Bluetits and poppies

This is Coats Crafts UK design. It was originally designed for Anchor threads. I converted them to DMC threads which are better available around here and that's why I have a proper stash of them. You can find the design in Cross Stitcher magazine (July 2004, pages 64-68). I stitched the the project on 9 count Aida. Later on you'll see what this will turn out.

Chain

This is my own design for Framecraft credit card holder. I stitched it on black aida and used cross stitches, half cross stitches and back stitches.

AfterTheNight...

This is my own design AfterTheNight... after the night is morning and it's different on the morning. In this design I wanted to create the hope a new dawn brings. If there is no dawn the light can be seen during the polar nights in many different ways. We always have the moon to shine our way; or Northern Lights.

(For this project I used 16 count black Aida and 4 shades of DMC thread for the stitching plus 5th shade for the text.)

ArcticFox

This LovelyLittleArcticFox is designed by me. It is stitched on Royal Blue 14 count Aida. I used some back stitches and metallic threads for the details.

YuleBag

Do you remember Me stitching SeasonsGreetings designed by Donna Kooler? Now I have done something with it.

I made a cute bag for YuleDecoration. I designed the bag I sew.

There is a special secret inside....

SeasonsGreetings

This time I stitched a small project. It is designed by Donna Kooler and is from her book Cross Stitch Designs (page 57). The book includes 333 Patterns for  Ready-To-Stitch Projects but of course you can stitch them where ever desired. I used left over 14 Count Rustico Aida (shade Oatmeal) fabric and loose end threads.

ThinkingAboutChristmas

I've been thinking about stitching and Christmas. I had to get on with XStitches but I can't pick up any bigger project because I do have MyStudies going on. So, on the last weekend I had some fun with LittleOnes. I used loose end threads and left over Aida 11 Count fabric (black).

This LittleXmasTree is designed by Durene Jones and you can find it at Cross Stitcher magazine issue 273 (December 2013) page 18. I used the same issue to decorate KnittingNeedleCase.

TheCuteLittleAngel is designed by Maria Diaz (Cross Stitcher magazine, December 2005, page 38). The original design includes beads and Metallic threads but I used some other instead.

These two LittleDesigns above you can find at Cross Stitcher magazine (November 2003, page 68). They are designed by Sue Cook.

WoodlandFox BookMark

WoodlandFox wanted to play with Me so I let it go and have some fun. Does He look familiar? You met him few months ago for the 1st time. It is my own design and so much fun to stitch! Sorry, no free chart available. ❤

ThistleTitles BookMark -tutorial

 

Recently I was back in business with Thistles. It is my own design and free chart is available. Here it is what I made with the ThistleTitles ChartPart. It is a very easy BookMark.

Yesterday I showed you how to do easy HotWaterBottleCover with low cost. This is the same idea. Wishing You Very Merry Christmas and blowing financial worries a bit further. Of course you don't need to use my Thistle chart to make this true. You can use any chart you wish and follow this idea.

This bookmark is cheaper to make than the previous ThistleBookMark because with this I don't use PerforatedPaper. Here I use normal Aida 14 Ct, rubber band, buckram and just a piece of left over fabric. IF you don't have buckram it is cheap to buy. But instead of it you can also use extra layer of spare fabric (rather white so that it can not be seen through).

But first: stitch the desired picture. Place it over the buckram and background fabric and cut off them to similar size.

If your buckram has glue, fasten it by ironing to both fabrics' backside (Aida and background fabric). Otherwise just iron them all.

Fasten the rubber band by few stitches to the top center part of the cross stitch picture's upper edge. The right length is a bit shorter than the height of a book.

Then pin them all together and sew them together around the cross stitch picture. Then just cut off to the right size. Watch out not to cut the rubber band!!!

To prevent the edges to fray use Decoupage lack or just normal glue. I spread it around by a small paint brush. Be sure the lack or glue you use can be washed away by the water so it will be easy to clean the brush and the mess later on. After painting the edges hang it to dry.

When it is finished you put the cross stitched part between the pages...

...and stretch the rubber band around the book. In this way the book stays closed so the book mark won't drop out.

Easy, simple and fabulous idea for book lovers!

Swans & Foxes On Bag

Do you remember my own design free chart Swans and Foxes? Now I stitched the design on 16ct Navy Blue Aida. I used DMC Blanc for the swans and feathers, DMC 972 for the yellow parts, DMC 310 for black parts. The special touch I created by using DMC metallic thread E3843 for the water drops and DMC 51 for the foxes. DMC 51 is Variegated Burnt Orange and it really gives "seems like real" effect on the foxes despite only one shade is used. I am very happy with that result.

TheBag is also my own design. It is for DearT (!HappyBirthdayToYou!). I included some beading to be easier to use the zipper.

It has pretty lining which fabric is a bit nostalgic and from the pile I inherit from my grandmother years ago.

The bottom of the fabric has special but easy to do (and familiar from shopping bags) corners which make more space inside the bag.

Wall hanging

Do you remember cute little Robin designed by Lesley Teare (CrossStitcher, Christmas 2005) which I stitched at early December this year? I now made a pretty wall hanging of it. I used grey felt to create the frames. The back side is made of white raw silk. I placed some cotton wool fabric between the front and back side to make it look more soft.

Robin

This cute Robin is designed by Lesley Teare. It was published on CrossStitcher magazine's Christmas 2005 issue on the page 38. I used my loose end threads so I changed few shades to matching ones to avoid the need to buy any new floss.

For the 1st time I tried out Thread Heaven's Thread Conditioner & Protectant when using metallic threads. It worked well and was not waste of money. If you are not experienced with metallic thread stitching this is something you could try out to get it along better. I warmly can recommend this for beginners to learn to stitch with metallic threads. It is also an excellent gift idea! I found this one on sale; so despite I use a lot metallic threads without trouble I decided to try it out.

EasyPenCase -tutorial

This time I wanted to stitch something small designed by someone else. So I picked up my magazines and ended up to this.

I chose Fiona Crouch design from Cross Stitcher issue 273 (December 2013) on page 56.

I used my left over threads of blue (DMC 775, 3325 and 312) and pink (DMC 818). I stitched it on left over Aida 14CT fabric.

DMC 312 was for the back stitches. I like them. For many times they crate the final touch.

But Fiona Crouch's design was not all I needed. I wanted to personalize the stitching. So here we needed some Taija design. This time I was old fashioned and used some pen and paper.

Ta-dah! Personalized Tag!

 When I was re-upholstering the massage table some Faux Leather (artificial leather) was left over. I of course kept it all. Now I used some bits of it to make a PenCase. I cut a hole into one piece by a carpet knife. First I draw exact size of square I needed on the back side of the leather. Then I used ruler when cutting the square to keep exact straight lines. Then I placed Aida behind the leather and used sewing machine to fasten these two fabrics together.

Then I re-formed the edges of the tag by special scissors. Try out the scissors at first on left over fabric before starting the cutting. Just in case it dosn't cut it at all at the end.

For the PenCase I needed 23 x 31 cm size piece of Faux Leather. I fasteded the tag on the place I wanted.

Then I fastened the upper edge of the zipper. Zipper size is 20cm.

Then I fastened the lower edge of the zipper and sew the side edges of the PenCase.

But no, it was not finished yet. The zipper needed a pull. I made it from beads. And the side edges needed some trimming too.

The PenCase is my own design like the personalized stitching but the heart figure stitching if designed by Fiona Crouch.

This is very easy way to make a PenCase. The tutorial works fine with real leather, faux leather, plastic fabrics and felt. Ready to make easy and low cost Christmas gifts?

Stitching Conversion Charts

Look what I have made for you!  Few charts to ease your stitching! Notice that all the rates are just general advice. It all depends on also the manufacturers and the designs. But here's where to start if you are confused. I add these also on Stitching site and keep them there on the top. So later on you can easily just seek these at there.

 

 

Aida and Evenweave conversion chart

(The chart is general and rates depend on manufacturers)

Aida	Squares / 10cm	Evenweave	Threads / 10cm
6 Count	24	12 Count	47
8 Count	31	16 Count	63
10 Count	40	20 Count	79
11 Count	44	22 Count	87
14 Count	54	28 Count	110
16 Count	63	32 Count	126
18 Count	70	36 Count	142
20 Count	79	40 Count	157
22 Count	87	44 Count	173 © TaijaS

Thread and needle proportion chart

(The chart is indicative)

Aida	Evenweave	Tapestry needle	Strand
6 Count	12 Count	18	6 - 5
8 Count	16 Count	18	5 - 4
10 Count	20 Count	20 - 22	4 - 3
11 Count	22 Count	22	4 - 3
14 Count	28 Count	24	2
16 Count	32 Count	24 - 26	2 - 1
18 Count	36 Count	26	2 - 1
20 Count	40 Count	28	1
22 Count	44 Count	28	1 © TaijaS