Saturday 13 November 2010

Blogger's cross stitch display

Inspired by the unbelievable display of cross stitch samplers by Jean of Linen and Raspberry, Chookyblue has coordinated a blogger's cross stitch display, starting today. She has brought together at least 20 bloggers to display their stitcheries. Check out Chooky's blog for a full list of participants.

My cross stitch days were limited to a very narrow window of my life, stitched between finishing university and having children. The idea of having extended periods of uninterrupted time to concentrate on cross stitch is but a memory now! Oh, but I did enjoy it.

Today I will show you what remain my two favourite cross stitch projects.
This is my very first cross stitch, a wildflower sampler, stitched on Aida. I am afraid the details of the pattern are long gone. If anyone recognises it, I'd love to hear from you!
I do remember that it was supposed to be stitched in one strand of Danish Flower Thread. This thread was certainly not readily available in Australia at the time, so I substituted 2 strands of DMC equivalent threads.
My second project was a collection of four stitchery samplers, predominantly cross stitch, but with some drawn thread work thrown in.
 
I remember really enjoying doing these. I loved conquering the different types of stitches.
Of course, they are 'bloom' inspired, depicting bluebells, violets, amaranth and buttercups. My love for flowers is as old as I am!
Hmmm, it is stretching my memory for the details of these too. I remember buying the graphs at a craft show at Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney. It was probably 20 years ago!
'Shepherd's Bush' is ringing a bell?
It is such a relief that 20 years after these were stitched, I still love them. They took an inordinately long time to complete! They have pride of place in our living room.

I'll be back next Saturday to show you the other half of what constitutes my short and sweet cross stitch phase!

36 comments:

  1. Those are all really lovely - the one at the top looks really delicate...
    Hugz

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  2. Ros

    As per usual your stitching is supurb. i think even though our tastes change, these pieces are timeless
    TFS

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  3. Beautiful stitching - they are Shepherds Bush designs - I have most of those wee cards to stitch 'one day' too. I love how you've framed them, so pretty. Lovely to see your x-stitching, I always enjoy reading your blog.

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  4. The top design looks like a Thea Gouverneur, to me. Thanks for showing your cross stitching.

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  5. would love to find out about the top one Ros........I love them all though........gorgeous........

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  6. thanks heaps for sharing too...........i'll be back next week to see more

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  7. Beautiful..so soft and pretty..
    Julia ♥

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  8. the wildflower one is by the danish handcraft guild and was stitched in danish flower thread usually on permin linen, it is probably still available, they are timeless! and the little samplers are by shepherds bush, all lovely!

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  9. Thanks for sharing your cross stitch with us all.

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  10. Thanks for showing us your beautiful stitching. As it has already been suggested, the wildflower one is Danish possibly by Gerda Bengtsson, Danish Handcraft Guild. The little ones are definitely Shepherds Bush. All beautiful.

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  11. They are just beautiful...I really abmire cross stitch

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  12. Just beautiful & I love the "Bloom" theme!

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  13. I can remember admiring these at the farm ....just beautiful....

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  14. They are all beautiful but I especially like the top one.
    Thank you for sharing.

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  15. No wonder you still love those flower samplers -- they're gorgeous! Beautiful cross-stitch!

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  16. They are all so beautiful...I love the set of 4 especially!

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  17. What a coincidence! Just today my daughter brought up a half finished cross stitch for me to finish as she is going overseas! I used to do them for a few years and haven't for a while either. I think I may post some too. I love all of yours especially the wildflowers at the top!

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  18. beautiful cross stitches...love the set of 4, very soft and pretty.
    thanks for sharing your lovely work.
    cheers Julz

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  19. Gorgeous! It's so beautiful when they are close to your heart and special to you.

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  20. Beautiful stitching,Thanks for showing us your beautiful stitching

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  21. They are Beautiful I like the top one Because it reminds me of the flowers that grow in Scotland.
    Hugs Mary.

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  22. Really lovely stitcheries, nice to incorporate different techniques in one

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  23. These are just beautiful. I too love your first flower x-stitch, so delicate and lovely. xo

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  24. I love the top one i have seen another similar one which is more woodland done by a friend I will ask her the name as I think they were a series.

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  25. Those wild flowers look soooo pretty.

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  26. Beautiful pieces .... I am especially drawn to the wildflowers!

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  27. Roz, thank you for sharing your photos from your cross stitch "phase", and the link to the other blogs. It's always wonderful to see other stitchers' work. I really like that first one of yours, full of the flowers of the field, which I think suits you to a T!

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  28. How exciting to see your four Shepherds Bush cross-stich items. I too stitched those (around 16 years ago), and ironically recently re-stitched the "Amaranth" for a girlfriend's birthday. However - there must have been quite a few in the pattern set as I have five patterns. I do not have Bluebells, but I do have Whortleberry and Rowan Berry. Makes me want to do a search right now and find the rest and stitch them too :-) Aaah, just add another thing to my list!
    Kind regards

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  29. Beautiful work! I love the grouping of 4 - it really enhances each of them to be shown together.

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  30. The stitchings are really great and good. I especially like the top one.Thanks for this post.

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  31. Beautiful cross stithes. Seems like we all have similar stories. Cross stitching definitely seemed to be a craft before our families came along. Maybe something to look forward to picking up again in retirement!!!

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  32. Beautiful pieces! You chose pieces to do that are timeless in terms of decorating. Lovely work!

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  33. Lovely...i was a cross stitcher too and much later on I turned into quilter

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  34. I love Danish cross-stitch, so I was delighted to come across your beautiful sampler!
    The sampler you have stitched is kit no 20-4454, Weeds of the Garden, from Håndarbejdets Fremme(the Danich Handcraft Guild in English). It is still available on the market, just as many HF designs are thanks to their timelessness. As someone guessed above, Gerda Bengtsson was indeed the designer.

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