Too Belated Mother's Day

When I've made a tote bag for my friend's birthday (the last post), actually I've made totally five same style bags at the same time! LOL
Because I'm really not good at sewing machine, so once I finished to make one, I didn't want to do the same process from the first again!

This for my mother, I wanted to stitch beautiful CEDER HILL's bouquet design for "Mother's day", but couldn't make time to stitch for her, so this is really belated "Mother's Day" gift.
Too late, though! LOL

I stitched her Initial with DMC #814 on purplish-gray linen (which my friend Domy gave me before).









Here are some photos of the leather handle (dark brown one) and fabrics which I used for her bag.

She knew that I was making bags, but she didn't know that I'm also making a bag for her, so when I gave this to her, she was so surprised and seemed really happy!

I'm really glad that she is so happy to get this as a surprised present!

I will show you some other bags' photos later again! LOL






From : "Charted Monograms for Needlepoint and Cross-Stitch"

Happy Birthday to Littlehands

Today, I've got an e-mail that my parcel has safely arrived to the recipient, so I put some photos what I've made for my friend!

It was my friend Littlehands's Birthday, and so I've sent her a book (about handmade stamps) which she has been crazy now!
And I have also made her a tote bag as a birthday present!

When I imagined her a lot, suddenly "Blue" has came up into my mind, so I decided to use blue fabbies for her bag!
I added her Initial on the center of this bag with laces.
And also added lace like as a tag on the side of bag.


I got an e-mail and knew that she is so happy to received my birthday present and she loves them all a lot! So I am also very happy to hear that, it made me smile and feel relief!!



Inside the bag, I used blue stripe fabric and added anchor appliques on the back seams of leather handles.


Littlehands, your comments always make me happy and cheer me up! Thanks always, and Let's keep in touch!



From : "Charted Monograms for Needlepoint and Cross-Stitch"

* Lavendar Sachet * from S.

I've got a really lovely "Lavendar Sachet" from my friend S. as a summer greeting gift!
She is a really talented lady and I like her taste very much!

She has made this with Linen Band, very cute!
I love rabbit, so I was so happy when I saw this design!

Thanks S.!

Initial Stitch

I have been stitching some Initials nowadays...

It's a secret what they will be yet...

From : "Charted Monograms for Needlepoint and Cross-Stitch"

Sunflower Festival!

Yesterday, my son and I have been to "Sunflower Festival" !It was so hot and was about 34 degree outside, so I was really tired from before I've gone out...But thought! So many sunflowers might make us be cheerful and be happy!
BUT!!! What we've seen after one and a half hours drove was...


What's this???
"WHITE RADISH SPROUTS???" LOL


It couldn't be a "Festival" ...
Most of sunflowers were raised their faces down, because the typhoon has came through about 2 days ago...
OOPS, I have totally forgotten about it! BAD timing, isn't it!

So many people came to see huge sunflower fields, but everyone seemed really disappointed...
In the return way, I've found some beautiful sunflowers are there on the side of the road, so have taken the photo!
That's the one has shown on the top of this post I also have taken some field flowers' photos, so will post them some other time!

"GOYA" Squash Dyed

People might laugh at me, as I have been dying fabrics with food like experiments, LOL
But it's quite fun to find something to dye and think how colour it will be?

Then this time I've tested with "GOYA" Squash.
Is there "GOYA" in your countries too? It's a kind of squash, but it tastes really really bitter!
But it's famous that's good for health, so I have been trying to make it juices and have it every day.

By the way, the photo below is the "GOYA" juice's colour when I've tested to dye fabric this time.

Then the result is... the first photo!
It turned out really light yellow green, I've tried to dye more darker so have tried boil more, but this colour was the limit, I think.

Why have I been trying to dye fabrics?It's because we can't buy easily to get Hand Dyed Fabrics for cross stitch in Japan.
Of course we can order from overseas online, but it takes time to receive and once when I have ordered, the fabric colours were really different with them which I have seen on the PC.

And moreover, to dye fabrics with myself is actually really fun, LOL!

Mum's Work (2) - "Rien ne sert de courir..."

Here is the 2nd works of my mum!
She has chosen the design from Echevette again, I think she likes Echevette a lot!
It had been a few weeks, since she has finished this stitch, but we couldn't find the suitable frame for this stitch...

Then, I realized that I've bought a small basket for something to make, then when I sized it was just fitted!!
I like crafting, so I asked her to let me make the lid with her stitch, like this!
How is it? I added linen lace around the lid to hide the juncture, lol

Here are the photos of the fabric which I used for the back of the lid.
Very lovely flower fabbie suits this basket, I think.


I thought it's a nice idea to make stitched lid of the basket, and so I'm going to buy the same baskets (bigger size, I prefer) and will do the same as hers to make my own sewing box, some other time!




[note] Free Chart "Rien ne sert de courir... @ " Echevette

Enjoy your Holiday!

It's the summer holiday season, isn't it?
Enjoying your holiday with your family or friends!
I hope you all are having really nice and
fun time at somewhere wonderful!!

As for me... I have no plan to go anywhere, LOL
Just looking after 2 years old active boy everyday!
Hope someday in the future, we all will be able to
enjoy rich & cool summer holiday! lol

Rose Pincushion

As I wrote before, my mom has been asking me to make 2 more same pincushions for her friends, but I don't know why I don't feel like stitching them recently at all...
I just thought "Is there any more easier design on the magazines?" LOL
And found this "ROSE" so tried to stitch right now!

But, the design was too small for the wood cup which I wanted to use for...
So I decided not to do this for presents, and used another smaller wooden cup.


How is it?
It seemes a bit rough finishing on the photo though, it's still lovely actual!




From : De fil en aiguille HORS-SERIE [TOUT ROUGE]

Pinkeep Exchange FROM Satomi

As I wrote there was a "Pinkeep Exchange" in Japanese group, and finally I've got mine from Satomi !
She is a really creative and a talented lady and I have been always admireing her works.
Therefore, when I saw her name on the envelope, I said " Wow! is this true?! " LOL


Here is a Pinkeep her made.
I like these colours very much and some kinds of stitches are used.She added charm, lovely button etc... for me as well.


These are the Pins and the backing fabric.
Lovely aren't they? It's totally perfect and I really love this!


I think I'm a lucky person!I have 2 more Exchanges to go!
One has done already, just have to packing and send it to her in France the early in August, and the other one is not have done yet...
Hurry hurry, I will be busy bee!

Hardanger Embroidery

I had been longing to try to do "Hardanger Embroidery" for a long time.
Then I found some books about Hardanger and wanted to get them, but they seemed so difficult for me to start.
When I back home, I searched and found a online shop about Hardanger, so I bought some beginner's kits for the first step!


How are they?
They are beautiful enough as the beginner's kit, don't you think?!
I really like these colour effects and its elegance!

But I LOVE cross stitch so wouldn't be crazy for Hardanger than do cross stitching, but sometimes I want to make these small things as some gifts for friends!
Actually I've already sent them to my friend as a present!!

Kit : from Fairy Needle (Japanese)

[WIP] HOHRH - House 4 Fini

The House (Block) 4 has finished last night! Yeah!
The colour is Autumn-like and I really liked this block to stitch along.




© Carriage House Samplings "The Houses Of Hawk Run Hollow"
40ct Wichelt Linen : Sandstone / Tea

My mum's first work!

My mum has just started doing cross stitch with me! So I gave her fabrics (Aidas which I've bought at very first when I've started cross stitch) and she has chosen THIS from lots of charts that I have, for the first stitch!

How is this?
I think she has really well done as the first work!!
It's really pretty design, so I want to try to stitch this some other time!

When I downloaded them, they were free, but unfortunately, include this, they are not free chart anymore...
I must say I was really lucky!

She finished as an ornament, trimmed with code and made tassel by herself with the left code, but as they were twisted, it shrunk when she untied, LOL

Recently we found and bought so many tassels, so next time when I try to finish like this, I will use proper tassel!
Just to make sure, I've asked her if she tries to use the proper tassel and undo, but she said that she is satisfied this result and so leave it as it is... so it's of course still shrunk, whenever I see, LOL

Here is the backing fabric. This fabric was my favourite, lovely isn't it?!
But it really suit well for this design I thought and she liked this as well, I pleased to gave it to her to use!
Now she has been trying to stitch another one from Echevette and when it finished she will try to more bigger design which she felt in love at the first sight!

[note] Free Chart (it's not free anymore...) "Amitie" Echevette

Maison Sajou

One day I wanted to get one from Sajou, and finally I've got it!! Yeah!
When I saw this beautiful blue package in person, I was really excited! LOL

I had been using the one from Eva Rosenstand, and it's really fine, but my mom has just started doing cross stitch, so I gave it to her, then have got this instead of it!
But! This is of course fine and nice, but the Old one is better for me to use at the moment...
It's more sharper and small.

Hhmmm, I may buy the new Eva one for myself again! LOL

Gift from "Hiyo"

Yesterday, I've got a parcel from Hiyo who is my Japanese blog friend.
Actually I've won the prize to get this really lovely pincushion which she has made!
It's tiny and really lovely!

She added some lavendar inside the pin-cushion, so the smells really lovely!
And she gave me some souveniour from Hawaii where she travelled for holiday!
Wow, I love chocolates! will have some later!

Thank you, Hiyo!

Red Wine Dyed

This time, I've tried hand-dyed with "Red Wine"!
It turned out beautifully marbled light pink!

I only used very cheap cooking wine! :DI've heard that to fix the color, to soak in the tepid vinegar.Would you try this, too?