Baby Jesus has arrived!

 

Baby Jesus, a free design from Lavender and Lace, is at last finished.  We had a few disagreements and I did have to rip out a significant amount of stitches.  I also had some problems doing the back stitching on His head.  Plus in a couple of spots I got maroon colored pencil dust from my working copy onto the white floss.  I was afraid it might not wash out, but it did.  I used Great Value blue dish soap and washed and rinsed a couple of times and it did come out nicely.  The piece was pressed dry on a bath towel before the beads and metallics were added and it looks fabulous.  I am not sure how I will finish it but that it fine for now.

Project particulars

Design: Lavendar and Lace complimentary 2004 design (Baby Jesus)

Link to design: 2004 Christmas Design (tiag.com)

Started: Saturday, December 23, 2023.

Finished: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 @ 8:20 p.m.  

Fabric: 32 count Kiwi Illusion's Southern Sky

Fibers: Called for DMC, Mill Hill beads & Rainbow Gallery Treasure Braid

Progress on Baby Jesus & an old finish

 

Project particulars

Design: Lavendar and Lace complimentary 2004 design (Baby Jesus)

Link to design: 2004 Christmas Design (tiag.com)

Started: Saturday, December 23, 2023.  

Fabric: 32 count Kiwi Illusion's Southern Sky

Fibers: Called for DMC, Mill Hill beads & Rainbow Gallery Treasure Braid

Just a progress photo for myself.  The other framed angel was an annual free design from Told In A Garden.  This particular stitched angel was and is the annual free angel from 1993 and here is the link to that pattern which is still available: 1990 Christmas Angel (tiag.com) I know I stitched it with the called for DMC embroidery floss on 28 count linen.

I stitched mine in August of 1993 and I still love her.  She was framed at CC & Company in Blue Springs.  CC & Company is still in business and here is a link to that shop's web site: C. C. & Company - Needlepoint Kits & More in Blue Springs, MO (ccandcompanybluespgs.com)

I am never leaving my Happy Room once I get the kitchen & bathroom in there!

 

I have been slowly reorganizing all my leaflets this past week.  I intend to take most of them down to the basement and store them on my bookshelves down there.  They will be in alphabetical order by designer name.  Each designer will have a file folder filled with their leaflets. I had them that way at one time maybe 10 years ago but somehow didn't stick with it.  It was easy to find what I was looking for and also I avoided duplicating purchases.  Designers like Lizzie Kate and my beloved Just Nan have magazine organizers or in Nan's case a storage box with leaflets and kits in it.  Nan will not go downstairs, her designs are protected with my life and will remain in my Happy Room.  Magazines will be organized in magazine organizers according to name. Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament magazines will stay with Nan.

Freebie charts will also accompany leaflets in the appropriate file folder according to designer.  This is a lot of work but in the end, it will make me happy. I believe it will help me refrain from shopping for more stash.

I did get a Temu order last night. I had been anxious to get it.  I got some silicone baking pieces, like cupcake molds, ice cube trays and such.  I also got a felt piece for jigsaw puzzles and a nice pair of pink slippers with fleece like lining.  But then I got some things for stitching.  Straight pins with buttons on the heads, rustic looking jingle bells, 5 zippered project bags, tweezers, and a plastic project case. I saw these little booklets for saving money where cash is tucked in a pocket each week.  I thought those could work with floss for a project with a lot of floss colors. I could put a little label on each pocket with the color number or name. I purchased 3 of those books.

This is the progress on the baby Jesus I am working on.  I have a ton of projects I want to start.

Project particulars

Design: Lavendar and Lace complimentary 2004 design (Baby Jesus)

Link to design: 2004 Christmas Design (tiag.com)

Started: Saturday, December 23, 2023.  

Fabric: 32 count Kiwi Illusion's Southern Sky

Fibers: Called for DMC, Mill Hill beads & Rainbow Gallery Treasure Braid

I am looking forward to getting this stash project done so I can get my Happy Room reorganized and rearranged.  Christmas 2022 my husband won a 43" JVC Roku TV and he told me it was for me.  I know where I want it now. I just have to move things around to make it happen.  If I could move the bathroom and kitchen in my Happy Room I would never have to leave. Now that thought makes me giddy with happiness.

WIP Lavender & Lace

 

Heaven forbid this Lavender and Lace 2004 Complimentary design takes 9 months to be born.  It would seem I can find a million piddly things to keep me from working on this.  Ugh.  

I have been toying with the idea of darkening Baby Jesus's skin to more accurately portray his mid east heritage and then I pooh poohed it.  I recently saw a YouTube video of what Jesus would look like according to hints in the Bible and based on what average Mid Easterners look like today.  It was startling.  It then asked would I still follow Him.  The answer is yes. It isn't what He looked like that makes me love Him and believe in His teachings. This is a link to that video.  (1561) A.I. Reveals What Jesus Looked Like? You'll Be Amazed! - YouTube

Project particulars

Design: Lavendar and Lace complimentary 2004 design (Baby Jesus)

Link to design: 2004 Christmas Design (tiag.com)

Started: Saturday, December 23, 2023.  

Fabric: 32 count Kiwi Illusion's Southern Sky

Fibers: Called for DMC, Mill Hill beads and Rainbow Gallery Treasure Braid

Lavendar and Lace free design start!

 

2004 Christmas Design (tiag.com)

I started on a Lavendar and Lace complimentary design on Saturday, December 23, 2023.  The fabric I am using is 32 count Kiwi Illusion's Southern Sky.  I am using the fibers and beads that the designer calls for. The free design can be downloaded as a PDF at the link posted above. Here is an image of the design as stitched by Cheryl Buckler on perforated paper. 

Stash buyer's regret!

 

Have you ever bought a chart and when you got home and really looked at it in finer detail you discover you don't like it as much and you won't ever stitch it?

Lavender and Lace design "Michael" from 2010 is one such purchase.  I love Michael the Archangel, however I think Marilyn could definitely done a better job of designing him proportionally. His hands are too small, his head tilts at an awkward angle and his wings just don't look right.  I love the garment with the rich blue and the necklace, but I am disappointed to say the least.  It is quite rare to see males represented in cross stitch designs.  I truly wonder why this design seems not to be up to Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum's usual wonderful standards. I regret this purchase.