Beaded Stars

I really like these beaded stars. You need 12 crystals and then a coordinating bead. I've used regular seed beads, delica beads, and even bigger beads, and they all turn out. This was my Christmas present project a couple of years ago. I made over 30 of them and gave most of them away. You would think I would know the pattern by heart after making so many, but I always have to check.

They turn out a little floppy after you stitch them, but then you use an acrylic floor wax (dunk them in it, and allow to dry on something that won't stick)and they turn out beautiful.



I taught this project at guild, and many of my friends make and enjoy them now too.

Favors

These three items are favors I've received at the yearly banquet of my Homewood Embroiderers' Guild. They are a pocket, a notepad cover, and a needle book. They are machine embroidered. Please pardon the stray thread, I should have checked it better before I took the picture.



I really love this guild! The membership is not large, but it is constant, and I have known some of the stitchers in this group for more than 20 years. Many are dear friends.

Another pincushion

This is another one of the bottlecap pincushions I made for Christmas 2007. I think this is my favorite one, a little bunny head sticking out of a top-hat. I did give away a mushroom pincusion of this type, and I think at least one more, but I don't remember what that was.



I spent most of the weekend listening to A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon and stitching on my Chatelaine project. I am finding the book very surprising. I've read it before, but only once, and many of the things that are happening are surprising me.

The project is coming along nicely. I started on the outermost border. There are four different corners, this one has grapes stitched in queen stitch. This is the NW corner (also known as between 9 and 12 o'clock). Each of the four corners has different specialty stitches for the fruit that shows up on it.




There is still quite a bit of stitching left on the bottom, and then of course, all the specialty stitches and beads that are left to be added.

Two weeks from today I will be leaving on vacation, the train to Arizona and driving back with my parents. DH and I are getting very excited! We are going to spend a day at Grand Canyon, and there are fiber artists on the map for the way home. I don't know how much I will be able to post while I'm away, I hope at least once, but I will share as much as I can.