Another little finish for Spring

Hello, I hope you all had a good weekend.  Mine was very quiet - DH had to work, but it gave me a chance to catch up on UK TV and stitch, which I don't usually do a lot of when we're together at the weekends.

I finally got around to making up this sweet pinkeep with little bunnies.  This is To Love And To Be Loved by Ellen Chester of With My Needle, from the booklet A Pinkeep Story, the Unicef fundraiser for 2010.  This is just one of the lovely designs from the 12 designers who participated.  Unfortunately the booklet is no longer available.

I've stitched it on 40ct Flax Newcastle Linen one over two - the wording is one over one.  Not having any of the listed Valdani threads I chose colours as close to the original from my Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Polstitches Dragon Floss.  I actually finished stitching it just over a year ago - it was one of the little projects that I kitted up to bring with me when I first moved here to Dubai.  We hadn't found the villa to move in to then, and my stash hadn't yet arrived from UK, which is why I never got around to making it up at the time.  It feels so good to actually get around to making up older pieces I've stitched, in between starting new projects.  I still have plenty more to finish yet though, some going back several years!

Thanks for visiting.  :o)

Happy Bunny Bunny Day

A little Spring/Easter finish -  Happy Bunny Bunny Day by The Trilogy.  I bought the chart a few years ago after seeing Nina's lovely finish, and decided right then that it would be my Spring stitching for that year.  As I had stitched it one over two on 40ct, which was a smaller count then listed, I was having trouble finding any buttons I was happy to replace the ones the design called for as they were going to be too big.  It was some time later before I decided on spider rose stitches instead and finally finished the stitching!  The fabric is Summer Khaki 40ct Newcastle linen.  I used the listed WDW and GAST, but think I may have substituted a couple of the WDW.  The fabric for backing the pinkeep is a little print from Blackbird Designs Blueberry Crumb Cake line, and the gorgeous bunny thread keeper was a birthday gift a few years ago from my friend Hilary - I love it!

Thank you for popping by and have a Happy Easter!  :o) 

Magick Spells

Another Halloween finish!  It's been on my to do list for quite some time, and before that on my wish list for a while too, then one day I received a lovely surprise in my inbox from Maria of The Stitcherhood.  Maria had noticed two of her designs, Magick Spells and Stitcher's Samplers (still to be stitched) on my wish list, and very generously sent them both to me.  As you can see from the date on the scissor fob I stitched Magick Spells last year, but have only just made it up into a pinkeep.  I stitched the little scissor fob using a few of the elements from the design and added a little matching border.  I think it turned out really cute, just measuring a little over one and a half inches across.  I've stitched them both one over one, and although you probably wouldn't have noticed a difference I substituted the listed DMC threads for GAST Onyx and WDW Carrot.  The fabric is 28ct Jobelan Hot Potatoes from Polstitches, which I've had in my stash for several years.

The fabric for backing the pinkeep has a tiny pumpkin print and is from Seasonal Little Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings - I just love their fabrics with these tiny little prints!

Thank you for popping by.  :o)

Finally a little finish!

It's been a long time coming, but I've finally got around to actually having a finished finish!  I wasn't going to blog about this one just yet, as I have a couple of other Halloween pieces stitched, and was going to wait until they were also finish finished and then show them altogether.  I'm so excited to have at last got around to making something though that I just couldn't wait to blog about it...lol! 

This is The Prairie Schooler Night Owl from the Just Cross Stitch Halloween issue 2008.  Late for Halloween I know, but at least in plenty of time for Halloween this year...lol.  This one has been hanging around for so long waiting to be made up.  I made a start on the border back in 2008 and then didn't complete the stitching until a couple of years ago.  I eventually decided to make it into a pinkeep last year hoping to have it finished in time for Halloween, which didn't happen because I didn't have enough of the DMC 3776 to make the twisted cord and didn't know where I could buy some here in Dubai.  Last week I made the cord, and yesterday finally stitched it to the pinkeep.  After all this time I can't remember which 32ct fabric I've stitched it on, but I do know that I use the listed DMC threads.

I love the backing fabric, it's a piece I've had for a long time and have used before on my Prairie Schooler Autumn Pinkeep.

It's taken a while, but I think I've at last found my stitching mojo - WOO HOO!  I really have missed it - I just hope I don't loose it again!  :o)

A Little Finish

I've at last got around to stitching and finishing this pretty little freebie from Reflets de Soie.  The design is called Coeur Romantique.  It's been in my stash for five, maybe six years, and recently I decided that I thought it would look lovely finished as a heart shaped pinkeep, with a little pocket on the back to hold a pair of small scissors.

I've stitched it on 32ct Platinum Belfast Linen, 1 over 1 with The Gentle Art Sampler Threads, Antique Rose.  The twisted cord was made using DMC 712 and I've trimmed the pocket with some pretty lace I bought online from France.

I've had a busy couple of days cleaning through.  Colin arrives home tomorrow morning around 6ish - WOO HOO, I can't wait!  I don't blog that regular I know, but you definitely won't be hearing from me now for several weeks!!!  :o)

For My Pinkeep Collection

Bet you didn't expect to see me back again so soon...lol!

This is a little angel I stitched a couple of years ago for my Mum, and have been wanting to stitch it again for myself.  I've used Orchid Belle Soie Silk, 1 over 2 on 48ct cream Gander Linen, so she's turned out a lot smaller this time.  I'd thought of a few different ways I would like to finish her, but eventually decided on a quick pinkeep for my pinkeep collection.  I attached the pretty ivory ribbon down the side, with tiny pearls that I found while rummaging through my stash!  The pink ribbon trim is some gorgeous taffeta ribbon which I've recently started collecting from Stampin' Up.  It won't be long now before I have all the colours they do in the ⅛" width.

When I last stitched this angel I thought it was a freebie, but I'm not so sure it is now, as I know it can also be found in the book Rouge published by Marabout. If anyone out there has any other information about this little angel I would love to know.

Thanks for visiting again, I love to read your comments.  :o)

Espérance

A quickie post with a quickie finish!  This is one of Dany's lovely designs that I bought and stitched earlier in the year.  It was destined to end up in that box I have of finishes to be done if I didn't get to it soon!  Isn't it such a lovely feeling when you actually get something finish finished that's been waiting a while!  I'm now happy dancing as I have several other of Dany's designs I'm itching to get around to stitching!

I've stitched mine on 40ct Antique White Linen, 1 over 2 using Dany's choice of threads, DMC 610 and 926. 

As always thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog.  I really appreciate it and can't tell you how much I enjoy reading all the lovely comments that are left!  :o)

Petit Lapin

I thought this was so sweet with the little bunny that I had to stitch it!




It's a freebie you can download from Windy Willows. I've stitched mine one over two on 40ct Newcastle Raw Linen with the recommended DMC 816 and Blanc. The linen trim was from my stash, which I had bought some time ago from Violarium. I was really pleased with how well it matched.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend, the weather has been absolutely beautiful here in Plymouth.

Happy Dancing!

I've actually finished another of the many pieces I have stitched that are waiting to be made up. This is 'I Love Stitching' pinkeep by Maryse Dupont, from The Gift of Stitching, issue 30, July 2008. I stitched this last year so it's been hanging around for a while. The wording on the chart was different to the picture of the finished pinkeep but I have stitched mine like the picture as I liked it that way.



I've used 32ct Country French Chantilly linen with the listed Gentle Art Sampler Threads and have added a little pleated pocket to the back for stitchy bits and bobs. This is the first time I have added a pocket to a pinkeep and was really pleased with how it turned out, especially with the pleats. I have wanted to do one for ages and saw a pocket finished this way with the pleats, for a sewing case in an older issue I have of SANQ. After finishing the pinkeep I decided it needed a little matching scissors fob too!

A Mon Ami Pierre Pinkeep and Fob

This week I decided it was about time I put together this pinkeep. I finished stitching it last summer and made a little scissor fob to go with it too using the centre motif of the design. I have also added my initials to the back.



The design is an A Mon Ami Pierre Quaker freebie which was given to me by a dear friend. I've stitched it 1 over 1 on 32ct Belfast Antique White Linen, using DMC 3750.

Thank you to everyone for all your well wishes. I'm still feeling so much better most days and I can't tell you how wonderful that is! :o)

Halloween Finish!!

I know that Halloween has been and gone, but I still wanted to share what I had stitched now that I've managed to get it finished, and especially as I really wanted to do this one last year! I did also make a start on the The Prairie Schooler's Night Owl, and I really, really wanted to do Smell My Feet from La-D-Da, both from the Halloween issue of Just Cross Stitch. Never mind, I shall look forward to getting them both done next year.



The design is from a Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin OOP leaflet. I've used one of my favourite fabrics again - 40ct Newcastle Flax Linen, 1 over 2 with the listed DMC threads. The fabric I've used for backing the pinkeep is a Thimbleberries print that I have had for a few years. I've also used the same fabric to make the cute pincushion. I've wanted to make one of these pincushions since seeing Mary Kathryn's on her blog. I think it's so cute made from the little bee print fabric she has used. I have the exact same fabric, and will have to make one just like Mary Kathryn's one day!

Edited to add link to pincushion instructions here.

A Mon Ami Pierre Pinkeep

I've finally got around to making up this pinkeep for myself! It's the pinkeep design from the A Mon Ami Pierre chart Alphabet Brodeuse. I had finished stitching it a few months ago, when I made the Miniatures D' Alphabets' pinkeeps for my Mum and sister Sarah. It is stitched 1/1 on the same 32ct Vintage Antique White Linen and again using DMC 815. I've also used the same fabric for backing the pinkeep but this time instead of the ruched ribbon trim I have finished it with a twisted cord. Is it just me...my reds never look right in my photos? This red looks so much nicer IRL then it does on my screen!

Designer: A Mon Ami Pierre
Design: Alphabet Brodeuse
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Vintage Antique White Linen
Thread: DMC 815

Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments left for my needlebook...I have enjoyed reading them all! A few of you have asked how I had put my needlebook together. It really was very easy and if you have made a pinkeep before you should definitely be able to finish a needlebook this way. I have tried to explain a little of how I finished mine, which you can find HERE. It is not a tutorial with pictures I'm afraid, but it should help if you wanted to have a try at finishing your own.

Another Tiny Pinkeep

This one is for my sister Sarah...a extra little something to give her with her pressie for her birthday today. With Mum and Sarah's birthdays being just two weeks apart, I decided that this year I would make them both a little pinkeep. This is 'Corbeilles', another French design by Miniatures D' Alphabets. I've finished it just like Mum's (see previous post), same fabric, thread and ruched ribbon trim. The only difference is the fabric for backing, the print is the same but with a different background colour.

A Tiny Pinkeep for Mum

Yesterday was my Mum's birthday and if I have time I always like to try to stitch a little something I can give her with either her present or money. This year I've made her a tiny pinkeep. This is a little French design, 'Coeur D'Ange' by Miniatures D' Alphabets. The fabric is 32ct Belfast Vintage Antique White Linen and was stitched 1 over 1 with DMC 815. I thought I would have a try at doing a ruched ribbon trim around the pinkeep and was really pleased with how it turned out. Mum really loved it too!

Prairie Schooler Autumn Pinkeep

I have a finish at last!!! It's just a little one but I couldn't resist this cute little pinkeep from the September 2007 issue of The Gift of Stitching! I've used the listed DMC threads on 32ct Permin Wichelt Lambswool. The pumpkin fabric is what I've used to back the pinkeep. I have to confess that this is my first ever Prairie Schooler finish...I don't know why and it won't be my last because I enjoyed every stitch of it! Thanks so much for looking! :o)

Another pinkeep and scissors fob!

The little fob has been finished for ages but I didn't want to post a picture until I had got around to making up the pinkeep so that I could show them together!

Both are from Brightneedle. The scissors fob is 'Bunny Hop' the complimentary companion piece to 'Tall Trees' which I have finished as an oval shaped pinkeep. I wanted it to look like the model finished on the chart, which has been mounted into a Sudberry House oval shaker pincushion. Stitched 1 over 2 on the listed 40ct Light Espresso R & R linen, also using the listed Olde Willow Stitchery and DMC threads. This was the first time I had stitched 1 over 2 on 40ct and have to say I really enjoyed stitching on such a small count. The fabric in the background is what I have used to cover the back of the pinkeep.

Another first for me!

Guess who this one is for? Well she did drop a big enough hint when I did my post on pins and as it's her birthday today I thought I'd do my first practice pinkeep for my little sis...LOL!

The design is by Diane Williams (LHN) from the Leisure Arts book Tokens of Affection. I've stitched this 1 over 1 on 25ct so that it would make a nice little size for a pinkeep. Would you believe I didn't even get to use any of those boxed pins I got off Ebay recently as I felt the pinks and greens on the rosette I already had suited better! I'm so thrilled with how it's turned out and can't wait to do another!