Two More Christmas Cards

Project: Christmas Cards
Designs: Both by Kell Smurthwaite ©
Materials: Fabric from a Polstitches Grab Bag (I think it’s English Rose 28-count linen); Venus 2706 floss; aperture cards (cream oval and pale pink marble square)

I decided to have a go at charting my own designs and sketched these up pretty quickly as they’re relatively simple designs, but I think they turned out quite nicely. Both are stitched using the same floss and fabric and neither took very long to do. Having completed these two from design to finish, I think I’m now motivated to try designing more to see what I can come up with.

Blackwork Cherry Blossoms

Project: Blackwork  Cherry Blossoms
Started: 08/08/09
Finished: 11.08.09

Design: Blackwork Cherry Blossom by Maria Diaz (from Cross Stitcher Magazine)
Materials: 14-count Charles Craft Soft Touch Aida in Dusty Rose; freebie flosses from Cross Stitcher Magazine; Venus 2611

This was an incredibly quick stitch and very enjoyable as the subtle shades give a very pretty and delicate effect. This design will become one side of a small decorative cushion for my Grom’s Christmas gift.

New-Start Saturday: Japanese Cherry Blossom by Maria Diaz

Design: Japanese Cherry Blossom by Maria Diaz (from Cross Stitcher Magazine)
Materials: 14-count Charles Craft Soft Touch Aida in Dusty Rose; freebie flosses from Cross Stitcher Magazine; Venus 2611; DMC 818

As a special treat to myself, I’ve started work on this project to make into a small biscornu-style cushion for my Grom’s Xmas. I’m stitching it on Charles Craft “Soft Touch” Dusty Rose 14-count Aida with the main 5 colours being the freebie flosses from the latest Cross Stitcher magazine plus two other flosses I just happen to have on hand. Above is a photograph of the work I did tonight – I think I’m off to a pretty good start!

So far I’m finding it a very enjoyable stitch, even though I haven’t actually done much of it! I’m only using two strands of floss, however, as I thought it looked a bit lumpy using the suggested three and I wanted a finer finish than that.

I’m planning to stitch a different design on the other side of the cushion (possibly the four butterflies freebie design from My Aunt’s Attic) in similar colours, so that it’s reversible.

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!