HOOKED ON CROSS STITCH

Recognizing your favourite artist's work hanging amongst many others draws you to a specific style that you may love, or warm to it because it reminds you of something in your childhood or you just like it...no questions asked. I can usually identify (because I love them) William Morris fabric and wallpaper patterns and Charles Rennie MacIntosh design furniture (quite unique so not too hard). Now it seems I am drawn to Blackbird Designs Cross Stitch patterns...I can spot them a mile away and I so enjoy the content and the colours as well as the stories they tell. One of my first was Floral Gift from the Christmas Ornaments Just Cross Stitch magazine 2010 special issue ( thank you Irene for that suggestion). So I have gathered up a little stash...Anniversaries of the Heart...



Pattern #4 - Pink Hill Manor
Can't wait to stitch this one. 
I have all the threads ready to go

   

Pattern #6 - Happy Birthday



Pattern # 11- Evergreen Lane
WIP as I post this and coming along very nicely



Pattern # 12 - Elizabeth Jane
Just can't get this one started - soon maybe

I also finished Pattern #8 - Clara Ellen. I had to email Alma Allen on this one as I really haven't done any "odd/ advanced " type stitches and you will see I stuck to the tried and true cross stitch but I will try the eyelet stitch required and with some practice see if I can accomplish the different border for the 2nd one I am working on. It does look lovely. If you are reading the pattern the "diamond" is the colour code of the thread and the stitch itself is eyelet stitches over 4 linen threads using two strands of floss. I know...99% of you got it...I am not sure how hard this will be for me but please don't hesitate to comment if you can help me out.





CLARA ELLEN - Pattern #8
BLACKBIRD DESIGNS
 ANNIVERSARIES OF THE HEART
I have completed and gifted one Clara Ellen
framed in black with a greenish mat
 and have another one to stitch.




I also finished Hannah Lovina Joslin from the
Honeysuckle Manor book which may be my favourite of all time.
I stitched my mothers name and year of birth on it.
Framed it in black with a warm deep red mat

 
Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers SUMMER is all set up to go as well...but I got hung up on the Anniversaries series and you know how that works...it is like chocolate and wine together who could resist.



A Schoolgirls Work by Barb Adams & Alma Allen contains samplers from the Spencer Museum of Art. The first half of the book contains the original samplers with specific information on each one. The second half of the book contains cross stitch patterns inspired by each sampler...how wonderful.  I haven't thought of starting any one of these...I just pick up the book and ooh and ahh at each one and the stories they depict. Of course there are some other pieces that have fell by the wayside that need attention as soon as I clear this lot lol!!

I picked up a new designer last week JBW "French Country - Love". 


It is a gift for a specific couple young and modern...and I hope it works.
I  have kept the threads very light and hope to find a French
country style frame for this piece.

It really is a beatiful life when you know you have to live to 100 to finish the stash - hope my eyesight holds up.

I am still having trouble loading pictures.  I did manage to load one on this post and the others are copied from 123 Stitch ( thank you) http://www.123stitch.com/JBWDesigns2.html. Hopefully I will sort this out soon and be able to post the  finished pieces.