A bit of cross stitching update

So, I like to cross stitch. Very much, actually. And recently I discovered biscornu. I didn't know what they were, or what you did with one, but I thought they were beautiful wee pieces of stitched art, and I wanted to make one. Or perhaps several, knowing me. Basically, a biscornu is a kind of ornamental pincushion, and it can be as simple or as elaborate as you'd like to make it.

I went to my new favourite site -- The Floss Box -- which has lots of delightful free designs, and downloaded several to try. I also purchased a handful of other designs (very inexpensive and immensely adorable!) for later use. But the problem was... I didn't know where to start! I just couldn't decide which pattern to use, so while I mulled it over... I doodled on my graph paper. And you can guess what happened: I used my design as a first try.


You can see (maybe) how I messed up sewing the two sides together -- it was more difficult than I had thought, though it's not really that difficult. Still, for a first attempt, not so bad? I chose red as I am thinking of sending it to a friend whose favourite colour is red.

That same person is also going to be the recipient of this card, which is blank inside.


The flower design is mine too, though I'm not sure if I'm entirely happy with it. I have an urge to tweak it, make it more delicate-looking. I just have trouble leaving things alone, I guess! :D

Enjoy your day!

Beautiful sunny day in the GTA...

Now, I'm not a big fan of summer. I don't like to be overheated, and here in Toronto summer is just sweltering. It's eased off a little, considering it's now September, but today is promising to be sunny & warm. Warm. Not hot! So I think I might spend a good deal of the day lounging out in the gazebo & stitching or writing while the kids try to drown each other in the wading pool.

Projects:

-- Liv's quilt. I don't even have the fabric yet, so I am limited to designing right now.
-- several bookmarks from my own designs that I would like to actually stitch so I can see how they look
-- plot-sketching for several stories
-- making a comprehensive list of fabric & floss that I need for upcoming stitching projects

If I were to list everything, we'd be here all day. Still, it's only 8:40 a.m., so I have plenty of time to get something done! If I get any stitching done, I'll post some progress pics later.

quilts, sort of

I like to be cosy. This might be why I like quilts -- they're cosy. Snuggling up in a quilt is cosy!

I don't really quilt; I "fake-quilt". I sew the quilt top, and then -- instead of using the usual batting -- I use an old cotton blanket or something similar between the top & the backing. Then I make sure when I sew all 'round the outside that all 3 layers are firmly sewn together. Sure, it's not REAL quilting, but I enjoy it anyway.

My oldest daughter, Emily, received this quilt for her 11th birthday last year:


Now, I'm behind the quilt, holding it up. I'm about 5'5", so you can get a good idea of the size.

My middle daughter, Maddy, turned 10 in May. Guess what she got?


Yes... it's very pink. She's by far the girliest of my 3 girls. The youngest, Liv, will be 9 in November. I guess I had better get cracking on hers, seeing as 2011 seems to be "year of the quilt" in this house!

Maddy & Liv were also the recipients of doll quilts for their baby dolls to share:


Oh, hey, did I mention they're all sewn by hand? And it's not that I'm bragging so much, but it's rather a confession that I simply cannot figure out how to use my sewing machine! :D

Look, I have a shiny new blog!

If you live in Ontario, Canada and have school-age children, like I do, then you've spent the past week rejoicing that they've finally gone back to school. As my 3 girls are all avid readers, I wanted to make them up each a new bookmark -- they are forever misplacing bookmarks! -- before school started. The patterns for Emily & Maddy's bookmarks were found online, but Olivia's is one of my own design. (It's the one where I didn't put her name, naturally!)