Almost there!

I have finished all the cross stitches on Simple Gifts. I have to put in the wedding date above the family and do the backstitching and french knots. Then I have to decide whether to finish as a bell pull or frame it. 

It's still a little wrinkly as I just took it off the q-snaps but I couldn't wait to share.

Simple Gifts by Told In A Garden

Happy Stitching!!

Simple Gifts - 5th block

OMG Guys! I made a huge mistake on the 5th block.

I made a working copy of the pattern and there was a dark line on the copy where the fold in the pattern was located and I thought that was the bottom of the blue frame when I placed the people and now they are placed too low. :(

Simple Gifts by Told In A Garden, Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum

There is supposed to be some grass or bushes under them, but now there is a big space above them and the proportions aren't right. After fussing a bit I had an inspiration to include their wedding date and/or initials over the people. I think that will be sweet because they blended two families on the day they were wed and the people, to me, represent that. 

Since I was moving qsnaps and my husband was available to hold it open for me I took an 'in progress' shot. There is no backstitching or french knots.

Simple Gifts by Told In A Garden, Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum

Happy Stitching!

Four down and two to go

I've completed the fourth box, excluding back stitching and french knots, for Simple Gifts by Told In A Garden. I've been working on this project since mid-June and I'd like to finish it soon as it's a wedding gift.

4th panel, Simple Gifts by Told In A Garden, Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum

Simple Gifts - Third Block

Quick update. I finished a block, excluding backstitching and french knots, on Simple Gifts by Marylin Leavitt-Imblum. Three blocks complete and three more to go! 

Simple Gifts

by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum

Summertime Stitches

Hi!
It's been ages. I have been stitching almost daily but between my kids being out of school, my home garden, my community garden, visiting mother-in-law in Minnesota and now my mom visiting us it's been difficult to get a quiet minute to share here. Plus....I am working on a wedding gift for a friend so I didn't want her to see any pictures - but she hasn't discovered the blog so I'm going to go ahead and show you what I'm working on.

It's Simple Gifts by Told-In-A-Garden, Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum. So far I've finished two of the six panels.

It's a charming little stitch and I'm really enjoying it.

While I've been keeping up with many of you on Facebook groups I am behind on blog reading. I take my daughter to college next week and I hope to catch up with everyone by then.

I hope you are enjoying August!!

XXXXX
Amy

Road Trip

College pick up - Road Trip!!

I had to pick up my daughter and all her belongings from college this past week. She goes to Rochester Institute of Technology and it's a looooooong drive from our home on the east end of Long Island. It's 7 hours without traffic - and there's always traffic getting around New York City plus stops along the way and I'm looking at 8-9 hours of travel just to turn around and do it in reverse the next day. It's exhausting. So this time I decided to arrive a day early and spend an additional night at the hotel so I could get a little rest between the trips. And that extra day gave me the perfect opportunity to visit some cross stitch shops!

I put a call out on two of my favorite facebook groups, Stitch Maynia and Cross Stitch and Discuss., for recommended cross stitch stores along my route. The groups came up with four shops depending on my route.

Three hours into my trip I stopped at Deer Hill Farm Cross Stitching. At first, it seems like a little shop, but then Pat, the proprietor, started turning lights on in 3 side rooms and a foyer filled with patterns. Plus there's another room with shelves against all the walss filled with fabric! They have an amazing selection of patterns and fabric and it was totally worth the small detour I had to take.

(BTW, Deer Hill Farm Cross Stitching's correct address is 1225 State Route 9G, Hyde Park, NY. Google maps has the incorrect building number as of 5/17/16)

I was there for at least an hour and a half and Pat was patient, helpful and charming. I am looking forward to going back when I return my daughter to college in the fall.

While there I purchased some antique white jobelan for the rather large piece"Inspiration" by Rosewood Manor.

"Inspiration" by Rosewood Manor

I purchased Ink Circles' Damask Square and kitted it with 32 count Milk Chocolate linen (a little darker than the mushroom that pattern called for) and DMC Variations #4150 called for in the pattern.

Damask Square by Ink Circles

I also purchased Keslyn's Autumn Dew and kitted it with 28 count antique white jobelan, Weeks Dye Works Peach, and The Gentle Art's Pine threads. Autumn Dew is stitched "one over one" so that should be an adventure.

Autumn Dew by Keslyn's

The next morning I was able to head out early to Golden Thread Needlearts in East Rochester. That store is amazing. They have needlepoint, cross stitch and framing. I saw some customer's finished framed pieces and the framing is excellent! The store is quite large and I was a little overwhelmed but eventually left with "Simple Gifts" by Told in A Garden designer Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum. I'm planning to do this one as a gift for a friend.

Simple Gifts by Told In A Garden, Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum

I still had some time before I had to be at my daughter's college so I made a trip to Expressions in Needlework in Canandaigua. As instructed I said  "Hi" to Lori, the proprietor. Lori is charming and her shop is welcoming. She carries yarn, needlepoint canvas, and cross stitch patterns. There I found Flower Power by Ink circles and kitted it with 32 count Belfast Linen, ColorScapes Hand-dyed fabric in "Regency" by Picture This Plus, and Weeks Dye Works "Grasshopper" thread.

Flower Power by Ink Circles

I wish the color came out better in this photo. The fabric is a mottled, pale spring green and I think the grasshopper will show up beautifully. I'll try to get a better photo on a sunny day.


And the samples at each shop! It was so enlightening to see samples in real life compared to just the pattern booklets. It was well worth the effort to visit each one.

There was one shop, A Stitcher's Garden in Fayetteville, NY that I wasn't able to visit due to time restrictions, but I'll be sure to stop there on our return in August.