~~Offerings........Thanks, all pouches are now sold---

Greetings all!!  This is my favorite time of the day....Dusk..... The time of day you  reflect on your day... Mine was filled with enjoying a little of the warm Carolina sun...playing a little the pups...And, getting my mind set on my week ahead..... Basically low key and very restful...

I was able to take a couple snaps of project pouches that I sewed up yesterday...

These are fully lined project pouches I will offer up to anyone interested....

Please email me if you are interested..

lriggsbee@nc.rr.com

**** Edited as all pouches have been sold.... Thanks to everyone who purchased them! I will be having another offering soon.....****

small pouches..... approximately 5 x 7 inches

specify A, B, C or D going left to right...all are sold!!!~~~~

14.oo plus shipping

And, a few larger project pouches....

large project pouches...approximately 11 x 13 inches

specify left, middle, right....all are sold~

21.oo plus shipping

A few have small stitcheries.... An older Goode Huswife design...

And a few have a wool penny attached......

All have cute zipper bling.....

Have a super fantabulous week everyone!

Peace,

Faye

April Cottge.....

Well.....I just noticed I had not posted my Country Cottage Needleworks "April" cottage....I got so excited and posted it on the CCN Cottages blog, but not on my personal blog... So, here you go....

Of course, I had to put a little different spin on things and tone that purple down a tad...

Here are the color conversion I used...not that the original colors weren't lovely, just a little bright for my taste....so, here is my toned down version....

DMC       Conversion

420         Crescent Colors-Brown Sugar

422         GAST-Caramel Corn

553        CC- Purple As

604        Weeks-Chablis

722       GAST- Melon Patch

744       GAST-Buttercrunch

3021     DMC 3021 (no thread change)

3840      GAST- Dunagarees

C/C Amethyst        GAST- Moonlit Path

GAST Chives        GAST- Dried Thyme

Weeks Artichoke   Weeks- Gucamole

 These are just choices I made since I had them on hand and the color palette was softer.... I also altered the roof and made it a little "thatch" roof by incorporating small satin stitches...I am choosing to frame my months in a small frame where I can pop out each month....



Hope everyone is enjoying this series of designs as much as I am!!!

As for this week and most of today....I have been....well, you get the idea~~~

Sewing in the craftroom......!

If you have project pouches on order or a finishing order in to me, it will be shipping out Monday...

I even sewed up a couple extra project pouches today...more photos and details to follow...I will be offering them to you soon....hints I can offer up; wool, wool penny, homespuns and a couple summery ticking fabs....

Hope everyone has a fantastic rest of their weekend!

Smiles.....

Faye

Back in the saddle again.....

Whew~~!!  It was a lllooonnnnnggg week at work getting back into the swing of things after 3 weeks of spring intercession..... I could SO get used to being retired!  But, after many hugs and loves from my 18 first grade darlings, I knew we'd all get back in the groove of things....and, we did.....

I wanted to show you the little quilt stand I use sometimes to hang finishes that I didn't want to have framed..... It all sits on the far corner of the desk in my craft room.... So, here's a peak....

The wrought iron stand which I purchased from Auntie Ju's Quilt Shoppe, (on the right) allows me to convert some of my stitched items into little "hangings", if you will..... (pssstt... do you also see my lovely collection of little boxes from

Samplers and Santas...?..go take a look....) Anyway, I must admit, this little collection does in fact have a dual purpose..... Not only does it keep my creativity clicking.... It also does this....

It hides the good old Kurieg machine....Java also keeps on track with creativity....so, when I need a cup a joe, I slide the quilt stand over and, there ya go....

Some of you may remember me finishing the Pineberry Lane piece into a hanging that I planned on using here as well....That's what is so nice, you can swap out your stitched pieces for the look you are going for.....

Cool  hunh???

I also would like to share with you a wonderful kit which was sent to me by

* yiotas-xstitch

while I was away...I was asked to critique the kit and make recommendations and comments....  I selected this one....

Sunflower by William Morris

Yiota's x-stitch

The mailing envelope was still well packaged upon arrival...I was very impressed with this considering the distance it had to travel from the UK....

Enclosed I found...

A clear and ledgible cross stitch chart, which is large in print..I like that!  Pre-wound Maderia thread cards which were clearly labeled. Black 14ct Aida and a needle. My only suggestion to them was to offer their kits in both Aida and linen as buyers may be swayed away from purchasing if not given that option.... Nevertheless,  I was extremely pleased to have been part of this survey and surely look forward to stitching this gorgeous sunflower one day....Thanks again Yiota's for allowing me to participate!!

Here is how you can learn more...

Well, I have no completed stitching to show you as my extra time last week was devoted to finishing orders and project pouch orders.... I am playing catchup from the little break I took... And, I've made a

lot of headway!!

So, here's hoping everyone has a fantastic week.....

Much love from me to you !!!!

Betsy's done.....

I had so much stinkin' fun sewing last night and this morning!!  I couldn't wait to show Ms.Betsy all finished up in a table runner.....

Betsy by Sheepish Designs can be found at Em-Li's...

Mind you, I knew I wanted to use that red striped ticking looking fabric by Waverly that I had found in a mark-down bin...Its a little heavier than quilting fabric...Not a canvas, but somewhere between the two....And, yes, I have lots left over to make up some project pouches~~...Anywho, I thought the colors came together nicely....

Being the bargin hunter that I am, I also located this simple patterned fat-eighth piece of blue in the fifty cent bin...Didn't want to use anything too awfully busy....Can't be distracting from the main attraction...Ms Betsy!!

The creme wool has a waffle textured pattern to it...simple, but better than just plain...

The backing is the same pretty reddish stripe...I like it because its not an eye-ball popping red...Faded somewhat and just perfect for the colors in the cross stitch........

Like us, Betsy sewed and stitched.....not knowing the history she was making.... Will any of your creations be collectibles one day?? Bet they will be~~~

I am heading back home soon and have been so blessed to have been here at Cherry Grove Beach SC for my intercession from school....While our condo offers a welcome respite, there's no place like my house in NC and my craftroom that awaits me.... Soon, back to the work routine, the after-school tutoring and my wonderful customers who have been patiently waiting on their finishes and project pouches.... Its just my passion to create.....

I will leave you with a few parting shots of  the corner of my craftroom that I call the Patriotic corner... Left up all year, it offers me inspiration and I just know MsBetsy will find her place comfortably there.....

Have a great weekend everyone....!

Faye

Patriotic Betsy.........

I know, I know,.... a post 2 days in a row from me...?..... What in the world??  I nearly pulled an all nighter (anything after midnight is crazy late for me!)....But I just had to show you my Patriotic stitch.... Once I get on to Patriotic colors I somehow stick with them for a while...........! So, get ready.

Betsy

Sheepish Designs

40 count Vintage Pearled Barley

npi silks as called for

This is a design I have kitted up for a little while now and happened to have with me. I have to thank my good friend Nicole for sending me a couple snippets out of her npi stash... She is the "Queen of npi" and mailed me a few colors I only needed a smidge of....thanks again Nicole~~

Only if you are familiar with this design will you notice I omitted the date and opted to customize this piece with a piece or two of wool...Had to put my spin on things....

And, I satin stitched in the peacock's feathers....

texture, I seemed to want to offer more texture to this design......

Not only is there a nice peacock, but this flower has many sweet birds flying near it....

And, I have to tell you....

since this design is a mere 4" by 12 1/4", I plan on doing another "non-traditional" finish....

Before I give you that hint, I really must reply to a couple questions from my last post ...

I found the LHN~A Stitcher's Heart kit at Country Sampler (here)...They are the best ladies to deal with and I find the  most unique items there....

 As for the question about rouching the rick-rack....I think the directions in the kit are wonderful and I followed them to the letter...Running a long thread through the rick-rack and slowly gathering it up...Then, once I evened up things, I used thread that matched the rick-rack (C/C BeanSprout) and did a blind hem stitch around the perimeter of the heart tacking the rick rack to the heart.... Email me if this isn't clear as I will be glad to offer more exlplanation....

Lastly, the idea to make a fold in the back of the heart with my backing fabric is used by many sewers and I just remembered reading about that technique on someones tutorial....I wish I could take full credit for thinking it up totally on my own....Try it though, you will be pleased with the outcome!

So, as I sign off to finalize my finish of my stitched Betsy piece, I leave you with these photos just to give you a glimpse of what might be running through my head !!....

Oh! Many a congrats to Linda P (stitchhag on 123 MB),

as she became a  grandmother again  yesterday!

Congrats to the entire family and welcome little sweet Miss Roxie~~~

Many smiles and blessing to all of you!!!

Faye



~~A Stitchers Heart~~

~~Hello all~~

I have been busy stitching and finishing the 2012 Little House Needleworks ~A Stitchers Heart~~

It was a fun stitch as it came with all the necessary overdye threads and rick-rack...

Here is the finished product....

A Stitchers Heart

Little House Needleworks

Crescent Colors overdyed threads and 1/2" rick-rack

I first had to rescue the poor rick-rack that was in my kit....Somehow it was all balled up in packaging and needed a good ironing....So, iron your supplies before you start...

I have to admit when I re-read the directions and it told me to make a slit in the backing fabric to turn the heart inside out, I thought there must be a better way!! So....I came up with this.....I sewed a flap in the back by overlapping the fabrics...

After you put a small amount of stuffing or padding in, you just hem stitch this flap shut...

Doing it this way allows you to sew completely around the heart with no distortion...

Then rouch and attach the rick rack....

Back side of finished heart....

This was a super fun stitch for me and was so thankful I had brought

 this partiular homespun with me ... It turned out to be a perfect match to the BeanSprout rick-rack!

With Easter behind me, I am now working on a Patriotic design by Sheepish Designs....I hope to finish stitching and fabricate it into something useful for the Patriotic corner of my craft room....You know me....It will be a little bit of a twist from the designers framed model.. We'll see how things go tomorrow...2 more days until I am heading back home....

Here's hoping you are also having a fantastic week!!

Always,

Faye

Prim Sisters Sampler Pocket finish... and a swap received!

Good  Saturday morning to everyone and Happy Easter!!

I am happy to report that my 2012 Prim Sisters Club piece from Country Sampler is completely stitched and finished up. All I need is the twine from back home that I will sew on the corners to actually make it into a hanging pocket...

2012 Prim Sisters Club by Country Sampler
Hanging Pocket Sampler by Pineberry Lane
(edited**I  forgot to put hair on these poor ladies!!~)

And, here is the back side....

Isn't it really the cutest??? I love its simplicity...

I also want to show you another sewing finish from the last few days, but I took several photos as I finished the piece, so it may be a little photo heavy....Will save that one for next post.
*********
When dear hubbie arrived from home with the mail yesterday, I had the most generous package from Simone of the Netherlands in our Samplermakers Sring Thyme swap.... She truly loaded me up with goodies and "read me like a book"... Red designs, charms that are way to cute to ever use, Newcastle linen, designs and a collection of needles, thread winder and pins from Sajou...She spoiled me and I absolutely love it ...Thanks again Simone...You are an inspiration as I refer to your blog alot to follow your creative endeavours~~~

Swap goodies from Simone of

Atelier Soed Idee

********

I truly have been blessed in so many ways...My family, my work, my friends both in person and in the blog world, my health and happines, my passion for things handmade.... At this Easter time, pause and give thanks to what you have and pray that those less fortunate than you, that they will be lifted and rebuild to where they need to be.

Peace,

Faye

A finished finish...Something a little different.....

Well, I have a little something to show you from my worktable today.... I know it is spring, but I had this finish swirling in my head and thought I'd set it free~~filled with soothing autumnal colors....

Autumn on Marigold Lane

Pineberry Lane

36 ct coffee stained linen

specified overdyed thread

Now, don't get me wrong....I love the primitive black rustic frame the designer showcases this piece in, but I wanted to make good use of the little quilt stand  (look here...) I recently bought from Auntie Ju's while attending a quilt show.... I also wanted to try my hand at incorporating cross stitching and wool pennies with homespun fabric.. I thought those 3 would be a winning combination ~~~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My next venture will involve the first kit that the Country Sampler's Girl Club is offering.... It is part of the 2012 Prim Sisters....Three talented designers have joined up in creating 6 designs throughout 2012....When I saw that Pineberry Lane was opening the season up with a design, I jumped on in with both feet....Now, mind you, I pledged to myself to have self control in 2012 with purchases....But, I just HAD to treat myself when I saw that Notforgotten Farm's and Primitive Betty's were also designing for the Prim Sisters.....

Here is what kit #1 looks like.....It is just SO sweet.....!

After stitching, you sew together using the 2 very nice fabrics, that come in the kit, to make a pocket on the back....I know I am really going to enjoy this Prim Sisters treat.....

 

Well......Hope everyone is enjoying their week....Soon, it will be Easter....Yay!!

 

Many blessings....

 

Faye