I haven't posted any cross stitch for a while as I've been doing more knitting at night ...and reading blogs and articles on the internet... so much to read... but I did get something finished last week...
This is Basket of Cherries... the first release from the Blackbird Designs Garden Club Series. It is the second chart of the series that I've stitched. I again had troubles with my overdyed flosses not looking like the picture and not having enough contrast. I just need to realize that this is going to be a problem almost all the time... but I'm not gonna like it. I substituted some DMC in the cherries so they wouldn't all be identical blobs... and the birds in the chart look blue...mine are definitely gray. I though about picking out some other overdyed flosses for the birds, but I was too lazy to get out of my chair and do it...so they are gray.
I have a personal goal of finishing all 12 of the BBD Garden Club series pieces this year... we shall see...we shall see... and no sooner did I have that thought in mind thank I picked up another project... Christmas Bird by With Thy Needle and Thread....
(and if this pic isn't showing you can see it here....)
I don't think it looks all that Christmas-y and I love the big white urn.... here is my start on the piece which looks wildly different in color from the chart....
I'm using all the called for flosses and linen... a 35 ct Chestnut linen from Weeks Dyeworks. It is pretty IRL and once I get the outline of that big urn in it will be mindless stitching... I like that.... and I noticed a theme... birds... I like birds... chickens are birds, right?? But I don't decorate with chickens except for my kitchen. And I ordered a previously OOP Prairie Schooler chart the other day, which was.... wait for it ... more birds... Prairie Birds...
(and if this doesn't show you can look at it here... Bloggers giving me weird error messages today.)
I was a bit surprised at the price of this reprint, $12 before the discount 123 Stitch gives... and I was surprised that it was printed on very flimsy paper/cardstock... it isn't really cardstock, its definitely more like heavy paper. But it is better than paying an outrageous price on ebay so I'll be happy. I want to do some of these pieces as little pillows for a display bowl. They are stitched in DMC so I shouldn't have any color issues... that will make me happy too!
The weeks are crazy busy now with stuff for me and my son...and tonight I'm having a big family dinner ...8 people ... which is a tight squeeze in my little house. We're having an all Italian menu... homemade lasagna... chicken alfredo ziti... garlic toast ... and cold boiled shrimp... not too sure how Italian that last menu item is but I know it will be a hit with my family.
So I'll link up with Kathy's Quilt Slow Sunday Stitching and Super Mom - No Cape on Monday. Always lots of pretty things to see on those blogs.
Gotta run...
happy stitching-
carol fun
The BBD,are you stitching the 12 as one piece or into smaller projects. I have yet to start mine. I think I need to order more thread! Must check as haven`t sorted linen to kit up. Happy Stitching.
ReplyDeleteYour cross stitching is just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSince the blue jays that visit my yard are always a combination of blue and gray, your birds look just fine to me. This is a very pretty chart.
ReplyDeleteWell Carol, you really are for the birds and I do mean that in the nicest of ways. Your cherry project is lovely. I know just what you mean about the over-dyed threads. Often it is quite frustrating! Hope your dinner went well, it sounded yummy!!!
ReplyDeleteI like your birds--I thought houses were your thing! It's been so long since I started a new cross stitching project I wouldn't know where
ReplyDeleteto start, lol. I do like LizzieKate designs. Hmm, I think I have a little chart for May somewhere-- I bought it when I was in Cinci years ago!
I LOVE Prairie Schooler and have done a few of their month designs (currently working on December). Had the same experience with the flimsy reprint and was very surprised. But you're right, the price difference makes it OK (is 123 doing this or Prairie Schooler?).
ReplyDeleteBirds! You know I love to stitch them and watch them too. I HATE it when the colors in the chart photo are so OFF from what they are in 'real life'. My pet peeve. That's why I end up buying lots of designs when I visit a LNS that was framed 'examples' then you can truly see what you are going to stitch. I've also bout a couple of PS reprints - as you said extremely low quality paper but much better than paying $25-$30 for a chart!
ReplyDeleteOh your goal is kinda like mine. I want to stitch all 12 BBD AotH this year! I do want to stitch two or three of the Garden pieces. I am pulling DMC as I go to match the pattern pictures. So frustrating!
ReplyDeleteBirds are definitely NOT my thing, but yours are working up very nice. as for the reprints, Hoffman Distributing Company bought the rights to the PS designs and are the ones reprinting on the cheap paper. My guess is they just can reprint smaller numbers that way and keep their overhead down.I think it's a crime to charge $12 for what amounts to Xerox paper though I know if someone wants it bad enough they'll be happier with that than buying on Ebay.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty finish! I think the cherries and grey birds look great! I also picked up Christmas Bird on the called for WDW Chestnut linen. Why is the linen so floppy!? I've put it aside because floppy linen drives me nuts. I hope you had a lovely family dinner...sounds delicious to me!
ReplyDeleteLove the finish and yes, I've had that issue with hand-dyed threads as well, but as long as you like it!
ReplyDeletea very pretty finish. I switch out the thread colors from time to time
ReplyDeleteLovely! I remember doing cross stitch when I was younger....I think the only piece of ever finished was a little puppy dog!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet little finish! And yep... you definitely have a bird theme going on. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for linking up to last week's Stitchery Link Party and for the link back. Aloha hugs!