Stitchy Saturdays

Each Saturday, I will feature either something I’m currently stitching, something I’ve just finished stitching, or something I’ve just designed. I hope you’ll all join me in displaying some of your own work and leaving a link to your post in the comments below.

Out now:
Design: Who Am I Kidding?
Size: 93w x 67h
A cute little subversive sampler proclaiming “I will not be naughty!” We all know that just can’t be done, right? Stitch all in a single colour, or choose half a dozen soft shades to tone with your decor.

Out 30th January
Design: Night Circus Diagonal Bookmark
Size: 70w x 70w (this design is stitched diagonally on the fabric)
This was inspired by the novel The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, and designed as a gift for my Mam to go with a hardback copy of the book. Charted for a single colour, but as you can see, you can stitch different areas in whatever colours you choose for a different effect.

For Valentine’s Day (coming in the next few weeks)
Design: Love Me Do
Size: 66w x 44h
Are you a fan of The Beatles? Or are you just a romantic? Stitch this simple little phrase for your loved one in whatever colour will best appeal.

Design: All You Need Is Love
Size: 68w x 58h
Second in the song titles trio, and another Beatles track.

Design: Love Me Tender
Size: 74w x 44h
If Elvis is more your style, then the third in my song titles trio is the one for you!

Design: Assisi Valentine Heart
Size: 39w x 34h
Did you forget it’s almost Valentine’s Day? Then this last-minute quick stitch will fit the bill for a card or gift you can make the night before and still make your loved one feel special.

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if you would like a birth or wedding sampler (or for any special occasion, really) designed to stitch yourself, drop me a line with details and preferences:

kincavel_krosses@yahoo.co.uk

prices are very reasonable and will not break the bank!

All designs delivered via email in PDF format, so no delivery charges and you don’t have to wait an age to get them.

All payments by Paypal.

For examples of previous commissions, click here.

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Stitchy Saturdays – Valentine…

Each Saturday, I will feature either something I’m currently stitching, something I’ve just finished stitching, or something I’ve just designed. I hope you’ll all join me in displaying some of your own work and leaving a link to your post in the comments below.

It may still be January, and we may only just have left Xmas and New Year behind us, but already it’s time to start preparing for the next bit Hallmark Holiday – Valentine’s Day. Yes, the day of hearts, chocolates and flowers is now less than a month away, so here are a few charts I’ve designed for stitching, whether for loved ones or yourself…

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (91w x 61h)
This little sampler, with its one absent Assisi heart, shouldn’t take long to stitch (I’m stitching it as part of my Crazy January Challenge), as it’s all in one colour.  Perfect for a loved one who is far away.

Love Motif (48w x 32h)
If you’re looking for a little something to stitch for a card, then this is the perfect size. If you find it’s the night before Valentine’s Day and you’ve forgotten all about it till now, this won’t take long to stitch and will still let your loved one know you cared enough to put some of your own work into their card. 😉

Love Band Sampler (49w x 83h)
If you have a little more time to spare, you might like to stitch this band sampler. The simple message of love is right in the centre.

It only uses two colours – I’ve designed it in pink and lilac, but you could use any colours you liked. Two shades of blue would look lovely, or try contrasting lilac and aqua, or bright pink and orange for a completely different feel.

Heart Biscornu (41w x 41h)
Although this chart was designed for a biscornu, it could just as easily be used on a card. It’s a single-colour chart, but again, could easily be adapted to use  more than one to suit whatever colour scheme you fancied.

Or you coud try stitching it in a light colour on a dark fabric for a stunning effect.

Be Mine Valentine Band Sampler (63w x 157h)
Although slightly larger than the Love Band Sampler, you still have plenty of time to stitch this one before Valentine’s Day. It’s only one colour, but would look lovely stitched in a variegated thread. Theres a small Assisi element to it (in the larger hearts at the top and bottom of the sampler), and a slightly Quaker feel to the geometric shapes and lettering, and although traditional in style, can easily be given a modern twist by using bright shades. It could easily be adapted for more than one colour too.

 

Love Stinks Subversive Sampler (189w x 87h)
For those who prefer a more cynical or subversive approach, there’s the Love Stinks Subversive Sampler. This fun little sampler will look so pretty and then will get a giggle when people look again and realise what it says!

Valentine Band Sampler (62w x 88h)
Another band sampler (can you tell I like them?), this time with Rhodes Hearts and Algerian Eyelets. It’s designed for a single colour, but would work well with a variegated floss or with different colours throughout – the choice is yours!

I hope you’ll enjoy these designs. If you do stitch any of them, please do send in a photograph of your finished piece, as I’d love to see and pop them in the gallery at Kincavel Krosses!

Happy Hallmark Holiday!

It’s 14th February – St. Valentine’s Day – and people everywhere are hoping to get a card saying “I love you” from a significant other or secret admirer.

Up until the time I started seeing my husband, I used to get at least one card every year, sometimes two or three, but that all came to an abrupt halt when Dale and I got together. You see, Dale thinks Valentine’s Day is a “Hallmark Holiday” – an unneccessary one spawned by the greetings card industries to play on our insecurities and desire to be loved. Each year, I would eagerly await a lovely card, only to be told, “I don’t need a special day to tell you how much I love you.”

He’s right, of course. And Dale tells me and shows me every day that I am loved and special, so why do I still want a card on V-Day?

I still gave Dale a card every single year. Sometimes I bought them, other times I made them, but he got one each year without fail.

Last year I got my first ever Valentine’s Day card from Dale. He made it himself and left it on the mantlepiece for me to find. I was over the moon. I can only assume the catalyst for this change of heart was the birth of Xander the previous September.

This year I have TWO cards – one from my lovely hubby and the other from my gorgeous son (obviously, he had a little help from his Daddy in picking it out and writing it).

I feel like the most loved woman on the planet!

Valentine’s Day Card
Design: A Tudor Rose Valentine by Debbie Draper Designs
Materials: Pale blue 28-count evenweave from Polstitches; Trebla 50 floss (variegated blue); pewter charms from The Works; C5 (folded-size) size blue card (magazine freebie); red flock stick-ons (magazine freebie)

I stitched the design in a single strand over one on 28-count evenweave so that it would be small enough to fit on a card, so the stitches are very tiny, but I think it looks pretty good. I replaced a few of the smaller heart motifs with pewter charms to personalise the design a little, frayed the edges of the fabric and used double-sided tape to affix it to the card.