Another Stacy

I am really enjoying Stacy Nash Primitives at the moment and I want to show you my second finish.This is "Schoolgirl Sampler Pinkeep Drum"

Stacy's designs are such an enjoyable stitch and I really love experimenting with the coffee dyeing. This time the look I ended up with is quite different as I did the whole drying process in the microwave and it seems to give a much 'blotchier' look which I really like as it looks as though it has been around for years. The really nice thing about coffee dyeing is the smell. The stitching smells great. I found the assembly of the drum quite difficult and decided it really needs to be packed quite tight with the stuffing to get it anything near straight. Mine isn't perfect by any means but I am trying to convince myself it is a 'primitive' look so it maybe shouldn't look perfect :) and of course it is all a learning experience.

It is almost time for Sandra and I to start on our June ornament so I have sorted out the threads and fabric for that. This will be number six for the tin. Hard to believe we are nearly into the 6th month already. I have also been busy on the assembly of a gift for a special person so can't show you that yet :)

It has been very wet here on the Sunshine Coast so it has been good weather to be inside stitching. Ben has been constantly at my side and following in my every footstep. What a darling he is. Constantly being the 'minder'. He does such a good job of it.

"I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent, devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source."
~ Doris Day

Nellie 2001 ~ 2005

Our beautiful Nellie left us three years ago today.

"Run Free Sweet Nellie"

Here is the sampler I stitched as a tribute to my precious girl. It is a combination of two designs by Homespun Sampler called Nellie's Garden and Nellie's Garden Revisited. Since she loved being with me in the garden, I felt it was very appropriate.

Stacy Nash Primitives

I had such fun with this Stacy Nash Primitives 'Early Style Bluebird Cupboard Sampler' I used it as an experiment to try my hand at ageing my linen with coffee grounds. Stacy said to put the linen in the oven until dry!! I wasn't at all certain about doing this but did it anyway and watched it carefully so as not to have any accidents. I gave it several goes adding depth as it went. I actually finished it off in the microwave which is a method Lynette Anderson uses with her tea dyeing. I was really happy with the end result and it smelt so good too. Actually, sewing this up is quite a challenge as we are always attempting to achieve neatness and perfection in our stitching and to get the primitive/rustic appearance, things don't look so neat and have irregular stitches and uneven seams. These are my finished results......

This is the fabric I used to line the back ~




I enjoyed this so much I am looking forward to stitching my next Stacy Nash design.


I cannot count my day complete
'Til needle, thread and fabric meet.
~Author Unknown

Charm Square Tote

I finally finished my charm square tote which I made using a free pattern which is available from Buttonberry blog. I had several packs of lovely charm squares which I mixed up and chose the ones which I considered looked best together. It used a total of 51 squares in all but I actually used (or should I say wasted) an extra seven squares as I made a mis-cut when making the handles and had to re-make them. In fact the whole experience was a good learning curve as I also used the wrong batting and my bag was far too floppy, so I unpulled it all and basically started again using a much firmer batting. It is a huge bag and will hold lots of whatever it is I decide to use it for. I guess I am reasonably happy with my finished results ~ for a novice.

and the back....



and the lining.... Moda Blackbird Designs



"All my scattering moments are taken up with my needle."

~Ellen Birdseye Wheaton, 1851

Amazing Resemblance

Have you ever noticed the beautiful shape of a dog's paw? It is a perfect teddy bear shape. Ben's are even fluffy like a real teddy bear and of course the right colour too. I took this photograph to show you what I mean. I was down on the floor practically standing on my head to do this and the next photo captures that ~ 'Mum, what on earth are you doing'? look on his face.

The teddy bear cake is the beautiful birthday cake my DH and DD made for our precious little grandaughter's second birthday. Didn't they make a great job of it and it confirms my theory of the shape. Happy birthday darling Milly!!

Sandra and I have finished our May ornaments and I couldn't wait to see what Sandra had come up with for this month. We kept our colour choices a secret from each other this time we stitched A Needleworker's Pocket by With My Needle from the 2003 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Book. There are three pieces in this series and we are planning to stitch the other two at a later date so we have a nice set.

Here is Sandra's version .....

and my version .....

The background fabric is the fabric we used to line the pockets with. Now we are looking forward to June and even planning what we will do next year.

"Grandchildren are a grandparent's link to the future, and grandparents are the child's link to the past."

~Unknown

This and That

Last Thursday, I spent the day at the Stitches & Craft Show in Brisbane where I spent several enjoyable hours browsing the stalls. There was all manner of crafts on show, beads by the mile, scrapbooking, stamping, patchwork, cross stitch, beautiful threads, cardmaking, knitting ~ you name it, it was probably there. I only bought a few little bits and pieces as I really didn't need a lot. One purchase I did make and am quite excited about, is my little mini ironing board and iron which I had seen at a previous craft fair and wished afterwards I had bought. So this time I didn't pass it by. It is a perfect size to have in my sewing room to use when I am needing to iron seams open or press a little piece of fabric etc. Isn't it cute!!

I also bought three fat quarters, one being this beautiful green Moda fabric which I think goes perfectly with this gorgeous Moda Sampler tin which is a recent addition to my growing tin collection/addiction.

Not a lot of stitching progress to show you but am making slow headway with my Strawberry Blonde and have made a start on my May ornament in my stitch-along with Sandra This month we are keeping our colour choice a surprise from each other so I can't wait to see what Sandra has chosen. One thing I know is that it will be beautiful as Sandra always does the most beautiful stitching and has great taste in colours.

We are having the most glorious Autumn weather at present with crisp mornings and evenings and gorgeous days, perfect for gardening. I wanted to show you my vine again. This is Petrea Purple Passion that I showed you a few weeks back when the flowers were beautiful purple. Well now they have turned green and are still beautiful but in a different way.

Isn't nature interesting!!

"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive."
~ Eleonora Duse

April is in the Tin

I have now completed my April ornament in my year long stitch-along with my friend Sandra. This one is now safely added to my tin with January, February and March.
It is another Little by Little Design called My Little Christmas Gift and is from the JCS Christmas Ornament book 1999. I chose to finish mine as a little pocket and used two old buttons from my mother's very old button jar to hold the handle on. I couldn't find two of the same colour so I have used two different ones which match the colours perfectly and rather like this look. After all, why does everything have to match perfectly!! I can picture it hanging with some red berries in it at Christmas.

Sandra chose to finished hers in the pillow style and added a handle to duplicate the handle of the basket.

It has been a wet and quite cool weekend so we never got out for a walk. However, Ben did a great job as the 'clerk of works' watching over to make sure I was doing everything right while I was sewing. Doesn't he look a picture of innocence in this photo I took of him tonight. Awwww, beautiful boy :)


At least our rainwater tank has quite a bit more water in it now.

< ~ The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain. ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow