Assissi Autumn Bookmark

Project: Assissi Autumn Bookmark
Started: 08.07.09
Finished: 14.07.09

Design: Assissi Autumn by Rhuann Designs
Materials: DMC 301, 433, 680, 898 and Polstitches hand dyed fabric from a grab bag (I suspect it’s 28-count sampler linen in Chestnut)

The design is a freebie from Rhuann Designs (one of four – one for each season) and although the example shown on the website appears to have been stitched in variegated floss, I thought I’d try using solid colours in autumnal tones and I think the completed project looks very effective. The tassle is my first attempt at making my own and uses the same colours of floss as the stitching.

This is a gift for an online friend who very kindly loaned me a book, but I’m considering doing all four seasons as a small sampler for myself at some point in the near future, as I think they’d look lovely all together in a frame.

Stitching Friends Stitch-Along Exchange

Project: Stitching Friends Stitch-Along Exchange (Cross Stitch Forum)
Started: 28.04.09
Finished: 25.06.09

Design: From Le Blog de Lisette
Materials: Polstitches linen in Fallen Leaves / Venus 2482 floss / Cream Gutermann Seed Beads

This is my first ever stitch-along exchange and I’ve loved the idea of using the same basic design but playing around with the different materials to make something unique.

I settled on some linen I received in a grab bag from Polstitches – I think it’s the colour they call Fallen Leaves – and a deep turquoise floss (Venus 2484) which complemented it well to stitch the entire design. I replaced some of the stitches of the border with cream seed beads and added a couple of real buttons I picked up from John Lewis (they’re very pretty blue sparkly ones that I thought went well with the overall colour scheme) and a tiny gold scissors charm in place of the three stitched buttons. On the reverse, I thought it would be nice to commemorate the exchange by including the details (title, date and my own involvement in stitching it) and make it into a small cushion.

I know some other members of the forum have translated the motto into English or another language, but I decided to leave mine in the original French – it reads, “Stitched gifts, Gifts of Friendship” which I think is a lovely sentiment.

I’m very pleased with how it turned out and am looking forward to sending it to its new home at the beginning of September!