Fiendishly Fun Freebies 👀

http://diy-100ideas.com/category/diy/cross-stitch/
This site has some larger free designs and they are attractive.  There is a lovely design with dandelions and also a white peacock.  It is a fun site to explore with crochet patterns, kids crafts, jewelry and other fun activities.

http://www.casamiainitalia.com/hp/csfc.htm
Casamia is an Italian site.  Free designs offered there have a Quaker feeling.  I love the "Bloom 2017" pattern with the coneflower and bubbles.  There are also cherubs and a nice stitching friends design.

http://handsondesign.biz/blog/
Cathy Habermann of Hands on Designs is not only a very talented designer but she is extremely generous.  She has quite a few designs offered as complimentary.  You have to look around a bit to find them, but they are worth the hunt.  Each blog entry does not have a free design offered but you do have to click on the "Read More" box to bring up the entire story.  Cathy's blogs are filled with wonderful stories and inspiration and you will fall in love with her as I have.  She also has a great Floss Tube channel which I would urge you to subscribe to.  Sign up for her newsletter and have her latest blog entry mailed to your inbox.

https://feathersinthenest.blogspot.de/search/label/freebies?max-results=20
Jennifer Ann Fox has a sweet blog.  A lovely lady whom dabbles with creating small primitive type patterns which she offers on her blog. Jennifer knits and enjoys her life with her life in the mountains in Georgia with her hubby and beloved dog Miss Abigail.

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/x-stitch/
There are quite a few cross stitch freebies here in about a dozen categories.  My favorite is a bookmark "He is Risen".

https://www.thespruce.com/cross-stitch-4127522
The Spruce sprang up from About.com, which was at one time The Mining Company.  Not all the entries in the Cross Stitch category lead to free designs but there are enough that would make the hunt be worth it. It has the look of PInterest but the feel of Craft Gossip.  Enjoy your hunt.

http://legrenierdezoe.canalblog.com/albums/grilles_gratuites/
This is a French site with some sweet free design offerings. There are just a handful offered but there are definitely some keepers.

https://kincavelkrosses.wordpress.com/tag/freebies  Caution: There are some designs with vulgar language. Even though I detest this trend of filthy language there are enough really nice offering other than those using offensive language. There are blackwork as well as cross stitch designs.

http://marijke-steekjeskruisjes.blogspot.nl/search/label/Freebies
This site originates in the Netherlands.  It has lovely small designs most have that vintage "Sajou" style.

http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Cross-Stitch-c-389/
There are over 200 small designs in 4 categories offered on the Kreinik site.  Some are from well known designers.

Nordic Needle: Stitching with Silks

The following article appeared in the Nordic Needle's wonderful newsletter which can be subscribed to by clicking on the link embedded in the title below.  They have fabulous articles which enhance your stitching knowledge that come free to your inbox.  As a wonderful bonus at the end of the article there is a fabulous hand scrub recipe for stitching soft hands.


Nordic Needle: Stitching with Silks

Today we are taking a closer look at stitching with silk. First, it is a myth that silk is fragile. Pound for pound, silk is stronger than steel. Our silk threads are made by silkworms. Learn a little more about how silk is harvested in this article. Because of its properties, many examples have survived centuries so that we can enjoy and study them today. This includes samplers and ecclesiastical embroideries, or the beautiful Chinese and Japanese silk embroideries. Another reason to use silk thread is because of its bright sheen and rich color. The sheen comes from the fact that the fiber is triangular shaped, which acts like a prism, reflecting back the light. Here is a very close look at a cross-section of silk fiber from microlabgallery.com. This is a cross-section of silk fiber from the sample-set provided by Textile Fabric Consultants, Inc. Silk is more expensive than some other threads. If you are making an heirloom, such as a wedding dress, would you make it of cotton when you could use silk or satin? That's how we should think of our stitching projects. When you are spending hours on that perfect gift, use the best threads you can afford, since it will make a difference! Not every strand of silk is created equal. There are actually two types: filament and spun. Filament is the highest quality silk that is "reeled" as it comes from perfect cocoons in very long lengths. Filament thread is created by twisting the long strands of silk. The resulting thread is white and very shiny. This thread is softer and more likely to snag on everything. In addition, it is usually the more expensive of the silk threads. Some examples are Vineyard Silk, Trebizond Silk, Silk Bella, Silk Serica, Soie Perlee, and Gilt Sylke Twist. The second type is spun silk. This silk is created from the less desirable cocoons and leftover pieces from the filament process. The resulting thread is off-white and less shiny, and generally less expensive. Spun silk can become fuzzy as you work with it. Spun silk includes Caron Collection Soie Cristale, Au ver a Soie Soie D'alger, and Silk Mori. Let's compare the shine between four threads: Vineyard versus Soie Cristale and Trebizond versus Mori. On the spool silks will look different than on the skein, since spooled silks are tightly wrapped around the core, and in this photo the spool silk is running the opposite direction than the skein silks, but this gives you somewhat of a comparison on the depth and luster of each type. Left to Right: Vineyard Silk, Soie Cristale, Trebizond, Silk Mori If you are not sure which type of silk thread you have, here are a couple of ways to tell. The filament silk is more likely to get caught on your hands. A more scientific method is to untwist an inch or so of one strand of the thread. If it separates into individual threads, it is filament silk. If instead it is fuzzy and pulls apart, it is spun silk. It is important to note that sometimes the distinction is hard to make. Even descriptions on various websites do not agree on some threads such as Needlepoint Inc. Silk and Rainbow Gallery Splendor. No matter which type of silk you are stitching with, the secret to successful stitching comes down to one word: preparation. Silk snags on everything, which causes it to fray and show wear. So, a little preparation will make your stitching experience much better! Start by keeping your work area clear and clean. If your project gets dirty, it has to be dry cleaned. Silk does not like water, heat, friction, or sunlight. Silk also likes to cling to things, so it will pick up lint and tangle with other threads. Take some time to prepare your hands. In addition to making sure they are clean, you may even want to treat yourself to a manicure. Silk thread seems to find every little nick in your nails. Next moisturize your hands with a good protective lotion. Protective Lotion For the best results, put the lotion on and let it set for a couple of minutes before stitching. Learn more about hand health. Now make sure your fabric is prepared. If you are working in a hoop or frame, reduce the number of things your thread will snag on. A great way to cover the hoop screw or canvas tacks is with a Frame Cover. This also allows you to tuck excess fabric out of the way and keep the edges clean. Frame Cover Finally, use a good quality, new needle! Needles wear out and the oils from our hands can even cause the shaft to corrode slightly. Also, not all needles are created equal. Eyes are stamped out of the shaft, therefore, they can have little nubs or divots. Those imperfections will irritate the thread, weakening it. Use a needle designed for your project, blunt or sharp. Choose a needle that will make a hole a little larger than your doubled thread width. You do not want the thread to drag on the fabric as you stitch. To help reduce the drag, use a thread no longer than 18". Do not guess! Be sure your stitching basket has a tape measure. Tape measures don't have to be boring! Sometimes, silk (especially filament silk) has a mind of its own. Don't be afraid to use a laying tool to make sure all the fibers lie flat which will help the light bounce off making it "shinier". If you are using a thread with several strands, like Rainbow Gallery Splendor, separate each strand and then put them back together. This will allow them to lie side by side and they will have better coverage. If you are having trouble with them being a little unruly and twisting, don't be afraid to use a thread conditioner like Thread Heaven. Now that we understand a little more about silk threads, let's look at some thread options available at Nordic Needle. NOTE: we have indicated whether the thread is spun or filament depending on their company websites and other resources. Again, not everyone agrees! Top: Silk Floss #106Bottom: Silk Pearl #5 #106 Dinky-Dyes Overdyed Stranded Floss, 6 ply, 8.7 yard skein, spun Overdyed Perle 1900, #5 pearl equivalent, 16.4 yard card, spun Top Left to Right: Splendor #S854, Elegance #E854Bottom Left to Right: Grandeur #G1002, Silk Lame Braid #SL77 Rainbow Gallery Splendor silk floss, 12 ply, 8 yards, spun Elegance, #8 twisted silk pearl, 20 yards Grandeur, #5 twisted silk pearl, 10 yards Silk Lame, 4 strands of silk and 4 strands of metallic filament twisted together, 10 yards Top: Soie Cristale #7071Bottom: Waterlilies #041 Caron Collection Soie Cristale, 12 ply, 6 yards, spun Waterlilies, 12 ply, 6 yards, spun Top: Mori #5097; Bottom Left to Right: Bella #8000, Serica #5055 Kreinik Silks Mori, 6 ply, 5.5 yards, spun Bella, 3 ply, 20 meter spool, twisted filament Serica, 3 ply, 11 yard spool, filament Left: Soie D'alger #115; Right Top to Bottom: Perlee #710, Soie 100/3 #313 Au ver a Soie Soie D'alger, 7 ply, 5.5 yards, spun Perlee, 3 ply, 15 yards, twisted filament Soie 100/3, 50 meters, twisted spun Top Left: Trebizond #606; Top Right: Needlepoint Silk #615 Middle from Top to Bottom: Vineyard Silk Classic #087, Gloriana Silk Floss #023, Gloriana Princess Perle #173 Trebizond Silk, between size 5 and 8 pearl cotton, 10 meters, filament Needlepoint Inc Silk, 8 ply, 5.5 yard, filament Vineyard Classic Silk, 28 yards, filament Gloriana Silk floss, 12-strand, 6 yards, spun Princess Perle, #5 perle equivalent, 3 ply non-divisible, 10 yards Florimell hand-dyed silk floss (not shown above), 7 ply, 5 yards, spun After all this, does it really make a difference in your stitching? Using the Boughs of Holly free pattern offered by Needle n' Thread, each side of the leaves are stitched with different threads. See what you think! Click Photo to Enlarge Leaf 1, stitched with Rainbow Gallery Splendor #S906 Left side stitched with 4 strands that have been separated and laid back together. Right side stitched as it was in the 4-strand bundle, still twisted. Leaf 2, Pearl Silk versus Pearl Cotton (Size 5) Left side stitched with Rainbow Gallery Grandeur #G829 Right side stitched with DMC Pearl Cotton #701 Click Photo to Enlarge Leaf 3, Silk versus Wool Left side stitched with 3 strands of Rainbow Gallery Splendor #S906 Right side stitched with 2 strands of Bella Lusso Wool #0612 Click Photo to Enlarge Leaf 4, Silk versus Linen Left side stitched with 3 plies of Caron Collection Soie Cristale #5011 Right side stitched with Rainbow Gallery Rainbow Linen #R431 Leaf 5, Silk versus Cotton Floss Left side stitched with Classic Vineyard Silk #146 Right side sittched with 4 plies of DMC Cotton Floss #909 The holly berries have also been stitched with different threads. Click Photo to Enlarge Berries 1 is stitched with 4 strands of Rainbow Gallery Splendor #S822 Berries 2 is stitched with Ranbow Gallery Petite Silk Lame #SP08 Berries 3 is stitched with Trebizond Silk #4015 Berries 4 is stitched with 3 strands of Kreinik Mori #1114 Berries 5 is stitched with 3 strands of DMC Cotton floss #321 As you can see, there are subtle differences between the silk and other threads. Silk can add a distinctive look to your project. You will also enjoy the feel of silk as you stitch, just remember to get prepared first. Have you stitched with silk? Which is your favorite and why? Please write to us with your silk experiences!

Recipe Homemade Hand Scrub by livingthenourishedlife.com Working with silk can be challenging, so the recipe today has to do with our hand preparation. This sugar scrub will buff out the rough edges making your hands silky soft (no pun intended) for helping you manage your silky stitching! 1 tbsp coconut oil 2 tbsp raw honey 1/4 cup sea salt 1/4 cup organic sugar 1 tbsp lemon juice Instructions: 1. Stir together the honey and coconut oil in a medium bowl. 2. In another small bowl, blend the salt, sugar and lemon juice until it becomes crumbly. 3. Pour the salt mixture over the honey mixture and stir until smooth. 4. Store in a small glass storage container. Directions for Use: 1. Gently massage a marble-sized amount of homemade hand scrub into your hands for 30-60 seconds. (Don’t forget to exfoliate between your fingers!) 2. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. The coconut oil provides enough moisture so you probably won’t need to follow up with anything else. If your hands are extra dry, you might want to apply some homemade whipped coconut oil. 3. Repeat 1-2 times per week.

FlossTube #48 Sunroom Stitcher 7/29/17

Travel the World: Paris is released

So we are over half way down with the releases from the "Travel the World".  DMC's official blog of Portugal has released Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Moscow, London, Brussels, Berlin and now Paris.

I think they are darling and it delightfully has city's other then Paris and London.  They are complimentary designs and you can't beat that even on Black Friday! You can find the blog here.

Sewing and stitching on a Monday!

I am thrilled and excited about my new (to me) sewing machine.  It was delivered today.  I purchased on E-Bay for 59.99 with free shipping.  My Singer has been giving me problems for a long, long time.  I wanted an inexpensive machine that had only a couple of different stitches.  If I could have found a treadle machine I would have bought it.  The first thing I want to make is a grime guard for my 8" hoop.  Then I want to purchase foam pieces to fit my sunroom swing and make a seat and back cushion from some delightful fabric I found at the Thrift Shop.  I am waiting for Simplicity patterns to go on sale for 99¢ and want to purchase a sleeping shorts pattern I have been wanting.  Sewing fun is here!

Here is a lovely YouTube tutorial from Tricia the Left Handed Stitcher on making a Grime Guard.


Here is the progress on my Just Nan "Amethyst Snowflake".  I had gotten so discouraged as I just couldn't seem to make the stars and circles meet up correctly.  Three times I stitched and ended up frogging it all out.  In disgust I set it down and worked on my Pink Cricket pillow.  When I finished stitching that I gridded this 28 count Opalescence white Lugana.  I did have some gridding problems, finding that the horizontal fabric fibers are twisted and sometimes the twist looked like 2 separate fibers, so this is what was causing all my issues.  Well today I started stitching the circles and stars on the gridded fabric and it is wonderful!    I am not quite half way done with the circles and stars with the DMC #12 Perle Cotton.  I will continue working on it tomorrow.     

Deeply, Madly, Passionately in ♥♥♥

Wandering around at Nordic Needle I once again fell in love with the needlework set "Miss Lilly" from @MyNeedle.  I need this frothy, girlishly delicious, piece of pink heaven.  Into my cart it went.




Here are the erotic details:

A beautiful Hardanger and pulled thread accessories set featuring a dainty biscornu and scissors fob or pincushion. The biscornu stitch count is 72 x 72. The scissors fob stitch count is 32 x 32. Tetiana includes exquisite close-up photos with detailed diagrams and step-by-step charts. She also urges stitchers to visit her YouTube channel for even more stitch instructions to create the amazing stitching she uses in her designs. Suggested materials: 9" piece of 32 count pink evenweave or linen fabric (851-665-0034); DMC #8 and #12 pearl cottons in white or 5200. Please note these patterns are for the advanced or master Hardanger stitcher who has the ability to stitch from very detailed pictures and limited written instructions.

When what to my coveting eye has appeared?

Oh JOY!!!!  More designs that have caught my coveting eye.


Satsuma Street's, "Deck the Hall's".  I absolutely love the colors and the design has a retro feel to me.


















Little House Needlework's "House Rule".  I love the street of homes and the little sheepie on the hill.












Mill Hill's Caribbean Santas.  I bought these on sale for 22% off.  I love them because my husband is from the Caribbean, Guyana and they would be darling on our Christmas tree.  Not only that I call my brother Rick a pirate and they also remind me of him.



Long Dog Sampler's "Life after Death". This is the companion piece to Death by Cross Stitch which I also covet. I adore all the little motifs and the saying "Love is the thread that mends worn."  That saying reminds me of my husband whose love mended me.


Victoria Sampler's "Birthday Needleroll".  I love needlerolls but I love the frilly girlish nature of these beauties.


Homespun Elegance's "It Take's a Village".  Sweet saying with a lovely strawberry border.  I love that the stitch shop is front and center with the church right next door.


I have noticed that Christmas designs are popping up like dandelions in the yard.  The year half over and less then 6 months until the holiday season is upon us. 

Let's see what I will be coveting when next we meet.

Brillant storage carousel to build for cheap!

I watched this inspired video on YouTube yesterday and I had to share.  This would be a brilliant storage device for needlework.  If you can find the components at Dollar Tree they would total $8.00!  My head is spinning thinking about this. 

Mary Corbet's "The Metallics You'll Want to Use!"

This is a great article about stitching with metallic threads.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2017/06/thread-talk-the-metallics-you-want-to-use.html

Fricking Fabulous Freebies

https://dmc-usa.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Th%C3%A9r%C3%A8se+de+Dillmont+
Vintage motifs by Theresa de Dillmont.  Great air ship, train, fisherman, bicycling men, antique automobile, hot air balloon and some wonderful sets of alphabets and numbers.


http://creativeworkshopsfromhetti.blogspot.nl/p/reebies.html
Stitches in Blue from Holland has sweet smaller designs.  There is a Happy Birthday flag, a stitched square which folds up into a humbug chicken and lots of tiles which make up a lovely pillow in blue. Click on the title of the free design rather then the picture and the site will take you to the blog entry where you get a nice image of the chart. This designer also has a link to their Etsy shop.


http://romyscreations.blogspot.it/p/freebies-by-romys-creations.html
Romy's Creations from Italy has smaller simple designs.  There are seasonal and holiday themed designs. There are some needlework themed designs.  Charming offerings at this site.

http://thelittlestitcher.blogspot.nl/p/freebie.html

The Little Stitcher from Italy has some really sweet designs.  "No Place Like Home" with a pair of Dorothy's red shoes is wonderful.  "Merry Christmas" has a snow frosting on the letters and a primitive feel with deer motifs. Plus many more free designs are offered. This designer also has a link to their Etsy shop.

http://ilcassettodeibottoni.blogspot.it/search/label/free
This Italian site has a definite primitive feel to the free designs offered.  There are several pages to browse.  The translate button was not working.  Look for "post piu vecchi" at the bottom of the page to see the next page of free designs.


http://threadworkprimitives.blogspot.nl/p/freebie-patterns.html
There are 8 primitive free designs offered from this Netherlands based site. It is hard to pick a favorite but I love the urn full of shamrocks and the "All Hallows Eve". This designer also has a link to their Etsy shop.


https://cosmichandmade.wordpress.com/free-charts-2008/
There are 8 small designs offered by Cosmic Handmade. There are stitching sisters, sweet strawberries, follow the light, spring carrot patch, bird quartet, winter berries, breast cancer awareness and autumn sampler.

http://stitchingandscribbling.blogspot.com/
Midsummer Night Musings offers 4 free designs. Small primitive type designs. Lady Baa Baa, Sweet as the Flower, Lovebird and Jingle Sparkle Joy.


http://la-d-da.net/freebies.html
Most stitchers are familiar with the delightfully primitive style of La D Da, it is one of my favorite designers. Lori offers 12 free designs on her site. She also has a corrections tab on her site to check for chart errors.


http://www.cross-stitch-patterns.eu/
Haftix is a most unusual site, stitchers submit their own designs for sale and free.  The vast majority are free for download.  Depending on your preferences you can find some quality designs for free. Be prepared to spend oodles of time perusing this site.


https://thedustyrabbit.blogspot.it/
This Italian site is absolutely adorable.  The designer creates figures thru felting and they are amazing.  If you scan down to her tags on the left, click on freebie.  I counted 8 designs, most Halloween.  If you love Harry Potter you must grab the Mandrake freebie! This designer also has a link to their Etsy shop.


http://needleknowledge.com/free-patterns/cross-stitch-counted-thread/red-quaker-sampler/
This is a most amazing design, the Red Quaker Sampler! I definitely want to stitch this.  There are a couple of other free designs to take a look at. The site itself is a great reference site.  Look around and bookmark it in your favorites.

Designs I covet!

Hands On Designs "Rose Cottage"

Love this design, yes because of the lovely pink flowers but the home looks so sweet, cozy and inviting, just like my home.

Châtelaine Designs "Irish Mandela"

Oh I am an Irish lass, the blood that flows thru me is as green as the grass in County Cork, Ballin Rostig is where my heart beats!

Reflets De Soie "Les Rubans Rouges"

Explain to me why anyone would need a "reason" to love this stunning sampler!  Oh I covet big time!

Primitive Hare "Bee Happy"

I love Isobel's primitive style and I love the mixture of motifs in this piece.  The beehives are sweet and I love the old fashioned lady dressed as the bee keeper with a crown.

Mirabilia "Renaissance Mermaid"

I am captivated by this lovely mermaid, her flowing hair, her beautiful blue color and the mandala hanging from her hand. 

Erica Michael "Mermaid Berry"

Yes, more mermaids but they are so endearing.  I love the little crab, the fish and the swirly waves.  They would be a treasure in my stitching tool box.