All posts by Sherry

Biscornu

Needlework

September 15, 2024

Biscornu (by Michaela Learner)

I read a post on Facebook that you could use lavender to stuff a pin cushion. I liked that idea and we have lots of lavender growing in the yard. I had a pattern for a small pin cushion made from a couple of squares of quilting cotton. Then, just a few days later, a pattern for a biscornu popped up in one of my Facebook groups so I decided that would be fun to make.

I was using scrap pieces of canvas for the two sides so the pin cushion is a lot larger than the pattern called for. It took a lot of lavender and I had to add a bit of stuffing to pop out the sides. I call it a pin pillow and have it sitting by my chair for evening stitching.

I love the aroma of lavender I get whenever I change needles (mostly because I’ve dropped and lost the one I’m using).

Congratulations Madison and Walid

Journal, Needlework

September 6, 2024

What a lovely event to celebrate Madison and Walid’s engagement.

Walid is Lebanese so the celebration was going to allow us a glimpse into a very different culture. We weren’t told many details except that it was a fancy-dress party. Online searches didn’t reveal much information but anyone our family spoke to about such an event gave us the same information – the food will be amazing and it will be so much fun. No one lied!

I wanted to make something for the couple so I did another online search to see what the Lebanese culture might give me for ideas. Immediately it was the Cedars of Lebanon that came up. That sparked my mind about a cross stitch project I had in my bin. It was entitled Spring but it seemed perfect for the occasion.

The project was done on a larger-count fabric than I normally use and the design was stamped on the canvas. Although a chart was included, I found I didn’t need to use it. There were six thread colours, all very similar. It didn’t take long to get it finished and I was able to have it framed and shipped in plenty of time for the party.

Clutch Purse

Journal

September, 2024

From Christine’s Home Affairs

I needed a purse for Walid and Madison’s engagement party so I started looking online for a pattern. Once I found the pattern I needed fabric. I wanted something sturdier than quilting cotton so I went shopping at Gail’s. She had a nice linen that perfectly matched the colour of my shoes. She also had a variety of magnetic closures so I was good to go.

For whatever reason I put off making it until it was almost too late. I thought I’d look for one at the thrift stores but they are all open at different times and I never seemed to be out and about at the right time. My last desperate thought was I would go to Walmart and find something. One morning, just a few days before we were leaving, I was determined to get out and find something. My time was limited as we had company with us for a week.

That morning we had nothing planned with our company so I gave myself a talking-to, came upstairs and got busy making my clutch purse. My first problem was that I didn’t have any fusible interfacing so I had to use a different product that meant I had to do some quilting to attach it. The inside divider needed the same approach but I didn’t bother quilting it.

Although the project took longer than the tutorial suggested, I surprised myself by having the purse finished before lunch. It worked perfectly for the party.

Botanical Garden

Needlework

June, 2024

Botanical Blackwork (from thesteadythread.com)

This was a weekly stitch-along from 2022. The first photo I have of the project was from February of that year so I was already behind. I worked at it off and on over the next few years but when Asher’s graduation was approaching I felt it was time to finish it and present it to him as a gift.

I was almost finished the stitching by the time I decided to give it to Asher. There were some “issues” with the alignment that I could live with but wanted to correct since it was a gift. One re-working led to another and I think I did at least a quarter of it over again. To be honest, it was the border that really caught my eye on this one, although I liked the touches of colour spread throughout.

I was pleased with the result and, much to my amazement, I’m downloading the patterns for this year’s stitch-along. Needless to say, I haven’t started it yet.