Good Wishes For Thanksgiving

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Wishing all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with 

family, friends and good eats.

Blessings,

~Nan 

Revised Wall Pocket

So I showed my hubby the wall pocket I made and his comment was, "How does anyone know there's a  pocket?  You need to put something it in so they can tell there's one there."

You know, sometimes he's so right.

Here is my revised photo of the Merry Christmas Wall Pocket.

I likey much better now ;D
Again, here's the link for the wall pocket tutorial that Robby put together.
http://cashstrappedcrafting.blogspot.com/2009/04/fabric-wall-pocket.html

I also did a bit of long overdue stitching on some pieces that have been lingering in my unfinished pile.  And my pile consisted of 2 things.  If you know me you know I almost always finish what I'm working on before moving on to something else.  But my Stacy Nash Blackhorse was more stitching than I expected and I had to get ready for my TDIPT listing and a few other things.

So that's my excuse for that piece. 

The other piece is this Goode Huswife, Queen's Diamond.  Something I started about 2 years ago.  I started stitching it and was having so much trouble with the fabric when I realized I had started stitching in the wrong holes.  I don't know if you know what I mean, but I find on linen there are obvious x's to stitch in and then there are the not so obvious ones.  Well, I picked a not so obvious one to start in and by the time I realized it, the only thing to do was rip it all out and start over or forge on.   I was determined to go on with it, but could only manage a few stitches now and then because it was NOT enjoyable. Anyway, I put the final stitches in it last night and I'm sooooooo happy.

I love the colors and I think I'll get it framed and hang it to remind me to be persistent : )

Happy Stitching!

~Nan 

MERRY CHRISTMAS WALL POCKET

About a year ago, my friend Robby in Scotland, taught me how to make a wall pocket.  As I contemplated a finish for my Merry Christmas piece, the wall pocket idea came to mind.

You can slip in a few Christmas cards or maybe a candy cane or two.
Here's the link for the tutorial that Robby put together.
http://cashstrappedcrafting.blogspot.com/2009/04/fabric-wall-pocket.html
They're so fun to make.

I really love to do different finishes for my cross stitch pieces.  Framing is nice, but there are so many different ways to display your needlework.  It's so much fun to add a bit of whimsy or surprise to a piece.

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I also decided to stitch a freebie by Pineberry Lane.  It's a quick stitch that I think I'll make into a small ornament.  I may actually make a few of these.   I stitched this on Prairie Grain Linen with GA Rhubarb for the word Xmas and Ecru for the star.

Well, I'm feeling a bit under the weather today, so I think I'll take it easy the rest of the day.

Stitching will have to wait.  Time for some hot soup and a cup of tea.

Hope you are enjoying the day and thank you for stopping by to visit.

Smiles,

~Nan 

INTRODUCING.....

" WOODLAND NOEL"

Now available.  Pattern for this pinkeep is stitched on natural 32 ct linen using DMC floss.

Trimmed in reproduction silver tinsel garland.

How festive!

May be purchase for $9 (free shipping in the US)

through me at nanlewis@comcast.net or also in my  Etsy Shop.

Thank you for all of the inquiries and also for your support.

It is heartfelt and greatly appreciated : )

Happy Stitching.

~Nan

REMEMBER ~ TDIPT Listings and Open House

Don't forget !

Tonight is all the new listings on TDIPT Mercantile

not to mention our Colonial Christmas Open House.

Lots of prizes and all the details needed to enter

right here

http://todwellinprimitivethymes.blogspot.com/

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Here is a peek at some of my offerings. 

 Oh Christmas Tree sampler Hornbook.  A pattern by
With Thy Needle and Thread.

Thankful pinkeep stuffed with sawdust and stitched with Chocolate Caramel Silk thread. A primitivebettys design.  One of my favorite to stitch this time of year.

A Colonial Christmas Pillow trimmed with antiqued crocheted lace and ric rac.

All done in shades of white and cream.

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I'll have a few more cross stitch pieces to show you tonight on the Merc.

Hope you'll join me there around 9:30 pm.

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Happy Sunday friends,

~Nan

More Holiday Stitching

I finished this piece this morning and thought I'd share it with you before I backed and stuffed it.  This design is by LaDDa from the 2009 JCS Ornament issue.  I stitched this on 30 ct R&R Dark Cappuccino Linen.  The words were stitched using the called for Gloriana Silk thread in a color called Winter Woods.  It doesn't look anything like the color in the magazine and did not go with the DMC conversion colors, so I had to improvise and pick colors that match the skein I received.  I was disappointed with the color of the skein, but now that its stitched, I like the way it turned out.

It invokes the word Plum Pudding : )

I want to thank everyone who stopped by for my "Merry Christmas" freebie pattern and also to Maria and Claudine for posting the link on their blog.  I am blessed to have such wonderful blogging friends.  I plan to have more freebie charts in the future.  It was so much fun to hear from all of you.

I'll be spending the weekend working on getting my new pattern "Woodland Noel" together and hope to have it ready for release early next week.   I've had a great response to it and hope you'll enjoy stitching it as much as I did. 

Wishing you all a wonderful Fall weekend and as always,

Happy Stitching!

~Nan 

Christmas Freebie

Hi Everyone.  Thank you for the wonderful comments on yesterday's post.  I just wanted to do something to say thank you to all my blogging friends, so here's the chart for my "Merry Christmas" pattern.   It's a quick stitch for sure.

You may use whatever threads inspire you.  As I mentioned, I used Victorian Motto Sampler

threads in the colors of Antique Red and Thyme, but there are so many great overdyed threads out there to use.

Please remember to always give the designer credit.  I hope you enjoy stitching this and would love to see the finishes.  There are so many talented and wonderful stitchers out there.

Smiles,

~Nan 

Holiday Stitching

My fingers have been busy and I have some pics to show
you of the pieces I've just finished stitching.

This is a design I created last year around this time.  When I first stitched 
it last year I did it in blues and browns, but this year I wanted

 to stitch it again in traditional colors.  I added a few more snowflakes

this time and I think I prefer it in these colors.  

This will be a pinkeep.  I'll back it in some homespun, stuff it

and trim it with tinsel.  I love the look of tinsel trim and can't

wait to see how it looks on this.

Here's last years version in the blues and browns.

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I also did up a very simple design using the words

"Merry Christmas"

I love the simplicity of it.  I stitched this on prairie cloth using 

Victorian Motto Sampler thread.  You should try them if you haven't already.

Nancy has some really beautiful colors that you'll find yourself drawn to over 

and over again.

I hope to make this into a hanging pinkeep.  I think this one will look cute with a

few rusty jingle bells on it.

Well, I hope everyone is having a wonderful week.  I'm looking forward

to another stitching weekend.  So much to get done for my

TDIPT listing on the 15th.
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Happy Stitching,

~Nan 

A Different Finish

As I mentioned yesterday I'm doing a lot of finishing work.  I'm getting ready for TDIPT Mercantile on the 15th and wanted to stitch my new design "BE YE MERRY with a different finish.  So here it is.  I hand stitched the sampler on to an Army Green wool bag.  

This is super thick wool and so cozy. I've edged the top in the softest red brushed cotton homespun.  This just exudes the feeling of Christmas to me and I really like the way it came out.   I hope you do too.

It seems the consensus on St. Noel is to use the black and green wool
as pictured in my last post.  Thank you to all of you who left me your feedback.  I love getting input from my fellow bloggers and alway enjoy reading your comments.
I'll be working on St. Noel  this week to ready the finish for TDIPT, along with all the
other stitching I have planned : )
Oh how I love my stitching.
Have a wonderful day !
~Nan 

Morning Finish

Just wanted to pop in and show you this mornings finish.

I woke up early and made some Chocolate Coconut coffee and got to work on the last few stitches that this piece needed.   I really enjoyed stitching this and just love this new design by With Thy Needle and Thread called St. Noel.

I stitched this on 32 ct R & R Ligonier Latte linen and did some extra staining on it for a more prim look.  I stayed with the colors suggested, but I'm not usually fond of stitching with ecru or white, so I changed the pots to the black/brown color.  I'm  hoping to make this into a cotton filled pillow using the black and green wool that I have it photographed on.  I thought of using green wool, but I really liked how this dark color picks up on Santa's mittens and boots and the pots.

Let me know if you agree or if I'm way off base and should go with an army green wool.

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We'll I'll be in my studio the rest of the day having fun doing some finishing on the stitching I've completed over the last few weeks.  As soon as they're all done I'll get some shots for the blog.

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Don't forget, TDIPT Mercantile is having their open house.  Pop on over for a chance to win a beautiful handmade item by one of the very talented artists.

Thanks for stopping by and always love to hear from you.

Enjoy the day and happy stitching.

~Nan 

HAPPY NOVEMBER

It's another beautiful fall day here in Philadelphia.

The sun is out and it's cool and crisp.

I'm stitching away on some holiday items.

There are so many great charts to choose

from that I'm having trouble deciding.

I wish I could stitch all day, but I'm off 

to work now to see my little ones

at the daycare center where I work.

They are such a joy to be around.

Well, enjoy this beautiful day!

~Nan