A START and a FINISH!

Hello Stitchy Friends!

Today I wanted to share with you my first START and FINISH for 2018! My goal is to stitch more Christmas ornaments for our tree this year. I loved seeing quite a few stitchers posting their gorgeous trees with their cross stitched ornaments on facebook, flosstube and instagram this last Christmas and I want to have mine filled as well :) I didn't have any for my tree last year. I had some stitched just not FFO'd to put on there. So that is another goal this year also...FFO my finishes! Just need to learn to sew first - LOL!

Anyway...I joined the facebook group Little House and Country Crafts Stitching Group and they have a monthly SAL challenge to stitch an ornament. PERFECT! So I decided to pull out and stitch one that has been on my "to stitch someday" list for quite awhile. I went through my fabrics and found a piece that came in one of those ornament cut grab bags that I had purchased quite awhile ago from 123stitch that would look nice with it and got busy! I started this January 3rd and finished it January 6th and it was my first finish of the year so far.

Here is Gingerbread Tree by Little House Needleworks:

I found some cute gingerbread cutter style fabric on Etsy and will use that to FFO this once I learn how to use my sewing machine. Goal for this year! I was going to use beads for the eyes and buttons but decided to try and do french knots as the pattern called for. I am not very good at those yet but I never will be if I don't try them. Overall I am pretty happy how it turned out :)

This design was located in the Just Cross Stitch Magazine from July/August 2010.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Stitching!
Laura

Design Details:
Name: Gingerbread Tree by Little House Needleworks
Fabric: unknown grab bag fabric - seemed like a 28 count Jobelan
Stitched: 2 over 2 Full Cross 
STARTED: January 3rd, 2018
FINISHED: January 6th, 2018 
Pattern can be found in the Just Cross Stitch Magazine issue July/August 2010

WIP UPDATE: Red Birds by Maria Barber

Happy Thanksgiving Stitchy Friends!

Today I wanted to share my progress on my Red Birds by Maria Barber WIP since I posted about it last. This one I am stitching in memory of my Grandma and Grandpa Barber. I miss them horribly and the Holidays are never easy with them gone.

I have completed a 10 hour wip rotation on this project and I think I had worked on it a few random days since I had started on it.

Here was my starting spot:

And here is where I got to at the end of the 10 hours:

I think that it is starting to look so pretty :) Can't wait to get to those gorgeous birds! Here is what this will like when it is finished:

Thank you for stopping by today! I hope you all have a lovely and blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends and lots of stitchy time :)

Laura

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: Down Sunshine Lane (Needle Minder of the Month Subscription)

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