March Already and Halfway Over!

Hello Spring? Coming soon? It doesn’t seem like it the past couple of days.  At least not here in Chicago, nor all of those other lucky people who were blasted with FEET of snow! I am used to Mother Nature and her surprises for us in March and April sometimes. But I won’t show you photos of the mess!  I am thinking Spring today. This tiny little pillow was once a free pattern out there on the internet, but it seems to have disappeared. I love it because it not only had a Shamrock for March, but extends into May for Les Muguets Day (May 1st…in France) with the tiny little Lilies of the Valley. I believe it was by Danybrod.
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Finishes better late than never:

This one was stitched by Southpaw Stitcher and it is one of my favorites! I LOVE the lone deer and the quiet dusk-like feeling you get with the blue linen and barren trees!
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Southpaw also did this Winter Cardinal. She LOVES stitching birds and has quite a collection of them!
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These were gifts for the holiday each one done with the recipient in mind.  A project roll with a matching project bag! The project rolls open on the end and can hold thread, scissors, needles, patterns, etc. Fun to make and they include charm pulls on the bags dedicated to each person’s interests.DSC_1352

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Here is another winter cardinal.  This one is Little Red Bird from the Little Stitcher Shop on Etsy.  It is SO nice to just go on-line and be able to download a PDF pattern!  If you haven’t tried it…you need to! Instant gratification!IMG_4668

I do a LOT of pillows for my client Pat and this one is fun and amusing!  I love the fact that the dog has no eyes.  He/she could be ANYONE’S pet!  And that HUGE bone…why surely that is any dog’s dream!  I love the colorful fantasy flowers as well.  Fun just to look at!
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Here is another one done by Pat.  Brings me into Spring for sure. It is so soft and delicate and the purples and blues so pastel. I hand-dyed a silk ribbon to match. Beautiful.DSC_1409

This Lavender Needlebook was stitched by Lynn. I adore lavender (although I can NEVER seem to get it to grow in my garden). The inside has a lavender lining and wool lavender pages for needles.  I hand-dyed more silk ribbon for the closure. Lovely.DSC_1418

New Techniques and Stitchers Alive and Well…

It has been very busy the last couple of months stitching French Boutis needlework. I will be teaching a couple of classes in French Boutis coming up soon and I have been busy with stitching more patterns for other classes and kits. It is nice to know that there are adventurous women out there wanting to learn this ancient art. So often we look at our young people today and wonder if the Needle Arts will disappear. I don’t think so. We had this discussion just the other day at a needlework group with waning membership. One friend mentioned that she knows of a lot of young people doing stitching…they have lots of digital connections and just are not joiners of our “old” needle work groups! (So true Marj!)

So keep on stitching everyone and keep on learning new techniques and methods and pass them along to our young people everywhere!

Amities, Averyclaire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Clients Do Such Lovely Work

Well, I survived the hacking of my email, although I spent a full day on my computer changing passwords, etc. I don’t know if that will help any, but it made me feel good. I had been meaning to do that anyway.

Each time I do finishing for clients, I am competely in awe of the lovely stitching that they create. I always wish that the item was mine when it is finished. Alas, with all the finishing I do, there is little time left for my own creations. I promised myself in the coming months to save a day or two a week just for me! I actually did finish something which I will show another time.

For now, feast your eyes on the lovely work of my clients!

Pat did the first one here. It is from the Plum Street Sampler Leaflet entitled “Good and Plenty.” She found the perfect burgundy mini pom pom trim to go with it! I love pieces like this that go all the way through Autumn!

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Beth managed to create some beautiful beaded ornaments. First is this adorable turkey named “Bruce.” She has a lovely story to go along with it after cooking a 40 lb. turkey one year! Nice memories.

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The next she did is this Sailboat Ornament. It’s very elegant with the rayon floss I used for cording and is perfect with the “sea” themed backing I had in my stash.

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And talk about elegant…well this Santa is quite stunning! His beard is made of all beads! A work of art! And I finished it will a green velvet back.

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And the last one for Beth is this lovely needle book/ornament. This was a gift to her stitched with her friends’ initials. How lovely is that?

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Nancy stitched this beautiful reindeer from last year’s Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue. The color of the linen she chose for this is perfect for the wintery day it depicts!

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And Betsy…well there are no words to describe this luscious sampler. It is from By the Bay Needle Art and is called Serenity Harbor Sampler. She changed the flowers from pink to yellow and the large house at the bottom to yellow as well. It took her a year to complete and is stunning! I added a coordinating plain fabric backing and used handmade cording. I painted the dowels to match the cording and the look is complete!

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Vivian made this lovely primitive pillow from the pattern “Christmastide” by Notforgotten Farm. She said it reminded her of she and her sister decorating the Christmas tree! I used the antique lace she gave me and I hand-dyed silk ribbon to coordinate with the pillow. It is a very pretty piece.

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Vivian is an extraordinary quilter, but loves to do cross-stitch too. This one is called “Deck the Halls” by Stacy Nash and was made into a pinkeep filled with walnut shells by Vivian. She asked me to attach the mini pom pom trim to it after it was finished, but I like it better within the seam allowance. So I took it apart and finished it with the trim in the seam. She loved it that way.

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And last but not least is a simple photo of the lovely “Princess Diana Serviceberry Tree” in my yard. The colors are so lovely in the Fall. It doesn’t last long but when it turns colors, it’s beautiful. Alas, I think our Autumn is coming to an end making way for the fun-filled holiday season.

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Once more I have to put in a small advertisement for those of you who have not tried French Boutis Needlework yet. On my Etsy site you will find an ornament kit with three French Boutis Christmas Ornaments. I am in the process of designing more Boutis patterns so I hope you will give them a try.

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In friendship, Averyclaire

Pear Tree

Don’t know why I undertook this series of ornaments. I am working on the two year’s too late wedding quilt now as well. But…with the bitter cold winter wind blowing outside….it’s nice to be warm and cozy in the house with my needlework in the evening after working at the office all day.

Here is the second in the series of LHN ornaments for the year 2010. This is January’s ornament….Pear Tree. I made two of them both on 36 ct. linen. One as a traditional ornament to save for my tree next year and one made into a needlebook for my dear friend, Maggy, who just had a birthday.

A jute-type braid was chosen for the trim. Makes it look simple, yet pretty. The backing is a dark green wool. Easy to finish as well.

Here is the needlebook. I like the needlebook idea. This pattern just called for something like this with the mini-sampler theme. I think Maggy liked it as much as I did.

Just love needlebooks…use them all the time.

Just received in the mail LHN February ornament snowman pattern from Anita’s Little Stitches (a very nice shop with a very nice owner). WOW…hope I don’t get behind. Next post I will show you a couple of special gifts I received in the mail recently.     A bientot, Averyclaire