George & Martha Patriotic Scissor Keep

This was a Shining Needle Society class this summer to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. 

It is on 40 count linen using DMC floss. Most areas are over two, with some areas (the words, tree, flowers and bird are over one). 

The kit included the tube for finishing, a magnet for the top (to hold the scissors), and other necessary finishing supplies. 

Happy Stitching!!

Little Pilgrim Hornbook

This was a 2023 Shining Needle Society (SNS) project I finally got to. It is on 40-count cream linen and uses silk threads. This is a higher count than I usually like. I also have another 40-count project to try and finish and then I think I am done with 40-count!!

The kit included the hornbook and a little history about Mary More which I will share with you.

Mary More was four years old when her father, who did not want his children anymore (he believed they were not his), dumped her onto the Mayflower. Tragically, she did not survive the first winter. Barbara created this sampler to commemorate this little Pilgrim.

I started it just before cataract surgery and decided to hold off for a while until my eyes settled down, etc. I decided this week to give it a go. I did need stronger magnifiers for the over-one areas but was ok for the rest (with my 2.0 cheaters). The design is 3.5" x 3.5" 

Barbara included lots of links to Mary More along with the Pilgrim Tapestry Project.  Here is a link to my search about the little Pilgrim Mary More. Hope it works.

Happy Stitching!

Holiday Delights - Valentine's Day

Next up in the Holiday Delights is Valentine's Day. After this is Easter and then I have done all the ones I have purchased. 

This one was a Foothills Program which actually started my venture into the Holiday Delights projects.

I plan to find an 8x8 inch shadow box with a removable spacer. I plan to use the mat from the Independence Day (photo below), which I already framed.  I am mounting each of the Holidays on an 8x8 inch backing board and placing/storing them into the shadow box and rotating them for each season.

Happy Stitching!!

Still More Beading

I am on a roll with clearing out my beading kit stash.

All are kits from Potomac Beads.  All were fun to make, and I learned a few new stitches in the process.

Sunrise Eva Brcelet. I had never used EVA beads (the angled white beads) before.

Denim Cubed Bracelet. This used the St. Petersburg stitch which was new for me.

After Dark Leaf Necklace.

Beaded Barrel Bead. 

Pie Shop Bracelet. This uses PieDuo beads. A first for me.

Happy Beading!

More Beading

 All are kits from Potomac Beads. Fun to make!

Pie Shop Bracelet. Enough left over to also make earrings.

Colonial Crystal Bracelet

After Dark Leaf Necklace. Enough left over to make earrings!

Clover Halo Earrings. I have never used Halo beads. Fun.

Turquoise Chain Gang Necklace. Enough left over to make a bracelet and earrings too.

Just a cute doggie. Carry on!!

Happy Beading!!

Catching Up Part 4 (last one)

 I stitched this and turned it into a pillow to sell at our Oct. 24 EXPO.

This is Dear Santa from the 2025 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue. It is our 2026 Christmas ornament. The top photo shows how it looks before all the backstitching is in and you can really see the difference in the second photo.

This is a cool way to "frame" projects still in the hoop. Sizes and shape vary. I got this from 123stitch.com, but Herrschners has a few more sizes.  

This was a freebie I found online, sadly I cannot find the chart to give you more information.

These next two items are made for our Oct. 24 EXPO also.

This is a journal cover using the chart provided with the journal. Next is a mousepad that made adapting various SW designs.

  

HAPPY STITCHING!!

Catching Up Part 3

 I made this baby card for my grandnephew.

  

It went along with this plastic canvas tissue box for the nursery. Kit for the box was from Mary Maxim

 

HAPPY STITCHING!!

Catching Up Part 2

First, a little beading. I tried some kits from Potomac Beads. I did not work on them right away and these two are from the May box. Terra Flora Bracelet. I had enough to make an extra square that became a pendant.

These are Picasso Rivoli Earrings. I have never made a bezel before, and I am not sure I want to again! Maybe a little bigger one next time?

Journal book cover that I designed using a pre-purchased journal. 

I taught my local club how to make a biscornu. This was my teaching piece to show how to create the shape.

This is yellow lab. I do not recall the designer. It was originally a 40 count silk canvas kit, which my eyes did not want to deal with, so I did it on a smaller-count evenweave and converted the silk colors to DMC or anchor.

That is it for now!

Catching up Part 1

I have been working on some projects in my stash. All by Kathy Rees of  Needle Delights Originals. They are from her Holiday Delights Series. All are roughly 6"x6".

St. Patrick's Day

 

Thanksgiving

 Independence Day that I framed.

Halloween

I am working on Valentine's Day and next will be Easter. I plan to attach each to 8"x8" backer boards and place them in a shadow box using the mat from the Independence Day frame. It will serve as display and storage. That might not happen for a while, since we are selling our house to move closer to my family (we have two cute grandnieces and a grandnephew to spoil), so some things have to be put on hold.

Victorian Lavender Needle Case

This needle case is a project by The Textile Collection made in Scotland. I believe I purchased it from my local needlework shop when I lived in Colorado. It is roughly 3 inches square (not counting the tassel).

The Victorian Lavender range also consists of a bookmark, sachet & scissors keep. I think I have everything except the scissors keep in my stash. Not sure, maybe I should check? Future blog post?

Pictures show the front and the back, where I added my initials and the year. The instructions had the tassel at the top, so I finished it that way.

  

Happy Stitching!!

Bits & Pieces

 A few bits to catch you up on. 

First our Saguaro bloomed quite a bit this year. This is the third or fourth year it has bloomed and this year has the most blossoms. Photo is from May 15.

My Roadrunner ANG's April Program was Star Spangled Santa by Janet Zickler Casey. This is my progress as of April 30. 

I took a class on May 15 offered by my Quilting Bees Club and we made a tiny teddy bear! Arms & legs move too.

Happy Stitching and More!!

Moonlit Desert Finished

 I last talked about this project here What I am working on this week on October 12, 2025.

I pulled out a thread on the left and right sides one thread away from the stitching and stitching an outline stitch in the channel or ladder created to give it a corded edge. I plat to finish finish it into a bell pull if I can find one (it is 2.5 inches wide). It is 9.5" long and was stitched on 36 count linen.

Here is a close-up of the corded edge.

I have used this cording technique on other pieces. I learned it from Marion Scoular in her book Advice if for listening to not necessarily taken Page 72. I great book if you can still find it.

Happy Stitching!

HO, HO, HO Finished

I last told you about this project here Catching Up on Feb. 13. I am thinking I will frame this myself without glass, so when I put it away after Christmas it will not break in the box!

It was a fun stitch!

Happy Stitching!!

Kaleidocycle Completed

 Back to my beaded kaleidocycle which I last told you about here.

We combined three of the four triangles into three circles and zipped the circles so they lined up in a row. We then zipped the ends together to form a circle and then added the fourth triangle to form the three dimensional kaleidocycle. Below are photos of it closed and opened showing different designs as you twist it inward or outward. Here is YouTube that will show how it works. Contemporary Geometric Beadwork: Kaleidocycles and BatCycles Twisting it kind of looks like the inside of a Keleidoscope, hence the name.

A team of three members of our Don't Worry Bead Happy (DWBH) club taught this three-part class. They were inspired by this summer bead along by Kelly Dale and also by Kate McKinnon from Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.

Happy Beading!!