Wednesday, March 03, 2010

{ coming along nicely....}

I am a primitive stitcher...no doubt about that...
my little x's are askew & akimbo, even a bit wonky...
BUT
that has never stopped me from stitching...
Like some of you, I just can't seem to make a 'perfect' stitch...
my Mom can, so can my sister Sharon & niece Sharon...but not me.
~and that's ok~
we all create differently, and that is the pleasure of primitives....
as long as we, ourselves are happy with the outcome,
.....that is what truly matters!!

I'm using Gentle Art's Sampler Threads
"Pebble"
for the border of this sampler...
I love the way the color looks against my hand-dyed linen...

This sampler will be designed as I stitch,
something that I used to do when I first started stitching...
until I found the software programs for designing cross stitch
and have used that for many years...

I'm going to get back to "stitch-designing",
as I think it lends a more authentic, early look to my work...

After it is stitched
(and the mistakes worked out!)
I'll then transfer the design to a graph
(that will be charted on the software)
and finally, printed out for the pattern packet....


Dear Barbara from 'Quaint and Plain' commented on my last post:
"YOUR DYED LINEN IS DEVINE... NOW YOU CAN SELL LINEN AND JUST MAYBE A LITTLE "BOOK" MIGHT BE BORN FOR TELLING THE SECRETS IN THE DYING OF SUCH THINGS...."
and she was right...she must be a Gypsy or something,
because just last night I began thinking how nice it would be
to design a little book of my original, and some antique motifs for cross stitch,
and compile them together with recipes for dyeing the linen to stitch on...
So I will be working on that concept straight away!!!
{let me know how you all feel about that idea, please?}
aside from dyeing linen & stitching,
I am still punching my new needlepunch design models for the
Virginia Rugfest
(Saturday, March 27...link on my sidebar)
I should have a slew of new patterns that I'll be releasing for that show,
so come by if you can!
~::~::~::~::~::~::~
I'm headed into Lynchburg today, with my friend Robin
(Millstonemercantile)
I want to go to the Lynchburg Market
and then do a little antiquing in the 'city'
Hope your day fills YOU with joy & creativity!
Blessings from the Farm,
Lori

17 comments:

Something Nice and Pretty said...

Thanks you for commenting about your stitches not be perfect as I'm now stitching on osenburg which I haven't done in a long, long time. I wasn't enjoying it because it wasn't perfect and I kept having to remove the stitches, now I think I'll enjoy it more...your right it does make it more primitive.
I'll be waiting to purchase your booklet I'm sure it will be just wonderful!

I've never stithed on linen but now I think I'll give it a try:)
Have a wonderful day in the city:)
Rondell

Cindy said...

It is coming along nicely!! Love the looks of your dyed linen! And the idea of a booklet sounds great...I will be looking forward to that!!
Here's another idea for you...something I've thought about doing myself yet not attempted...dying your own floss?
Have a GREAT day! I'm hoping to get my laundry room painted today!

Audrey said...

I would be very interested in your "book".
Your work is just beautiful!!

The Eveningstitcher said...

Beautiful, Lori!! I have hand dyed linen too and it always worked for me..I have even dyed 14 and 18 count aida cloth. My eyes aren't so good as to see the itty-bitty holes in the finer linen..so 14 and 18 ct it is!! You are so good at booklets..we will all be waiting!

Chelle (Dana) said...

Hi Lori,

I think that would be great!! I was wondering about how you did the dyeing of the cross stitch linen. I have Cushing's Dyes that I use for wool dyeing, but didn't think to try it on cross stitch linen. I have dyed some using Walnut Crystals. I'll be watching for your new book with dyeing info and motifs. I think it would be fabulous.

Catherine said...

I love the Pebble color! Can't wait to see where it goes!

Naomi said...

Last night I was working on stitching from a pattern from an old sampler. The pattern is a free one offered from a local historical society, so it takes a little "figuring out"...lol I'm stitching on 32-ct. raw linen and my alphabet is VERY wonky, which had been bothering me. After reading your post today, I'm going to give myself a break and just enjoy stitching the pattern. My goal is to have a wall of reproduction samplers (wish they could be original, but way out of my budget)by the time I'm finished. There's even a Lori B. original waiting for framing!

Naomi-CT
Ravens Gate Primitives

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

Naomi ~ please do share pictures with us of your Samplers!!!

Blessed be~
Lori

Patti said...

Love the idea of your booklet and will be waiting... impatiently :)

I'm glad I'm not the only one whose stitches aren't perfect ~ I guess that is why I love primitives!

Blessings, Patti

NMK said...

Thank you for making feel better about my boo boos when cross stiching too ! I have done a small design on a piece of linen I have had for years....I made lots of mistakes & now my design is very different from the pattern....I have stiched it twice & was going to try a 3rd time to get it perfect ! Maybe I will just dye the heck out of them & give them as gifts ! My old eyes have trouble seeing even with a magnifying lamp !!!! The uneven weave of the linen makes it tricky to stitch perfectly. Your idea of a how to booklet is Great !!!

TN Primitives said...

Lori, I love your dyed linen color. I have dyed linen too but never used Cushing's dye. I usually use 40ct linen, I like tiny. Anxious to see what your sampler will look like. Still patiently waiting for the bunny! Happy Stitchin'

Jeanne said...

The booklet idea sounds wonderful...I'd be purchasing it for sure. Experimenting with dyed linen sounds like fun !!

Anonymous said...

The booklet for hand dying sounds wonderful. I would definately buy one or two of them. I have been longing to do more experimentation with linen dying, just purchased a few pieces to try my hand at it, I get tried of the tideous tea staining and the poor results.
I like the way the stitches aren't perfect. If you look at antique samplers there stitching isn't perfect either. Sometimes repro's don't look good to me because they are "to" perfect.

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

I agree Rebecca~
the olde samplers were stitched with simple, young hands and definitely weren't perfect...although some of them were wrought by older, more skilled needlewomen, it's that naive look that I like!

L

Kay said...

The dyed linen is beautiful! Love the booklet idea, too. Can't wait to see what you've come up with.

Sandy, Sisters of Season said...

Hi Lori,

My stitches never come out perfect . . but I really don't care. Love your new banner.

Sherry said...

I love the idea of a book! And I can't wait to see this new design you are working on!