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.

A Sneak Peek

Okay, I know I said no more peeks. I also said it would be near impossible for me to do, and I was right!!

Here's a peek at Sampler of Seasons. It will be releasing late this week/early next week depending on how quick I am. It's a big one.

I've got lots of other new stuff coming and lots of model stitching to work into my schedule. Hoping materials for the next couple arrive soon, I should be finished this one tomorrow! Of course then I'll be glued to the computer drawing lots of diagrams.

This is the design that almost didn't get completed. Between depression about Dad and similar stuff being released it has taken me a lot of determination to get this one done. It was the design I was working on when Dad announced he had cancer, and was supposed to be released almost a year ago. I'm crying even as I type this and I'm not going to lie, it's been a painful road stitching it, and will probably be bittersweet when I do finish it. But I know my father would be furious with me if I gave up, so I'm fighting my way through it. :)

Some ideas for The Learning Sampler

For those who don't use Facebook, one of our big discussions has been what colours everyone wants to stitch their version in. :)

Over the past couple days I whipped up a few different mock ups so people could see different ideas. I always try to encourage people to use what THEY like. My tastes in colours aren't everyone's cup of tea, and I know a lot of people WON'T buy a design they really like because they don't particularly like the colours used. I like trying to get people to think outside the box - what are YOUR favourite colours and how can we make the design fit? Here's a few ideas.

Original reds

Blues - Any blue will do, just pick six shades from light to dark, and a white.

Greens - again, any shade will work, it's literally whichever one strikes your fancy - six shades, light to dark and a white.

Mauves - this is one of our stitchers colours - it's based on Silk Mill series 3392-3397 with 3400 instead of white, and her fabric is PTP Fog. I've done up DMC and Anchor conversions for this if you want them, just email me. :)

Monochrome - pick your favourite colour and go with it!

Multicolour - brights, more muted colours, pastels, anything goes.

Conversions to other brands in the reds as charted: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bw7hbQqMHyjGQUFnQVo5TTFkNEk/edit?usp=sharing
Conversions to other colours in several different brands of thread: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bw7hbQqMHyjGbHNoMTA1UjhhclE/edit?usp=sharing
Conversions for a multicolour version in solids and variegated threads: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bw7hbQqMHyjGYnZQRmt6dFlLc00/edit?usp=sharing