Love Struck!

Lots and lots of love-themed stitching has been going on!

Valentines Day always sneaks up on me.  

It' seems like I'm just recovering from the Christmas rush 

and Valentines needs to be done,

and now 

I have Easter in my hoop!

Happy to share with you

two new 

love-themed

 patterns.

Not to "Valentinesy",

 but perfect for this upcoming holiday!

~ CUPIDS ARROW ~

 Punch needle design inspired by old PA Dutch frakturs

 Reminiscent of old book plates created on parchment 

with watercolor and ink drawings

 many many years ago... 

This simple little rug will find a spot on one of my small antique stacking benches. :)

~ Mary Valentine's Handework ~

A  love-themed pattern filled with 5 quick stitch projects. 

 The "Forget Me Not" pinkeep is fashioned and sized to look like a vintage postcard. 

 A perfect little piece to place on an ironstone plate 

and surround with old buttons and thimbles...makes a perfect vignette.  

"The gift is small, but love is all"  These are the words that young Mary Valentine chose to stitch on her simple little sampler. 

 I've always loved this verse!

  A piece of worn ticking

 and 

old buttons adds extra detail and charm to the sampler.

The remaining 3 projects all center around re-purposing

 Russel Stover's or Whitman's Chocolates Valentines heart-shaped boxes.  

Mary's Sewing Box top is decorated with various cross-stitched motifs worked in rows, giving it a feel of a band sampler.   

The box is lined with old sheet music 

and old thread spools becomes it's legs. 

 Perfect for storing your needles

 and

 favorite embroidery scissors.

Posies for Thee

a smaller box, perfect for storing thimbles! 

 And lastly, Key to the Heart

uses just the bottom of the smaller box.  

 The little box becomes a little hanging display of a stitched vine and bluebird. 

 You will try your hand at building a bird's nest...

what fun that is, 

twisting and entwining thread remnants among flax!  

The verse, "feather your nest with love" 

and a little key finishes this piece off so sweetly.

  And yes, there are tiny eggs in my nest...

the little birdie must have approved of my nest making skills!!

All designs on this chart are worked on 35 count Old Town Blend linen using various hand-dyed flosses.

That's all for now, 

the bunny in my hoop 

is calling me!

Have a good week everyone,

Brenda