A Few Cross Stitch Project Bags

 I have been on a project bag making kick this past week. Here’s one made from Lori Holt’s colorful fabric. I have made quite a few vinyl front project bags using the instructions from  MyModa Fabric. If interested, go to the site and search for “vinyl pouch.” Those instructions talk about sewing a variety of 2.5 squares together, but I choose to use solid fat quarters. In case you are wondering, the heavy weight vinyl that I use is purchased from Joanne’s, and it is the one with the green print paper backing. 

Project bags are easy to make requiring only fabric, a zipper, and the vinyl. “Why do you have so many?”non-cross stitchers might ask; lovers of cross stitching and flosstube will just smile as they know you may never have too many project bags. Project bags are addictive to make, and besides, they are fun. 

I have only purchased one project bag, a bee themed one. That was when I first started watching an episode of Stitch Roadies on Youtube a few years ago, and I ordered one like Anna had. She is a world class enabler!!! :-)   I always watched her  Quilt Roadies on Youtube, and then in addition I started watching her Stitch Roadies flosstube as well. Back on March 26, 2020, I posted that while I enjoyed seeing her projects, I was 99.999999 percent sure that I would not take up cross stitching. Well, you all know how that has turned out. It has been a slippery slope ever since. ;-)

When I purchased the kit for Brenda Gervais’ Coming to America, I also purchased a panel from which I created this bag. It’s part of my Field of Dreams, “If I prep it, I will stitch it plan.” I now have the floss, fabric, and pattern in this new project bag. Hopefully, I will start it soon, so I might have it finished by November.

Binoculars were not invented until the early 1800s and not in popular use until the 1880s. Does this anachronistic detail bother me? Not in the slightest, this charm makes a cute zipper pull. :-)

The third bag has a farm theme as barns and farm animals are always super popular cross stitch charts.

Here is the back without vinyl so you may see the fabric better.

The final bag uses Mary Poppins fabric. Honestly, who doesn’t like Mary Poppins, and yes, I do have a Mary Poppins chart to stitch purchased from The Little Stitcher shop on Etsy. 

For some reason the front zipper side appears yellowish, but both background prints are white.

I made the macrame zipper pulls after watching Lori Holt’s daughter Cassidy show how to make them on Lori’s “Crochet Flowers and Zipper Pulls” flosstube episode on Youtube. I had the chunky yarn left over from an earlier Lori Holt project, the Let’s Bake quilt which I finished in 2018.

Will this be the end of my project bag making? Probably not . . . I have ideas for a few more, but I have too many other things to work on in March.

Have a great week. Feel free to skip what is under the break lines. Oh, one more thing . . . we had a record high temperature of 69 degrees on Wednesday and then those pesky raw apprentices in the weather clerk’s office brought us seven inches of snow on Friday. Life in New England :-) It’s melting today and spring is right around the corner.

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The whole world is watching in horror as Putin’s forces are invading Ukraine. How could this possibly be happening in the year 2022? Prayers for the valiant citizens of Ukraine fighting to maintain their independence and attempting to force out Russian troops. Putin’s actions have been universally condemned.

Covid numbers have finally begun to take a turn for the better, and mask mandates and covid restrictions have eased. The statistics, however, are staggering. 

Covid Deaths

World - 6 million. . .      United States - Closing in on one million. . . Massachusetts - 23,370

Health experts agree that the true death toll is far higher worldwide then has been reported.

Please be cautious and stay safe.

2 - 22 - 2022 and Jubilee Pincushion

 If “two” is your lucky number, then today is your day, 2 - 22 - 2022! February 22nd is also the birthdate (1732) of our first President; Happy Birthday, George. 

As I was watching a recent flosstube episode of Bumble Stitches, Nicola mentioned a cross stitch pattern in honor of Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee from Helen Philips Designs on Etsy.  I decided to stitch the chart using Etoile sparkly floss throughout. 

Why did I chose to stitch this? Well, Queen Elizabeth and I have so much in common. My middle name is Elizabeth. We both like dogs; she has always had corgis and I like mini schnauzers. Did you know that at the age of ninety-five, the Queen recently welcomed a new dog to Windsor Castle? It is a four year old cocker spaniel named Lissy. Finally, as you all know, both Queen Elizabeth and I live in castles. . . hers is real. :-)

My Aunt Ruth purchased this little trinket box marking the Queen’s Silver Jubilee on one of her trips to England. I thought it fitting to purchase this mug in 2012 at the time of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

I think perhaps I will leave this little display out until June when celebrations are held to honor Great Britain’s longest reigning sovereign.

The other day it was announced that the Queen who had been fully vaccinated tested positive and is experiencing mild cold symptoms. Let us hope she will makes a speedy recovery.

Stay calm and stitch on!

BIG Hearted Tiny Town FFO !!!

 This morning I fully finished “BIG Hearted Tiny Town,” a cross stitch pattern from Cecilia Turner of Heart in Hand Needleart. I was watching Pam of the flosstube channel “Stitching in the Land of Good Enough” on Youtube when she showed this chart that she had just gotten into her shop. (In November, she opened a brick and mortar shop, Stitch New England, in North Attleboro, MA, and an online shop.) As soon as her flosstube ended, out came my credit card. ;-) I have stitched on this piece each night since I received the chart. For non-cross stitchers, let me say that although it looks small, it took me nearly two weeks of steady evening stitching to complete it; I could barely get one small house done in an evening let alone the fencing. Having said that, I love, love, love how it turned out!!! It is a super popular pattern, and it seems like everyone on flosstube is stitching it, too. 

The plain, raw wood sign came from Hobby Lobby and cost $5.99. It came with both vertical and horizontal hanging teeth. This piece was stitched on 14 count aida, so the piece just fit. If I ever stitch another tiny town, I will use 16 count aida so the border would be slightly bigger. (Though the number 16 is higher, the size would be slightly smaller.)

Isn’t the two-colored pink background fabric perfect for this piece?  I shake my head sometimes when I think about how much fabric I have in my stash, but on the upside, I am always able to find something to use. (I recently passed on about fifteen yards of fabric that I knew that I would never use. Quilters are smiling because they realize that fifteen yards would probably be only a tiny drop in the bucket, but if I don’t purchase any new fabric, my stash will eventually, noticeably start diminishing, won’t it???   :-)

Below the mantle, you will see a fabric heart that I made a few years back from a free tutorial offered by Julie Cefalu of The Crafty Quilter. If interested, search for her “Quilted Heart” tutorial at her site and while there be sure to sign up to receive notices for her  blog as she offers interesting tips, tutorials, and quilting news. 

I made another heart this year to add to my bowl.

Well, it’s starting to get cool out here on my sunporch, so I will bring this to a close. Though it is in the twenties outside, with the bright sun shining in this afternoon, it has been about sixty-five degrees for the past few hours.  This sunporch addition is twenty years old, and I tell you, it is the best money I ever spent.

Have a wonderful week. Stay safe; don’t let your guard down. Spring is right around the corner.

P.S. Here’s proof, and I saw my first robin of the season last week.

Windy Winter Mini Wall Hanging

Hi Everyone! How are you doing this week? I’ve been meaning to write this blog entry since last week when I finished this cute little snowman. You may recall that one of my resolutions was not to buy anything new but instead stitch completely, strictly, totally from stash. Raise your hand if you think that I have managed to keep that resolution. H’mmm . . . I don’t see any hands raised. . . Well, actually, I have totally kept the fabric part of that resolution as not even a scrap of fabric or fat quarter has crossed over  my castle’s threshold. Patterns? Well, that’s another story. We’ll get to that in a future post.

I saw the pattern for “Windy Winter” in a recent Annie’s catalogue and was drawn in by the cute little hanger that came with the pattern. The windy swirl hanger was made by Ackfeld Manufacturing. Many quilt and needlework stores carry their designs, but you may order directly from their website. Check out the many wonderful fabric hangers and stands that they offer. I have at least four or five of their items, both stands and hangers. You will be amazed at the fun, clever designs they offer.

The photo may not indicate it, but I cut a second slightly smaller snowman out of batting to place under the fabric snowman to make him more puffy as a good snowman should be. I used a scrap of homespun fabric for the scarf and used a pin to carefully fringe the scarf’s ends. I also added some snowflake buttons. Tiny black beads were used on the face and body. All in all, he is a jolly soul who makes me smile.

Speaking of weather . . . it has been a bit crazy for us here in New England.  I had not been able to take walks with Emma as the sidewalks at the beginning of last week were treacherous. Things began warming up mid-week and by Friday the ice had melted with temperatures in the fifties, and Saturday’s sixty degree day offered the promise of spring. Emma and I had a lovely walk both days. What happened next? Yup, six inches of snow on Sunday into Monday morning. I must say that it was our very  favorite type of snow, light and fluffy and easy to shovel. Monday and Tuesday it was darn right frigid, but have no fear it will be in the sixties again tomorrow and Friday. Now, that would be great except the warm temps are going to be accompanied by very strong winds and steady rain. Mark Twain once wrote that it was obviously apprentices in the weather office who were in charge of New England weather.

 

I think Twain might have been right!

Stay safe, dry, warm, and creative. ;-)

Ice Is Not Nice and Winter Wonderland FFO

 

Last Saturday, we received two feet of snow during the blizzard; today it’s ice. It started with rain late yesterday which turned to sleet this morning and by this afternoon, ICE. (Personally, I prefer two feet of snow to three inches of frozen solid slush.) On the newscast, they reported that there have been over two hundred accidents on the roads today. I'm staying put! 

This FFO is “Winter Wonderland” by Priscilla Blain of Stitching with the Housewives. Her whimsical patterns are available on Etsy or at your local needlework shop if you are lucky enough to have one.

I did not stitch the large snowman, the two smallest snowmen, or the sled at the bottom; I just added more snowflakes. :-)

My original plan was to hang small sleds from the hooks, but since this display hangs by the backdoor, Emma’s jackets now hang there instead. 

Well, I’m heading out to see if I can remove some of the mess before tonight’s deep freeze.

Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay creative. Spring is right around the corner. :-)