Christmas ornament received from my good friend Rinda

(Photo of Christmas ornament made by Rinda)

Project: Christmas ornament

(2010)

Designer: Margaret Bendig

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 2

Comments: My good friend Rinda made this lovely Christmas ornament for me using different red and gold threads and she then finished it with lots and lots of gold and red beads.

I really need to also start finishing some of mine with beads as they really make a beautiful finishing. Seeing one upclose like this one will certainly motivate me in doing so in the future. I just got so used to making a decorative cord for them that I just don't stop and think about beads for some of my finishings. I think that this is about to change.

I rarely post photos on my blog of the back of an ornament, but I thought of making an exception here as I really love the fabric that Rinda used for hers. I think it is just perfect.

I also received some yummy biscottis with my Christmas ornament that Rinda made herself as she loves to cook. I know these biscottis will be wonderful as she also sent me some last year and I can tell you that they did not last too long as both my husband and I found them absolutely delicious. I only had eaten some store bought ones before which did not hold a candle to the ones Rinda made. I am now a biscotti convert (smiling)

(Photo showing the fabric on the back of Rinda's ornament)

Christmas 2010 Slideshow: Christmas projects

Christmas time has always been very special for me ever since I can remember. When I became a stitcher, instead of just buying Christmas decorations, I could then actually make some myself and I have had a ball doing just that ever since.

Since many of those Christmas projects have ended up in new homes, I thought it would be nice for me, and hopefully for all of you too, to take a few moments and have another quick look at them.

I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I will.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish everyone who visit my blog some VERY HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

Pierrette =^..^=

A Christmas poem for all of us, exhausted stitchers

"The Morning After" Anne Stradal, designer

POEM

 

'Twas the night before Christmas, and, oh, I was weary.

My stitching unfinished, my eyes getting bleary.

The stockings weren't finished, the chimney was bare.

And I knew that morning soon would be there.

My children and husband were tucked in their beds,

But visions of backstitches ran through my head.

I'd stitched ornaments and presents and gifts by the ton,

And now, I was finally, almost, almost done.

As I poised my needle for one more backstitch,

I heard something outside that made my hand twitch.

I jumped up from my stitching, and flew to the door,

Pressed my eye to the peephole, tip-toed off the floor.

My stitching forgotten, I peered into the night.

When suddenly, I got a terrible fright.

On my porch appeared Santa, holding his sack.

He knocked softly, and I took a giant step back.

I unlocked the deadbolt, and let Santa in,

He entered and gave a mischievous grin.

"Hope you don't mind if I come in the door?"

"Coming down the chimney can be quite a chore."

He said, "You're up late. Still working I see."

"Do you know how tired you're going to be?"

"I know, Santa," I said, with a sigh,

"But I'm still backstitching the stars in the sky,"

"And the fields on that stocking look blobby you know,

I need to backstitch the drifts in the snow.

I've been stitching and stitching and stitching, no rest.

I just tried to finish stitching too much, I guess."

"I know what you mean," he said with a smile.

"This is my busiest time of the year, by a mile."

He stooped down by the tree, and he opened his sack,

And began to pull presents out of his pack.

"I've got some things here I think you might like,

An oak stitching frame, and a brand new Ott-Light.

A bundle of floss, and a great big mat cutter,"

I smiled and felt my heart go a-flutter.

He put down gifts for us all, then he waved his right hand.

"Go to bed," he said, glancing at my floor stand.

He gave me a wink, and stepped out the door.

I just stood there a moment, glued to the floor.

After he'd left, I turned back to my chair,

Picked up the stockings, and started to stare.

The backstitching was done! The stars lit the sky!

And on my son's stocking angels sung on high.

I ran to thank Santa for this final gift,

And watched as his sleigh started to lift.

I heard him exclaim as he pulled out of sight,

"Merry stitching to all, and to all a good night!"

Author Unknown

Christmas ornaments received from my best friend Terry for my Christmas tree

(Santa's boots)

Projects: Santa Boots, Tartan Pinecones and Stardust

Designer: Pinflair kits

Type of needlework: Craft and Ribbonwork

Photos: 3

Pinflair website: http://pinflair.co.uk/

Comments: Terry and I exchange gifts mainly for two very special occasions during the year, Christmas and our birthdays. We have now been doing that for years. Gifts vary considerably from year to year depending on our circunstances, but no matter what we end up giving each other, it is always wonderful and very appreciated by both of us. We seem to have the same tastes ao we can be pretty sure that if I like something, chances are great that Terry will also like it. This makes things much easier for both of us to give each other presents that will be treasured for the rest of our lives.

This year, she was not really into stitching much so she purchased these lovely kits and made me five lovely ornaments for Christmas. I am absolutely thrilled with them and after I finish writing this post I will rush down and hang them on my Christmas tree.

I have been thinking about taking lots of close-up photographs of all my Christmas ornaments that are decorating my tree this year and making a little slide-show with them. My interests are very diverse, so having a Christmas theme just does not work for me, so it is a bit of this and a bit of that and I just love it.

(Tartan pinecones)

I love pinecones and I think it is such a wonderful ideas to make them with ribbons.

It will look great in my Christmas tree.

(Stardust)

I was looking at Pinflair website which is a British site and they have such an abondance of kits

that it must have been hard for  my friend to choose the ones she has selected this year.

A funny thing just happened, while I am writing this, my husband just came into my stitching room and he was asking me if they have lots of other kits there and I showed him all that they have on their website and he showed me all those that he liked (big grin). Gosh, someone could start a tradition with them as there are so many to choose from.

................. and to think that I now have Santa's boots (smiling)

Ladies - A Christmas ornament: Helen Gibb, designer

Project: Ladies - a Christmas ornament

Designer: Helen Gibb

Type of needlework: Ribbon work

Photo: 1

Helen's website: http://www.helengibb.com/

Comments: I thought it would be fun to make a different kind of Christmas ornament that I normally do, that does not actually involve much stitching at all, mostly at this time of the year if you are running behind as I am.

This little ornament came as a kit, so no hunting for supplies. I can also see lots of possibilities for  me to create others similar and at the same time different to this one. I will need of course some fabric print, which is something that I have since I have done some crazy quilting in the past and thinking of going back to it as I love to do a bit of this and a bit of that. It makes life more interesting, I find (smiling)

Burke, Ruth Dilts, designer

Project: Burke

Designer: Ruth Dilts

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 2

Ruth's website: http://www.ruthdiltsdesign.com/

Comments: This is the first Ruth Dilts Christmas ball I have done and finished this one as a rounded ball as you can see on the photograph below.

I am now working on a second one also designed by Ruth, which is called "Windsor" and it is a gorgeous bargello design this time around.

I have not yet decided how I will finish my second one. I think it would be lovely to have it framed. It has a 7 inch circonference, so a very nice size for it.

For the finishing of "Burke" I have used some dark red velour that I had in my stash for the back of the ornament and then purchased some braid to cover the middle joint all around the ball.

(Photo showing a little bit of the back and side)

Have a Purrfect Christmas

Project: Have a Purrfect Christmas

Designer: Unknown to me

Type of needlework: Cross Stitch

Photo: 1

Comments: Here is a cute little cat ornament that has the words "Have a Purrfect Christmas" stitched on his tummy. The design is called "Purrfect" Christmas. He measures approx. 7 inches tall with his tail curled up. There is a small jingle bell hanging just below the bow.

Purchased from Janet Lange on eBay and stitched by herself. She said that she stitched it from a magazine pattern but can't recollect which one.

Christmas Crazy Quilting Block

Project: Christmas Crazy Quilting Block

WORK IN PROGRESS

Designer: Something that I am creating

Type of needlework: Crazy Quilting

Photos: 10

A great resource for Crazy Quilters: http://www.pintangle.com/

Comments: This is an unfinished project which I really want to complete. I have chosen a Christmas theme for this Crazy Quilting block as I thought it might inspire me to do something special as I love that time of the year.

First thing I had to do was to find some pieces of fabric that were Christmassy and went well together and then decide on how I was going to put the different pieces of fabric together. The first photo below shows the naked CQ block.

(Photo of naked block)

Then, I picked some lace and trims that I particularly liked and added them to my naked block. This second photo below shows the three I have selected for this purpose.

(Photo showing the first 3 additions)

I then proceeded in stitching two seam treatments which you can see on the third photo below. I have added a close-up photograph of those two seam treatments.

(Photo showing two embroidered seam treatments)

(Close-ups)

When I started this Christmas CQ block I had in my possession a lovely policeman that I wanted to use for this project. I have also embroidered the word "Noel" and added another seam treatment. A few close-up photos have been included below.

(Embroidered the word "Noel" and also added the policeman)

(Close-up for Noel)

(Policeman close-up)

Continuing with my Christmas theme I decided to embroider a reindeer which you can see on the photo below. I did not have room to do an entire one so just went with a reindeer head. There is also a close-up photo below for the reindeer.

(Embroidered a reindeer)

(Reindeer close-up)

This last photograph shows the work that has been done so far on this project. I now need to have a good thinking session to see what else I can add to this Christmas block that would look great.

I will add successive photos on this blog entry.

(Photo showing all the work done so far on this Christmas block)

Gold and Burgundy Ornament: Gay Ann Rogers, designer

Project: Gold and White Ornament

(In my case it is Gold and Burgundy Ornament)

Designer: Gay Ann Rogers

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 2

Gay Ann's website: http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Home_Page.html/

Gay Ann's blog: http://gayannrogers.blogspot.com/

Gay Ann's Classroom at SNS: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SNS_GAR_Classroom/

Shining Needle Society: http://www.shiningneedlesociety.com/

Comments: Gay Ann created this little ornament to celebrate her new website a while back.

This is different from what I have done as it is stitched on "perforated paper". I had heard about stitchers using this medium before but had never tried it myself, so decided that it was the perfect occasion to do so.

It has its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage was that I could just hold it in my hand while stitching it, something that almost never happens when I am stitching something, so that was nice. The finishing was very easy to do and quick.

What I did not really like was the fact that it was done on perforated paper. Maybe I am a stitching snob, but I prefer using the "real" thing. I am also not overly crazy using Aida but I have used it at times quite successfully, so it all depends on what I want to do.

In ending, I am glad that I have tried it but I don't think that I will use perforated paper in the future, but hey we never know and will keep an open mind about it.

(Photo showing the stitched ornament before adding the back to the front)

If I remember correctly I had to under the last long gold stitches as those were the ones that held the front and back together, but that was no big deal and did not take long to undo and redo once the back was under the front.

For the loop, I have use some pretty gold "kind of elastic", you know the ones they sometimes put to hold a box of chocolate closed. It seems ideal as it keeps its shape and looks like a ring.

Christmas Tree ornament

Project: Christmas Tree ornament

Designer: My friend Terry made this

Type of needlework: Mixed media

Photos: 2

Comments: This ornament is just so typical of my friend Terry. She often says that she fly by the seat of her pants. She gets an idea in her head and then proceed to work on it and hope for the best. Just writing this makes me smile.

So, one day, years ago, before one of our Christmas gift exchange, she realized that time was running out and that she needed to make something more and quickly too and she came up with this little ornament.

Every Christmas it finds itself among my tree decorations and each time I think of her.

(Photo showing the back)

Patchwork Christmas ornament

Project: Patchwork Christmas ornament

Designer: Gift received from Mireille (Belgium)

Type of needlework: Patchwork

Photo: 1

Comments: What a lovely surprise when I received this Christmas gift from my friend Mireille all the way from Belgium. I love her choice of colors and how she decorated it. It goes on my Christmas tree yearly with all my lovely hand made decorations.

Crazy Quilting Christmas Bell Ornament

Project: Crazy Quilting Christmas Bell Ornament

Designer: Something I put together myself

Type of needlework: Crazy Quilting

Photos: 2

Interesting online magazine about crazy quilting: http://cqmagonline.com/

Leslie Levison's "Crazy Quilt Patchwork Block" Online Class here.

Vintage Vogue where there are lots of links on the left side of the page

Lots of crazy quilting images here.

Article: America's Quilting History,  Crazy Quilt History: A Victorian Craze

Annie's Studio: http://www.loopylace.com/crazyquiltstudio/

Wonderful place to learn Crazy Quilting with Sharon Boggon: http://inaminuteago.com/cq-samplerquilt/quiltindex.html

Needlework tips and techniques for crazy quilting here

Such a fun site here for crazy quilters: http://www.miopupazzo.com/

Good source of information here with lots to see and learn

Comments: First of all, I have added lost of links above for those of you who may want to try doing a bit of crazy quilting.

This little crazy quilting Christmas bell ornament is something that I have just put together. It is easy to either draw or find a bell drawing on the web or  in coloring books and then make a few fabric divisions and just stitch and ornate as you please. This is just a little project that I made when I first started with crazy quilting.

(Close-up photo of my little crazy quilting bell)

Angelina Fibers: Golden Heart Ornament

Project: Angelina Fibers Golden Heart ornament

Designer: My friend Terry

Type of needlework: Mixed media

Photo: 1

Angelina Fibers Tutorial here on the Joggles website 

Article here about Angelina Fibers called

Angelina—Reflected & Refracted Light by Sonja Lee-Austin

 

Interesting project ideas on this blog: http://fembellish.wordpress.com/category/fibers/angelina/

 

Comments: Terry surprised me one year with a little Christmas ornament that she made for me with Angelina fibers. I have never used it myself so far, but I am highly interested in finding out exactly what can be done with this.

I do happen to have a needlepoint project that I will soon start working on that uses Angelina Fibers, so it won't be very long before I actually get some experience with those fibers.

I have included above a few links to get us all started reading about it if we so desire. There are also books on the market about that topic.

Winter Frost: M. Lashley-Liston, designer

Project: Winter Frost

(1996)

Designer: M. Lashley-Liston

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 3

This design can be seen here on the ANG website

Comments: When I saw this project, I immediately wanted to stitch it as I just loved the elegance of its design and the stitches used.

If you are wondering what kind of blue shade the canvas for this project is,  it is Leviathan blue. This project also only needed a few different threads and beads.

I started by stitching the first two steps shown on photos below and then the following three steps, I more or less followed the directions given when decorating my tree but not entirely, so there are some differences between mine and the one stitched by the designer, which an observant eye can see by following the ANG link above and looking at the original.

In order to couch the different ribbons and attach the beads I had to use "invisible thread" and I must confess that on a big project, I just hated it. The number of times that I got in trouble were just too many to count. My patience ran pretty thin at times with that thread, but of course the thread had to be invisible for obvious reasons, so I took some deep breaths and kept going. I am happy that I did as I absolutely love the end result.

(This photo shows the first step)

(In this second step, the photo is now showing the eyelets)

UPDATE ON JUNE 30/2010:

Winter Frost framed. I can't believe the amount of time and number of photos taken in order to produce the photo below. This must have been the weirdest way of photographing a framed piece. I ended up putting it at a certain angle on my desk in a basket no more. Anyway, this is NOT my best accomplishment so far, but it must be my GREATEST effort at trying to produce a decent photo for you all. Hope that you will give me some browny points for "efforts" at least, if not for quality (grinning).

(Framed Winter Frost)

Tear of Joy: Loretta Spears, designer

Project: Tear of Joy

Loretta Spears' Needle Adventures

 Christmas Heirlooms Collection

 October 1993

Name of designer: Loretta Spears

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 4

Comments: I love stitching designs from Loretta Spears. This one is an unpretentious little Christmas designs that Loretta included in her Neelde Adventures, Christmas Heirlooms Collection and I am glad that she did.

There are only two threads used in 'Tear of Joy", Waterlilies and Sarah Bennett Specialties Opalescent threads together with some beads.

As for the finishing of Tear of Joy, it always depends a bit on what I have at home at the time. I try as much as I can to use what I already have. I had some Dupioni fabric which was a similar color and found some lovely already made cording that was just perfect for it. Perhaps, a little too perfect as it blended totally with the ornament, contrary to how Loretta Spears finished hers using a much darker color. I have also put some gold lame just under the canvas as the canvas is only partially stitched. This way there are gold sparkles coming from here and there when looking at the ornament.

I also managed to find in my stash some lovely velvet ribbons of a color that went very well with the colors already used in the stitching and finishing of the ornament so I added that for the final touches. Since the design pattern is exactly the same all over the ornament, I don't think that it really matters that much if part of it is hidden by the velvet ribbon.

You can see previous Loretta Spears projects that I have stitched so far here.

(Close-up photo)

This photo shows how Loretta finished hers

and the top and bottom part of mine before putting them together.

This photo shows the two parts together before

 the cording had been added together with the finishing touches.

Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament: 2004 Ornament Exchange

Project: Christmas Ornament

Designer: Ornament stitched by Pauline

and given to me in a 2004 Christmas ornament exchange

Type of needlework: Cross Stitch

Photo: 1

Comments: This is a Christmas ornament that I have received from Pauline on an exchange made on a Brazilian Yahoo group.

I was a bit surprised when I got it (well, a lot surprised actually) as I expected that all the ornaments stitched and exchanged by the participants in this exchange to be done in Brazilian embroidery, so my very first reaction was of disappointment, but I got over it. 

I think that Pauline has done a great job in stitching and finishing her ornament. She has cut a little piece of tree branch and inserted it at the top between the two layers of Aida as to create a kind of bell pull hardware. Very good thinking there as it makes the finishing quite unique and special. 

She finished it all by tying a piece of ribbon so that the ornament can be hung and by adding fuzzy knitting thread or something of that nature at both ends of the little wood piece, not sure for what medium this thread is originally made for, but anyway it goes very well with her finishing.

Christmas Ornament: 2004 Ornament Exchange

Project: 2004 Christmas Ornament Exchange

Designer: Unknown to me

Ornament stitched by Mary Georges

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photo: 1

Yahoo group: Needlepoint_etc

Comments: Many years ago, we used to do exchanges at Christmas on this group, but they were stopped as there were too many difficulties with such exchanges with so many members in the group.

The honor system involved in such exchanges has always been a bit of a challenge no matter who the group is and worst when big groups are involved.

I have handled some exchanges in much smaller groups and they were a lot of work, a lot of hard work in order to make sure that everyone gets a fair deal.

The fairest one (and I say these words loosely here)  is when everyone participating in the exchange sends their finished projects to the person in charge of the exchange, which in turn distributes them all to the participants. If someone sends one, then they get one.

In the honor system, it often happens unfortunately that some participants (as there are always more than one) do not send any but do get one just the same and they just keep it just the same instead of telling the person in charge that they can't participate anymore and if they do receive one then contacting the person in charge of the exchange and asking for the name of the person they should send it to, as some participants will be without an ornament if they unfairly keep it.

In the end this behavior spoils the fun for everybody else, mostly for the person who was expecting to receive an ornament, for the person in charge of the exchange and also for the group in general as someone has to eventually take the hard decision of putting an end to such exchanges.

The "send one, get one" exchange does however considerably increase the amount of work for the person in charge of the exchange as she needs to repack all the ornaments received, address them with the names of their new owners, bring them to the post office, etc. It is also more expensive for each participant as they have to pay twice, first to send their own ornaments and then again to get another one back. Some do not mind the extra charge but others find it a bit difficult financially.

This lovely ornament that I have received in the 2004 ornament exchange was stitched by Mary Georges. I just love that design and this little cutie has been decorating my Christmas trees ever since. If you would like to see more about the other ornaments that have been exchanged in 2004, please click the link above next to "Project".

Tomorrow, I will show you an Easter ornament that I have received which is very pretty.

Christmas Crystal Bell: Joan Lohr, designer

Project: Christmas Crystal Bell

Designer: This is actually an adaptation of Christmas Crystal design

 for Rainbow Gallery designed by Joan Lohr.

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photo: 1

Some of Joan Lohr designs and books seen on Rainbow Gallery.

A free pattern here

Rainbow Gallery free designs here.

Comments: It has been such a long time that I have stitched this project that I can't recall the name of the person who made this adaptation for our little group. Her first name may have been Mary, but not sure at all. It came from a 1996 Christmas Ornament Program and this one is the #9 in a Series of 14. The actual design was a little square.

I have been putting this little Christmas ornament on my Christmas tree ever since.

Rose Vine Christmas ornament: Wendie Young, designer

Project: Rose Vine Christmas ornament

(adaptation of Windie's pinwheel project)

Designer: Wendie Young

Type of needlework: Embroidery

Photos: 2

Wendie's project can be seen on this website here.

Project found in Embroidery and Cross Stitch magazine, Volume 10, No. 2, pages 16 - 21

Comments: When I came upon this design it was at a time when I was thinking about making Christmas projects. I thought that it was such a cute design and all I had to do was to adapt it a little to make it look Christmassy, so I changed the word "Pins" to "Noel" and made the bullions for the roses red instead of pink.

(Photo showing the finished ornament)

Patches of Snow: Kaitlyn Marie Designs

Project: Patches of Snow

(Mini Stocking)

(1994)

Designer: Kaitlyn Marie Designs

Type of needlework: Beading and needlepoint

Photos: 7

Comments: I think that mini stockings are such a nice addition in any Christmas tree and the more the merrier.

This is actually my second mini stocking that I have done from Kaitlyn Marie Designs, the first one being called Fancy That: Emerald Gold Mini Stocking and you can see it here on a past blog entry.

Contrary to the Emerald & gold mini stocking which was about half needlepointing and half beading, this one was mainly beading with a tiny fraction needlepointing.

Some sections went pretty quickly and others took a bit more times depending on the size of the beads. There was also 3 Pearl Cabochons included in the kit.

Instructions for finishing the little stocking were included and were easy to follow.

(Photo showing the divided patches)

(On this photo, patches 1, 2, 3 and 4 completed)

(Photo showing patches 5, 6, 7 and 8 completed)

(Photo showing patches 9 and 10 completed)

(Patches 11, 12 and 13 completed)

(Photo showing the cover page for this project)