grime guard
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A year in the making : The fruits of plenty
It took a year...
How it started...
How it's going...
Done!
It's not often I complete something in a year, my work in progress pile can attest to that! This stitch-a-long is the third one I've completed from Modern Folk Embroidery, obviously I highly recommend his patterns and this was a joy to stitch. It was lovely receiving the next part of the pattern each month and I've really enjoying seeing all the other versions as they've been stitched on instagram #MFESAL2021, so many interesting colour combinations. The pattern is The Fruits of Plenty. Also see my previous stitchings, Love Thy Neighbour - better pictures in progress here and Kindness & Fortitude - shows how different patterns can look depending on your choices.
This was the final part for the month of December, it was a little sad putting in those last stitches because it meant it was over but I'm so pleased with the finish.
My favourite floss is Aurifloss and I chose to use a peach and a terracota -ish colour for my project. The colours are Peach #2215 and Pumpkin Spice #2395. I stitched 2 over 2 on 32 count Belfast Linen in the colour Linen Pink - a pretty pale pink that is a nice warm background for the floss.
When I started stitching I used a Q-snap frame and a grime guard I made (details in this post) and while I do like working with a hoop or frame, I then discovered the sewing method and stitching in hand, from the lovely Kimberly and The Real Housewives of Cross Stitch. If you haven't tried it I would encourage you to watch their tutorial video, as it shows a couple of different options and plenty of tips. I believe this is how Jacob of Modern Folk Embroidery prefers to stitch too, so I'm in great company!
I do like using beeswax for conditioning the thread, it's not essential but it does smooth the floss and makes stitching (especially on linen) a little easier. I got the beeswax in the above picture from a local beekeeper, if you don't have a local source then there are some lovely sellers on Etsy, like Cobble and Hive.
In so many ways it is hard to believe a year has passed but then time has warped even more in the past couple of years, it feels like a lot of time has been lost. I recommend a stitch-a-long as a marker for time if you need one!! This was the half way point...
I now realise I don't have pictures of the back but trust me I got messier as I went along ;) I did start with good intentions and tried to keep the back as neat as possible but ultimately I don't really care what the back looks like and it can get frustrating. I would much prefer to stitch as I please and enjoy the process rather than care about the backside.
The pattern called for initials but rather than just add my own, I added my husband, myself and the first initials of our three children. I love it.
And just like that... 34613 crosses later, the pattern is complete.
This coming year I would like to get all my complete cross stitch projects framed and I very much look forward to having this beauty on display. Having said that before about previous pieces, I really need to make this happen!
handmade stitching extras
These are extras but could be deemed necessities. Each project is contributing to helping me stay neat and organised while stitching. I have been down the rabbit hole of flosstube videos on YouTube and decided to make a thread catcher mat and also try making a 'grime guard' for my new 11" Q-Snap frame. My 2021 cross stitch project needed a project bag to house the larger frame too (it would also be perfect for storing quilt blocks) so that's where it started. The slippery slope of making things to prepare to make things!
I searched through a lot of online tutorials and videos and am sharing today which ones I used to make my projects and explain why these makes are all so useful.
Perhaps, like me, you have a sofa/armchair/floor covered in bits of thread. I like to hand sew sitting on the sofa and the armrest is where most of my snipped threads end up. Occasionally (most of the time!) I forget to move them and they can end up in little nests all over the place. I've seen a whole load of different styles of thread catchers and I actually have a really cute little book thread catcher kindly made for me by Archie the Wonder Dog a while ago. That one lives with my sewing kit that I take out and about (not right now!) - to prevent trains/classrooms/cafes having to deal with my thread nests! Ultimately I decided to make these thread catcher mats, which again there are different variants of, but what I like about this version is you can easily replace the square of wadding when it gets worn out. Also it a good size and as it's flat it can easily fit into a project bag.
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