Finally a finished project! I must apologize as these photos are all going to be very poor--this is what happens when you take photos of needlework at night in bad artificial light, but you will get the idea. I finished my Valentine's Day cushion late last night but only the stitching.
It was easy, relaxing stitching and will make a very nice pin cushion. I am sure I have some red (or maybe green) cotton fabric I can use for the backing. It is a matter of pulling out my fabric stash bin, which is best reserved for the weekend. I have several finished projects now--or almost finished--that just need to be turned into something (pin cushions or little pillows perhaps). This will also need the date/year and my initials in some unobtrusive corner. I didn't quite finish it for the holiday, but close enough.
I thought I might continue on with some more hearts or Valentine's Day-related design, but now I think I am ready for something a little different. I am leaning towards a nice sampler of some sort.
What do you think about this one? I have long wanted to stitch it. It is called "My Betrothed Sampler" and the designer is the (now defunct) Birds of a Feather. It will be stitched on hand dyed linen in a color called 'Nightingale' which is a pale grey color that verges almost on lavender.
I have always been a little hesitant about stitching this one, as I am no longer married and am unlikely ever to be so again, but then why should that matter? The wording reads as follows:
"To my betrothed who will one day see, this little piece that has been worked by me. For you I give my best endeavor, I'll strive to serve and be obedient ever."
So, this is meant to be a reproduction sampler in the style a girl or young woman would have stitched in the early 1800s. The 'obedient' reference is the other little catch. Maybe I could change it some way to read something a little more subversive? Or is that too naughty? Maybe I should just stitch it as is to stay in the spirit of the period.
Or, there is this design called "Farm House" by Blackbird Designs. It is sort of a companion piece to this sampler that I stitched years ago (and sits waiting to be framed and hung on my wall). You can see the linen peeking out just to the right of the chart. I actually started this one (also a long time ago), so it would be easy to pick up again.
This chart (and the other I linked to above) is one of a series called "Anniversaries of the Heart" which was meant to be stitched in a larger sampler. You can see some other stitcher's finished project here. Isn't that an amazing piece? I only own these two houses from the set, so mine will just hang next to each other.
It's a bit of a toss up in terms of which new project to choose. One has lots of small motifs that would be fun to work on (the Betrothed design), rather than that house right in the middle of the design which can be a little tedious to work on initially (small motifs make you feel like you are making real progress), but then the house design is smaller and I have those first stitches already in and just waiting to be added to.
Much like my daily book choice (which will go into my bookbag for the day) I will likely see what appeals to me most in the morning. The choice just needs to really appeal and feel a little inspired to make me want to keep returning to it!