Pages

January 19, 2013

Little House in Needlepoint!

I'm so excited!  Ewe & Eye & Friends has uploaded images of the LHN canvases they are taking to market in Long Beach next month.  You can see them here on the new designs link.....there are two pages: Ewe & Eye & Friends.  

Two of my favorites:




Needlepoint canvases are works of art.  Each stitch is carefully painted onto the canvas.  It's almost a shame to cover the canvas with thread!

Happy Stitching,
Diane

January 17, 2013

Sweets for the sweet!

Vanilla and Chocolate. . . . .is there a better combination?  Well maybe. . . . . how about a little strawberry added in?  Valentines Day is next month so we've released a sweet design to treat yourself to.  

Vanilla and Chocolate

Mary Kathryn (of Impie, Hattie and Bea) and I collaborated on the finish to provide you with a new and wonderful way to store your working stitching threads.  Stitch the design and sew it to the outside cover of the "Thread Armoire".  Your hand dyed threads attach beautifully to the rings inside and lay perfectly smooth.  She has even provided a place to park your needle.  This is such a practical way to store your current stitching threads.  I'm already using mine and I love it!

Inside view of the "Thread Armoire" from Impie, Hattie and Bea.

I neglected to post a photo of the new Hoffman Exclusive kit that was released right after the first of the year.  The sheep are monopolizing my time!  So here it is. . . . ."Birdhouse Alphabet."  Along with the chart you get the silk (Belle Soie) and buttons.  Aren't those buttons adorable????  I think the corners on the frame are a perfect match!  


So the web site is updated with supplies for the above charts and also, for the second sheep, Love.  And, because you asked, there are a few added details on the newly created link for the Hometown Holiday line.  You can find the link under the "Cross Stitch Charts" tab.

Happy Stitching,
Diane




January 13, 2013

Hometown Holiday!

Weekends are better for blog browsing so I decided to announce the new line of designs coming to LHN today instead of waiting any longer!  HOMETOWN HOLIDAY is a winter stitcher's playground of little buildings and scenes that you can make as dimensional objects or frame.  But then use your creativity once you see the designs and you decide how you wish to feature them.


This isn't a series like the sheep virtues or the three years of ornaments. . . . . this is a permanent addition to the Little House line of patterns which means it doesn't have an end until I simply decide I won't design any more.  I can't see that happening any time soon!

OK. . . .so the first one is called MY HOUSE.  It's a house (of course) and has an area for personalizing the design.  We've provided the alphabet.  As you will see in a few weeks time, the design was made into a stand-up cube using general craft foam.  I will be providing an online tutorial on the LHN web site for finishing.  It is sooooo easy!  Easier actually than all of the steps needed to finish the wool pillows for the sheep!  And there is NO sewing so anyone can do this.  This design will ship mid-February.

The second design is called MAIN STREET STATION.  See where this is going?  We're building a little town, one design at a time in cross stitches.  

The things you need to know . . . . . we won't publish in this line every month.  There will be gaps.   The second thing you need to know is that I do not recommend this for whole cloth stitching at this time.  Maybe a year down the road you could place some of the designs together and create your own scene but not at this time.  I am designing randomly to create this little town so pieces will be coming out here and there and may not "fit" together on one cloth.

I hope you will enjoy this new line of designs.  I am having a wonderful time designing and stitching them!

We are shipping the first sheep this week along with another full sized design.  We'll post photos of the other design soon!

Happy Stitching,
Diane


January 5, 2013

Woolly Sheep - A Craft Project!

These days my mind is just full of sheep related ideas.  I wonder why?  If you finish the Little Sheep Virtue pillows as I did, you will probably end up placing them in a basket, trencher, or something similar.  I am imagining mine laying on a bed of leafy greens and in the midst. . . . . .a woolly sheep!


When I first decided to create a dimensional sheep for the series I knew it would have to be easy enough for all of you to create without a pattern which is why it is so simple in design.  You can dress yours however you wish and modify it to your liking.

Gather your supplies: Two wool colors, 4 toothpicks, small amount of worsted weight yarn to cover the toothpicks, white glue, fiberfill, distressing agent and thread.

Let's begin.  Cut two pieces of wool for the body 3-1/2" x 5".  I used Weeks Wool in Snow Cream.


Next, place both pieces together and round all four corners with a sharp pair of scissors.


Cut one piece of dark wool, I used Weeks Chestnut in the Houndstooth pattern, 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" and another piece 2" x 1-1/2"


Fold the wide piece in half and cut a shape for the head.  I curved the top down and the bottom up.  Be sure to cut through the fold so that you are left with two matching pieces.  Take the second piece, fold it and cut two ears.


The wool looks grey/blue but it was brown.  Bad lighting!

Pin the head to the body pieces and sew in place with contrasting thread.  Just little running stitches will do.  Then pin the front to the back and begin sewing together with a blanket stitch.


Once you get to the bottom edge, stop.  You now need to make the legs.  I snipped off one pointed end of each toothpick before wrapping each with a spiral twist of the yarn.  When I reached the bottom I cut the yarn, dabbed it with white glue and twisted it onto the wrapped yarn, holding it in place for a minute so it would stick.


Put the unfinished end of the toothpick into the body, take a stitch, add the other leg, stitch the belly and repeat for the other two legs.  Stop and stuff the sheep lightly then continue closing it up with the blanket stitch.  


Once it is completely sewn, dab white glue to the legs where they meet the wool (pick one side to be the back).


Pinch each ear to crease then sew to the top of the head.


At this point I added a tricket to her rear and took her to the kitchen to add light distressing.  Both sides were sprayed with "Distress It" and left to dry.  

Simple and easy . . . . no pattern required. 


While I know my sheep won't win any blue ribbons, it's a fun little project and will add a bit of interest to your basket as you finish your sheep pillows.  

Have fun and happy stitching!

Diane



January 4, 2013

More Sheep!

I love stitching and designing sheep.  Quite a few LHN designs have featured them throughout the years.  
Wool Needlebook
The Counting House
Julia Flynn - Dear Diary


Curly Q Ewe


My Sheep

Winter Sheep

The Gathering Room

While you are waiting for the first Little Sheep Virtue to arrive, pull out one of these old patterns to keep you company!

Happy Stitching,
Diane

January 1, 2013

Hope - the first sheep virtue


Little Sheep Virtue - Hope

Happy New Year!!
I'm starting out January 1st with a photo of the first design in our new series.  When the new year arrives it is full of hopes, wishes and dreams so that is why I chose this as #1.  The wool for finishing on this design is Palomino Houndstooth and I cut it 6-1/2" square.  The design is sewn to the top with invisible thread then trimmed in ordinary twine.  I used invisible thread on that also.  Each of the sheep in the series will be finished in the same way and I plan to place them in a basket on display in my home.

Vonna started an SAL for those of you wishing to participate:Stitching The Flock

Happy Stitching,
Diane