HoE Prairie Schooler Exchange FOR Karen

Got back to blogland! Finally from today I can use Internet at new home!
I'm totally behind from everything, blogging, e-mailing, etc...

My life is busy with unpacking and looking after my little son, but I think I will be able to settle down a bit in a few weeks.
Anyway, I've received a comment from Karen to let me know that she received HoE (Hooked on Exchange) Prairie Schooler Exchange from me safely!

I was quite worried because it took so much time to get to Australia from Japan, and as I worried it has stopped at Customs and they opened my parcel and had confiscated the tea bags I enclosed.
Why why?? They were just normal tea, though!
(I shouldn't have wrote down what I added in the parcel on the paper for Customs, I'm too honest, lol)
Moreover they checked my Pinkeep which I made for her, and untied the ribbon... it's sad, isn't it.
But I'm relieved that they didn't confiscate the Pinkeep either, and am happy to hear that she likes everything what I sent her!

Here is what I made for her with PS design.

I have several of PS charts, but as I felt that Karen has an elegant taste, I thought this design would be suit for her.
This is from A Prairie Garden (OOP chart), and I made it into a pinkeep.
One day, I want to stitch all the flowers on one piece, and want to frame it!

This photo is a bit over flashed, though it's more quiet in the real life.
Here is a photo of pins that I made with clay rose top.

And here is a photo of backing fabric.
This time I used marbled plain cloth for this pinkeep.

I'm very glad to hear that she likes this!
Thanks for lovely words for this Karen, I was enjoyed to stitch and make this for you!

Thank you so much everyone for many comments and Hugs for me in the last post.
I'm missing her so much, but c'est la vie...
Your words made me feel positive, thank you again!


Thank you so much for signing up for my PIF.
I have never though that such many people would sign up for my PIF.
I'd appreciate for you all.
I have been still taking sign up for my PIF member until this coming Sunday!
Please feel free to leave comment on the last post, if you are interested in!

Design : "A Prairie Garden" © Prairie Schooler
Fabric : 32ct Belfast Linen (Cream / Ivory)
Thread : DMC
Finished as : Pinkeep

HoE Prairie Schooler Exchange FROM Chris C.

Yesterday I received a parcel from Chris C. for HoE Prairie Schooler Exchange!
It's always so thrilled to open the parcel, but it's more than that when I receive the parcel from who I know.

Here is beautiful flat fold that Chris made for me!
She chose the design "September" from Prairie Year II.

Very lovely, isn't it?!
Here is the backing fabric she chose for this, and her finishing is perfect!
I love red gingham fabric, too!


She also added beautiful cotton fabric, 40ct linen, some beautiful Vikki Clayton silk threads for me!
I love them all, really I do!

Thank you so much Chris for this wonderful exchange!
You made my day, indeed!

HoE LHN Exchange FROM Jennifer

I've received HoE LHN (Little House Needleworks) Exchange safely, from Jennifer!
I received the parcel just before we were going out, after I rocked the door key, so I had to be patient until I open the parcel from her...
Then when I've got home, I immediately opened the box and found SO lovely stuffs in there!

Here is what she has made for me!
This design was the one I really wanted to stitch, so I was so happy when I saw this beautiful pinkeep!!!
Now I don't need to stitch this pattern by myself, lol

She added DMC linen threads (pink shades), very lovely ribbon roll, quite unique but very pretty card buttons, too!
Everything were wrapped by pink paper, I was so touched by it, because she knew that I love pink, I think!

Here is some photos of details of this beautiful pinkeep!
She tied pink ribbon beautifully on top, and around the pinkeep, she used two colours of ribbons.

One is light pink (same as the top ribbon) and light green!

This combination is very beautiful and I love it!
She also stitched this pattern on very light green linen which is very beautiful!!

And! What I shouldn't forget to share is...
This back of pinkeep!

She added thread holder (rings?) and wee pocket, I think it is for scissors!
Very beautiful and a nice idea, isn't it!
And I also love the backing fabric which she has chosen for this LHN pattern!

Everythings perfectly done!
I think I'm very lucky one to became her partner!

Thank you so much, Jennifer!

I'm so happy that I could have this sweet pinkeep with me!

Now it's in the cupboard where cross stitch works are displayed!

I'd really appreciate for your kind heart and the time you took to work on this beautiful pinkeep!
Thanks again!

HoE LHN Exchange FOR Carol S.

Yesterday I've got a lovely e-mail from Carol S. that she has safely received my HoE (Hooked on Exchanging) LHN Exchange piece, so I'm going to share what I've made for her!
Carol S. is a very talented lady as you know, so I was a bit nervous to stitch for her and also it was very hard to choose a design from lots of LHN patterns!

Then I've chosen this design "Necessities Sampler" for her as I liked colours of this design.
I stitched on 32ct Belfast Linen, so it became a bit big, so again it racked my brains trying to find an idea how to finish it off...

Then I found the idea to finish it off as tasseled mini pillow which I wanted to make at least once!
It was a bit difficult for the first time to make them, so I think they were not perfect...

So I told her honestly that it was my first try and so they aren't perfect, but she told me there was nothing wrong at all...

She is so kind, isn't she!

Thank you Carol S.!

I will practice how to make beautiful tassels like she does!
I forgot to take photos of them, though I stitched our initials and "2008 HoE" on the pillow!
Here is the photo of backing fabric which I used for this mini pillow.
This photo doesn't show the colour justice, but I used my favourite fabric for it!

Anyway, I'm so glad that she told me she liked everything I've sent to her!
I heard that her DH loved sweets (Pocky) that I sent, so if there was another chance to send something to her, I will send variety of Pockys!! lol
Mine will be delivered from someone soon, I think!
I'm so thrilled to think about it nowadays!

Design : "Necessities Sampler" © Little House Needleworks
Fabric : 32ct Belfast Linen (Ivory)
Thread : DMC
Finished as : (Tasseled) Mini Pillow

HoE Freebie Exchange FOR Neila C.

Finally my HoE (Hooked on Exchanging) Freebie Exchange piece has arrived to its destination... whew...
I was very anxious if it was lost at somewhere...
Normally the parcel I send out took about one week, though this time it took more than three weeks to the US!

By the way, here is what I've made for my partner Neila C.


I don't know why, but I wanted to make a pinkeep in red thread, when I've heard the word "Freebie Exchange".
So I picked up this design and have chosen DMC #115, and made it into a pinkeep.

This time I used Pearl Pin for Top pin, and also used red flower ribbon.
Was this too much? My husband said that it's too much, lol

Here is a photo of pins, this time I used simple red and white making pins for both sides of pinkeep.

And here is a photo of the backing fabric which I used for this pinkeep.

I don't know she liked it or not, as I haven't been hearing from her yet.
But I do hope she liked it and as well as some goodies that I added in a parcel...

As I promised, I will post some presents from my Japanese friends in the next post!

And also, my turf kit in hedgehog is growing a little by little, and vice versa my Grass Dog is dead... so I cut all his hair (turf), and waiting for it will grow again...
I will take a photo of them and will post in the next post, too!

Design : "Baby Alphabet" © Sheepish Designs (Freebie)
Fabric : 32ct Belfast Linen (White)
Thread : DMC #115

Finished as : Pinkeep

HoE Freebie Exchange FROM Gwen

(I took photos again on a sunny day, and replaced them!)

Last week, I've received a parcel from my HoE (Hooked on Exchange) Freebie Exchange partner Gwen!
I was so excited to open it, and I found wonderful gifts from her!
Here they are, she stitched Workbasket Quaker Animal (Hedgehog) Freebie and made it into a sewing case!
And since I've wrote that I didn't know how to do hemstitch, she gave me an instruction book by Gloria and Pat!
What a thoughtful gift it is! Thank you Gwen!


These days, the weather in Japan (around here) is gloomy all the time, so I couldn't take good photos of her gifts...
But they are so beautiful in the real life!
She stitched it on light blue fabric with over dyed thread, and added scissors and fob and also very fine needles together!


Once this lovely sawing case is opened, the shape become like flower!
Beautiful and a nice idea, isn't it?!
I really love this very much!
I would like to steal this idea from hers and make sewing case in the future!!

She also stitched my initials and her initials and "HoE 2008" on the back of this sewing case!
It will be very nice keepsake forever!

Here is an inside fabric of this sewing case which she used for.
This is beautiful and very suit well for this stitched piece and thread colour!

Thank you so much again, Gwen!
Your exchange made my day indeed!
I'd appreciate for your wonderful gifts, too!

[HOE] Pinkeep Exchange FROM Jayne

Hi everyone, it's been a while since the last time I posted...

Thank you so much everyone, cheering me up, warm wishes, on the last post.
Actually I still have been ill (having a cold), it's been about 2 weeks now.
Finally my fever went down today, but still have slight fever and bad cough.

By the way, here is my HOE (Hooked on Exchanging) Pinkeep Exchange from Jayne (no blog) in the UK!
She spoiled me a lot, she added Bent Creek chart which was in my wish list, beautiful fabric, Altoid's (strong peppermints!) and lovely red thread and beautiful Pinkeep!


Here it is! She stitched from Prairie Schooler's design and made it as pinkeep.
I love it very much, especially the beautiful ribbon and beads pins combinations!
That's really beautiful.

She stitched her name and her country on the back of

pinkeep.

I always forget to stitch on my name and where I live on the back of work when I exchange... from next time I shouldn't forget it!!

Here are top pin and ribbon which she added to this pinkeep, isn't this beautiful?!

I love this very much, colour matches so well together and she added beads pins around the edges, too.
How gorgeous pinkeep this is!

Thank you, Jayne, and sorry that I couldn't post your exchange soon after I received.
Now it's in my cupboard where my friends and my works are in!
And your strong peppermint Altoid's helped me a lot to breathe properly, as I had stuffy nose! :D

As I'm not fine yet, I can't think about cross stitching...

I hope I can stitch soon again!

Take care of yourself, everyone.

[HOE] Pinkeep Exchange FOR Deb

A few days ago, I've received a lovely e-card from Deb who was my HOE (Hooked on Exchanging) partner told me that my parcel has safely arrived to her, so I post some photos of what I've made for her.

I was a bit worried as I didn't know her taste much, so looked through her blog often and I thought this sophisticated design would be nice for her!

This design is the one of "Tiny Inspirations" © Thistle Threads and named "Miniature Quaker Sampler".
I changed thread colours a bit as I didn't have recommended threads.
I love Quaker and these kind of colours very much!
I added our initials and year 2008 on it.

Here is the photo of top pin and ribbon I added this time.
Isn't this perfect for this pinkeep and colour?
I love to add big bead or pom-pom like this on top of pinkeep very much, it makes very good accent for the finished piece, I think!

I also made some rose pins for both sides of pinkeep, as I had blue metal roses in my stash and thought would be nice for this pinkeep design!
(on the left hand side photo...)

Here is backing fabric which I used for this pinkeep.

I chose very classic fabric as this pinkeep design is also classic.
Actually I loved this very much when I completed this pinkeep, honestly I really wanted to keep it for myself, lol.

I'm so happy that I heard that Deb liked this and some goodies I have sent for her!

By the way, this was the first time for me to join in HOE and exchanged in this group.
It was very fun and I'm very looking forward to receive a pinkeep from someone!!

This is very excited, the deadline will be soon, so means I will receive it soon! :D
I'll show and post what I received when it arrived to me!

"Miniature Quaker Sampler" from "Tiny Inspiration" © Thisle Threads

35ct Wichelt Linen (Cream / Ivory) with DMC threads

#469 --> #611, #3782 --> #3856