Here we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary with our family after those 50 amazing years together!
The 50th Celebration
07 Aug 2017 7 Comments
Our 50th Anniversary!
05 Aug 2017 15 Comments
My dear handsome, loving husband and I have been married for 50 years today! He is the light of my life, friend, soul mate, and true love! It has been an amazing journey together these past 50 years! We are truly blessed with a wonderful family and lots of friends! 
And here is my lovely family!
Amities…Averyclaire
A New Tutorial and A Few New Finishes
28 May 2017 21 Comments
Yes…now it’s been nearly two months since I have posted. Surely I need to take more photos and document more of our busy lives here! I did some finishing and some Boutis work, taught a couple of Boutis classes, took some time off from everything for a bit. We went on a vacation to Gettysburg and Lancaster, PA and then to Williamsburg, VA. It was lovely, relaxing and fun. I am not much for taking photos of vacations and not too much of a history buff, but I really enjoyed this one.
After I posted photos of my latest Boutis design and kit I created a tutorial to make the silk covered snap which I used for the scissor cases. I put the materials to make it into the kit along with everything else, but posted the tutorial on the blog above. It is “easy” and makes a lovely addition to anything that needs a really nice snapped finish. Check it out.
This banner was stitched by the dear husband of blogger “Love those Hands At Home.” You can read more about it at Kerry’s blog in her March 27th post. It is exquisitely stitched. The colors are beautiful.
All ready for Halloween is this fun pillow done for Pat.
And Christmas as well also done for Pat. I love the cross stitch fabric she used!
A couple of Spring finishes…a chunky little Robin and an Easter Bunny couple. Since Easter is done and Spring is nearly over…it will be ready for next year!
A pair of scissor holder/pinkeeps done for Carol who was giving these lovely little pieces as beautiful gifts.
And another early Christmas finish for Southpaw Stitcher.
Southpaw Stitcher also completed an early June piece.
And Anne stitched one of my FAVORITE pieces from Prairie Schooler…R is for Rabbit! I hope someday I find enough time to do this one for myself! Of course I absolutely fall in LOVE with every single piece I finish for others and now my list of wanna-stitches is NEVER ENDING!
For myself I have completed a couple of more colored Boutis pieces but don’t want to post photos until I decide if I am making them into patterns. I am also in the middle of stitching a larger 24″ square piece white on white. But it is nothing to look at until I begin to do the cotton cording, so until then no photos.
Thanks for always stopping into my blog. I love when you leave comments for me, so please do if you like what you see!
Amities, Averyclaire
French Boutis Scissor Case
06 Apr 2017 16 Comments
in Boutis, Embroidery, French Boutis, Hand Quilting, Needlearts, Quilting, Scissor Case, Sewing, Uncategorized Tags: Design, French Boutis, Patterns, Scissor Case
French Boutis is an ancient form of French quilted needlework. Traditionally it is all white on white, but I adore the bright Provencal colors and created this SCISSOR CASE to entice people to learn this art. It is done with a small running stitch and a back stitch on two pieces of batiste, then yarn is drawn through the channels to give it a raised relief. I am working VERY hard to bring this art to the USA. I teach classes for a minimal fee and sell beginner kits on my ETSY AVERYCLAIRE page. The kit is available in a variety of colors (8 different colors) and includes everything you need to complete one scissor case. Please tell your quilting and needlework groups!
UPDATE: This pattern calls for a silk covered snap. I have provided the materials in the kit, but I put the tutorial at the top of this page for all to use.
March Already and Halfway Over!
15 Mar 2017 25 Comments
in Boutis, Cross-Stitch, Finishing, Flat Folds, Gifts, Les Muguets Day, Needlebook, Project Bags, Project Roll Tags: Boutis, Cross-Stitch, Gifts, Les Muguets Day, Project Bag, Project Roll, Spring
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.
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!
Southpaw also did this Winter Cardinal. She LOVES stitching birds and has quite a collection of them!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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
French Boutis
28 Jan 2017 31 Comments
in Boutis, Hand Quilting, Needlearts, Needlework, Quilting, Uncategorized, Valentine Heart Tags: Boutis, French Boutis, Hand Quilting, Valentine Heart
The past month or so I have been avidly working on designing more French Boutis patterns. Today I published one just in time for Valentine’s Day on my Etsy site.
This French needlework technique is easy to do if you like handwork. Stitching the piece is rather like hand quilting, a small running stitch, on two pieces of batiste. Then the boutis yarn is drawn through the channels by inserting a tapestry needle from the back between the two layers of fabric. Voila!
In my kit I provide the pattern, instructions with photos and finishing technique, the white and pink batiste needed to complete two hearts, a white sun catcher and a pink sachet. Also included are the two needles necessary for stitching and toothpicks needed for stuffing in the tail ends of the yarn cording. Other materials you provide are white and pink thread, a ribbon or cord for finishing, and filling for your sachet.
I am working on about six other designs as well. If you love handwork and would love to try this ancient French Needlework Art, give it a try. There is also a digital pattern available. It’s a small piece, easy to work up quickly…just in time for Valentine’s Day! I also teach French Boutis to anyone interested.
Thank you to my dear French friends, Nicole, who introduced me to this beautiful art nearly 15 years ago with a gift for my newly born granddaughter, to Maggy and Nicole, who have supplied me with lots of books and magazines for inspiration, to Elisabeth, who sent me a piece of her own hand worked Boutis, and last but not least to Elizabeth from Canada at Seams French who shares this passion with me!
Please leave a comment and let me know what you think! (The comment form is at the top of the page under the date)
Stay tuned for more finishing work next time!
Amities, Averyclaire
My Last Finishes for 2016
01 Jan 2017 22 Comments
in Christmas, Cross-Stitch, Finishing, Flat Folds
I know this post is somewhat late, but better late than never. Most of these finishes were done in November before Thanksgiving. I took the month of December off. We had a death in the family and spent a week in Colorado for a memorial service. I was also on the mend from a simple, but serious health problem. Luckily the meds have worked wonders and I now am feeling my “old”, but new self again! I also have been busy designing some new boutis patterns, but they are quite a ways from being brought to fruition! So in the meanwhile, if you haven’t tried this beautiful French stitching, please think about purchasing my ornament kit. It is simple to work up and is a great introduction to French Boutis. It is available on my Etsy page.
Pat sewed this lovely pillow and found the perfect fabric for me to finish it with!
I loved this fabric so much that I decided to quilt the back of the pillow!
Beautiful stitching, Pat, and beautiful colors!
Pat also stitched this lovely grey ring bearer pillow for her daughter’s wedding. She gave it to her as a Christmas gift. Perfect!
Just look at all those scrumptious beads she used!
Lena stitch this simple, but elegant tree ornament. She has someone named Hope that she gives an ornament to each year….this one is filled with “hope”!!!
Lena also stitched this adorable penguin. I couldn’t resist adding the white “snowball” (mini pom pom) trim and the red ribbon with “snowflakes” as well as the snowflake charm.
And Lena also found this cute pattern to stitch for some special twin boys in her life!
Tina finished this lovely church just in time for the holidays!
Vivian has been stitching a LOT lately and has another pillow to her credit. This pattern is a Brenda Gervais pattern entitled Jingle Bell. I added some rusty bells and a hand dyed silk ribbon to finish off the primitive look.
And last but not least, Amy put a lot of work into stitching these two Shepherd’s Bush stockings for a couple of men in her life. The stockings are backed with dark green crushed velvet and fulled lined with a lovely light colored cotton print.
My prayer for everyone is to have a truly blessed New Year. I pray that all who are hurting and alone find comfort, peace and happiness; all who are sick to become well and whole again; and that each and every person feel the warmth and love of someone special. We all know someone in one of these categories, so please pray!
And THANKS for always visiting here. I love to read your comments, so please drop a line or two!
Blessings for 2017 to all my blogging friends! Amities, Averyclaire
My Clients Do Such Lovely Work
09 Nov 2016 12 Comments
in Boutis, Christmas, Cross-Stitch, Finishing, Flat Folds, Garden, Needlebook, Ornaments Tags: Autumn, Boutis, Christmas Ornaments, Cross-Stitch, Finishing, Flat Folds, Pincushion
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!
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.
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.
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.
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?
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
In friendship, Averyclaire
I Have Been Hacked
19 Oct 2016 5 Comments
Hi Everyone…one sure does not like to wake up in the morning only to find that my computer has been compromised. In some of my accounts, emails were sent with some kind of link (I don’t know what it was because I did not open it), but if you received an email from me today with a link attached….please DO NOT OPEN it. So sorry if this has compromised anyone else’s accounts.
Amities, Averyclaire
A Few More Photo Finishes
17 Oct 2016 9 Comments
in Boutis, Christmas, Cross-Stitch, Disney, Finishing, Flat Folds, French, Gifts, Halloween, Hardanger, Ornaments, Pillows, Wall Hanging Tags: Boutis, Christmas, Christmas Ornaments, Cross-Stitch, Disney, Finishing, Flat Folds, French, Halloween, Hardanger, Pillows, Wallhanging
Here is another post with photo finishes! The finishing studio is humming where each week my clients challenge me with their work. There is always something new and interesting to see. Enjoy the eye candy handiwork of my clients!
Vivian did this lovely Brenda Gervais small pillow “Merry Noel”. Since the fringe was unavailable for her, I hand dyed some mini ball fringe to match. It’s perfect. The soft colors in this piece are beautiful. Nice work Vivian.
And Laura did an equally beautiful job on this Stacy Nash medium sized pillow entitled “Pine Tree Farm”. She gave me handmade antique lace to use as an accent around the pillow edge and the perfect fabric backing. It’s gorgeous! And the colors in this one are equally soft and delicate. Lovely!
Judy created this beautiful white work pillow. She wanted a brown backing behind the stitching, so I used the same brown fabric for handmade cording and the pillow back. I included a zippered back so the pillow insert could be taken out if needed. Such intricate detailed stitching!
Pat did a couple of gifts for little ones this time around. She requested a rather large flatfold for the first one. I added the “sticky kisses” across the bottom and the cute little matching buttons. On the second one I added a handmade multi-colored cording with multi-colored french knots along the accent fabric. And for privacy, in the photos I have deleted the birth date and weight from both.
Pat’s needles were on fire this last month and she created this very large wall hanging for someone who just LOVES Halloween. The tomb-like shape just adds to the fun!
She also did these two cute wall hangings as Christmas gifts. All the little girls seem to LOVE the Disney Princesses, especially the mermaids. Here is one of Ariel!
And another one of Snow White…this one is certainly elegant with the rosy red apple and the red rattail trim around the perimeter of the stitching! I LOVE the Disney fabrics on the back! These little girls will love to look at both front AND back!!
If you are interested in learning Boutis (a simple running stitch and corded French needle work technique), I now have on my Etsy page not only a kit for the three ornaments I designed (containing ALL materials needed for the three ornaments), but a “pattern only” choice, as well as the “hard to find” special cotton yarn that is needed for the kit.
I have lots more photo finishes…so come back again soon! Thanks so much for your continuing visits!
Amities, Averyclaire
Averyclaire 