Upcoming Design Spotlight: "Friendship Blooms"

It is time for another upcoming design release spotlight - this design will be released later this month at the TNNA Nashville Needlework Market (a needlework industry trade show for manufacturers, designers, and needlework shops). I will be releasing three new designs - several days ago, I shared "Beauty In Simplicity" with you - today's spotlight will be on "Friendship Blooms". Look for my three new designs to start arriving in needlework shops following the the Nashville Needlework Market being held on February 25-26th. In the meantime, enjoy this special spotlight feature...

Friendship Blooms (BRD-105) is a framed sampler with a fun sixteen square border. This friendship design features an original verse and is perfect for "Round Robin" or group stitching. Each square in the border can be used for an individual needlework small - the chartpack includes finishing instructions for three styles of ornaments/fobs/hook hangers; these three styles include: backing your ornament/fob with linen, backing your ornament/fob with wool or cotton fabric, and using finishing forms. Here are some other creative finishing ideas: magnets, bookmarks, pinkeeps/cubes, needlebooks, and or floss ring tags - there are endless finishing possibilities. The sampler verse is cross stitched over-one, but the chartpack includes alternate charting that uses a back stitch for those of you who shy away from over-one stitching. I also included two alphabets/sets of numbers for personalizing your piece(s).

I have posted all the details on my website - including additional photos and a complete supply/materials list - simply visit: http://www.blueribbondesigns.com and click on "Future" in the left-hand menu...then scroll down to the photos and information on "Frienship Blooms". All model pieces were stitched on Straw hand-dyed fabric by Weeks Dye Works with Weeks Dye Works cotton floss (DMC conversions are provided). I worked the cover models on 40-count linen, but you can choose your favorite count!

I hope this friendship sampler will speak to you...

"Friendship Blooms" Sampler

Ornaments/Fobs/Hook Hangers (40-count Straw linen by WDW)
Top two - backed with linen
Middle two - back with cotton fabric
Bottom two - finishing forms (2" square)

Ornaments/fobs stitched on 28-count Jobelan (Bone):

Ornaments/fobs 1 and 6 - backed with cotton fabric

Ornaments/fobs 2 and 5 - finishing forms (2" square)

Ornaments/fobs 3 and 4 - backed with linen

Frolic In The Foliage

Happy Wednesday! Today I bring to you a sneak peek of "Frolic In the Foliage"....my new autumn design that will be released in September at the TNNA St. Charles Needlework Market. I have been doing the model stitching on this project for the last week - and I must say, I really enjoyed it! It is my first model on the new 40-count overdyed linen from Weeks Dye Works (Beige) and it was very nice to stitch on...very soft and very easy to handle...and for those of you who I know will ask, it is stitched with Weeks Dye Works cotton floss. I will be taking this to my custom framer tomorrow, which is a treat, as she has been getting in all sorts of new frame molding...it makes it so much fun to pick out something both perfect and unique! So here is a preview photo for you, before framing...and (of course) each square is perfect for an ornament, scissor fob, or hook hanger (photo of smalls coming in the future)! Now I am off to start the model stitching for "Halloween With A 'Y'"....I'm keeping busy; there is so much model stitching I want to do...