Stitching Friends Forever

    
March week two
Easter Hop with JO
Our French month

Styling with Stitches
Something New
What's Stitching
SAL Update

Welcome everyone!   We have two letters for you for the Easter Hop with Jo.  The first letter is A. Scroll down for the second letter and where to go next.  Stitching friends weekly  post is below that.   Have fun hopping to the next post listed below.  May everyone have a happy and blessed Easter.



The second letter is i.   Now please hop on over to  http://lecoeurceltique.blogspot.co.uk/     

Styling with Stitches
Something New
What's Stitching
SAL Update

Bon Jour!  Hope the weather is starting to warm up by you as Spring is here. Do you have bunnies and flowers ready to stitch?   We are in the midst of stitching them for the next several months.

When we were planning the blog for 2018', we decided to make March a French month.  And, it's now time for our pinafore and word play combo.  (One of us does a pinafore and the other does the monthly word play.   Then, another month during the year we switch).  So today we have a post filled with a French pinafore/ March word play combo, some French ornaments and an update on our SALs.  These were time consuming stitches but a lot of fun too so we hope you enjoy.

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Styling with Stitches

RJ's pinafore

It's my turn to make a pinafore.  Of course I begged for the French month.

I've been wanting to do a Quaker stitch for quite awhile now and when I saw this Quaker Eiffel Tower pattern I knew it was for me.   I was surprised how many hours it took to stitch....alot!   I changed it up somewhat.   I took off some of the symbols and stitched a fleur d'lis, a bee and a crown instead.  And I moved a few other things to different places to make it all fit.  I used Kohl over dyed thread.  It changes from very dark black to a dark grey throughout the stitch.  When I got to the finish, nothing was really coming to mind (that happens a lot).  But, then I saw a pillow with these little triangles on the end and I thought they might look neat and French looking for my pinafore.  They were so easy to make.   The most time was spent finding out how to make them.  So that is how I went about it.  I added the polka dot triangles and a sweet fabric bow with an Eiffel Tower button.    It closes in the back with two more Eiffel Tower buttons.

It was my first attempt at making the triangles and they were surprisingly so easy

I decided to add my initials to this piece

Closeup of fabric bow and Eiffel Tower button

Closeup of stitch.   I added the crown, bee, and fleur d'lis instead of other symbols

Quaker Eiffel Tower
by Jardin Prive
40 ct. Vintage Pecan butter linen
Kohl over dyed thread
Eiffel tower button from Hobby Lobby

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Mary's word play

It's my turn to stitch the monthly word play which worked out perfectly because of my Irish ancestry.

My word play was completed on Jan. 30, 2015 and I just finished it last week!!!  This was one of my early projects on 18 ct. aida and I was so proud of myself at that time for graduating from 14 to 18 count.  I finished this with a double herringbone stitch that I  learned from watching Mary Corbett's Double Herringbone tutorial on YouTube.  This was my first attempt at stitching the herringbone and it was easy to do!  Pretty scrap fabric a friend gave me and a shamrock charm dresses up my stitch.

My Irish Sister-in-law will be getting this as a St. Patrick's Day gift and I'll eventually remake the word play in linen for myself. 

I added a herringbone stitch and a sweet shamrock charm to the finish

March Word play

By With Thy Needle and Thread

18 ct country mocha aida 

called for threads

   

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Something New
RJ's French Ornaments

It was love at first sight when I first spotted these bunnies by Prairie Schooler.   I really enjoy stitching bunnies and these were just so cute.   And to me they looked French so I added French titles under them.   Changing  all the threads to brigher and lighter colors made them look more Spring like.   The lady "Madame" was so sweet in her dress and pinafore and carrying her pretty basket of Spring flowers.  And, I love how the border is just like her flowers.   

It was the man "Monsieur" that truly stole my heart!  Look at his boutonniere, ascot and vest.  But it was the walking cane that sealed the deal.   He is such a dapper fellow!  Can you tell I love him?   His basket is filled with carrots and they are repeated in his border.   

They both have a simple finish with green polka dot fabric, lace and vintage buttons.  I really enjoyed stitching and finishing these two sweet bunnies. 

Love her basket of flowers and the border with the same flowers

Fabric tape used for hangers from Joann's has stitches through it

Just look at all those accessories on this dapper fellow!

Love his carrot border that matches the carrots in his basket

Rabbit Folk book 19
by Prairie Schooler
40 ct. country mocha linen
      changed threads to over dyed   



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What's Stitching

The date for the party has changed due to Good Friday and Easter.  We will be joining Jo for her annual blog hop on the 29th however.

On April 4th we will be celebrating our first birthday.   We will be holding a celebration here for all to enjoy.   So many people have sent beautiful stitches for us to share and we can't wait to show you.  There will be a few surprises too.   If you still have a photo to send, just mail it to rjgator96@earthlink.net 

We have met so many wonderful people through the blog.  One of the sweetest and kindest is our friend Robin.   She sent some adorable patterns this week along with the cutest Michelle Palmer note cards.   Thank you so much Robin for your thoughtfulness. 

Mary received a sweet chart and fabrics that she won on Ele's blog.  You can find it here   And, it came all the way from Italy.   Thank you Ele for such a great give away. 
  

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SAL update
Our SALs have been so much fun to stitch.  If you haven't guessed it yet, it is called
And Heaven and Nature Sing by Kathy Barrick.  Things are going along great but I fear we are going to run out of the brown silk thread.  The deer is really using a lot.  So Mary has an order in for more brown thread in the same dye lot.  Fingers crossed it arrives soon.

RJ's SAL
This is where I was on February 28th
                

And this is after 14 hours of stitching.  The deer is taking it's time and the garland took recounting several times.   The ears and eyes are now filled in and the deer is growing each week. 

Mary's SAL
This is where I was on February 28th
                       


I was only able to put five hours of stitching in this month but you can see how the deer is filling in and the garland around his neck is coming along.

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It is always a pleasure to have you come by for a visit.  We truly appreciate the time you take to comment which always makes our day.  We love to come by your blogs too so if we don't know about you yet...let us know.   April 4th will be our one year birthday party and we are going to PARTY so don't miss the celebration.   

                                                                   Mary and RJ


                           Que les invités qui entrent dans cette maison, repartent en amis.

                                     The guests who come to this house leave as friends.