Last Stitchey Finish of 2011

Here is my last finish for 2011, I hope to have more finishes in 2012 but you know how it goes when your a stitcher with all of our ebbs and flows.
I finished this earlier this month, but only got around to making and attaching the tassels today.

This is the front of the ornament, I saw this in someones photo files (sorry can't recall whom or where) and loved the outside edge design on her mini pillow but changed up the middle for a simpler stitch. It is stitched with woven bars with picots and doves eyes, algerian eyelets and then a satin stitched star center with satin hearts in Kreinik and Mill Hill beads in gold.

This is the back of the ornament.

The Ornament is stitched on 32ct. ivory linen using Caron Wildflowers in Black Watch
for the kloster blocks, the red is DMC Color Variations floss in 4210, DMC #8 Pearl Cotton in Ecru, Kreinik #4 braid in gold and Mill Hill beads in gold finish off the stitching.
I made the tassels with 4210 as well.
I made a pillow out of dark green satin for the inside.

I hope everyone had a wonderful and Blessed Christmas / Holiday Season.
Wishing you love, good health and lots of stitching in the New Year.

Take Care and Happy Stitching
Hugs, Sandy

The Finished Ornament

I finally got around to taking pictures of the finished ornament.
The pictures, while not the best, should be click-able to blow em' up.
Hope ya'll like the way it turned out.

I'm using the Edelweiss as one side of the ornament and the
Triple Woven Spoke as the other side.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts behind,
I appreciate each and every one of them.

Take Care and Happy Stitchin'
Hugs, Sandy

Edelweiss & Triple Woven Spokes

Well, with the wonderful help of a few talented stitcher's finding clear understandable directions, I was able to complete the Edelweiss Flower filling stitch on my Hardanger Christmas ornament.
Not really sure I like the way it turned out using the #12 pearl cotton, but it was much easier than I thought it would be. Most directions said to use #8 but I already had the center web stitched and didn't want to pull it all out.

"Edelweiss Flower"
Stitched on 28ct. white Monaco using DMC threads.

The other half is the Woven Triple Spoke.

"Woven Triple Spoke"
Stitched on 28ct. white Monaco using DMC threads.I'll have a picture of the finished ornament sometime this week when I'm done with it.

Thank you all for stopping by and for any comments you might leave behind I really do appreciate each and every one.

Take Care and Happy Stitchin'
Hugs, Sandy

Finally a Stitchy Update

WoooHooo!! I'm finally able to update my blog, and I have lot's of stitchy finishes to share with all of you. Blogger would keep timing out every time I tried.

All of the pictures should be click-able to enlarge them.

I have wanted to stitch this piece for a couple of years now, but never had the right fabric to stitch it on. It's from the September 2008 issue of Cross-Stitch & Needlework.

"Autumn Mosaic Pillow"
Stitched on 28ct. Tea colored even-weave using DMC Color Variations #5 Pearl Cotton and floss.

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I decided that I wanted to expand my Hardanger stitch knowledge, so I designed this piece using in my Jill Carter book.

"Hardanger Stitch Sampler"
Stitched on 28ct even-weave hand-dyed by me with DMC #8 & #12 Pearl Cotton and Mill Hill beads.
Designer: Sandra Longan-Miller

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Next I got into a scissor fob/ornament mood and designed & stitched up these two.

Scissor Fob/Ornament #1
Stitched on 22ct Hardanger Fabric with Caron Wildflowers & Watercolours in Violet.
Designer: Sandra Longan-Miller

Hardanger Scissor Fob/Ornament
Stitched on 28ct Blue Spruce linen using DMC #8 & #12 Pearl Cotton in white.
Designer: Sandra Longan-Miller

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Next up I designed & stitched up this Hardanger Cross.
I really love this piece.

"Hardanger Cross #1"
Stitched on 28ct linen using DMC #8 & #12 Pearl Cotton in white and Kreinik #4 braid in Pearl.
Designer: Sandra Longan-Miller

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And lastly, for now anyway, I wanted to learn how to make a Bouillon Knot Rose, so I took part of a pattern from another issue of Cross-Stitch & Needlework and stitched up this bit.

Bouillon Knot Rose with Satin stitches and Algerian Eyelet using DMC Color Variations.

Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a piece of yourself behind. I appreciate each and every comment you leave.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'
Hugs, Sandy

More Stitchy Finishes

It's finally finished!!!

I stitched up the last part of "Tree Of Stitches" on Friday. The little critters are just too cute, Lester the owl perched high in the tree and Horace the rabbit who seems to be thinking of eating the flowers.

I just adored this SAL and can't thank Abi enough for designing it.

I changed it up a bit by adding three flowers and a leaf instead of two and I decided to put my initials and the year among the roots of the tree.

"Tree of Stitches"

Designed by: Abi Gurden

Finished on 05 August 2011

I stitched up this little piece from The Drawn Thread while I waited for the final piece for the Tree of Stitches, it is full of specialty stitches and is pretty quick to stitch.

"All You Need Is Love"
A freebie from The Drawn Thread

Stitched on 32ct. cream linen using Kreinik silk mori threads.

Finished on 04 August 2011

Not sure how I will finish these two, but it should be fun trying to figure that part out, of course, not as much fun as stitching them was.

Thank you all for all of the wonderful comments you left behind after my last post, I love each and every one of them.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'

Hugs, Sandy

Tree Of Stitches Part 14

Well, I finished off part 14 of the "Tree of Stitches" SAL last Wednesday {27 July 2011} after we got back from our camping trip to the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming.
I added a few more leaves than Abi called for on the chart, a few small leaves among the larger ones and a few half leaves around the roots of the tree.
Just one more part left to stitch and it will be finished.

"Tree Of Stitches"
Designed by: Abi Gurden

I stitched this little piece on the 12th, it's a free chart I found at
http://home.comcast.net/~bethkatz/stitch/roots.html

"Roots"
Designed by: Beth Katz
Stitched on 28ct. blue linen using Wildflowers threads by Caron.
Finished: 12 July 2011


Thank you all for stopping by and leaving a part of yourselves behind with your comments, I appreciate each and every one of them.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin' Everyone
Hugs, Sandy

Tree Of Stitches - Part 13

I finished part 13 of the "Tree Of Stitches" around noon yesterday.
Part 13 is the "Windmill" stitch and stitches up quickly.

"Tree Of Stitches" designed by Abi Gurden
Finished on 08 July 2011

I was going thru my WIP/UFO bin and with great horror realized I had FIVE (and I counted them twice, because I couldn't believe it) projects on scroll rods.
I think someone around here needs to stop startin' new pieces and get off her butt and finish a few of the ones she already has goin'.
Yea, like that's ever goin' to happen ; )

Take Care Everyone & Happy Stitchin'
Hugs, Sandy

Tree of Stitches & other Stitching

I finished part 12 of the "Tree Of Stitches" last week.
Still lovin' this piece, just wish the parts came out sooner.

"Tree Of Stitches"
Part 12 finished 06-25-2011

I designed this little piece with all specialty stitches to play with.

I turned it into a mini needle roll/pin cushion.
I think it turned out kinda cute.

Mini Specialty Stitch Needle Roll
Finished on 06-29-2011
Stitched on 28 ct. linen using Wildflowers "Blue Spruce".

Just a short update today, nothing exciting ever happens in this little town.
Thanks for stoppin' by and leaving your thoughts behind, I really do appreciate each and every one.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin' Everyone
Hugs, Sandy

Tree Of Stitches - Part 11

Hello my Stitching Friends:
I've finished up part 11 of the "Tree Of Stitches" SAL, this is such a beautiful design and I just adore it.
As a lot of you know this design is made up of bunches of specialty stitches, some of which I'm familiar with and some that are totally new to me. Just need to start thinking how I'm going to finish this wonderful piece when all of the stitching is done.

"Tree Of Stitches"
Designed by: Abi Gurden - The Stitch Specialist yahoo group.

Thank you all for stopping by and leaving your thoughts behind, I love each and every one.

Take Care & Happy Stitching Everyone
Hugs, Sandy

Little Lace Hardanger & Tree Of Stitches

I want to thank everyone for the wonderful comments you left after my last post and for all the great advice on ways to deal with it. I did do a copious amount of rinsing on the piece, but when I posted about it, I had already removed all of the beading and cut my signature out of the piece, before sending it on it's way to "stitch disaster Heaven" aka; the trash.

Little Lace Hardanger

I finished the second version of "Little Lace" by Abi Gurden of The Stitch Specialists
yahoo group. It turned out much better after washing than the first one, just not as colorful.

"Little Lace" by Abi Gurden
Stitched on 22ct. white Hardanger using DMC #5 & #8 in 931
and Mill Hill beads in "Gun Metal"
Finished: 25 May 2011

And here is the finished Needle Roll.

Finished: 26 May 2011
I did a pulled thread area for the ribbon to be woven into, and finished the ends with a pin stitched hem. It finished out at 10 inches so it's fairly big for a needle roll, but I just love it.

Tree Of Stitches

I finished part 10 today and am still loving this piece.

"Tree Of Stitches" by Abi Gurden
Being stitched on 28ct. evenweave in a marbled light blue.
I'm using threads that I have hand-dyed myself.
"Walnut" for the trunk is a medium dark chocolate brown,
"Burnished Leaves" for parts of the foliage is an olive green with hints of golden orange,
"Winter Sage" for parts of the foliage is a gray green &
"Sunshine" is an orange.
I'm using Delica beads in "Bronze Luster" & Bronze Gold Luster" so far unless I change my mind like I did today.

Take Care & Happy Stitching
Hugs, Sandy

Hardanger Heartbreak

I finished my "Little Lace" Hardanger piece on 11 May 2011 then let it sit around for a bit while I contemplated a way to finish it. I finally decided that I would make a larger needle roll out of it to go into a basket.

Stitched on 22ct. Hardanger fabric using Caron Wildflowers and Watercolours in "Ruby".
This a beautiful design by Abi Gurden of "The Stitch Specialists"
This is how it looked before I washed it.

And then the heartbreak began.

The second I dipped it in the cool water with Orvus in it, all hell broke out and the water turned purple. I have never had a problem with any of the Caron threads in all my years of using them, but Ruby just had to be the exception.
I started rinsing the piece in cold water in an effort to save it , which worked, until I rolled it in the towel and it bled all over the towel. Just a disaster.

I have since clipped off all of the beads and removed my name from the piece and sent it on the way to stitched disaster Heaven.
I do plan on stitching this piece again, but if I use a hand-dyed thread I'll be sure to test it before I do the entire piece.

Thanks for stopping by and if your in one of my Yahoo groups I will get back to answering all of your wonderful comments, but I have been sidelined with a really nasty sore throat and now the allergies have set in, gotta love spring.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'
Hugs, Sandy

"Tree Of Stitches" Part 9

I finished part 9 of the "Tree Of Stitches" SAL on "The Stitch Specialists" yahoo group. I still adore this piece and have learned a few stitches I didn't know about.
If your interested in joining this amazing group of stitcher's, just click on the link above and make sure you fill out the questionnaire that the Mod's send your way so they can approve your membership.

This last section could be stitched in either the Norwich Stitch or the Woven Stitch. Well, I couldn't decide which stitch I liked best; so I stitched the left half using the Norwich Stitch and "Burnished Leaves" and the right half using the Woven Stitch and "Winter Sage". I have to say that after doing both stitches, that the Norwich Stitch is far easier as you don't have to weave the thread over and under as with the Woven Stitch, but I loved the learning experience.

"Tree Of Stitches" by Abi Gurden
Finished 06 May 2011

I had someone ask what type of threads I'm using?
They are threads that I have hand-dyed myself.

Thank you everyone for stopping by and taking the time to leave your thoughts behind, I appreciate each and every one.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'
Hugs, Sandy

Part 8 of "Tree Of Stitches" is Done.

"Tree of Stitches" Part 8
I finally chose to do this part in "Sunshine" as it is the base color for "Burnished Leaves" so I thought it would be a good fit.
This was, of course, my fourth attempt at getting the color I liked. I tried out the green first and pulled it all out, then I went on to "Old Lace" an antiqued white, ivory, beige mix for a Dogwood/Magnolia feel and added cream beads. I stared at it off and on for a couple of days before pulling the beads and trying the Gold Luster beads, still didn't like it, so I pulled everything and started over with "Sunshine" then added the Gold Luster beads. It's been finished since April 28th and I still like the look; so it's a keeper.

"Tree of Stitches"
Designed by: Abi Gurden

I've also started working on the "Little Lace Hardanger" SAL in the same group, but no picture yet.

I want to thank everyone for all of the wonderful thoughts you leave behind after your visits, I know I don't say it nearly enough, so Thank You all from the bottom of my heart.


To answer a couple of questions I've had lately.
Yes, I will be selling my hand-dyed threads as soon as mother nature and my photography abilities are on the same page.
Yes, my designs are for sale, I have to work out what would be a reasonable price for a printed chart, haven't figured out yet how to send a PDF chart in an email. I also want to put some of the larger charts on Cross Stitch Addicts, of course, after I work out the whole PDF issue.

Well until next time dear stitchers.
Take Care & Happy Stitchin'
Hugs, Sandy

Cross Stitchin' Update

Here is my first finish of 2011.

Blackbird Sampler
by Sandy (little ol' me)
Stitched on 16ct. Aida hand-dyed by me using my own hand-dyed threads.
I think I stitched it in February.

This is a new piece I started at the end of March.
It's a SAL with The Stitch Specialists yahoo group.
There are 16 parts to this SAL, parts 1-7 are shown in this picture.
A new part is released every Friday by Abi.
I am loving this design, it uses bunches of different specialty stitches, so far there have been cross stitch, Smyrna cross, colonial knots, eyelets, rice stitch, padded stitch, & Jerusalem stitch with beads added to a few of the sections.

Design: Tree of Stitches
Designer: Abi
Stitched on 28ct. sponge-dyed evenweave in Light Blue using my own hand-dyed threads in Black Walnut, Burnished Leaves & Pryor Mountain Sage, so far.

I'm trying really hard to get the pictures of my threads to come out right, the colors always seem to be off. It's so annoying.

Thanks for stopping by I really do appreciate all of your visits & comments.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'
Hugs, Sandy

I'm Still Here

Just wanted to let you all know that I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.

We had a very unwanted "boot virus" on our main computer so DH had to cart it off to the puter ER for a while, luckily they were able to save everything on the hard drive. They had it for about two weeks.
We have a backup computer in my craft room, but when we fired it up, it refused to boot up and DH ended up wiping the hard drive clean and I lost all of the information I had on that one. Including all of the cross stitch charts I had designed in the past and all of my stash info I had in my "Organized Expressions" software.
Oh well, at least all of the designs I've done in the last two to three years was on the main computer. From now everything is getting backed up onto CD.

Right now I'm in the process of getting my hand-dyed threads in order with pictures and all, so I should be getting around to making a blog for selling those soon and maybe some of my charts after we get another printer. The one we have just needs ink, but getting my hubby to get the cartridges refilled when he has his sights set on a new printer, scanner, copier model is next to impossible.

I have a finish for this year, but won't have a pic until I wash and press it to see how a few more of my hand dyed threads fare. I want to make sure they are safe for your treasured needlework projects before I start to offer them up.

Take Care Everyone & Happy Stitching

Hugs, Sandy

A Forgotten Bit of 2010

I forgot about my ORT gleanings from 2010 so I thought I'd post a pic.
Gotta love those old pale blue canning jars and zinc lids.

And here is my found stitchin' finish from 2010.
Found this one while I was reorganizing my craft table.
It will be turned into a plaque when I find the right piece of wood.

"Merry Christmas"
Designed by: Sandy in Montana

Thank you all for stopping by and leaving a bit of your thoughts behind.
I appreciate each and every one of your comments.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin' Everyone....
Hugs, Sandy

The Last Finishes Of 2010

Happy New Year Everyone!!!
Wishing you all a very Blessed and Prosperous Year.

I did manage to get a couple of finishes before the clock struck midnight.

"Noel"
Finished as a pin pillow 12-31-2010.

I have been asked by a few stitcher's if my threads are colorfast.
After stitching this design with some of the darker colors I've dyed, I frogged some of the stitches the next day without any color transfer from the threads to the fabric. I then washed it using cool water and Orvus (I wash all of my needlework with it) then rinse, rinse, rinse and had no color bleeding onto the fabric. I did however have a little color transfer to the white towel I rolled the piece in from the cranberry thread, but it was very minimal.
So over all I'd say they are 95% to 98% colorfast, but as with any hand-dyed fiber there is always that chance that one may be a bit out of sorts depending on water conditions and the washing soap used.
But overall I am still happy with my test results and more testing will take place before I offer them for sale.
Better safe than sorry since I know all of the hard work that goes into any stitched piece.

"Needleworker"
by Sandy Longan Miller of
Log Cabin Needlework's

"Needleworker" was stitched as part of the ILCS

group's week long stitch-a-thon in honour of Rene, a beloved member of our group who is batteling the end stages of cancer. I also dyed some threads during this time and have named one "Rene's Purple" I'm still working to find the right mix for a "La Frog Green". I'll post picture's of the threads later on.

Take Care & Happy Stitching Everyone
Hugs, Sandy