New Start - Red Birds by Maria Barber

Good Morning Stitchy Friends -

Last night my Mom came over for stitchy night and I could not decide which of my 17 WIPS I wanted to work on because none were screaming at me to pick them up...so I decided to take the plunge and start a pattern that I have been wanting to start for quite awhile. I had meant to start it for my New Year New Start...then as my Year of Starts for January....then February...and it never happened. It is called Red Birds by Maria Barber and is in the Just Cross Stitch Magazine Issue Nov/Dec 2011. I remember back when this magazine came out in the store I browsed through it several times and hemmmed and hawwwed over buying it because at that time I had no stitchy bug but the pattern just grabbed me. I decided to go ahead and get it just in case my stitchy bug returned someday! Now I am glad I did because it is still as gorgeous as I thought it was when I first saw it! I am also super excited to see that in the issue of Just Cross Stitch that just came out, April 2017, that Maria has done a Spring Chickadees design that would be a great companion to this one!

Here is what the Red Birds Design will look like finished:

This piece is special to me because I am stitching it in memory of my Grandma and Grandpa Barber. How fitting that the designer has the same last name even though I don't think she is related. I was always super close to them and my Grandpa passed away in 2008 and my Grandma in 2015. They say visits from cardinals are your loved ones coming down from Heaven to let you know they are still around and with you. Yesterday driving home from work as I turned the corner there sat a beautiful male cardinal right on a branch next to the road. I think it was Grandpa telling me to get my butt in gear and start on my cardinal piece :) So of course I had to listen to Grandpa :)

Here is where I made it to:

I started in the middle so I working on one of the white flower petals. I love this piece, the colors are gorgeous and I love that it features both the male and the female cardinals and I love that they look more realistic. I think when I start hitting the reds and greens around the white petals they will really pop. I love the fact that there is no backstitch in this design also. I am looking forward to working on this and seeing the details emerge!

Design Details:
Name: Red Birds by Maria Barber - Just Cross Stitch Magazine Nov/Dec 2011
Fabric: 28 Count Lambswool Jobelan from Wichelt
Stitched: 2 over 2 
Grime Guard: Brenda's Minders and More
Needleminder: Bellastitch (closed now)

Have a great stitchy day and thanks for stopping by!
Laura