Joyeux Noel

Each stitch here is a smyrna cross. I am getting near the end at this point. I think we should have a contest for the chart. My next posting on this will be when it is complete. I did a bit of the translation when I was stitching this and my notes are on the French chart. I will send the chart to anyone, anywhere. I will number the comments posted on the next post. I will leave it up for a bout a week and then pick a winner. Good luck everyone. As much as I protected stitching this, it wasn't all that bad. The stitch diagrams are clear. I just needed to translate where the stitches were used. I wrote on the pattern so that should help.

Pere Noel and his reindeer

Here comes Santa and Rudolph. There is a little girl stitched over one watching the parade. Santa was mostly cross stitch with a beard of french knots. This is a very fun design.

Trees, trees, and more trees

Here are the trees. The one on the far left will get beads. The trees on the right are all different. Several different specialty stitches were used. All unique and all are special.

Bring on the trees

We have some half stitch lawn with some snow flakes in the lawn. Then there is the tree. This is a strange stitch that I am not sure I have seen before. You make a cross and do a loopty loop around each of the four legs. It is a pretty stitch.

Pere Noel Maison

Now we have some cross stitch smoke and the house. The windows and doors have satin stitches around them. The windows are a star stitch that I don't remember and then back stitch the windows struts. We have a house.

The Eagle has landed

This was a freebie that was included with my Stars & Stripes chart. I like this one.

The Tea Party has begun

The first photo shows the tea pot and cups that are stitched over one. The ladies now have french knots in their dresses. I also show the tree next to the ladies complete. The other photo shows where I added the second tree on the other side ofthe house and the bargello at the bottom with beads. This project is now complete.

It was designed to be make a tea pot cozy. I won't do that but I might make it into a cozy and cover some tools I use in my stitching room. I have already heard one vote for framing. I just don't know.

Progress is being made

I fixed the stems and then I stitched the verse over one. This project is nearing an end. The main stem on the project now has gold thread couched on to it. It adds a bit of sparkle.

Knotted Troubles

Now - - here is some fancy stuff. LOL. The center is french knots in red. The petals are bullion knots done with an overdyed floss. Imagine - french knots with 10 to 12 wraps. Just try keeping all the wraps in place as you finish the stitch. It was quite difficult. (Of course finding the correct needles a week later didn't help....) Each bullion knot is surrounded with a lazy daisy stitch in blue. Then the outside yellow stitches are all lazy daisy stitches. I think this is the most impressive stitch on this design. The stems around this flower will need a bit of work to make them match up with the flower design. After those bullion knots, fixing the stems will be a piece of cake.

The Lovely Queen Stitch

My next assignment in this project was to do the satin stitch (outlined) leaf and then the two pink queen stitch flowers. I love the Queen Stitch. This is a stitch that many people don't care for but I think it looks great and is relatively easy to do. The next assignment will be to fill that gap in the stem to the right.

Tea Party Tulip

Tea Party by Victoria Sampler is a cyber class I recently took. It is cross stitch and crewel. This is the tulip. There is some fly stitch, satin stitch, back stitching and irregular cross. In the lower left is the ribbon daisy flowers.

She's a Grand Old Flag

This was a little design that was the back of the Stars and Stripes chart. I like it.

I have gotten quite far behind on posting. I have the parts and finish on the Tea Party to post. There is one more of these designs that was a freebie from Prairie Schooler. Then there is the Pere Noel in bits and parts. I plan to post every day for quite some time.

Strawberries?

Ok - - the vine in simple cross stitch. The leaves are simple straight stitch. The strawberries are a rhodes design. I had to do the translation in order to figure out the stitch and the alternating colors. I think the translation is perhaps wrong since this is a Christmas design and I can't imagine strawberries being part of the Christmas holiday. I have the grey smoke started and a bit done on the two chimneys.

This is a challenge - -

This is Pere Noel Charmant by TournicOtOn. This was a kit of the month that I purchased last year. It took forever to get it - - it came from France. I have been working on this for about a week. I will add more Americana ornaments to fill in soon - - I do try to stay about a week ahead of the blog. (I don't like the pressure....) ANYWAY - This is a very cute design. It is filled with many, many specialty stitches with just a few regular cross stitches. I have a problem - all the instructions are IN FRENCH!!! The stitch diagrams are self explanatory but the instructions telling you where to use each stitch are to be used are in French. Trust me when I say that my limited high school French classes are of little use for this project. My plan is to use my color photo, shown here, as my main guide. I am also using an on line translator for some of the instructions. Arghhhhhh - - this is going to be a challenge.

The Shield is Complete

Here it is!!! There is a lot of stitching on these little designs. I have gone through 3 skeins of Apple Fritter and Blacksmith Blue. I already had a bunch of Toasted Marshmellow so I was okay there. These are all Sampler Threads.

Patriotic Shield

I am nearing the end of the Prairie Schooler Stars and Stripes designs. This is the last one that is this size.

The Companions

This design is by Teresa Wentzler. I stitched it in 2003. I just recently had it framed. It will hang in the Christmas room. I just love the colors.

A Whale of a Good Time?

Here she is. I am not sure what a whale has to do with Americana but it looks pretty good.

Oh Whaling we Shall Go

This is the start of the whale. The chart calls for the whale to be stitched with Cocoa Bean brown. I was shocked. I changed the color to Lunar Eclipse.

Sail Away

Here she is in all her glory. It is hard to see the date '1776' in the base of the ship. I suppose all the stars for for fireworks and such? It will make a cute ornament.

Ole Sailing Ships

I am doing these ornaments on a R&R Lakeside Linen called Irish Linen. It is a rich creamy tan color. This is the beginning of a sailing ship.

Old Glory

I am back working on the Prairie Schooler Stars & Stripes. This is Old Glory. Once again, I do enjoy the overdyed flosses. The plan is to make all this little pieces in to ornaments for my tree.

Sea to Shining Sea - Done

Here it is complete. The little leaves did get to be a bit monotonous but I survived. I would love to have a peg coat hook frame to put this in. I just might have to do some looking.

Oppps It is backwards

Well, no not really. I saw where someone else posted a photo of their work on the back side. So I did it here. What do you think?