Blackbird Designs
Needle Necessities over one on 28ct Silkweaver FOTM Exclusive
Stitched April 18, 2009 to May 2, 2009
A finish! As I mentioned in my last post, the moment I saw this lovely chart posted on the Blackbird Designs blog, I dropped everything and started stitching it. I chose some beautiful 28ct fabric from Silkweaver that is a FOTM Exclusive color. I’ve used this before for another Blackbird piece, and the fabric is really a gorgeous mottled color. I knew I needed a special thread for this, so I pulled out the gorgeous red skein of Needle Necessities (I believe the color is Razzle Dazzle) that Anna gifted me with at Christmas. I’ve been waiting for just the right piece to use it on. I decided to stitch this over one, because when I think of French stitching, my thoughts always run to over one stitching with beautiful red threads. Alma suggested in her blog to stitch a family name into the sampler, and to add a little bird motif. The original sampler had 1918 charted, and I immediately thought of my grandmother who was born in 1911. As you can see, I chose to stitch her name and the year of her birth into my piece. The little bird was modified slightly, in order to fit, from another little Blackbird Designs bird. I hadn’t stitched in the last week at all, but on Saturday I went over to another stitcher’s home for a day of stitching with a few stitchers from the guild. It was such a relaxing and fun day. I was so in need of a day like that, it was a mini-vacation! I took several pieces to work on, but decided to stitch on this piece. Sitting outside on the porch and enjoying the wonderful weather (right up until it started pouring), I began to stitch my grandmother’s name into the sampler. By the end of the day, I had finished everything but the outside border. So, when I came home that evening, I was able to finish the piece easily. I found a wonderful frame for it on Sunday and framed it myself. I’ve placed it in what is becoming our new French guest bath. I love it there, and I can see it each day and be reminded of the woman who taught me to stitch and encouraged my creativity from when I was little.
After finishing up my little sampler, I put my Loose Feathers back in the q-snap. One of the women at our stitching day was working on the alphabet portion of this, and it got me inspired to get back to it. I just love stitching this piece, and it was fun to start getting to use the second color of the Belle Soie. I think my skeins are darker than a lot of those I’ve seen stitching this…but that works for me. I think it’s very pretty. I may move that “L” over. I’m waiting until I get some of the little motifs around it stitched before I decide. It may be fine where it is. I should have the top of the pinkeep finished soon, and then I can move on to the alphabet. I’m hoping I end up with enough fabric to stitch the needlebook too.
I have my guild meeting tonight, which I am looking forward to. And I am glad I have a finish to share too. Hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week and happy Cinco de Mayo!
Wow! That frame is perfection for it! Beautiful finish!!!
Beautiful BBD finish and the frame is perfect for it! Love you progress on the Pinkeep. I think that I like your color of floss also. It looks great against that fabric!
Your PLR is wonderful…I love the fabric you used!!
Beautiful!! I love the sampler, and the frame is perfect for it. Great progress on your other BBD, too.
Oh I love how you framed your BBD freebie! Gorgeous! Love your peacock too!
What a beautiful finish, Michelle, and a lovely way to remember your grandmother!:) Your pinkeep is coming along nicely too!
What a great BBD post! Love your little red sampler – it looks VERY French! 😀 And your LF looks great, too. The colors you have are indeed a good deal darker than what I got, but it looks great with the linen!
Love! what you did with the BBD piece.
Love your version of the BBD sampler and that frame sets it off perfect.
A beautiful finish and placed in a gorgeous frame 😉 Congratulations!
Your finish is beautiful! And your peacock is so lovely-that color is great.
I’m honored you found such a special use for the thread I sent. The piece is beautiful!
Lovely job on your BD piece! The frame is just perfect for it.
Beautiful ~ a perfect frame. Love your other BBD piece, too!
Beautiful work on the little sampler, and your peacock is gorgeous already!
Michelle!
I love your frame, it’s beautiful. So is the stitching and what a sweet thing to add your grandmother’s name and year of birth.
Michelle this is so pretty! I love how sentimental it is to you, and to read that your grandmother taught you to stitch is so sweet. And, a French bath? I hope you will share photos when you finish!
The BBD finish is beautiful. Love the progress on the pinkeep.
You chose a perfect frame for the little sampler! Enjoy! 🙂
That is turning out beautiful. I love the colors.
Wonderful to have met you last night and I had such a great time. I too, have been on your blog before! LOL. I am thrilled to have seen your BBD in person, you did a beautiful job, and framed too!! You are making fabulous progress on your new BBD, and I am sure you will have it done in no time! I cant wait to see what else you will be working on!
Your version of the BB freebie is really lovely in that frame. I like the way your peacock looks on that fabric, too.
Beautiful finish and it looks amazing in that frame! Great job! LF is looking great and I think those colors are perfect!
PLR is stunning!!
What a beautiful finish! I love things done in red too!
I love your BBD finish. The colours of both the fabric and thread are beautiful.
Love your progress on the LF piece.
Fantastic finish – I love the frame.