Love and Luck Wedding Sampler (also UFO Week Update)

Project: Love and Luck Wedding Sampler
Started: 29.04.09
Finished: 01.09.09

Design: Love and Luck Wedding Sampler by The Historical Sampler Company (from Cross Stitcher Magazine May 2009)
Materials: Pale lilac 16-count Aida; Anchor flosses; cream pearl seed beads

This project has taken me quite a while to complete as I kept going off the design and then it grew on me again later on and I’d come back to it. This time, as a result of resolving to finish it during UFO week, I really put the pressure on and added the final seed bead tonight (just as well, really, as the wedding is this weekend!). It won’t be framed in time for the wedding, but it most certainly will be by the time the happy couple return from their honeymoon.

I changed the original design a tiny bit by replacing the top and bottom edges of the horse shoe border with a quote from the Apache Wedding Prayer, which I will be reading at the wedding, just to make it a little more personal. It reads “Now you are two people with only one life before you.”

Stashmas Decoration

Project: Stashmas Decoration
Started: 30.08.09
Finished:31.08.09

Design: (Front) One of the Winter Escape designs by Rhona Norrie from Cross Stitch Crazy magazine issue 130. (Back) Snowflake design by Kell Smurthwaite© and lettering from 120 Cards for Every Occasion freebie booklet from WOXS magazine issue 153.
Materials: 32 count Dragon Hand Dyed Jobelan in Heavens Above; Anchor 1211 (variegated turquoise) floss (2 over 2); beads from an old necklace

I’m taking part in the Stashmas Exchange on the Cross Stitch Forum – instead of a Christmas gift, we send a Stashmas gift (worth a maximum of £10 or the monetary equivalent) of anything stitchy-related. I decided to include a small stitched gift with mine to commemorate this year’s Stashmas Exchange, so I made this little decoration.

The design for the front came from the latest Cross Stitch Crazy magazine and I added some beads from an old broken necklace that I had, just to add a little sparkle and glamour. For the reverse, I designed a little snowflake and added a commemorative message in lettering that was from a freebie booklet  that came with World of Cross Stitching magazine a while back (120 Cards for Every Occasion). I then made a tassel (to which I added another bead) and a ribbon loop for hanging. It’s all just whip-stitched together and stuffed with regular soft toy stuffing. I think it turned out quite nicely and will be a lovely addition to the Stashmas gift I send out.

Beside the Sea

Project: Beside the Sea
Started: 16.08.09
Finished: 19.08.09
Design: Freebie kit on Cross Stitcher Magazine (October 2009 issue)
Materials: White 14-count Aida; Anchor flosses; seaside charms

I just couldn’t resist stitching this lovely little freebie kit for my baby son’s room. I added his name to the side of the boat, just to make it a little bit more personalised. The seaside charms are so cute and the colours so soft that they’ll look perfect in Xander’s nursery. I can hardly wait to find the perfect frame for it!