sampler is 133w x 175h and the recommended fabric was 14ct or 28ct over 2. I chose to use 16ct antique white aida that I had in my stash. The recommended floss was Caron Wildflowers. I am going to use Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss Berry Wine which is a variegated cranberry color.

Dutch Treat Designs
Supplies for stitching Bristol Grace
Supplies for stitching Bristol Grace

Started Stitching: December 26, 2019

Progress on Bristol Grace 12/28/2019
Progress 12/28/2019
Bristol Grace halfway point.
Bristol Grace halfway point
Bristol Grace Sampler.
Bristol Grace

November 2020 This past week, I decided to go on a framing binge. I had four pieces I had stitched but not framed. Right now they are just pined and ready to go into the frames but I still need to order glass and spacers. I used a slightly different process this time so am including pictures of that process.

First I measure each piece and use a running stitch all the way around so that I have a line to follow since I cannot see the holes without using a magnifier. I pin each piece to the foam core on all four sides.

Stitched piece pinned on all four sides

Once I am sure everything is even, I flip the piece and use stitchery tape to hold down the excess fabric and hand sew all four corners so they lay flat.

Back of stitched piece mounted to foam core

I then check to make sure all little pieces of thread or dog hair is removed from the front of the stitched piece.

Front of stitched piece mounted on foam core

Next I would assemble the entire project, glass, spacers, stitched piece and backing board. Since I am missing some of the supplies, the stitched piece is just sitting in the frame which is black.

Bristol Grace by Dutch Treat Designs

Winter Valentine by The Blue Flower

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When I first saw Winter Valentine posted, I knew I wanted to stitch it as cardinals are my very favorite bird as well as the state bird of Virginia. The Blue Flower is a new designer for me so I checked first to see if her charts were printed in color or black and white. Color charts are very hard for me to stitch from because of my eyesight.

Winter Valentine chart by The Blue Flower

I had recently purchased a Christmas frame from Michael’s Craft store and wanted to use this design for it. I left off the border as the picture needed to fit into a 5×7 opening. I used a mystery piece of mottled gold 16ct aida with some of the recommended floss and some Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe threads.

Winter Valentine framed
  • DMC 937/ Varigated Pine Bough
  • DMC 3865 / Primitive White
  • DMC 22 (one of the newest colors)
  • DMC 523
  • DMC 535
  • DMC 3045
  • DMC 3371
  • DMC 3776
  • DMC 501/ Holly Leaves
  • DMC 890/ Varigated Pine

I’ll be stitching this one again for a different finish and will include the border and the text.

Frosty’s Night Out by Blackbird Designs

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The newest offering from Barb and Alma of Blackbird Designs is quite different from their usual designs BUT I LOVE IT! Frosty’s Night Out is stitched on 36ct. Murky by Picture This Plus, and uses Weeks Dye Works floss. The chart should be available at you local needlework shop or online shop after Thanksgiving.

Frosty's Night Out chart cover.

Recommended Floss: Weeks Dye Works

  • Aztec Red /Christmas Red
  • Cadet / Country Blue
  • Grits / /Primitive White
  • Light Khaki /Country Tan
  • Marmalade / Squash Blossom
  • Olive / Memory Quilt
  • Onyx / Dark Steel Gray
  • Oscar / Mountain Laurel
  • Schneckley /Victoriana Gold
  • Whitewash /Primitive White
  • DMC 310
  • DMC 948

I have chosen to use a piece of 16ct Mercedes Aida from Picture This Plus that I had in my stash. I am also using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss rather than what is called for.

Frosty’s Night Out progress 12/18/2019
Frosty’s Night Our progress 12/21
Frosty’s Night Out finished stitching 12/22/2019

Now to decide on how to finish it.

Pins & Needles by Jeannette Douglas Designs

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Pins & Needles was released in 2015 but I just saw it recently and decided I HAVE to stitch this one.

Pins & Needles chart cover.
Pins & Needles cover

While I really love the colors on this one, it calls for all silk floss and I was not willing to spend that much money since some of it sells for $8. and up a skein. The suggested fabric is 36ct linen but I decided to stitch this one on 28ct Monaco which makes it bigger. The smaller pincushions have the wording stitched over one.

There is no conversion chart included for the silk threads so I posted in a Facebook group and Jeannette kindly suggested conversions for some of the threads. There are two color schemes included and I chose the teal and purple.

Suggested Colors/Colors I used

  • Silk N’Colors Acorn Woods/Cosmos Seasons SE80-8069
  • Silk N’Colors Aged Plum/DMC 3740
  • Silk N’Colors Mahogany WIne/GA Mulberry
  • Soie d’Alger 5024 Teal/DMC 501
  • Needlepoint Inc Silk 124/DMC 3859
  • Needlepoint Inc Silk 154 Sea Green/DMC 3768
  • Rainbow Gallery Splendor S1137 Tan/DMC 643
  • Needlepoint Inc Silk 292/DMC 3051
  • Needlepoint Inc Silk 975/DMC 3787
Pins & Needles Progress 11/15/2019.
Pins & Needles Progress 11/15/2019
Pins & Needles stitching completed.
Pins & Needles stitching completed

I still need to add the tiny buttons and charms to this one. But will have to check my stash to see what I have.

November 2021 – It’s taken me two years but I finally got back to my stitching on this one and finished up the two smaller pieces. Again, both were stitched on 28ct cream Monaco with the above colors. Stitching the wording over 1 was extremely hard on my eyes but worth it. Now to figure out how I want to finish these.

Started Stitching: Nov 27, 2021
Finished Stitching: Nov 29, 2021

Pins and Needles smaller pieces

While I love the Lone Elm Box used to finish this piece, I really did not want to spend that much money on it and mine finished piece was bigger since I had stitched it on 28ct. So off to Hobby Lobby to see what they might have. I found a Square Wood Pallet Box that would work and bought the last one at 40% off. I painted it with Folkart Acrylic Greenscape paint and applied Briwax after the paint dried. Bigger stitched piece was laced on a piece of 7.5″ x 7.5″ mat board and fixed to the top of the box using stitchery tape. The inside bottom is a piece of Jinny Beyer fabric another sent had sent me some time ago fixed to a piece of foam core. I love the finished look of this project.

Pins and Needles Stitching Box

The two small pillows are finished with the same backing fabric as the box is lined with.

A Mon Ami Pierre

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A Mon Ami Pierre is not a designer I had heard of in the past but while looking for something else, I found two of her designs I liked so went in search of them. Turns out she is no longer designing but since BOTH of the charts were offered as freebies on her site at one time, I sent in search of them. I really wanted to stitch the songbird one although that is not its name.

Songbird Needlecase
Stitcher’s Hornbook

Her website is not longer available so I checked the WayBack Machine which has come to my rescue in the past. Lo and behold, they were still available there.

Songbird Needlecase the floss colors for this one are actually Vicki Clayton silks which no longer exist so you will need to figure out your own colors. Once I decide which of the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss colors I am going to use, I will post them.

Stitcher’s Hornbook

I’m sorry she is no longer designing as her charts are truly lovely. A beautiful collection of some of these designs can be found on Just Carol.

I stitched this on a piece of 16ct aida I had in my stash.

  • Grape Vine/VMSS Pioneer Stitcher
  • Kat’s Meow/VMSS Antique Embrodiery
  • Earth Stars/VMSS Frog Prince
  • Winterberry/VMSS Auntie’s Quilt
  • Enchanted Rose/VMSS Dusty Mauve
  • Bitter Bloom/VMSS Primitive Taupe
  • Fagale/VMSS Antique Embrodiery
  • Garnet/VMSS Southern Red Trillium
  • Imperial Green/VMSS Stitching Together

After I finished stitching them, I sent them off to Vonna Pfeiffer, The Twisted Stitcher for finishing. They are now on their way back to me. I LOVE them.

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.