Blackbird Design Bountiful Harvest Cross-Stitch

Just a quickie to show my completed and framed Blackbird Design Bountiful Harvest Cross-Stitch. I won't point out my mistake 😬 but I will tell you about the small change to the pattern I made. The alphabet in the middle is stitched one over one and the very pale green (see the photo of the pattern) I just found impossible to do. The tone of the green against the linen was just too close, so I stitched all of the alphabet in the darker green shade.

April Showers!

Now I’ve probably only had this Blackbird Design ‘April Showers’ pattern for these stockings about 3 years! and I finally got around to stitching them recently when I went to Spain (in September) on holiday. I know it’s the wrong time of year for April showers, but, hey ho!! I decided some stitching was a ‘must’ for my holiday and managed to complete two and a half of the stockings while I was there – I amazed myself, but it does just go to show how little time you get for sewing in the normal course of crazy, mad work days, housework, shopping etc. Having done two and a half in one week, it then took me a further 3 - 4 weeks to finish the other ‘half’ after I came home ...... and then another 2 weeks or so to finish them with the fabric backing and the beads. I’m very pleased with them though

 

This is them individually, and if you look closely you can see that I’ve added a little charm to each one. A heart charm on this one - my favourite with the blue umbrella

I love the little ladybird on this one

and I think the charm on this one is meant to be a little buzzy bee or something .... not too sure really, but cute all the same (can a bee be cute! hmmm – maybe not)

so that's my latest finish; and now back to wooly pinkeep number 2 (see previous post for wooly pinkeep number 1) – I’ve made a start on it, but haven’t got very far and I don’t think I’ll be doing much of it this weekend either, as I’ve decided I MUST MUST dedicate the weekend to finishing off decorating the bathroom, which I’ve only been doing for about 3 months!!! I am not in the least bit inspired to do it – but it HAS to be done, so .......... !!

Blackbird Design Finish!

..... and two whole weeks off work – boy am I happy today!
Well now, I’ve finished my Blackbird Designs ‘Buttons & Pins’ cross-stitch and then I ummm’d & ahhh’d – "shall I make it up into a pincushion as in the pattern picture (see last post) or frame it. As you can see, I decided on the frame. The frame (a 50p bargain from a recent car boot sale!!) is exactly the right size and I think the black compliments the colours of the design ......... anyone disagree strongly? I could still make it up into a pincushion, but my next little project is going to be a pincushion, which is what swayed me with the frame.

Any comments gratefully received!

Blackbird Designs Cross-Stitch

I’ve changed direction for a while! Although I had told myself that I probably wouldn’t tackle cross-stitch again because it’s so challenging to the old eyesight these days, I wasn’t prepared for just how much I would be attracted to Blackbird Designs – equally their collection of fabric (particularly the ‘Harvest Home’ range!) as well as their cross-stitch creations. So, I’ve backtracked and bought a pattern for just a small piece and here’s how I’m getting on so far. This one is called ‘Buttons & Pins’.



Working on linen makes it a tougher project, but having used linen in the past, I’m afraid I can’t go back to Aida – it simply doesn’t look the same. And it’s not too bad if I can work on it in the daylight – but under electric light in the evenings is more challenging! It’s been a Bank Holiday here today, so I’ve been able to get a few hours in on it – things always take longer than you think though don't they – if I repeat that to myself often enough, I might just get it into my head ....... this morning I said to myself “oh I’ll probably have this finished by this evening. Dream on Julia!!!!