Country Garden Stitchery

  I found a lovely petit point linen tea towel from an Etsy seller in Canada.  It has the tiniest cross stitches and was done so carefully.  The back looks so neat and tidy.  The edge has a beautiful hem stitching with a touch of blue to accent the urn in the design.  The linen has a wonderful hand and is so soft and the prettiest white.  So happy to have it for my tea towel collection!   I found a set of these appliqued tea towels last weekend while out antiquing.  They have a pink zig zag border along the edge and very fine detail work also.        I've been practicing my photography skills lately with my DSLR learning the different buttons, exposures and experimenting with lighting.  I'm planning on re-photographing several of my designs since I have new skills :)      I was happy with this shot.  It was much brighter than the last photo I had of this design. ...

  Inspired by spring colors and small embroidery designs with beautiful silk flosses.  These work up in no time and could be finished a number of ways.  Would even make a cute little table top quilted square with alternating fabrics that aren't embroidered.     Materials for a new cross stitch design, the next in my birth month series.  I'm on September :)     I bought some pansies a week or so ago and they are really looking nice so I wanted to paint them.  I had a pile of lovely hand dyed silk ribbons near by so I added them to the photo and thought they would compliment it nicely.    I found this tea towel on Etsy to add to my collection.  It has a very fine, maybe organza, fabric used for the inlay and an oriental design embroidered on it.  It's so unique and beautiful.  Happy to have it in my collection.   

  I'm having my annual spring sale through May 14 with 20% off all gifts and sewn items,   Needlebooks and beaded scissor fobs,   All watercolor paintings and ACEO drawings,   and all cross stitch and hand embroidery paper patterns/kits!!!   Please stop by and have a look, you don't want to miss it !  :)

  Nola Butterflies cross stitch pillow from the June 2014 Just Cross Stitch Issue    The finishing instructions for the pillow are below.  You should be able to click on the instructions, copy and paste to your desk top, enlarge and print.       Any questions please email :)  Wishing you a good day.

  I've been in a bit of an inspirational slump lately, but I finally got inspired to make some new needlebooks this week.  A little topiary tree with French knots in silk ribbons and cotton flosses.  For the other needlebook I have a collection of the 2 1/2" charm squares and found a plain one to embroider and then finished the needlebook with some of the other squares trimming them down a bit.  May do more of these, I liked how this one turned out.     Browsing on Etsy lately and felt like doing a little shopping.  I've been looking for some small change purse size zip pouches for summertime and to carry in my camera bag for travel.  I bought the blue one from Sea Pinks on Etsy to carry change in or possibly keep my lens cap in.  I really liked the bottom one too because of the ring to attach to my camera bag.  It's a good size for money, drivers license and such.  Cute fabrics too.     ...

  My Craftsy fair isle vest is progressing nicely.  I'm enjoying the pattern (since it has easy repeats :)  I've watched most of the class with Mary Jane Mucklestone and will continue it when I reach the point of adding steeks for armholes and V-neck.  I'm not too far away!        I like the earth tones in the sweater and these colors are really out of my normal pastel color range I usually choose.   I did put some purple in there, I love purple. 

  I completed a little embroidery project this week.  We took a few days off with the kids over spring break and it's taken me a few more days to get back into routine :)  I like the filet crochet border on these tea towels.  Nice spring towel.    Today I was inspired to dump out my box of fabric scraps and make something bright and sunny for the dining room table.  I love my fabric scraps.      I've been enjoying spring green lately so found as many spring greens as I could along with some pink, blue and yellow.  I have a subtle pattern of pink squares in a zig zag type pattern.  Don't know if it stands out to anyone else or not.  Kind of tinkering with patchwork design.       I just started sewing the pieces together with no plan and no size in mind.  I ended up with a placemat size piece that will look nice in the center of my table so I'm happy.  I don't have eno...