Block 16 and some revisiting!

Over the next month I'm going to be removing some patterns from my shop (here) and restocking the shelves with some old favourites that haven't been seen for a while, as well as some brand new designs I've been working on behind the scenes.

Today I added these two old sweeties!

"Lavender Fields Forever"

This little pillow measures just 4.5" x 7" and is filled with lavender flowers and regular cushion stuffing. Placed on display near an open window the lavender fragrance that fills the room is incredible!

It would also be a really cute pincushion...

"True Peace"

I designed this free stitchery last year as a joyful and bright reminder of where my true peace comes from.

The pattern is for the stitchery only, but I chose to use it as a pocket for a Bible/Journal bag...

...and of course, I'm sharing Block 16 of the "Lord's Prayer" Quilt free as well!

NOTE: I have spelled trespass wrong in this block, not even noticing when I drew it up and stitched it. 
Please omit the extra 's' when you trace it. I will update the pattern tomorrow.

"trespass against us" 

If you are looking for the first free 15 blocks of the "Lord's Prayer" quilt they are now divided between three patterns of five blocks each...

All these patterns are HERE in the shop now.

Have a blessed day!

I'm off to finish my Shabby Roses Churn Dash quilt! \o/...

hugs

SEASONS ~ a new stitchery...

Do you decorate your home to flow with the seasons?

I used to when the children were younger and we were homeschooling, but the last few years I've been quite remiss in this area.

I was thinking recently just how much I love the changing of seasons and how good it would be to have one design that celebrated all four and could be displayed all year round. And you know what those thoughts do inside a creative mind don't you? They come alive!

I found the perfect border fabric hiding in my stash, and then a frame which had been patiently 'waiting' on my desk for a purpose requested it's moment to shine,  too. 

Variegated threads were perfect against the sandy flecked background fabric...

Would you frame this design or use it in a project?

The pattern is HERE in the shop.

If you stitch it would you kindly send me a photo to share with all my lovely readers?

I know Spring is almost here in Australia, but I think I'll tightly embrace the final two weeks of winter before it leaves me behind for northern shores...I will sorely miss it.

hugs

Block 7 of the Stitchalong!

I'm sharing block 7 of the Lord's Prayer today, "Thy will be done"...

The free download is here in my shop.

So that my pattern shop is not too cluttered I've put the first 5 Lord's Prayer blocks into one single download file, so if your looking for blocks 1, 2, 3 4 or 5 the pattern cover looks like this...

 

Blocks 6 and 7 are single pattern downloads.

Are you enjoying this stitchalong? How many blocks have you finished so far?

Only 19 more to go!

Over the next few months I will slowly be sorting through all the patterns I've designed over the last 5 years and listing for sale those I consider my best as pdf downloads in my shop.

This year has seen many Elefantz patterns 'retire' but I still have a couple of hundred to hover over the 'toss or keep' basket so I'll just potter along when I have time and share them here when they're available.

Over the weekend I listed "In An English Country Garden" on Craftsy because quite simply, I love it, and maybe you will too...

It's $4.95 HERE in my shop.

 Tomorrow I'm sharing the next Rosedaisy Designs tutorial!

It's a couple of days late because the 20th clashed with Sunday Scripture and the Lord's Prayer blog days.

This month's block stitches up quickly, so if you have the pattern set you might like to prepare it tonight....

 I wonder what I'll be making with it?

Do you have any ideas?

hugs

"F" for Fee...and paper patterns.

It's my sweet friend Fee's birthday today! 

You can drop by her blog here to give her lots of warm and cuddly cyber hugs, ok? She loves them!

So what to make for one of my very bestest friends?

Well, a cute Rosedaisy framed 'F' of course!

Fee is a true-blue Shabby Chic gal, so naturally this influenced my choice of fabric, threads, and frame. Once again, as I've been doing all year, I stayed with a simple colour palette of two. 

Aqua and Pink.

The pink thread is variegated which really made this block 'sing'...

Fee called me when her parcel arrived in the mail, and she loved it. Well, I reckon I love her more. ;-)

Now that Fee has received her framed F from me, I can show you another F block I stitched back in March. It is a different one because it's for my soon-to-be-born new granddaughter, Miss *F*, who is only weeks away from greeting the world. 

#Please do not ask me to share any more about Miss *F* as her mum (one of my daughters) is very private and doesn't want her family's life shared via my blog (along with almost all my other children who prefer to live quiet anonymous lives too)...#

I stitched the E from my Rosedaisy Alphabet for her big sister, 13yo Miss *E*, but created a personal *f* just for Miss *F*'s imminent arrival.

Actually, both Miss *E* and MIss *F* were the inspiration behind my 26 Rosedaisy Alphabet blocks...

 

As time goes by I will have more and more completed Rosedaisy Alphabet blocks to show you. I wonder how many I will have stitched by the end of the year? Mmmm...

...PAPER PATTERNS...

When I released "The Welcome Home" pattern last month it was incredibly popular, which surprised me as it was only published as a paper pattern and not a pdf.

I chatted with Mr E about this, and he agreed with me that it would be a good idea to offer the Rosedaisy Alphabet as a paper pattern purchase too, because some stitchers just happen to prefer paper over pdf.

I have to admit, I personally love to buy paper patterns.

So from today, HERE in my Etsy Shop, you will now find the paper pattern for the 26 block set of the Rosedaisy Alphabet! 

It comes stored in a sturdy plastic A4 sized sleeve, flat and not folded. 

It will be posted world-wide, so no matter where you are across the globe it will arrive at your door!

I also have a few more of large "The Welcome Home" wall hanging patterns in stock...

...and as I want to save you as much postage as I can, I've also decided to list the double paper pattern set of The Rosedaisy Alphabet and The Welcome Home.

I'm offering to post both of these patterns worldwide for the same cost of posting one!

Purchase one or both of these Elefantz paper patterns HERE in my Etsy Shop.

  The Rosedaisy Alphabet is also available as an instant pdf download HERE in my Craftsy Store.

Thank you for your lovely comments, prayers, and hugs for Blossom yesterday. She's finally over the 'hump' with this flu and is slowly beginning the road to recovery. Such a great relief, as for a while there she was spiraling downhill fast, and her asthma wasn't helping. 

So bless each of you for caring. xx

Now I'd best get back to my stitching, as I am playing around with more two-colour designs that will feature some very special fabric sent to me by a clever Tasmanian designer!

If you're interested in my penchant for using only two, and occasionally three colours in my designs, check out some colour combinations I shared HERE to stitch Rosedaisy Alphabet blocks. You may be inspired!

hugs

Deconstructed Hexie tutorial, and a magazine at last!

I cannot tell you how excited I am to tell you that the April/May issue of Elefantz Magazine is now published and in my shop to download!

I have three gorgeous patterns inside, and the first one inspired the tutorial I'll share at the end of this blog post.

 But let's look at what you can make from this issue of Elefantz magazine first!

Project 1 - TWEET: A Needle Cupboard.

...not a needlebook for 'used or in-use' needles, but a cupboard to store your needle packets... 

Project 2: SING - A Cushion.

...with an empowering message for you...

"not everyone will appreciate your song...but sing anyway"

Project 3: The ROSEDAISY Journal/Book Cover

...which comes with the full set of alphabet monograms for you to personalise it...

Purchase the April/May issue of Elefantz Magazine HERE today.

Inside the magazine I'm also chatting about living simply, and with beauty, in a technology driven world, and I share ideas and examples to help you start your own illustrated journal as a family keepsake.

 I love hexies! But I find them awfully fiddly things to put together when they are small. 

In my TWEET Needle Cupboard design I did something a bit different. I deconstructed a hexie and appliqued it instead!

These hexie flower shapes are a tiny 1/4 inch each, and to begin you'll need to download a free pattern sheet HERE.

The first thing I did to make the two hexie flowers on the TWEET cover was to trace 14 of the 1/4" hexies onto the smooth side of some Vliesofix, but you can use any fusible bonding paper for this...

 

Then I fused each one onto particular sections of the back of the floral fabric I'd used elsewhere in the design - this is known as 'fussy cutting'.

I chose the little blue daisy print for the outer hexie petals, and the small rose print for the centre...

Cut out the hexie shapes, and peel off the Vliesofix...

Using tweezers carefully place the hexie shapes onto your background fabric. Fuse them in place with a warm, dry iron, but make sure you bring the iron straight down onto the hexies and don't push the iron back and forward over them as it may shift them...

Use one strand of thread that matches the outer petal fabric and blanket stitch the outside hexie petals in place.

 Blanket stitch around the middle hexie with a single strand of matching thread....

Using 3 strands of thread, chain stitch around the centre hexie...

Complete your de-constructed hexie by chain stitching around the outer petals with 3 strands of matching thread...

How cute is this!?

You can do this on any project you like, using any size hexie you want, but if you'd like to use it as I have in the TWEET Needle Cupboard you'll find the pattern HERE in Elefantz Magazine - available until May 30th only.

Time to get back to a whole new set of designs that need to be ready 'someday in May'....

Have a brilliant week!

hugs