A tiny finish

For the last week I have been working almost exclusively on The Good Neighbor and made some very nice progress. But to see pictures, you will have to wait for the next post.

Today I'd like to show you a tiny little finish I made. For quite a while already I wanted to make a floss tag. One of those with the nice metal eyelets. But I haven't had the tools nor the eyelets to finish one, until a week or so ago. A complete eyelet set including all necessary tools was on sale and of course I had to buy it. And today I finished my first floss ring tag. I love it!

Design: October from the heart SAL

Designer: KreuzstitchLiebe

Thread: DMC

Fabric: 35ct. fine Floba

Progress on the Good Neighbor

I've been picking up the Good Neighbor by the Drawn Thread again and made quite a bit progress on it. The outer flower border is almost ready.

This is one of my Crazy January pieces. Some of the other participants are stitching their 15 (31) projects in rotation and I tried that myself, but it just doesn't work for me. I figured that making only one design priority suit me much better. And for now it is this one.

By the number of stitches this is considered to be one of the big projects, but stitching everything over one on 26ct makes it look so small. 

This design is stitched partly in cross stitch and tent stitch and both with 2 threads over 1. I had quite some difficulties in the beginning to make the crosses look nice, so I bought this 12" hoop to fit the whole design in it. I thought stretching the fabric might help making the stitches more even and it really works. I have started using hoops also for my other projects and I am much more happy with the stitching results.

another finish

I have finished today another one of my Crazy January projects. This time it is Volle Fahrt Voraus by KreuzstichLiebe. Sylvia Kuhnert the Designer behind this label is a fairly new Designer from Germany. Besides a few Designs that she offers in her DaWanda shop she is having every now and then a free Design on her blog. Just a short while ago she started a new season SAL which is just too cute.

Kathy commented a few posts back that I have so many designs in different styles. And I think I should give an explanation for that. Personally I love all kind of Sampler, mostly antique reproduction Sampler, French mono-colour designs, mostly white on raw linen and I like primitive designs. I even like many Americana designs.

So you can guess that this sea side picture isn't for myself. I stitched this design for the Australian charity organisation Quilts 4 Kids. Many of my other projects are going to be presents for friends or I stitch them for exchanges. I only keep a small part of my stitching for myself.

A Quick stitch for Easter

I know I'm a little early with this and maybe I should have saved this post for a later time. But I am so happy to have yet another finished stitching project, I just can't hold it back until Easter.

The last two days, I've been stitching a small freebie from By The Bay Needleart with the intention of finishing it into an Easter Egg decoration.

I am usually not much of a pink lover, but I think in this case it fits perfectly.

The base of this ornament is a Styrofoam egg.

I have stretched and glued the stitched piece and the backing fabric to the egg, secured it with lots of pins and  glued this upholstery ribbon all the way around it and finished it with a pink organza bow.

one down, 14 to go

Just a few moments ago, I finished stitching my first project of the Crazy January Challenge. Hearing from so many other participants how many projects they already finished, I felt already a little discouraged in this Challenge. I also feel, I should have picked much more small projects. The ones I have started are almost all big ones. Anyway, the "Bienen-Emblem" which I started on the 5th day of the Challenge is finally finished. It was always one of my favourites and I am very happy with it's look.

Even thou I am not a big friend of BackStitches I do have to say, that I love the way the honeycomb is set together with BS and full crosses. 

Another Finish - Petit Sampler

I have another finished project to share with you today, and I I thought this one deserves a post on it's own. "Petit Sampler" by gazette94 is finally finished. 

I used "Cherry Cola" by Nina's threads for this one and just love how it turned out. 

At first I planed to finish this one into a box lid. I thought I could use it for storing my special threads. It has never occurred to me actually framing this piece. After all there is a lot of pink in this sampler and the Mr. doesn't like any girly-girl stuff. But when I showed the finished sampler to him he actually suggested that I should frame it.

I think a nice white antique finished frame would be perfect for this piece. 

Fair & Square from Pam and a finish

First of all I have to apologize if I am writing any nonsense in today's post. I came down with a very nasty flue. I am having a runny nose all the time and can barely breath, but luckily I don't have much fever.

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So last Saturday we had another stitching gathering. This time at Mia's place. I made a little something for her as a thank you gift for hosting the meeting.

The box itself if from white painted metal and the design on the lid is from "la forêt des croix contées"

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I have also received the squares Pam stitched for me, during the last Fair & Square exchange. She designed them completely herself. Aren't they lovely? They will make a beautiful addition to my pin cushion basket.

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At last I have one more finished piece to show you. This design is a freebie from Passione Ricamo and is called Violet Garland. I stitched this one as a gift for a dear friend.