Lots of Pretties!!!

Hello everyone and hope your having a good week so far. I have lots of stitching stuff to share with you. I've made some very good progress on sewing. And I've received some beautiful gifts. First - I made a pillow with my Delft Blues Tiles sampler. I am so proud and pleased with how this pillow came out. I added buttons on the side of the pillow. I wanted there to be a crown - in honor of where Hetti lives in the Netherlands. At the time we stitched this sampler, Queen Beatrix was in reign. Since the end of April this year, she abdicated the crown to her son, now King Alexander. So Hetti I added the crown thinking of you because you designed these tiles and sampler.  I thought it was very appropriate, and the crown reminds me of Hetti:)

This is the sampler I finished from Creative Work Shops with Hetti! You can find her blog HERE.
These photos I took outside and for some reason it looks all light blue. The fabric I sewed with is Light blue Dupioni Silk and a light brown.

I am proud of this pillow because I made sure the grains of the silk fabric all went the same way. I quilted the light brown silks on the top and then the bottoms of the sampler. Then I added the strips of light blue silk on each side. And I ironed on fusible interfacing on every silk piece. SO thankful I did because working with silk it tends to unravel on the edges. I had no problem with that and I like the firmness it gives the pillow.

I think this is my first SAL that was a whole year in the making that I finished. Yes I do believe it is:)

When I was at the Quilt Show in Brentwood, there was a vendor who sold Dupioni Silks. The lady's name is Shomi. And her business name is "Designer's Needs". I had met her once before last year at a Quilt and Sewing show in Pleasanton CA. I had purchased from her some beautiful light lavender dupioni silk and I used it on the lining of "Bunnies in the Garden" set I made by Ellen Chester's chart.
I've noticed that many charts of smalls for cross stitching have been using dupioni silk in their finishes. Shomi had full yards and Fat Quarters for sale. This time I bought 1 full yard of the light blue and the rest of the silks I got were Fat Quarters. I am in LOVE with her silks. They are kind of thick but not too thick and not thin.  I talked to Shomi. I asked her if she shipped not only in the USA but also if she shipped to Canada, England, New Zealand and Australia? She said YES!!! Lots of her clients are in Australia and she ships anywhere in the world. Isn't that great?

This photo shows the beauty and sheen of the silks as they look in person.

 

 Now I don't have any stores in my town or near me that sells dupioni silks. My local Joann's doesn't have these silks. I thought that the prices for dupioni silks from Shomi were very good. And for small finishes I think fat quarters are great sizes. Shomi is listed on Etsy. Now I didn't see any listings of her silks in Fat Quarters sizes. But I'm sure you can email her and ask her if she will sell you the silks in fat quarters if you like. I bet she does and will.
You can find Shomi at Etsy HERE.

 THANK YOU BEA!!!

I participated in EMS scissor case exchange. This is what I received from Bea or "Beaj" on the EMS forum, she had my name for the exchange. I'm so glad she did too.  I LOVE my scissor case and fob that she stitched for me. Bea lives in Canada and she included for me a beautiful brochure that's about her area. I also got some pretty heart charms, a skein of the new DMC #127 made in a limited edition for Just Cross Stitch Magazine - 30yrs Celebration.

Bea made me not only a gorgeous scissor case but also a beautiful scissor fob with my initial and a darling Bee stitched on the left side. I will always know that this is from Bea. Get it? Bee and Bea!

Here are the reverse sides. Can you believe the beautiful designs. She stitched with a variegated DMC Spring color.  It's sooo pretty.

Now for the same exchange I had Celine - or "Pamacedi" on EMS forum. Celine lives in France. She has received my parcel to her so I can share with you now:) The design I stitched is from the book "My Heart is True" by Blackbird Designs and Nicoletta Farrarito, the name of the design is "Garden Gem". 32ct Flax Linen and DMC threads. I used a blanket stitch all around the edges of the heart. I made my own cord for the fob.

I lined the inside of the scissor case too.

The back. I used Anna Griffin fabrics.

of course I made Celine a small pouch of matching fabrics to keep her scissor case and fob in.

Some extra goodies for Celine

My progress for Bothy Threads Monday SAL Cut Thru.  I couldn't recall if I shared with you Tinkerbell on the box so I included another Tinkerbell for you. Below I opened the box so you could see the little buttons inside. By the way, my Mom loved keeping all the price tags on her pieces. She always enjoyed reading how much they were when she collected them and also it gave her an idea of how old they were. Some of her Tinkerbell stickers don't have a UPC code. And she loved seeing the Disneyland park labels. So if in the future you see a price tag....I can't remove them. That would be such a huge sin:)

Progress on "A token of Love" - I stitched the gold wreath in the middle, my initial "A", a small motif just left of my initial, the blue bird, the small acorn and a small leaf.

Almost done, just not yet.

"God Bless You" if you have made it this far in my post. I'm So EXCITED:)))))))))) This Saturday & Sunday I get to take a classes taught by Ellen Chester in PERSON:)))))))))))))))))))))))))) I get to meet Ellen in person....This will be my very first stitching class in person. I am bringing my camera don't worry. So my next post will soo ROCK!  With Love and MY Appreciation - Annette