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Sunday, September 10, 2017


September Friendship
Week one

There is a Miracle called Friendship
that dwells within the heart
and you don't know how it happens
or when it even starts.

But the happiness it brings you

always gives a special lift
and you realize that
Friendship is God's most precious gift. 
author unknown

How could a blog called Stitching Friends Forever not have a month of friendship? For this month we will be showing cross stitch gifts we have made for each other and other friends. As stitching friends and blog buddies we are in constant contact on a daily basis. For me it is a pleasure and honor to have such a wonderful and caring friend like Mary in my life.

Styling with Stitches

RJ - I chose four stitches by Homespun Elegance to make four seasonal door hangings for Mary for Christmas one year.  They are all from the delivering series.   I made Delivering Flurries for winter, Delivering Fleurs for spring, Delivering Posies for summer and Delivering Harvest for fall.  I used all over dyed threads some called for and some I liked better.   

The stitch I used for spring had a sheep with the cart but I changed it to a bird from Delivering Americana so that all four of the stitches would be birds.  It meant changing the straps where they meet the bird but other than that I pretty much followed the pattern. The sheep was adorable but Mary really loves birds so I wanted to be sure they were all birds. There were lots of details in these cute stitches like lots of small French knots, button wheels, cute charms, decorative buttons and ticking ribbon.  It really was so much fun putting these four separate patterns together and making a door hanging for each season.


Delivering flurries I used for the Winter bird and added a snowflake button to his beak.

My favorite was made for Spring.   I changed the sheep to a bird and added garden tools to his strap.

This was my choice for the Summer bird.  I added a ladybug button to the cart.  The insides of the flowers were all tiny French knots.

The autumn bird had a lot of detail which was fun.   I added an acorn charm to the cart.  The caps of the acorn and flowers were all tiny French knots.  And there was a lot of backstitching to highlight the stitch.

Delivering Flurries, Delivering Fleurs, Delivering Posies and Delivering Autumn
Homespun Elegance
Over dyed threads
40 ct. flax Newcastle linen
decorative box from Michaels


                                                             ❤




Mary - The thoughtfulness RJ put into her gift speaks volumes of the kind, generous soul she is and I'm equally honored to have her friendship.

Only a fellow stitcher could imagine my delight and how touched I was to receive this beautiful series. My favorite is also Delivering Fleurs because of how she personalized this just for me.  I love birds and how she kept the continuity of the series by changing the sheep to a bird made it even more special. I loved the addition of the red bird sitting on the bird's head, the flower between cart and bird and the shining sun she added.  The time and effort that it took to personalize this just for me is what made this so special. 

I wanted to give RJ a gift that would bring as much joy to her as her gift brought to me so I enlisted the talented Faye of Carolina Stitcher to finish Valentine Sampler by Brenda Gervais, With thy Needle and Thread.  


Project bag and Needleroll

Pocket and padded pin cushion

Sweet addition of hanging buttons

Love the wool felt heart and button she added to the fob


  
Rouched ribbon trim


How lucky was I to receive this gorgeous sewing set from Mary for my birthday.  I can't tell you how much I truly love each piece and the love behind Mary's stitching and Faye's wonderful finishes.  We are now beginning our sixth month of blogging and we have met so many wonderful people.  We thank you for coming to our blog and becoming "stitching friends".  Next week we will have a special "grab bag" post we think you will enjoy.   Hope to see you then.  
 RJ and Mary



Strangers are just friends waiting to happen
                                unknown author

                     




29 comments:

  1. Friendship is the sweetest gift to receive and to give. I enjoyed your first September post, RJ and Mary. RJ, I really like the 4 seasonal pieces you stitched for Mary. While the whole set is wonderful, I like how you personalized the spring one for Mary. Mary, I love the set you stitched for RJ. What beautiful pieces of stitching you created and Faye's finishing is so perfect for these pieces. Have a wonderful week!

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  2. I always get excited when I see a post up by some of my favorite stitchers!! When you make something with your hands for someone, it is a special thing. I love your finished projects. RJ, you had asked on my blog how I attached the Stacy Nash Halloween to my frame. I found this idea on Priscilla Blain's blog. I purchase a small piece of sheet metal at Hobby Lobby and I use my tin snips to cut it into four pieces. I adhere a piece of the metal to my frame with hot glue. Then I add a magnet to the back of my stitching. The magnet holds to the sheet metal and I can rotate pieces on and off through the year. It has really helped me to save some pennies on framing.

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  3. What wonderful thoughtful gifts that serve to honor the strength of your friendship and your shared passion for cross stitching.

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  4. Stitching friends are definitely the best! The thought and love that has gone into these gifts is clear.

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  5. Stitching friends are something very special.
    So wonderful gifts for each of you.
    Happy Stitching, Manuela

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  6. Un merveilleux post sur l'amitié et bien sûr de vos belles et charmantes réalisation,je ne saurait dire lequel me plaît le plus tellement c'est mignon!
    J'aime beaucoup ces designer!
    J'éspère que votre amitié soit toujours aussi résplendissante.
    Toutes mes amitiées a vous deux

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  7. @RJ - Oh the little pillows look great, so different beautiful motifs for different seasons.
    I hope you got the storm well.
    @ Mary - I love the two gifts, beautifully worked.
    Big hugs for both of you, Martina

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  8. You both have showed your true passion for stitching & your friendship it certainly comes from the heart❤️. Just lovely, I so enjoy your blog...Thank you for sharing 🌻

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  9. First and foremost, I am so very glad to see a post by you my friend!! You must be doing well then! Your gifts to Mary are just so darling.
    Mary, your gifts to RJ are lovely and would certainly make me smile!

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  10. I simply love all of it. It is great to have stitching friends. Arlene @Nanaland and I have become the best of friends through our blogs and met up last September in person.
    I love the birds and Faye's finishing is amazing!!!

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  11. What a wonderful friendship blog .
    I love all the stitching you both do every
    thing is just so amazing and I love all the little extras you add.
    It's lovely that your friendship grows on the blog together .
    I also have many frienships friends I love ,most are stitchers which is great . Having strong friendships is such a blessing Congrats on your 6 months blogging and I am so happy you came to blog world.

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  12. RJ and Mary, you are truly blessed to have such a special friendship, made even more special by your common love of stitching. Your gifts to each other are so well thought out and personal. Happy 6 months of blogging!

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  13. Wow...these stitchy gifts are so special...my favorite Delivering bird is Delivering Harvest...love it! And Mary's gift to RJ is beautiful...Carolina Stitcher finished everything so professionally!

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  14. Oh RJ what a wonderful job you did on the door hangers! Love the bird theme within each and I think Spring is my favorite too.

    And Mary Valentine Sampler is gorgeous. I love how you had it made into a project bag and needleroll, something that can be used daily!

    The two of you are lucky to have found one another and to be able to share this special friendship.

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  15. RJ: Those Bird Pillows are adorable, how sweet to change the sheep to a bird, beautiful fabric and designs.

    Blessings
    Catherine

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  16. Mary: I love the Valentine Sampler it is an amazing design, what a wonderful idea for a project bag.
    You and RJ are so Blessed to have each other.
    Love the Poem.

    Blessings
    Catherine

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  17. Beautiful post! Love all the seasons ornaments gifts for Mary! And the Valentine set is amazing!!

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  18. Love your gifts for each other. Stitching friends are the best, indeed.

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  19. Wonderful gifts for each other. I do love seasonal pieces especially the way you changed them to all be birds. Of course Autumn is my favourite of the four.
    The heart scissor fob is adorable too.

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    Replies
    1. You made such wonderful gifts for each other!! I really don't have any friends that stitch. That's why I love reading all the blogs about stitching!!

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  20. RJ, I have always loved the delivery series by Homespun Elegance. How clever to change the sheep and stitch a bird instead. The fours seasons look awesome this way.

    Mary, I also love the sweet gift your stitched for RJ. Faye is such a wonderful finisher and I often go to her blog to see what she makes out of her customers' stitched pieces. These dangling buttons looks gorgeous.

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  21. What gorgeous stitches. Has it really been six months?

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  22. Hello, RJ and Mary! Sorry to be a bit late with my comments yet again--was up in NY visiting my mom last week...

    Both of these gifts are so special in every way. Only a fellow stitcher knows just how much time goes into taking a piece of fabric from nothing but cotton to a full-blown finish. And the best thing about stitching for a fellow stitcher is knowing they will treasure and appreciate you hard work. A stitched gift is a true token of love, isn't it?

    Hope you are both doing well and enjoying this last little bit of warm weather! Have a relaxing weekend :)

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  23. What a blessing it is to have such dear friends, especially the stitchy ones! You both made beautiful things for each other, to be treasured always. What a blessing friends are!

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  24. What wonderful gifts you have stitched for each other. I can't believe it has been 6 months.

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  25. What treasures you are highlighting on your blog~ I was thrilled to be called on to do the finishing on the WtN&T goodies~ Much love~

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  26. Hello dear ladies,

    Oh I am always amazed at the great work you both accomplish. The stitching and the lovely way of finishing them. Sigh ... so lovely. Love them all, boring maybe but I can't help it ... sorry!

    Hugs and waves, Carolien

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  27. What beautiful gifts you both have made. I love each and every one of them. You two are so talented and always inspire me.

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  28. I love the gifts you made for each other. They are so beautiful and it's so easy to see what wonderful friends you are and how much you mean to each other.

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