Thursday, March 3

#TBT - April Sampler

 I really enjoy TBT blogging because it's a chance to show off pieces one didn't necessarily have the capability to do "back in the day" and because when I got back into stitching I used prior entries to figure out a few things, and I'd like to think that I can  keep this online so I can use it as reference again in the future, if needed.

Today is April Sampler, which is from the Just Cross Stitch March/April 1994 issue. I remember working on this, February, and March.   I know I worked on one in 1996, because it was before I went to UT-Austin, because it was the first time I had worked with linen and/or silk.  Boy did that spoil me!

There was a small cross stitch store within walking distance of my grandmother's house in Houston, Idle Hands, and that's where she got me the silks.    I know Carons were part of the design, but I'm not sure what other fibers were used.

I did three from the series - February, for a good friend from college, and March for a good friend from high school.  I still see the March one on display (I framed them myself, no glass, no mat) at my friend's house - I should snap a pic.

The only one I still have is April.    Between the 9 and 8, there's supposed to be a jasper heart, but I didn't like the idea of that one.   There is also supposed to be a small margarita bead on each set of stems, but I didn't like that either ;)  

Basically, I just haven't found the perfect beads that I want to put in there yet, but when I do, I'd like to get it framed for myself.

This one was stitched entirely in 1998, and I use all of the recommended threads.

Here's the whole thing (if I recall correctly, it's only 2 x 5 or so):


The top - I loved learning all of those specialty stitches.




And the bottom, with my "weeds" and empty spot.


One of these days I'll run across what I want for this piece, or I'll actively search out what I want, but until then, I just love it.  I'm thinking of finding the old magazines on Ebay and keeping a set of these, because they are sweet and fun and I think they'd make good gifts.


11 comments:

  1. Great design but it's my birth month so I may be biased ;). I love the rainbow stitches I think a diamond pendant would look cute in the middle :)

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    1. Thanks! I agree about the pendant! I also managed to get a couple of beads this weekend that would look good for my weeds/flowers :)

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  2. A lovely design :)

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  3. I like the sweet soft colours of your work and how you did really good job with all those specialty stitches! Well done !

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    1. Thank you very much, I appreciate your comment!

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  4. Lovely design, i hope you'll get to finally finish it soon :)

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  5. This is such a lovely design and exactly the kind of thing I'd have been working on in 1994!
    Would the others be in the CDs they issued recently?

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    1. I hadn't even thought of that! (and there I was about to hit Ebay trying to get everything). According to the description, each DVD "includes every page of every issue" from their years listed, so the 1991-2000 one should! I'm not sure if I'm ready to pay that much for the DVD (yet), but it would save me some serious work :)

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    2. *and* I just found the DVD half price "used" on Amazon. That settles that. LOL

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