Christmas ornaments

Ornament number one was stitched early this year and waited patiently to be finished.  It's hard to see, but there is green ric rac around the edge.  All the hangers that I used this year are from Hobby Lobby.  It's sold as a beaded trim, on a spool in the ribbon area.  Very easy to work with and makes a really nice hanger.

Here's the back. The linen came from stash and I can't remember the floss that I used but I'm thinking it was an NPI silk. This one went into the Tiara group ornament exchange and Janice was chosen for it.

Ornament #2 was stitched on the other half of the linen with the same color silk.  I added the little jingle bell to dress it up a bit.  I also used ric rac around the edge of this one.  I prefer the look of flat ornaments but I ran out of time this year and made pillows instead.  I used raw (but clean) wool for stuffing and it works really well.  Much nicer than polyester filling.  The candy cane pillow was the only one that I used plastic beads for fill. It gave it a nice feel too.  Lisa, The Inspired Stitcher, chose this one as her thank you gift for being my secret stitcher.

Here's the back.

Ornament #3 is a LHD.  I used Autumn Fields linen and the floss colors called for.  The trim along the bottom came from Archivers - a scrap book store.  Beware: it does not like a hot iron!  I hid the balls on the left as they became a little deformed from the iron.  ( I could say a lot about this but it just wouldn't sound right LOL)  I will not be ripping it out and redoing as most people won't notice. i.e. my family.

And the back.  I'm keeping this one so no one has to be subjected to deformed balls.

Ornament #4 I made as a floss tag.  I invested in a crop-a-dile to make eyelets, and I'm really glad I did.  It makes things so much easier than trying to punch a hole with scissors.  I used a coupon and got it it at Archivers also.  This ornament went to the person I had as a secret stitcher, Linda K., and gifted through out the year.  It was fun sending anonymous surprises to her.  I never got a chance to stitch something for her so I wanted to do something she could use all year.  It is stitched on 36 ct. Dubloon linen from Picture this Plus.  The color is not showing up well in this picture.  I used the DMC called for and stitched it one over one. It's a Little by Little design 'Quaker Blackbird'.

the back.

I did our initials in the reddish brown instead of the green, LK and MK. This ornament was for the Secret Stitcher ornament exchange at the Queen City Sampler Guild's Christmas party.

Ornament #5 was stitched for the Queen City Sampler Guild's regular ornament exchange.  Not everyone participates in the secret stitcher activities so if you want to make and a receive an ornament, this is another way to participate.  Paulette Stewart of Plum Street Samplers designed this one - 'Yuletide'.  It's from the 2011 JCS ornament issue.  I used 36 ct. Dubloon linen again and some of the listed floss colors, 1 thread over 2.  I didn't have all of the colors so I substituted what looked to be a close match.

I just had to add a red bead to the lead reindeer's nose.

Once again, the back.  Evelyn was chosen for Yuletide.  This might be the 3rd ornament of mine she's been picked for. Hmmmm.

My next posting will be the ornaments I received. They are really nice.

Marsha

Christmas stitching

 It's been sooo rainy here in Ohio.  The days have been so dreary that taking pictures of stitching has been a disaster.  Today was gorgeous but I'm on a huge deadline to finish ornaments for the Queen City Sampler Guild Christmas party.  I can't show those ornaments yet as they are surprises.  Next week is another ornament exchange with the Tiara stitching group.  So, I will have lots of pictures to post after this weekend and next.

This another oldie but goody that I hang every year. The frame on this is so old.  It must have fall and is now broken in the upper corner.  Yup, it good old foam board and masking tape again.  What did we know.

If you aren't sick of seeing this stitch-along here's another picture.  I'm almost there and am looking forward to finishing it now that all the ornaments are finished.  I used a 35 count linen from stash that Hand Dyed Fibers sold for a while.  It was in the dark naturals and doesn't have a name.

When I got it out to stitch on, I was shocked to see this imprint in the linen.  Do you see it?  The angel.  Right above the house and snowflakes.  Pretty cool.  The problem is, its way into the margin where framing would cover it up.  I may have to make a pillow with wide margins and a quarter inch seam. What do you think?

Here is the a Prairie Schooler Year pillow for Dec.  Remember when I said these all hung in a LNS for quite a few years.  When they called to tell me I could have them back they had bad news.  The original Santa had been stolen.  Can you believe that??? People are so weird.  Luckily, I still had some of the original Davos so I restitched it.  The fabric back is different but no one looks at that.

If you don't have one of these cool lights, you need to splurge and get yourself one.  Really.  Tons of us in the stitching groups have it now.  It comes with a pole so you can have a pole light/magnifier.  It comes with a clamp if you want to attach it to a table.  It also comes with a battery pack which makes traveling with it easier.  It makes stitching so much nicer.  The bottom of the magnifier has LED lights all the way around.

I've been using an extra Vera Bradley zippered bag to put over it so the sun doesn't shine through it and start a fire in my sewing room.  Very awkward and I've been too busy and lazy to make a simple draw string bag. I saw a friend at a craft show and told her what I was looking for and laughingly said she could make me one.  I felt kinda bad after I said that. Like she doesn't have her own stuff to make and buy etc.  So, I was at the end of the craft booths and back in the corner of one I saw cloth bags.  Perfect!  She didn't have any regular bags just seasonal but it was just what I needed and the Santa's ARE cute.




Sooo, I went to work Monday and guess what.  My friend had MADE ME ONE!  I was thrilled. I did apologize to her for asking her to make one when I'm so capable myself, and it is Christmas time.  But she said it was nothing and she enjoyed doing it.  Yeah.  I love it.  So now I have one for Christmas time and one for the rest of the year.

Marsha