April's Daisy - Kitted Up

I've kitted up Cottage Garden Sampling's "April's Daisy".  It is stitched on Wichelt's Waterlily linen, a pretty pale green.  I'm looking forward to getting started.

Online Needle-work Show

I thought some of you would like this link of an online needle-works show. It will have patterns that will be on the shelves or for online purchase soon. The show is wholesale buyers only but we all like sneak peeks. I'm excited to see what other 'flowers' Cottage Garden Samplings is making for our garden journal!

http://needleworkshow.com/index.html

March's Daffodil & April's Too

It's done and it's a beauty!

Design - "March's Daffodil"

Designer - Cottage Garden Samplings

Fabric - 32 count French Lace linen 

Fibers - DMC, GAST, & WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 26 March 2013

Completed 15 April 2013

A really nice stitch - the colors are very true to those pictured on the chart.  I had a bit of frogging with the 'forest' of stems and leaves, other than that, this was smooth sailing.

 I thought I'd continue the theme of daffodils, as I still have lots blooming in mid-April.  

My Narcissus 'Jack Snipe' are at their peak right now.

I usually steer away from orange in the garden, but I do like this Narcissus variety - 'Altruist'.

My Mom bought me this lovely blue pot last year.

I planted Narcissus 'Sweet Pomponette' and Muscari latifolium.

I think it makes for a lovely companion planting.

March's Daffodil - The Sentiment

I've got the sentiment stitched for Cottage Garden Samplings "March's Daffodil".  Now on to the flowers.

Cover Page Finally Finished!

 

I'm sure there were frogs in there somewhere, I sure found enough!  If you look close, maybe you can see where I messed up - are you looking?  Oh well, I just got to a point where it just didn't matter.  Now to find the book I want to display it in.  I might just make one,  but I'm not going to worry about that for a while, I've got too much stitching to do! 

I started January, with a little help from Max.  But don't let him fool you, he was after my threads! 

 

 I've only received up to February, but some of you already have March?  I guess they're being sent out at different times?

 

 

My first real update

I waited for a while to start this series because I was trying to finish some commitment stitching. I love it but with the issues I am facing at the moment I couldn't seem to work on them. So I finally broke down and started. I decided to stitch the series as a "Four Seasons" piece. The first piece will be December, January, and February. The second will be March, April and May...you get the picture. ;)

I am stitching this on the recommended alternative fabric 32 ct Smokey Pearl Belfast. The color of the actual linen is darker in person than in the pictures. I am so glad that I went with the darker color. All the colors stand out so much more. February's piece has a few thread changes since out of all my current floss stash I only had one of the three DMC required. I used 3326 for 3354 and 333 for 154. When selecting these I went with colors that were a similar color to those charted. I think they worked out very well. Then I started January's chart. I was able to find all the charted colors. I am in love with the little cardinals on this piece. Since I took the pictures below I have completed all the stems and only have a couple of the blossoms left to stitch.

The baby girl modeling February's Primrose.

Up close of February

Close look at first half of January's Snowdrop (before I moved to the actual snowdrops)

 

 

The whole piece so far.

 



 

I have not decided if I am going to start March on the next piece of fabric. Part two of the "4 Seasons" or if I am going to start on the Journal cover. I am really enjoying these pieces...well except for the multiple change of colors in the words. But I can live with that since these are coming out so nicely.

 

Ta Ta for now,

Angela CG in TX

March's Daffodil - The Border

Another delightful border.  This is "March's Daffodil" from a Cottage Garden Sampling.  I like all the shamrock motifs and the vine-wrapped birdhouse. With ynseasonably warm weather, I've spent more time gardening than stitching as of late.  But the rain is to return Thursday, so back to stitching!