Never Stop Growing

BRD-001 "Never Stop Growing"

I've recently been taking a look at Blue Ribbon Designs - where it all started, where it has progressed, and where it will be in the future. Not only has the cross stitch industry changed drastically over the years, but so has my design style. Looking back at my design catalog, each piece contains special memories...and it is so interesting to see how my design style has evolved over the past nine years. When I first started counted thread designing, I was extremely inspired by historical samplers and the history of needlework...I think you will always see a bit of that in my artwork....but now my signature style has grown immensely and become much more (for lack of a better word) modern. Taking a look at my very first design "Never Stop Growing", I have to smile and think about how far my work has come over the years - this design is very "spot motif" based....and although it is detailed, it is very basic. Looking at my latest designs, I have definitely left the "basic" historical sampler style behind, but I am still extremely inspired by the same organic motifs and themes...and everything just seems to "flow" a little better. As I look at the future of Blue Ribbon Designs and set new personal and professional goals, I can't help but reflect on my first design title and how very closely it relates to me (and my work) today - it is so true, we "never stop growing"...

A selection of recent releases (L to R):
BRD-104 "Beauty In Simplicity"- BRD-106 "Redwork Garden" - BRD-105 "Friendship Blooms"

Upcoming Design Spotlight: "Redwork Garden"

I had every intention of waiting until next week to share the final new upcoming release with you - but I have been getting inundated with email requests for information (which is very encouraging), so I decided to share the third design "Redwork Garden" with you today. Look for this new design, along with "Beauty in Simplicity" and "Friendship Blooms" to start arriving in needlework shops following the the Nashville Needlework Market being held on February 25-26th.

"Redwork Garden" (BRD-106) is a framed sampler design with two coordinating needlework smalls that combine my three loves: needlework, quilting, and gardening. It is a companion piece to "Quilted Garden" that was released last fall. This design is stitched with three colors of The Gentle Art Sampler Threads (two reds and a white) on Chantilly Creme hand-dyed fabric from Lakeside Linens (the models use 40-count, but you can use your favorite).

The entire sampler is Cross Stitch over two-linen threads, with the exception of the verse (which is Cross Stitch over-one linen thread); I have included alternate charting of the original verse in Back Stitch for those who shy away from over-one needlework.

The needlework smalls include a scissor fob and a biscornu...and complete finishing instructions are included. For the buttons on the biscornu, I stitched my initials and the year over-one on small scraps of fabric, then used a Dritz Cover Button Kit (found at hobby and sewing shops) to make the buttons...I also included an alternate alphabet/numbers in Back Stitch, if you are not a fan of over-one Cross Stitch.

Additional photos, design specifics, and a complete supply list are available on my website - simply visit: http://www.blueribbondesigns.com and click on "Future" in the left-hand menu...then scroll down to the photos and information on "Redwork Garden". The chartpack contains charting for the sampler/scissor fob/biscornu, stitching instructions, stitch diagrams, complete finishing instructions for the scissor fob and biscornu, alternate verse charting, and an alphabet/numbers for personalization.

I am excited to share "Redwork Garden" with you...and hope you will look for this design at your favorite needlework shop following the Nashville Needlework Market (February 25-26)....

Needlework Smalls Front View:

Needlework Smalls Back View:

Sewn With Love

Things have been a little bit hectic here to say the least...I have been stitching my days away, working on new designs for market release - I've been designing two new class pieces - and I've been working on several magazine designs...all that leaves little time for sewing (especially when I have been under the weather). I put the final stitches in on "Redwork Garden" last night (I'll share it with you very soon!) and it made it to the framer today - we had picked the molding last week and it should be finished up tomorrow...so with that HUGE project completed, I decided to take a little "me time" this afternoon and quilt and bind this very fun Valentine table runner.

This strippy table runner was such a treat to work on...I really enjoyed the entire project. I used the pattern "Strippy Table Set" by Patterns by Jean Boyd...and the fabric is mainly from the collection Sent With Love by Deb Strain for Moda (this is a Valentine line from last year). This is a Jelly Roll (2 1/2" strip) friendly pattern, for those of you with leftover strips in your stash...and making it extra awesome - the wedge shaped pieces are not cut to an exact shape - you just cut them quick and easy with your rotary cutter (this gives it an even more "scrappy" look and makes it SO simple). The sashing/border strips and cornerstone squares were all cut with my AccuQuilt GO! fabric cutter (but could easily be done with a rotary cutter)...making this a great beginner project for those of you just learning (or wanting to learn) to quilt. The finished size is approximately 31" x 31"...and the pattern includes directions to make matching place mats (which I would definitely make if there were more hours in each day!). I can see this table runner and place mats done with all sorts of different fabrics...especially autumn fabrics...wouldn't it make a lovely Thanksgiving table setting?!

So now that I have had a little playtime, it is back to work - I have to finish stitching some needlework smalls, so they will be ready to put together tomorrow...I have photography to get done...and I have a long list of details to complete in order to get my three new designs to the printer early next week. I can't wait to share the new designs with you...and then start stitching on class designs for this fall...so many fun new things are on the horizon...

Playtime in Black & White

Over the holidays, my sewing studio got a (FABULOUS) brand new addition....an AccuQuilt Studio Fabric Cutter. I have been going crazy trying to make time to play with it - I have a bunch of BRD deadlines and a HUGE pile of design work/model stitching to accomplish, so making time to "play" has not been easy....I try to use "playtime" as a reward for accomplishing a big task on my to-do list. While I was working on my holiday gifts, I did manage to use it a couple times, using some GO! Dies and the GO! Die Adapters for the Studio - which actually worked very well...but I wanted to try an actual Studio Die. So, yesterday, after completing a pile of work, getting in a 3.25 mile walk with Simba, and getting my household chores done, I decided to do a little playing and sewing.

I used the Studio Everyday Tote Die which actually works pretty slick - it cuts a 9" x 11" boxed bottom tote bag...how you ask??...well, it only cuts the actually bag base - you cut the handles and pockets and/or embellishments separately...but it gives you a great basic bag to build upon. You decide the type of fabrics and if you want to add batting or interfacing...or if you want to quilt it or use quilted fabric....the possibilities are endless! I decided to make several pockets for my bag - two for the outside and one for the inside...and I used quilted fabric for the outside and handles and cotton fabric for the lining (just a couple pieces I had in my stash to experiment with). This die is a breeze to use (at least for me), as I have made many tote bags in my sewing career - in fact, I didn't even use the instructions except to see how to fold and line up the fabric before cutting...and the entire project took less than two hours from start to finish. The tote you are seeing in my photos is my very first one using my new fabric cutter and die...pretty basic...but I have some fabulous ideas for future bags...and several will be upcoming gifts! My next one will have a button/loop closure and slightly shorter handles....and maybe even a little applique...I am full of creative ideas on how to use this particular die! I can definitely envision piecing and quilting some cute fabrics or scraps for the outside bag, then using a cotton for the lining and handles. ...and, as I begin to collect more of the Studio Dies (right now I only have a couple), I am sure I will have more projects to share with you!

For now, it is back to stitching on my model for "Redwork Garden"...it is coming along very nicely and I have the entire floral borer stitched...I still have about a 1/3 of the design left to complete...but I am hoping to have it finished sometime in the next week....look for updates later in the month!

A New Year Bright With Promise

As we welcome the new year, I am taking a look back at the last 365 days...2011 was a good year for Blue Ribbon Designs - a year of triumphs, challenges, and rewards. Thank you for making my success in 2011 possible and for your support, encouragement, and loyalty - there are many talented designers and teachers out there...and a vast amount of needlework patterns to choose from - I sincerely thank you for welcoming my designs into your stitching rotation and allowing my dream to be a reality. I truly love the needlework industry and I hope you will continue to receive my designs with open arms and share in my passion for all things done with needle and thread. As we jump into 2012, I have many goals and a good amount of projects in the works - a pile of design ideas, multiple classes across the US, and exciting plans for the future. Thank you for following me on my creative journey...

Here is a little treat for your New Year's Day - a tiny peek at my upcoming design "Redwork Garden"...I have been busy working on this new piece, which is a companion to "Quilted Garden" - I have plans to release it at the Nashville Needlework Market in February. At this time, I can tell you it is stitched on Lakeside Linens (Chantilly Creme) with three colors of Gentle Art Sampler Threads. I am hoping to have it finished up in the next week or so...and then off to my framer. Look for more information/details and photos in the coming month...

Thank you kindly for visiting/following my blog - I hope to keep you excited and inspired throughout 2012! Here's hoping your new year is bright with promise, filled with hope, and blessed with happiness and joy!

"Friendship Blooms"

Today I have a sneak of peek of a new design to show you (before framing)...here is your first look at "Friendship Blooms". This friendship sampler will be released in February at the Nashville Needlework Market. The sampler is stitched on 40-count Weeks Dye Works Straw linen with Weeks Dye Works cotton floss. I thought it would be fun to have several other finishing ideas with the chart - so I made multiple ornaments (could be fobs or hook hangers) using three different finishing techniques...one uses finishing forms - one backs the ornament with linen - one backs the ornament with fabric or wool. Finishing instructions for all three will be included in the chartpack. The ornaments/fobs/hook hangers shown in the photo were all stitched on 28-count Bone Jobelan, but I will be doing several with the 40-count Weeks Dye Works linen, as well. As with most of my designs, there are multiple possibilities for finishing! I wanted a fun, cheerful release in February that included many of my favorite motifs, as it tends to be quite gloomy here that time of year...

I am now working on another new design model called "Redwork Garden" which is somewhat a companion to "Quilted Garden"...it is a larger design, so it will take me a couple weeks to get it stitched - I am thrilled with the charting and can't wait to share it with you!