The Learning Sampler Part 4

Part 4 of The Learning Sampler has been sent out. This month is mostly cross stitch with one new specialty stitch. Here is my WIP:

Here are some WIP pictures from the group participants on Facebook at various stages:

Cornelia's WIP

Jean's WIP

Lotti's WIP

Marjan's WIP

Mary's WIP

Nicola's WIP

Terri's WIP

I LOVE seeing all the different colours!!

Hope everyone has a very happy and safe Halloween!

New design for the Online Needlework Show

I really can't believe I finished this in time. Thread fiascos, discontined fabric and ridiculous shipping times almost put this off until next  year. The threads I originally ordered took 2 1/2 months to get to me and when they finally did, the dye lots were such that they didn't match up as well as I had hoped. By that time it was already the end of September and I couldn't re-order something else, so I went stash diving and used threads I had on hand, picking colours on the fly. On top of that, the fabric I used for the model, Legacy Linen Oaten Scone has been discontinued. When did I find that out? AFTER I started stitching it. I didn't have time to order something else so I used it anyway, but I did find a near perfect match for it, thankfully. Then earlier this week, with the end in sight, I came down with a bug, which has knocked me on my behind. By yesterday I still had the darkest blue and all the purples to finish stitching and I was ready to give up, but I guzzled copious amounts of coffee and pulled an all-nighter and got the stitching, the charting and instructions finished. As far as my health goes, it probably wasn't a good idea, I feel like garbage again, but it was worth it. If I hadn't managed it I'd have been really bummed.

So without further ado, here is Twisted Band Sampler. :) It's official release is Thursday, October 17, for the Online Needlework Show. It will be listed on the European Cross Stitch page.

The Learning Sampler Part 3

Part 3 is up in the Facebook group and has been sent out via email. If you didn't receive an email, please contact me!

Here is what my own looks like after part 3:

For reference, I'm using Silk Mill Silk threads and 34 ct Legacy Linen in Wren Wing.

A note on the Legacy Linen - I've just been notified by the distributor that 34ct Legacy Linen in Oaten Scone and Wren Wing is no longer available. :( It's a sad day for me as those are two of my favourites and I've used both in models recently. So I went on a hunt yesterday to find alternatives.

For Wren Wing, Zweigart Natural is very close - just a touch darker. Depending on preference you could go 32 or 36 count. Oaten Scone doesn't have a great match in any Zweigart colours I have here, the closest would be Flax, though Flax is a touch darker and more brownish. I did find a very good match to it from Lakeside Linens, the colour Chantilly Creme is very close.

Some WIP pictures of The Learning Sampler

The group on Facebook is hopping with lots of work in progress pictures and I thought I'd share them with everyone who doesn't use Facebook. :)

Lotti's finished Part 1 and 2, stitched in Silk Mill blues

Cynthia's WIP using NPI purples

Marjan's WIP using Silk Mill reds

Viviane's WIP using DMC blues

Nicola's WIP using DMC

Melinda's WIP

 

 I love seeing all the different colour combinations!

A correction

I got a message from Kathleen that she noticed a mistake in the materials list for Sampler of Seasons.

S204 Latte SHOULD read S201 Latte. It is correct in the instructions, it's just on the materials list. This will be corrected in future printings!

Sorry about that!

The Learning Sampler Parts 1&2

This is just a note to let everyone in the SAL that is not on Facebook know that I have sent out parts 1 and 2 of the Learning Sampler. I figured it was a long weekend and rather than send it at the end of the weekend I would send it a little bit early so people could have the whole weekend to work on it! I decided part one was too small on it's own so included the second part as well. Here is my parts 1 and 2, stitched in the Silk Mill silks on 34ct Wren Wing Legacy Linen. :)

I would love it if people send me their WIP pictures, I'll post them all on here and on my facebook page!

ETA: If you did not receive the email with the chart, please message me or email me and I will re-send and make sure you're on the distribution list. 

2 New Releases

First, A Sampler of Seasons. I pushed through the tears and finally finished it after some 2 years of designing, redesigning and model stitching. As I said before, I had a hard time picking this one back up as it was the last design of mine that dad got to see, so finishing it has been both happy and painful at the same time.

Retail price is $30 for the chart and all instructions. There are a lot of specialty stitches and lots and lots of diagrams - 45 to be exact. It's stitched in Valdani Silk Floss, and of course Valdani also does most of the same colours in cotton, but as always a DMC list is included. The DMC isn't as accurate as I'd like but for a lot of these colours there just wasn't much I could substitute. I did include descriptions of the colours so you could choose your own favourites if you wanted to. I used 34ct Wren Wing linen from Lakeside linens, but have also included alternative suggestions for fabric colours - and you could use any count you wanted of course.

Second, is a re-release. Tulip was originally released in Just Cross Stitch Magazine in March/April 2012.

Retail price is $14. This one is all full cross stitch, and uses Crescent Colours Belle Soie Silk Floss on Lakeside Linens Magnolia Linen and a DMC conversion is included. A big huge thanks to May Khaw for model stitching this one for me.

Both of these are shipping out to Hoffman on Monday, and I'm sending out the details to European Cross Stitch momentarily. They are also available directly from me, both wholesale and retail.