Here are the three cross stitch pieces that I had framed this winter.

The first is “No Bees, No Honey” by Birds of a Feather. I stitched this piece in 2004, which you could guess by the initials if the date weren’t there. All of the threads are variegated, it’s stitched on a hand-dyed cloth (look closely to see the differences in dye on the linen), and I chose a weathered and beaten wooden frame. My mom also did this same piece several years ago and chose a frame with gold accents.

The next two pieces are by M Designs, in their alphabet series which is based on a set of letters from the 1500s. I stitched the S and the J to represent Allen’s and my last names. They will hang together somewhere! I chose the variegated wine-colored thread on a light yellow linen when we had a paint called stucco on our walls at the condo. The frame is a cherry wood. Miraculously, I chose one of the least expensive frames in the shop - that rarely happens! Usually I have an eye for the crippingly-pricey options.

Now I’m adding two pictures of the S and the J separately. You can get a better look at the variegation in the thread with these two pictures. For those who aren’t familiar with variegated thread, this piece took one long strand of thread that was dyed to fade to different colors throughout.

Here is a larger picture of the M Designs “S” on its own:

Here is a larger picture of the M Designs “J” on its own:

I’m very excited to have pictures of these projects to share now. I’ll be even more excited when we return to the States, and I can display them somewhere.

I have to give my appreciation to Cate both for picking up these pieces at In Stitches Needlework in Alexandria and for sending these wonderful pictures. Thank you!

I’m under the impression that if I think more about cross stitch, I will be motivated to do more. In that spirit, I’m posting pictures of my niece’s Christmas stocking. I completed the stitching in February 2007, too late for her first Christmas (not that she’d notice). This fall, Cate did the finishing, which looks quite professional. I presented the stocking to Stephanie (my sister-in-law, Katherine’s mom) in December. And yesterday, I received pictures of the stocking for my (and Cate’s) stitching portfolio. So here they are:

The pattern is Shepherd’s Bush “Elizabeth” stocking. Shepherd’s Bush has adorable designs - however, because adorable is not usually what I want for my walls and because their colors are often very pale, I don’t often do Shepherd’s Bush patterns. But I love their stockings.

My mom stitched a Shepherd’s Bush stocking each for Allen and I (”Peter” and “Christian” - yes, I demanded a boy’s stocking, with apologies and thanks to my mother, who’d planned to make me a girl’s one). I plan to continue that if we have kids. Despite my waffling about having children, I have purchased and “reserved” my favorite new Shepherd’s Bush stockings for my hypothetical children (”Reed” and “Jillian”). Stitching is a sickness, sometimes.

I made several changes from the pattern to Katie’s stocking. The Shepherd’s Bush stocking charts don’t include a placement guide for the buttons and charms. (Shepherd’s Bush, if you’re reading, that is rather annoying.) So I moved the charms around as it suited me. A small star charm found a new home as the dot on the I. The two golden trees now serve as bookends to my “signature.” After I failed to initial or sign Katherine’s birth piece, Stephanie said I should sign this one. I chose the light yellow from the piece and stitched a message to Katie, “With love from Aunt Lauren.” I liked the choice of light yellow because you can read the message when close to the stocking, but from afar it looks like some neutral design around the feet of the angel. It’s unimposing.

Cate created her own pattern to finish the stocking, which is quite impressive. (Again, Shepherd’s Bush, this would be a useful supplemental chart to include or sell.) I chose a dusty blue corduroy for the backing. Inside (for those lucky enough to look!) is a lining of light yellow fabric covered with stars. Cate stitched it all together and did the cording. I think she did a fantastic job!

This isn’t really a project to undertake lightly, from a financial standpoint anyway. I may have spent $75-100 on the materials (linen, DMC perle cotton, chart ($6), charms ($20), and finishing materials ($15)). Costs for finishing in a cross stitch shop run from $75-100 as well. (Yay for Cate!) But the stitching itself is far easier than it looks to the uninitiated. In fact, it was one of the easiest projects I’ve done. The high count on the linen is the stitching equivalent of a large-print book. Because of that, the piece worked up very quickly, though I had to cut shorter lengths of the perle cotton because the more you pull it through the linen, the more it frazzles. I completed the piece in about three months. Knowing that Katherine will have this stocking for a long time makes it all worth it.

Now I’m wondering - between Allen’s sister and my three brothers - how many nieces and nephews am I going to have?

I am a fabulous stitcher. I am meticulous, avoid knots, and frog (pull out) incorrect stitches. And when I finish my cross stitch project, I put it in a drawer.

It’s true. Hours and hours of work put into making a beautiful heirloom quality cross stitch piece, and absolutely no effort given to displaying it. It’s actually a little embarrassing.

While I don’t routinely make New Years resolutions, I do try to set concrete goals for myself for the coming year. Last year, I made a few cross stitch goals. Complete at least two projects. Frame at least three.

The only framing I’d done so far was for gifts for others. It’s great to make things for others, but sometimes a little selfishness is a good thing too. So, this summer, when I finally had some free time - in Panama City, Florida with my parents - I stitched up a piece for Allen. (Don’t throw up. I found a pattern with a verse from a poem he’d sent me once.) I changed all the colors because I didn’t fancy the original ones. (The pattern is “Be My Love” by Carriage House Samplings.) While Dad hit the links, Mom and I stitched some 10 hours a day (eek). I finished the piece and brought it in for framing in September, right before I left for France. My very kind friend Cate picked it up for me in October and mailed it here. And so I present to you my first framed cross stitch project for us.

For Christmas, my parents gave me a gift certificate for framing at our local cross stitch store. I brought three pieces for framing - one was from 2004! Cate has just picked those up, and she’ll be sending pictures. (Thanks, Cate!) So this post hopefully precedes another with more pictures of the three other pieces I got framed in 2007. Hoorah! I met my goal! (As for completing two pieces, I finished the one piece during the Panama City trip, and I finished a girly ridiculous Valentine’s type of piece that I chose for its antique curlique vines.) I hope the other stitchers out there enjoy the picture, and I’ll try to add more cross stitch updates as I force myself to do some more work!

Christmas is coming!

Okay, it’s just October. But if you haven’t started your Christmas cross stitch projects before October, you’re doomed, and you’re really working on finishing them for the next Christmas. So, as far as cross stitch is concerned, Christmas is coming!

This year, I’m working on a project that I bought too late last year to start in time for last Christmas. It’s a Prairie Schooler design of the 12 Days of Christmas, with a Santa and a depiction of the gifts of the day on each separate piece. I plan to make them into ornaments. I’ve finished the first day of Christmas, but it took me a week, hence the title. At this rate, I’m not going to be done with all 12 in time for Christmas. (See, you have to start early.) I’m more than halfway through the second one. I’m finding the colors very interesting because I didn’t think I’d like some of the combinations when I bought the threads, but they seem to work together and come off as very bold.

Without further ado, let me present the First Day of Christmas a la Prairie Schooler!