27 Nov 2017 2 Comments
in Boutis, Christmas, Hearts, Ornaments, Sale, Scissor Case, Uncategorized, Valentine Heart Tags: Boutis, Christmas, Hearts, Ornaments, Sale, Scissor Case, Valentine Heart
For one month, my patterns and kits are on sale for 10% off.
Please visit my Etsy site and try your hand at a beginner Boutis project!
Each kit contains all the materials necessary to complete your project. Give it a try!
Three Ornaments
Two Hearts
One Scissor Case in your choice of colors!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Averyclaire
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
01 Oct 2016 10 Comments
in Boutis, Christmas, Eiffel Tower, Finishing, Flat Folds, French, Needleroll, Project Bags, Project Roll Tags: Boutis, Christmas, Eiffel Tower, Finishing, Flat Folds, French, Needleroll, Project Bag, Project Roll
It’s been a while since I posted some finishing photos except for what was done for the Boutis Class. So I am trying to catch up on showing some of the lovely things my clients have done!
Pat quickly finished this very pretty needleroll. It came as a kit and I did the finishing for her. What a lovely piece!
Nancy was very busy stitching up a couple of gifts for a good friend. I love the nautical theme.
I kept the nautical theme going with the “whale-like” stitching on the accent piece. Click on photo to zoom in a bit.
And I added some of that accent color to the back as well!
And here is Nancy’s second gift item…sailboats…made to match the first one!
For this one I added “wave-like” stitching on the accent piece and some accent color on the back as well.
Vivian requested a simple Christmas pillow with ten rusty bells. I love the backing she chose to go with it. Simple and elegant.
A new project roll is born with a hidden place to keep your thread and scissors, etc.
And a couple more project bags were finished with a French theme. Eiffel Tower on one with an Eiffel Tower zipper pull and a Boutis needlework piece mounted in the center of the second one, which also has an Eiffel Tower zipper pull.
Thank you again to all my clients who keep my “in-box” full of beautifully stitched pieces. More to come as soon as I have the photos ready and downloaded!
Amities, Averyclaire
06 Nov 2012 5 Comments
in Christmas, Needlearts, Wool Tags: Christmas, Needlearts, Wool
A few years ago I designed an “au naturel” wool Christmas stocking for my DIL who loves nature and the great outdoors (specifically sunflowers). Here is the first one I made:
She asked for a little more “bling” and perhaps something red…so I took off the top sunflower and added a cardinal, a few snowflakes, an aspen tree (they live in Colorado), and a pretty little gift under the tree and some “glittzy” sequins sprinkled all around.
I think she’s going to like this one:
And now I am working on one for one year old Maya….shhh.
Amities, Averyclaire
08 Dec 2010 10 Comments
in Christmas, Retirement Tags: Christmas, Retirement
For weeks now I have tetter-tottered back and forth regarding my employment and finally made the decision to retire. The monastery in which I have worked for 18 years is closing and moving their offices. It was a good time to make the change. My plans are to spend more time with my DH who has been retired for ten years already (and of course find more time for stitching and quilting). The decision was not an easy one in our difficult economy. We will just be a little more frugal. Having committed to my choice, I have been working every day long hours to clean out closets, files, drawers, shred papers, recycle and “when in doubt…throw it out.” I will miss most of my working companions (some perhaps not so much–smile) and the routine. But thinking about sleeping in and being occasionally lazy sure sounds wonderful to me at this point.
I must now get busy and decorate my home for the holidays and finish my Christmas shopping. With the changes in my life regarding working, I’ve had a bit of a difficult time in getting into the Christmas “spirit”….but I LOVE the holidays and know it will be wonderful. My son and DIL will be coming in from Boulder, Colorado, and all the family will be together.
So……Merry Christmas to all…may the Holiday Spirit fill you with joy and peace for always. Joyeux Noel, Averyclaire
01 Jan 2009 1 Comment
in Christmas, Family, Needlework Tags: Christmas, Needlework, New Year
Best wishes for a beautiful new year that is filled with laughter, good health and many blessings!
My holidays were lovely, fun, and filled with laughter. Although I was very sad that my son and his wife were unable to be with us this Christmas. Maybe next year.
We had a fun Christmas Eve with the family. We attended a service for Christmas Eve where Santa made a surprise visit and paid homage before the manger with the children. It was beautiful.
On Christmas morning we had a lovely breakfast with our daughter and her family, and last night we enjoyed a quiet New Year’s Eve at home.
In the needlearts department . . . over the holidays I began working on a surprise for my sister-in-law. My DH’s mother, Violet, died last spring after a brief bout with uterine/cervical cancer. She lived a long, full life and passed away at the age of 87. Last month my friend, Marjorie, gave me some old magazines. In one of them I found a cross-stitch pattern of Violets done on a lovely English Rose Jobelan. My SIL is having a hard time with the passing of her MOM (as we all are), but I thought this saying would be a nice remembrance for her. The stitching will say “The Violet, a lady with a charm, grace, and beauty all her own. I will show my progress as I complete it. Here’s the first photo.
Here are the earrings that Marjorie made for me as a gift. They are lovely, Swarovski crystal trees. I loved wearing them over the Christmas holiday and received lots of compliments. Thanks Marjorie.
Here is a photo of the manger my mother had when I was a little girl. While my heritage is English, this set came from Germany and I wil treasure it always.
And as I sit here in front of my computer and contemplate putting away all the Christmas decorations and tree….I am still sitting in front of it enjoying the beauty and peace of the season. Maybe in a week or so I will be ready.
NO PHOTOS OR TEXT may be copied from this blog WITHOUT PERMISSION. Thank You!
Averyclaire 