Thursday, October 22, 2009

~ Its The Simple Things ~


Its The Simple Things
~ an embroidered and bead-edged milk jug cover ~


I added the last stitch, and hung the final bead, this morning. Isn't it beautiful! I have really enjoyed stitching this...my heart is to simplify our life in the future, and that thought just kept cloud-rolling across my mind when I designed this on the weekend.

The fabric is from Robyn Pandolph's "Somerset Cottage"...

...and the threads are a mix of DMC and Cosmo.

The beads are 8mm glass.
I have backed the cover with white quilters muslin, so soft and it hangs beautifully.
The cover measures 10 inches across without the beads, and easily covers a milk jug, small bowl, or water pitcher. It could also be used as a doily to hold a glass cake stand full of sweet morsels for an afternoon tea.

The pattern is available in my ETSY STORE, or if you prefer, you can just click below and purchase it now. :-)






~~~~
Stitching "Its the Simple Things" was my first experience using Cosmo threads. I only have a few colours (won in a recent giveaway), and only two of them were suited to this embroidery, BUT, I am really impressed with them! I guess that stitching with both Cosmo and DMC in the same project helped me to discover just how different they both are. The Cosmo threads glide through the fabric, they have a silkiness to them that is just exquisite - and not once did the thread knot or twist. I was REALLY impressed by that.
The DMC, as always, knots and twists constantly. I used to think it was the way I stitched, but not after using the Cosmo and having none of these issues occur.
Now I need to find a Cosmo distributor in Australia.

Have you tried Cosmo? How do you rate it against DMC?
Or perhaps you use Anchor or Madeira (both of which I like better than DMC)
What is your favourite thread and why?

Hugs
Jenny
xxxx

PS: I slept wonderfully with my brandy, milk and honey, but Allie corrected me on her grandaddy's remedy - the milk bit was supposed to be lemons. Might give that a go tonight, as although my voice is returning, my head cold has stepped up a notch. Thanks for the lovely thoughts, ladies!

26 comments:

Myra said...

What a lovely little project Jenny! Darling!! 8-)

I wouldn't be able to give you any thoughts on the different stitchery threads as I haven't done much of that...yet! 8-)

Here is another remedy for you, not that I've ever tried it, but it was my mother-in-laws thing that my hubby grew up with.
Warm milk, teaspoon of butter, and a clove of fresh crushed garlic... Yuck!!!

Dawn said...

Oh Jen this is so cute, I have some old milk covers ( crochet & beads - but they get floaties thru the crochet) but this is a beauty and there can be no floaties thru the fabric... Thanks for sharing...
Hugs Dawn x x

Unknown said...

Jenny, what a lovely little design, have ordered the pattern, and hope to get it soon. I haven't used Cosmo threads, Anchor, Dmc and Madeira are the ones I can buy, apart from the cheap packs you can buy sometimes!

Luz said...

Buenos dias Jenny!!!!
No hace demasiado tiempo que me encontré tu blog por casualidad y desde entonces decirte que no hay una sola entrada que no vea....Me encanta tu trabajo y por ello te felicito.
Simplemente queria enviarte un saludo desde España.
Por cierto referente a los hilos....Yo la verdad que los que hasta ahora he utilizado siempre es DMC.
Pero tienes razón en que simpre se anudan y se retuercen, yo tambien pensaba que era yo, mi forma de coser....investigaré a ver si puedo hacerme con algun hilo Cosme.
Mil besitos.

Sew Useful Designs said...

Jenny darling, I *love* your two new projects! So fresh with beautiful calming sentiments. Gorgeous!

Hugs precious!
Vikki xoxoxoxo

Anita said...

I love this Jenny! Is so beautiful!

marina said...

What a lovley jug cover.
Haven't used cosmo, I like to use dmc and anchor. I used to use madeira for snmocking and it would alway fray too much, and it would be wasted. I never have trouble matching with dmc and anchor.
Hope you recover from your cold.
marina

Teresa said...

Hi Jenny, love your jug cover.. it is such a lovely pattern. I am going to get the pattern and will hopefully whip up a couple for christmas presents.. if I can part with them!! Hope you are feeling better..women have to be able to talk

Cattinka said...

Hi Jenny,
I hope you feel better already!
I like your jug cover and the door stopper from your last post is very nice. At first I thought it was a bag from the shape it has, and it would have made a beautiful bag also.
As to your question about your designs: I would prefer a design plus the instructions for a project, otherwise it would take me too long to do something useful with the stitchery. In fact I love to see the finished product first and then I decice weather I will buy the design or not.
KATRIN W.

Sarah - Kala said...

It's gorgeous!

Stay well.

Only ever had DMC in kits for cross stitching, but I may look into buying cosmo now you've given it a good review.

Kaaren said...

Cute project, Jenny.

Anne Sutton from Bunny Hill has a great sale on the Cosmo floss on her website. I just bought them but I haven't had the chance to try them out as yet. I've heard nothing but great reviews and they've just come out with two-stranded floss on spools. How great is that? No more separating. Just sew and go! Woo hoo!

Anonymous said...

That's gorgeous, Jen. I love everything you do but this is even more gorgeous.

Love

Pam

Anne D said...

Gorgeous design as always. My grandmother always gave me a honey and lemon(no brandy)drink for a sore throat. It always seemed to make it feel a little better but back then kissing things better also worked!

Graciela said...

Que linda idea!!!!!!!!!!! te felicito me gusto mucho por lo dlicado como todas las cosas que haces siempre te mando un beso enorme

Shari said...

I must admit my grandmother's remedy was honey, lemon and whiskey stirred together and then sucked off a spoon...

Love the milk jug cover. It is so true that the simple things in life are the best.

Hope you get better soon!

Hugs - Shari

Lia said...

Hi, Jenny!
Well, many, many years ago, I learned a trick that help avoiding knots on embroidery floss: we have to detangle the floss before using it. I mean, we should separate all the floss, one by one, then put them together again and pass a cotton ball moistured with some water on it. This helps to make the thread to work better.

I hope my poor english made it clear... ;-)

Hugs!
Lia

Micki said...

You are right...it is a simplistic beauty!
Micki

Xioe said...

Hi Jen, Ijust come to said hello!! jejejeje beautifull like all that you do!!
Kisses
Xioe

Carin said...

Jen I have always used DMC being it was the most available here, I did use some anchor once but wasn't able to get the color variety I needed.
I use quite a bit of some hand dyes made and sold at a stitchery shop here in town and adore the way that the colors in those just make a project I will have to go looking for the other 2 brands of floss you mentioned and try them out.
HUGS! Glad you slept well.

Maggey and Jim said...

Hello,
I just recently saw the Cosmos thread and wondered about it.. I do like the DMC and always run my piece through beeswax, that helps it to lay flat.. I love your cover, very dainty and nice. Keep up your wonderful stitchery.
Hugs
Maggey

Maggi said...

A gorgeous project. I haven't heard of Cosmo threads but they sound good if they don't twist and tangle.

Allie said...

So beautiful dear Jenny! That's interesting about the Cosmo, I guess I'll have to give them a go - I normally only use DMC, as it's so easily available and they have so many colors. But it will twist on me! I always thought it was the way I stitched too.

There's a bead store near where I take John to driver's ed, I'm going to look for some lovely glass beads to use on this!

Jenny, I've been using the Breathe Right strips across my nose, as I have trouble getting stuffy at night. They're not medicine, they're more like really strong band-aids, lol. They open up the nasal passages. Do you have anything like that there? That might help you be more comfortable at night.

What Comes Next? said...

beautiful little project! So far I've only used DMC and find its a pain with knotting and twisting, just like you> Glad to hear I'm not the only one, and that its not my technique causing it!

Carrie P. said...

Love your new little designs and glad you are feeling better.
I won some of the Cosmo floss from Dorothy too and I see the same things you do. I really like the floss too.

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

Run don't walk to the nearest place that sells the cosmos thread--It is just the greatest thing since sliced bread!!!!! I am slowly getting rid of every skein of DMC--I still have some but only what I need to finish out a couple bom projects that I started with the DMC--all new projects get Cosmos thread--it is just a shear joy to work with and well worth the extra cost--it is the only way to go!!!!!
I get mine here in the US from--
Thimblecreek.com so far it is the only place i have found--and Anne at Bunny Hill is carry in some--so check there--have fun--Hugs, Di

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

OPPS---forgot to tell you how pretty the newest design is--you are terrific!!!
hugs, Di