FlossTube #59-12/16/17-Sunroom Stitcher

Saint Nicholas hiding at the Thrift Shop

Saint Nicholas is a tricky old soul.  I found him last month at the Thrift Shop taking a long winter's nap before his busy season.  He had convinced the senior ladies there that he would be safe from exposure if they put a price tag on him and hung him from the wall.

Well there are some super sleuths in the world and I happen to be one of the lucky individuals that was gifted with super keen discernment.  I discerned $40.00 was way too much money even though he was divinely stitched and elegantly framed.  The frame has a few dings in it which I will try to cover up.  I held my breath and waited for Saint Nicholas to go on sale.  Friday, November 17th was half price day.  The shop opens at 9:00a.m. and I had to be at work at 9:30a.m.

I ran a reconnaissance mission Thursday afternoon and the Saint was still undiscovered hanging up, although his snores should have awakened the dead.  At 8:45a.m on Friday I slowly drove up to the target scoping out the parking lot, no one was there.  I skillfully backed my car into the nearest parking spot for a quick get away.  At 0850 another car pulled into the lot so I covertly slid out of the car and casually sidled up to the front door.  Moments later, no more then 10 ladies lined up behind me.  I slyly sized each of them up and decided I had at least 150 pounds over each of them.  I could easily push and bump any of them out of my way should the need arise.

At 0855 I spotted a lady inside the shop dragging a 50% sale sign up to the front doors.  As she unlocked the doors and was pulling it out and I asked if the shop was now open.  Her response had a steely edge to it, "oh why not?"  In I charged, faded to the right 4 feet and with blinding speed and skill snatched the unawares old man off the wall and made a quick jog to the check out, handed the elderly lady at the register a crisp twenty dollar bill and exited the door before anyone was even aware of what had just happened!

I flew to my car and slid Saint Nicholas into the front seat and triumphantly glided the vehicle out of the parking lot and got all the way to work without raising a single eye brow.  Saint Nicholas is hanging on my front room wall, blissfully unawares and still sleeping.  Won't he be shocked on December 24th he opens his eyes and he isn't where he thought he was?

So here is Saint Nicholas, designed by Stoney Creek from their Classics Collection published in 1995.  I would like to thank Eva Rideout on Stitch Maynia for helping me identify this beautifully stitched and framed treasure.  I wish I know who had stitched him.

Plum Street Sampler's "The Birthday Tart"

I stitched with the called for threads  but with a mixture of DMC and GAST.  The fabric is 28ct tobacco cashel linen.  I did modify the initials on the left I stitched the year and the right has my initials.  This beautiful piece is finished into a tin tray with a spray of autumn flowers and foliage and the bow is made from ribbon purchased in the seasonal section of Hobby Lobby.  

This fun piece is sitting atop my fireplace mantle.  Although I am not 100% thrilled with the way the stitched piece is finished it does look lovely.

FlossTube #58--148 Freebie Sites--Sunroom Stitcher

FlossTube #57 My 1st Day- Sunroom Stitcher

FlossTube #56 Good News from the Sunroom Stitcher

Bow Making Tutorial from Country Craft Corner

One of my wonderful subscribers to my Flosstube channel, Gypsy Rose, suggested this tutorial for making funky bows.  What a great tutorial, my head is spinning!

I plan on using this technique to make the bow I want for my Autumn tray.  Now back to stitching!

My Autumn Tablescape and Halloween exchange

This is my lovely dining room table's autumn scape featuring my Halloween Exchange ornament stitched by my Sisterhood of the Sunroom Stitching friends, Amanda.

I have had so much fun finding nice autumn/Halloween décor pieces from thrift shops or outlets at inexpensive prices.

Here is the Halloween ornament I received in my exchange among my subscribers of my YouTube channel.  Amanda had never done anything like this before and she enjoyed the process.  The design is out of the Just Cross stitch Halloween issue.  Doesn't it look lovely in my tablescape?!

FlossTube #55 Sunroom Stitcher

Mondays' Moneyless Massive Mooch (aka freebies)

It time once again for the Mondays'  Moneyless Massive Mooch of designs out on the web.  Hold onto your teeth as this ride begins! 😬

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

My Big Toe: http://www.mybigtoedesigns.com/home.htm

I love this designer.  Her designs have a distinctive Christian flavor.  She offers 5 free designs and several tutorials on her site.  Tutorials include a flat ornament, needlebook, scissor block and an Ort box.

 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Wichelt Imports: http://wichelt.com/freegraphs/freegraph.html

Wichelt has several free designs available.  Several of the links don't work but enough work making it worth your time to see if any interest you.  I particularly liked the one below.  It very much reminded me of AAN design style.

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Christian Cross Stitch: http://www.christiancrossstitch.com/

There are a couple of dozen designs here. Most are charted from art.  The charts are very large and you must click and save them, they are not PDF's.  I really liked this version of the praying hands pictured below as well as a very different version of the Nativity.

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Domestic Church: http://domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC/19990901/FRIDGE/crossstitch

There is one cross stitch pattern here that I very much like and it is the prayer to Archangel Michael.  The verse is backstitched and there is a border on 2 corners. The pattern must be printed out in four parts!

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Sue Hillis Designs: http://www.suehillisdesigns.net/freebies.html

I love the designs that come out of Sue Hillis' mind.  On her site she has generously offered us 7 must have designs.  Below are pictures of my favorites.  Ride on over and get your favorites too!

 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Glory Bee: http://www.glorybeestitch.com/free.shtml

Glory Bee has 18 free designs and if you are a Stars and Stripes Patriot you must march over there and capture the current one. You will find the older designs in the free pattern archive which is a drop down menu below the picture of the current offering. 

 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Aurelle: http://aurelle.over-blog.com/tag/freebies/

I believe that I have mentioned this site before but with 399 offerings of freebies through out the years it really deserves another mention.  This is a French site and her designs are on the smaller side with a dose of blackwork and monochromatic designs.  I love the fresh sweet designs offered here.  Hop on your Vespa and scoot on over there.  But be fair warned you could be there all day!

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Les Marottes de Nathalie: http://lesmarottesdenath.free.fr/index.php?cat=2

This is another French site offering interesting "Grilles Gratuites"!  It is always refreshing to see the styles of designers in other countries.  Different countries definitely have different cultural artistic styles.  I think while you are on your Vespa you need to drop by and check out the offerings.

 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

The Shop Around the Corner: https://lecrocettedimanu.blogspot.co.il/p/free.html

The Shop Around the Corner is an Italian site. It offers 7 small fun designs.  As you are drifting lazily down the canals in your gondola, float on by and check out the offerings. 

 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Solo Brode: http://solo.brode.over-blog.fr/tag/solo%20free/

Sophie at Solo Brode Blog is a most generous French designer.  If you do not like back stitching or blackwork then you may not be as thrilled over this site as I am.  These are the most interesting and delightful designs I have seen in like...forever...lol....yes I am a valley girl, I am from the valley (low spot) on 3rd street! My life does not get much better then this little corner of the web!  Visit and bedazzled or besotted or be joyful.

 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Appleseed Prim: http://appleseedprim.blogspot.com/p/free-patterns.html

So if you are a "Prim" and proper stitcher you will enjoy this next site.  Sweet little primitive cross stitch designs and some primitive little dolls such as a rabbit and a "tattered suitor".  These are nice little finishes for you prim bowl.

 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Stitcher's Anon: http://stitchersanon.blogspot.com/p/free-charts_10.html

A nice blog with a nice selection of free designs offered.  She has wizards and Christmas and Halloween designs.  I love the frog Christmas tree and the hope needle roll but my favorites are pictured below. You find the PDF patterns by clicking on the name of the design below the picture of it. 

   

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Graphic Garden: http://www.graphicgarden.com/

Graphic Garden has been on the web since 1997, wow 20 years!  There are some cute little country designs in the cross stitch section.  Look on the left hand side of the page for "cross stitch".  There is so much on this site.  I love the non stitching items, bookmarks and the graphics, the recipe cards and calendars.  It is a very pleasing site to look at. 

            

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Balades et Broderies: http://balades-et-broderies.over-blog.com/tag/grilles%20gratuites/

Only 3 words adequately describe this site, "OH MY GOSH"! Another French designer with an affinity for cute, with a whimsical flair.  It is much too difficult to pick a favorite design so I must pick all of them.  If you are not weighted down by your buttered croissant, hurry over to this great, great site!

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Sew and So: http://ideas.sewandso.co.uk/

As I have often said, I am the last one to all parties.  I had no idea Sew and So had free designs posted every Friday!  They have tons of designs on the smaller side, many perfect for cards. They also have free e-books to download. DO NOT get caught in the huge circle turnaround in the middle of London and miss this site for great free designs.

  

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Cross Stitching.com:  http://www.cross-stitching.com/free-cross-stitch-charts

Here is another site with tons of free designs. It is associated with the World of Cross Stitching and Cross Stitch Gold magazines. There are pages and pages of designs perfect for cards. You must be registered to download the patterns but it is a very easy process. Designs are in PDF format which is terrific.  Register and download your fingers to stubs.

 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Sylvia's: http://syku66.blogspot.it/

Sylvia is a German blogger and she shares her creations with you and I.  I love her sweet style.  She has seasonal designs and also a darling stitch along "My Little Heart".  There are also a couple of primitive style samplers.  Please go show Sylvia some stitchy love!

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Passion Creative: http://passioncreative.over-blog.com/

Pages and pages of free designs are here to assail your eyes.  They are for the most part what I call color book blocked stitching.  You will find Mario characters from the computer game, a ball of yarn with knitting needles, Tinkerbell, butterflies and on and on.  Have fun on today's final stop of the Freebie Express.

 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░