Napkin Rings: Brenda Day, designer

Project: Napkin Rings

Designer: Brenda Day

Type of needlework: Bargello

Photos: 5

Brenda Day's book called: Bargello, A fresh approach to Florentine embroidery

Comments: It is very rare that I do more than one project from one single book, but with this book, I have already done the two napkin rings (photos above and below),  a Florentine pincushion, which in my case is a little decorative mini pillow and 2 Kaleidoscope coasters, so that must be a record for me.

This is a project that did not take very long to make from start to finish and since I love doing bargello, this was especially fun for me. I especially love to do projects that are useful and this one certainly is.

There was two color selection for the napkin rings and I picked one that I especially love. The other one has greens in it, but of course someone can do any color combination that they wish.

Finishing instructions are always included with all her projects making things much easier for me to do my own finishing. I have included a few photos showing different steps I went through.

(Photo of two stitched napkin rings)

(This photo shows the front and the back of two napkin rings)

(Photo showing one napkin ring completed with the second one waiting in the wing)

(Brenda Day's book from which this project was taken from)

Kaleidoscope Coasters: Brenda Day, designer

Project: Kaleidoscope Coasters

Designer: Brenda Day

Type of needlework: Bargello

Photos: 4

Comments: I just love this book (information below) as it has so many interesting projects in it.

On pages 59 through 63, there are four different kaleidoscope coasters to choose from. I intend to stitch all four of them but so far have only done 2, models B and C.

The threads listed for doing the projects are Anchor stranded cotton ones, so they are very easy to find or they could be substituted for the DMC ones if you have a sustitution table or you may just choose your own color combinations.

I have ordered from England some plastic coasters for them, which are Fabric Flair craft coasters. They can also be seen on UK Amazon here. You can also find other plastic coasters in the USA that are very similar and would also do the job nicely.

The first photo above shows the two Kaleidoscope coasters (models B and C)  in their respective Fabric Flair craft coasters.

(Coaster B)

(Coaster C)

(Projects have been selected out of this book called

Bargello: A Fresh Approach to Florentine Embroidery

by Brenda Day)

Florentine Pincushion: Brenda Day, designer

Project: Florentine Pincushion

Designer: Brenda Day

Type of needlework: Bargello

Photos: 4

Comments: I absolutely love this project. It was a real pleasure to stitch as bargello normally is for me and those colors were "delicious". Yes, I could almost eat them.

Though Brenda intended this project to be used as a pincushion, I am using mine as a little decorative pillow. I already have many of different sizes, style of embroidery and colors. I just love them.

Both sides, left and right, are exactly the same but upside down and it really makes for an interesting design.

This design asked for DMC Perle cotton #5 and also some stranded DMC cotton threads with one additional requirement, BEADS that were used for the corner tassels, a nice little touch to the finishing.

(Photo showing the border all around with the middle separation)

(Both sides stitched)

Photo of the book where this project came from. We even see the picture of the little pincushion on the left

comfortably sitting on the chair.

Name of book: Bargello, A fresh approach to Florentine emboidery

by Brenda Day