Birdhouse Blocks

One of the Yahoo groups I belong to is CQ for Newbies; and we're doing a swap of 8.5" blocks with Birdhouse as the theme. Each block had to have a bird or birdhouse in it. So, here's some eyecandy to share!

TDiTM Stitch #21

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months We're still working in my flower power phase; actually, I think the last flower will be about 30 or 32 numbered stitch. I am at stitch 50 for design, and stitch 31 for stitching with thread. So, that means stitches 22-31 are done, I'm just not sharing yet. Really, I don't want to scare folks off with too many at once...and I need a buffer to post when things happen. Like the pneumonia I've been dealing with these past 2 weeks. Thank goodness I didn't have to "think" and design something! This little stitch was just happily waiting it's turn. The threads are Perle 8 this time and the beads are gold metallic seed beads.

TDiTM Stitch #20

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

This weather lately has been just nuts! One week it's in the high 60's and low 70's. the next week it's 30's and 40's...and now the weather man says might even see some snow on Sunday! What!

I surely hope not...I am soooooo ready for spring! So, here's a little red tulip type flower. The top lazy daisy is done in Perle cotton size 5 and all the rest is done in Perle cotton size 8.

The beads are 4mm Swarovski crystals cause you just can't beat them for bling factor...but I think they would look better turned vertical with a little seed bead on top edge!

TDiTM Stitch #19

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

While stitching the last design, I wondered how it would look doubled. I also found I liked the stitch without the French knots at the ends of the prongs. So, here is a wide stitch sure to fill in any large space beautifully!

TDiTM Stitch #18

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

When I finished these little flowers, they reminded me of those huge feather fans the Nubian slaves used to stir the air around Cleopatra. Okay, now you know how my mind works…scary huh?

I liked the beaded version best for the larger flowers, but like the French knots for the little ground flowers! So when I use it again, I’ll mix it up. 

Used perle 8 cotton for the entire stitch…and tiny seed beads. You’ve got the sequence down by now I’m sure…zigzag, stem, petals, large flower, small flower…bet ya can just look at the photos and stitch now! But, don’t worry…I’ll still post the charts!

TDiTM Stitch #17

The daffodils are beginning to bloom! I'm so excited!

Even though my sinus troubles are not over, I'm sleeping almost through the night again..so feel like a new woman! Must think I have endless energy, since I signed up for Carol Samples Heart class at Pink Bunny...and Sharon B's encrusted class starts in one week!! I must think I'm super woman!!

Here's the next little flower to keep pushing Spring forward!

Done all in perle 8 cotton...and a few seed beads. It would be good in any color, since it is just an imaginary type!

TDiTM Stitch #16

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

This is a very cute little stitch, and I decided to use heart buttons in place of the four little French knots for the beaded variety.

I really like the purple color too. All stitching was done in perle 8 cotton. This little stitch really worked up fast. It would be very nice with four little crystal beads in place of the French knots, can't you just see that center sparkle!

The stitching sequence is zigzag base, stem, leaves, French knots, and lazy daisy.

TDiTM Stitch #15

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

The idea for this little stitch is a stack of snowballs. Not real ones, thank goodness! I love snow, but not when I'm sick and can't get outside to enjoy the beauty.

I'm not happy with the execution of this little stitch, as the little French knots would not behave and cluster together as I wished...even the seed beads didn't want to play nice! Hmmmm...perhaps it was all the cough medicine I was taking?

In any case, I hope the chart is enough for you to see the intend of the stitch. And, I hope you have better luck in getting your stitch to behave correctly!

I did not add the little straight stitches to the beaded version because I didn't think that they added to the design very much.

TDiTM Stitch #14

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

This past week has been unusually nice weather for us here in east Alabama. It has been in the high 60's and low 70's; just like spring. But as I look out my window this morning and see frost on the mailbox, I know it is ending. Wish I could have enjoyed it more, but have been battling this sinus/coughing crud for almost two weeks now..hopefully it will be gone in a couple of days as I am starting to feel better.

The good side of being sick, is that I've been stitching! Here is a cute little Black Eyed Susan to warm your day!

Stitched totally in perle cotton (sz 8). The black French knot has four wraps to make it rather fat to sit on top. I did the zigzag base in white so it would not show up well against the background fabric, as I wanted the flowers to stand out. For the beaded version, I replaced the French knot with a large bead.

Stitching sequence is zigzag base, stem, leaves, lazy daisy, and then the French knot.

TDiTM Stitch #13

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months This is a little combination floral seam of one tall flower and one tiny little ground cover flower. It is quick and easy…especially if you use flower cap beads instead of the French knots for the tiny ground cover flowers. Stitched in perle cotton (sz 5); light green for stems and center French knot, lilac daisy stitches and French knots. The beaded version has flower beads, tiger eyes in lime green, and seed beads. The sequence of stitching is: 1. Stitch the zigzag 2. Stitch the Straight stitches for stem. 3. Stitch the lazy daisies for the large flower. 4. Stitch the French knots at the top of the large flower, and for the tiny flower.

Pink Flower Bed

I've been working on some round robin blocks lately. And, put TDiTM Stitch #12 on one of them. A little pink flower bed...

TDiTM Stitch #12

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

This little stitch was created in my mind a couple of week ago, and had to wait it's turn to be posted. To date, it is my very favorite! I seem to be saying "It's a simple little stitch!" quite often lately...but it's true!

An unexpected pleasure of this stitch is that when done upside down it reminds you of wisteria or grapes, and right side up of hyacinths...or, at least, to me it does.

The stem and leaves are medium green perle 8 cotton, and the french knots are a variegated purple/blue perle 8 cotton.

Stitch the zigzag, stem, and leaves. Then build the stack of french knots starting at the bottom in layers. The flowers are identical until you get about half-way up, then the position of the knots change. This positioning causes them to appear to have some real life, and I like that very much.

I'm finally glad to share this little beauty, as I've been "holding off" stitching it on any of my projects until you could see it. And, as I am numbering these on my computer as I go, I didn't want to get out of sequence!

TDiTM Stitch #11

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

This little flower is a result of my wondering about how Stitch #10 might look if the stems were longer so the flower was fuller and not at tall.

The entire flower is stitched in Perle cotton (sz 5); rose for the petals (lazy daisy stitches) and top (French knots); and olive green leaves (lazy daisy), French knot, and zigzag base.

The sequence of stitching is:
1. Stitch the zigzag
2. Stitch the green vertical stems and French knot.
3. Stitch the outside lazy daisy leaves
3. Stitch the petal lazy daisy stitches.
4. Stitch the petal French knots.

This is a simple little flower to do. An option would be to fill in the center stem area with a star or flower shaped bead. Bead spacers (metallic) might also be a good option for dressing up this little wild flower.

TDiTM Stitch #10

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

Here’s another simple flower. I like the darker shade of blue for the bottom “petals” which are slightly shorter than the upper petals…but wish that I had stitched the French knots in the darker blue rather than the stem color.

The entire flower is stitched in Perle cotton (sz 5); royal blue and sky blue for the petals (lazy daisy stitches) and olive green for the stem (straight stitch) top (French knots) leaves (lazy daisy) and zigzag base.

Another alternative would be to drop the green base petals…and stitch the zigzag in lazy daisy instead of straight stitch....hmmmmmm, a good idea for “future” stitches!...

Of course, anytime you have French knots, they can be substituted with seed beads; just as in the last photo.

The sequence of stitching is:
1. Stitch the zigzag.
2. Stitch the green vertical stem, then the outside lazy daisy leaves, then the French knots.
3. Stitch the darker base petal lazy daisy stitches, pointing them slightly down.
4. Stitch the upper petal lazy daisy stitches starting with the very top vertical stitch then work the outside top stitches and then fill in with the lower top stitches. Fit them into the “space” of the stitch, and don’t go outside the zigzag width so each “flower” has room.

This is a simple seam treatment, but has possibilities for change. If you built it a little taller by adding a couple more French knots and one more row of loops, it might resemble hyacinths in bloom.

Grandpa's Garden #2

When I posted my portion of the Round Robin, which I titled Grandpa's Garden, I wanted to include a photo of a tree with cow charm. But, my camera took a perfectly horrible photo that was so out of focus, I barely recognized it had a tree in it. Of course, the block was already on it's way before I realized this error. My cyber sister was to my rescue and send me a better photo once the block was received. So, belatedly, I thought I'd share it.

TDiTM Stitch #9

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

This flower is short enough to use on smaller projects or small patch pieces. It would be cute worked along a seam without the zigzag…just evenly space the flowers, or connect with a simple long straight stitch.

Olive green Perle cotton (sz 5) was used to stitch the zigzag, flower stem, and flower leaves…but the stem would be pretty done in brown as well. Chili pepper red Perle cotton (sz 5) was used to stitch the flower bud. The bud is a collection of French knots, grouped to form a round shape, with five straight stitches radiating from the top.

The sequence of stitching is:
1. Stitch the zigzag
2. Stitch the straight stitch vertical stem first…then the outside lazy daisy leaves which are at 45 degree to the base.
3. Stitch the French knots starting with the center row of 3…place these centered slightly above the stem. Then stitch the 2 french knots below this line of 3…and the 2 french knots above this line of 3. This will form a circular shape cluster of French knots.
4. Stitch the straight stitches above the top row of lazy daises.
5. Red seed beads provide an alternate for French knots, as shown in the beaded photo.

An alternate stitch would be to do the flowers without the straight stitches at the top as well.

TDiTM Stitch #8

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

It has been pretty cold these last few days, and I'm ready for Spring to be here! The grass is all brown now, and there are no flowers. So, when this little daisy popped into my head...it was surely a welcome thought! And, opened a flood gate of floral ideas!! So, we will be walking through the gardens of my mind for the next few stitches.

The assembly of this stitch is very simple...and can be easily followed along with just the chart I think. The colors chosen were very traditional yellow and green (perle cotton #5)...with a yellow crystal for the beaded center variety...but I thought white with brown or black in the center would be good. Of course, would not have photographed very well on the white fabric I'm working from...so the yellow it is!

TDiTM Stitch #7

Lucky 7 !!!

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months

Hope ya’ll are enjoying the stitching. I’m having a wonderful time just letting the ideas flow…not that lazy daisy, French knot, and straight stitch really call for a lot of “brain power”. But, still…it’s fun!

This is a pretty quick stitch…not overly complicated…and I like the change-up between the daisies and the straight stitch…just make sure you mark it off so you leave the same amount of “spaces” for the daisies each time.

The sequence of stitching is very simple:
1. Stitch the zigzag
2. Stitch the Straight Stitches. For this, I stitch the vertical stitch first…then the outside stitches because they are at 45 degree to the base…and then stitch the second and fifth straight stitches…since they are half way between the vertical and 45 degree ones. Hope this makes sense to you.
3. Stitch the French knots
4. Stitch the Lazy daisies starting with the center one...which is a little larger than the two outside ones.

I used Perle (cotton) size 8, in light and dark purple to stitch the sample; and added purple Rocialles on the beaded version.