Some Embroideries and a Small Sampler

I've been finding some really nice vintage transfers on Ebay and Etsy and have been enjoying turning them into embroideries like this one.  I used traditional DMC vareigated colors on this embroidery and the next one, trying to keep with a vintage look.

But for the next one I decided to use a more modern color scheme and I used newer brands of threads;  Cosmos Seasons and DMC Color Variations.

Even though I love the vintage look, I do love the colors on this embroidery, too.  

I got what was supposed to be a kit for a stamped cross stitch sampler, but it looked like it was going to stamp onto the fabric in a wonky way.  So I decided to do it in a counted way, which was kind of a challenge because the chart that was included was meant just as a guide to the colors and was a bit wonky itself.  I also changed most of the colors to vareigated  DMC ones, I felt that they made it look more interesting and it was definitely more fun to stitch.

I will leave you with a picture of three of the kitties, Pepper, Tigger and Sarah relaxing on the couch.  Thank you so much for visiting!

Antique Embroidery and Cross Stitch

This antique embroidery was sent to me by a lovely lady named Nancy who you may know from her former blog "Lovely in Chocolate."  She doesn't have her blog anymore but we are Facebook friends and one day she just announced that she had found a nice antique embroidery and was going to send it to me!  I was flabbergasted but couldn't say no since I love old embroideries.  

I carefully attached it to some fabric that I think goes well with it and made it into a wall hanging.

There are lots of pretty details to look at, such as the bunny at the base of the tree and the little bluebirds in a nest up in a branch of the tree.

I don't know who stitched it or when it was done but I love it!

Just beautiful!  Thank you, Nancy!

I stitched this from an old stamped cross stitch kit that I found on Ebay.  I had seen a finished one on Pinterest and loved it so much that I knew I had to try and find one to make.  I love the colors and the vintage look of it.  I have not yet made it into a hanging, but it's sitting on the fabric that I will be using, I think it will look nice with it.

It may seem strange to you, that someone would want to stitch an old thing like this, with its unruly X's and a lack of precision compared to a counted cross stitch piece.  I would not have liked this either, years ago, but for some reason, I just love things like this now.  I hope you have enjoyed looking at these and I'm so glad you came to my blog for another visit!

Katrina's Cottage and An Embroidery

This is Katrina's Cottage by Vintage Designs and the first good sized cross stitch project I've done in a while.  It's also the first time I've used an aida fabric in years but it's a nice soft one and very pleasant to stitch on.  I used the called for DMC threads and it was a nice relaxing stitch!   If anyone would enjoy having the chart for this design, I will be happy to give it away.  Just let me know in a comment and if there is more than one person that would like it, I will do a drawing. I will even send a piece of the aida, too, since I have some extra.  It is a nice brown flecked natural color that I think goes well with the design.  Let's say that you have until noon next Monday, Sept. 2 to let me know.

I know, this embroidery is completely off season, but I finished it in the middle of the summer and didn't get around to posting it until now, almost fall.  But I thought you might like to see it anyway.  I adapted it a little from the Spring part of a four seasons set of designs that I got from The Pattern Bee.  They have the most wonderful selection of embroidery patterns there!

I love this pink variegated thread, it reminds me of cotton candy!

Some colorful flowers in a variety of stitches.

That's it for this time, I'm glad you took the time to see what I've been up to, thanks for visiting!

Antique Linens and Selvage Fun

This is one of the treasures that I found recently at a nearby antique shop.  I don't know how old it is,  or who stitched it, I just knew it had to come home with me!  And at a price of only $5.00, the decision wasn't difficult.  I thought the word "hame" was odd, but I did some googling and found that it was a Scottish word for "home".    However it's said, I agree with the sentiment!

Some of the stitching has rotted away from being so old.

If you look closely, just above and to the right of the little black dog, the thread from an entire animal has gone missing.

The happy couple!

If anyone has an idea of how old this sampler might be, I would love to hear from you!

More treasures:

This lovely cross stitch design is on what looks like a dish towel made of very soft linen.

It was stitched with what looks like one strand of flower thread over four threads of the linen.  The linen is so fine I can barely see the threads, but this cross stitch was definitely counted and not done over a stamped design.

Another beauty, I'm guessing this may have been done in the 40's or 50's.  I love the crocheted edging.

A nice doily for only $3.00.  I'm often amazed at the bargains that can be found with antique linens, I bought all four of these pieces for $18.00!

Now, here's a couple of fun selvage projects I've been working on:

A drawstring bag to use as a purse or to hold needlework projects.  As you can see, I shop at Jo-ann Fabrics quite a lot!

A smaller bag with a slightly brighter color scheme.  Thank you for stopping in again to look at my pictures!  I'm going to leave you with one last one.  

This was an old abandoned house, built in the 1800's just around the corner from us.  The owners decided to let our local firefighters burn it down for training purposes.  I know it was a good thing for the firefighters to be able to use it this way, but at the same time I hated to see it go.  We have been driving and walking by that old house for 22 years and and will absolutely miss it!  

Thanks again for visiting my blog!