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Sunday 22 July 2012

Happy Baby Dance and a small start

I finished and framed the ABC Sampler for my friend's baby this week and here it is:



The design was in Cross Stitcher magazine issue 249.  The original design was by an illustrator Elissa Hudson and was charted by an anonymous person for the magazine (I couldn't see a credit anyway!).  I stitched it on 32count white evenweave using the recommended DMC.  I moved several of the letters and motifs around so I could fit in the baby's name and that of his big sister.  This was a lovely quirky stitch, being able to do one or two letters a session made progress seem rather fast.  There was a thick plain turquoise border all around but it would have taken at least a week to stitch if not more and frankly - life's too short to stitch straight lines in one colour!

I have given the sampler to baby's Mum and she loved it, as did Big Sis.  Baby not so sure LOL.  But he is only 17 weeks old. 

This is the new start:
When Madame Muriel arrived she came bearing gifts, one of which was this delightful Blackbird Designs chart.  I'm stitching it on 28count evenweave which I've tea-dyed.  I'm using the DMC conversion they gave but may change the colours of some of the scattered flowers so they show up more on this fabric.

I also stitched another one of my back-stitch only flower cards.  This is July's Delphinium or Larkspur:



Question - which name would you use?  Delphinium or Larkspur?  Either name is right but which is more widely used?  Delphiniums always remind me of the AA Milne poem about the Dormouse and the Doctor.

Finally, another postcard was sent out in the Summer Postcard Blog Hop.  Julie's card went to Julie!!  Julie Bagpuss to Julie and Yes Dear that is.

Here's a full list of links so far:
First Postcard sent to Grasp the Stars
Jennifer's postcard sent to Tales of a Stitching Mouse
Mouse's card sent to The Southpaw Stitcher
Southpaw's card sent to Julie's Stitchy Knitter Journal
Julie's card sent to Julie and Yes Dear
Julie (and Yes Dear)'s card to go where......?

There are plenty more postcards to go out and still lots of time to join in.  Just click on the link to the right and read the rules first!




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21 comments:

  1. Nic22 July 2012 at 20:44

    I love your ABC Sampler. I thought it was gorgeous when I saw it in the magazine and I think the changes you've made fit in perfectly. A lovely way to personalise it.

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  2. Anonymous22 July 2012 at 20:57

    Your sampler is gorgeous!

    Your new start is very pretty and your flower card is lovely.

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  3. Laurita Hall22 July 2012 at 22:02

    I adore your baby sampler!!!!

    The flower card is really beautiful!

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  4. McKenna C.22 July 2012 at 22:13

    Oh I love the sampler! The flower is beautiful too! I have no idea what it's name should be. :P

    ~McKenna

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  5. Giovanna22 July 2012 at 22:23

    Congrats on finishing the sampler, it;s a really cute one! That BBD is also in my stash - I'll be watching this one closely :-)

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  6. Katy22 July 2012 at 23:09

    Beautiful! And we call it Larkspur...my parents always have the entire back flowerbed that runs along their entire fence line filled with it every year. Larkspur to me just sounds more fanciful/whimsical than Delphinium!

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  7. Karen22 July 2012 at 23:56

    What a cute baby sampler!

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  8. Mouse23 July 2012 at 00:08

    ohhh well done on getting it finished ... love those colours and mmmm use both names for the that flower ...lol
    off to go peek at the postcard :) love mouse xxxxx

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  9. Christine23 July 2012 at 09:26

    The ABC sampler is stunning. I think you made the right choice leaving off the border, I don't know why they put them in it makes framing something so much more difficult, even the slightest fraction out of true sticks out like a sore thumb. One of the perils of converting artwork rather than designing needlework I suppose. Don't get me started on the difference

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  10. cucki23 July 2012 at 10:27

    Aww very lovely baby sampler ..
    Lovely new start
    Big hugs xxx

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  11. ricketyjo23 July 2012 at 10:49

    Great sampler, it looks lovely :)

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  12. Hazel23 July 2012 at 12:24

    Beautiful sampler finish and I LOVE that new BBD start. Gorgeous. x

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  13. Dani - tkdchick23 July 2012 at 13:41

    What an adorable idea for a baby sampler and I just love the colours!

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  14. Claudette49723 July 2012 at 17:14

    The sampler is so refreshing and contemporary - what a great job!

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  15. Sally24 July 2012 at 14:30

    Hello

    Found your blog through Shirlee's blog.
    Your sampler is lovely, the colours are just great!

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  16. The Crafty Princess24 July 2012 at 15:54

    Awww loving the sampler! Congrats on a finish - the framing is perfect too. It looks so cool.

    xox

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  17. Julie24 July 2012 at 16:31

    The Sampler looks great.Good idea with putting in the names.
    Nice card too.I would call it Delphinium,only because i have heard of that name before and not the other one. :)But Larkspur does sound nicer.:)

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  18. Bea24 July 2012 at 19:06

    The baby sampler is lovely and I love the addition of the names.

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  19. Gillie24 July 2012 at 22:53

    I LOVE it! Not usually a fan of birth samplers, a bit cutesy and twee, in my view but that one is just great!

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  20. Julie29 July 2012 at 21:46

    I'm a delphinium girl, but mine had drowned in all the rain this year.
    Super sampler, nice work.

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  21. Caitlin @ Naughts Cross Stitches5 August 2012 at 04:14

    Gorgeous stitching I love your finish

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