Cross stitch birthday card

Here's the last April greeting card. It's for Iris who will turn 8 on the 23rd. Her middle name is Peace, and I understand she is "into" peace symbols at this time. This chart is from kissycrosstwoday.net (Kirsten Schmidt 2013). I tried a new technique to sew the beaded "ribbon" on with my sewing machine. The machine needle bit my fingernail but missed my finger!

1980 Easter coat

I sent this little coat to Emelie with her Easter package. It's an Easter coat that I made for her in 1980. Julia probably won't be able to wear it until next year though.

Easter cards

For Leslie and family

Here are the last two Easter cards. The CCS chart with bunnies is from Lesley Teare, and the Happy Easter chart is from Alita Designs.

 

I also ended up making two cards from my Hallmark computer program. They do have some really nice cards.



For Shirley and Dan

 

Easter gifts ("Grandmother's Secret Chair"; puzzle bunnies; hooded bath towel)

Greetings!

Here are the gifts I've made for my granddaughters for Easter.

This is a "Grandmother's Secret Chair" for Iris. The seat lifts up
to reveal a secret compartment. A forum friend has made these
and shared the source with me!

Thanks, Rose and MrsTea!

 



This picture shows their tails.

 

For the babies, Sonja and Julia, puzzle ball bunnies. These come apart, and I imagine the babies will need the assistance of a sibling or parent to reassemble them. Fun!

 

Finally, a hooded bath towel for Julia. Not really an Easter present, but Emelie requested one, so I may as well ship it in the same box.

April birthday cards

I like to make cross stitch greeting cards, but I usually start falling behind at this time of year. I have several April birthdays to send cards for, as well as Easter, and hot on the heels is Mother's Day. So here are two of my April cards. I'm not sure I'll have time to do all the Easter cards I'd like to do. We shall see.

 

The inside of the stitching card is a layered decoupage picture.

 

 

 

And here is a card for another friend's April birthday.

Cross stitch pillow cover

I just finished this 18" throw pillow cover for Leslie for her birthday. I've worked on and off on the cross stitch since May of 2015. The chart is from the Spring 2014 issue of Stoney Creek Magazine. I changed the birds that were in the circle to an eagle motif, since this is going to Alaska. I used my new Westalee ruler templates to quilt it. I even designed my own border motif with one of the templates. I didn't have an 18" pillow to insert for the pictures, so I just stuffed it with one of my bed pillows.

 

 

 

 

 

Toiletry bags

Leslie suggested that Iris could use a little toiletry bag. The one on the right is a prototype that had several things wrong with it: it is too floppy; it's too small (can't fit a tooth brush in it); the zipper was inadvertently put in going the wrong direction; and the hanging tab was put on the wrong side of the zipper. Kind of a Murphy's Law type bag. The one on the left is the one I will give her. The fabric is actually tablecloth fabric, so is waterproof. I have lots of it, so if she wants a larger bag, I could make another one. What was supposed to be a quick little project took quite a while due to my learning curve. I have ordered some beads to make a pull tab for the zipper. They are peace sign beads. I guess she is into peace signs now, and Peace is her middle name.