I am back from the most wonderful week away. I plan to share all of it this coming week, but tonight I am finally sharing the long awaited Christmas carols that I stitched. I thought it appropriate on this first night of Advent to do something Christmasy.
I am laying aside the weight of perfectionism with these. They are not perfectly finished, but may be perfect in my eyes which is highly unusual for me. Of course, I get better with each finish, but on these stitching them on one piece of linen and then finishing later caused some to be closer therefore smaller than the others. I truly couldn't love them more though.
Hence I am about to overshare pictures of them.
Let's talk about them for a second because that is what stitchers do. I first saw these on Saltbox Stitcher's Instagram feed. She saw them at a show I think. They were finished so simply and the green and the primitive look of them just captured me. I quickly went on the hunt for them and pretty much stitched them right away.
 |
| https://www.instagram.com/p/BxunKUxnCwa/ |
You may remember that I started finishing them and even shared a picture of that. I got sidetracked and had to put them aside for awhile.
That was truly an inspirational thing. When I went back to them I remembered what I loved about them and quickly set out to change what I had done. I looked to order the original chenille ribbon but LadyDotCreates was out of the country and her Etsy shop was closed. Oh my goodness, when I went to look her site up I noticed she was having a sale. Oh my...
I then went to the conversion chart found here to find the DMC color closest to The Gentle Arts Otter Creek which was the called for color in these patterns. I made my own cording and it all turned out just right. Up close you can see the two colors separately but just looking down in the basket they look very blended and match the color beautifully.
Jeff even got in on the action and painted my very shiny jingle bells to make them look a bit rustic.
I think they would be so pretty done in red and I think that would change the whole feel --- maybe a bit more playful. The patterns also came with berry patterns done in Garnet. Beautiful color.
Like I said though I was so drawn to the primitive green.
I truly love them.
It is just a sampling of the carols I love to sing and remember this time of year.
There are so many that the pattern left off...
Away in a Manger
It Came upon the Midnight Clear
Mary, Did You Know
Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
and then
Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer
and Here Comes Santa Claus.
I mean the list goes on and on.
 |
| Don't you just love the reins? |
I backed them with velvet also from LadyDotCreates.
One more!
The Christmas decorating began early this week, so I will share all about my most wonderful week of Thanksgiving and then share some of the decorations later.
A peek at one though....
We will talk stockings soon. As you can see the red tartan won out, but we will talk a contender!
Happy first day of December ...
oh and if I may ----War Eagle Baby!
Sandy
YAY!! The basket of carols is just perfect, Sandy... I do love a simple cording trim and the sweet bells are a lovely addition. I think that is so sweet that your husband assisted you in toning down the shininess, too! I'm thinking of doing them in red, actually, but we'll see. I am planning on starting them in January, but will probably just do one a month and plan on finishing them by next December--we'll see :)
ReplyDeleteLove the stockings with the tartan and I look forward to seeing more of them! Hope your December is off to a great start! ♥
I think the carols would be wonderful in red. I can see some gingham with them. I just loved doing them. They evoke lots of sweet memories as a kid myself but singing with kids too. Have fun with them and by all means stitch on your own timeline. I am really going to embrace that advice myself in 2020.
DeleteSandy: They are perfect, the trim is perfect.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen these designs before.
You could do then in red and mix them together.
It sounds like you had a good week away.
Have a wonderful week.
Catherine
Thank you Catherine. The possibilities are endless with them.
DeleteOh, I'm so glad you shared so many pictures. I wanted to see the details! :) These are beautiful and beautifully finished. Toning down the shine on the bells was a good choice, I think. I've yet to finish any small cross stitches I've done. This gives me ideas and inspiration. Looking forward to reading about the stockings. And maybe seeing some close-ups of those too?!? :)
ReplyDeleteThere are so many people out there to give you ideas for finishing. Lots of tutorials as well. I recommend Vonna at the Twisted Stitcher for tutorials. Faye at Carolina Stitcher doesn't blog much anymore, but her blog is still a treasure trove of ideas. And then there is Carol at Stitching Dreams....tons of cute finishes. All are in my sidebar.
DeleteI will share the stockings soon and closeups too.
Thank you for those suggestions, Sandy. I'll look into them. I've seen lots of cute and fancy finishes, but I really do love the simple? rustic? elegance of your finishes above. In looking at the pictures again, I see you've also added some ornaments to your basket that I have. I put some leaf ornaments out for autumn, but I think I'll leave them out for Christmas now too! Or maybe use them differently for December... :)
DeleteThen I think you would really like Carolina Stitcher!
DeleteYour carols are lovely! And yes, the reins are amazing! The stockings.... wow!
ReplyDeleteThank you Terri. The little details on the carols were really special. I will share more about the stockings later. They have turned out to be a fun project.
DeleteThe small pillows have become great and make a nice decoration in the basket. And the bells are a great idea. Have a great Week, Martina
ReplyDeleteOH Sandy it is a gorgeous finish. I love it very much.
ReplyDeleteNice decoration in the basket and the little bells on the little cushions are a great idea.
Have a nice week. Manuela
Thank you Manuela.
DeleteLove these! And I like the green. What a charming idea! Hope you have a wonderful week, dear Sandy.
ReplyDeleteThank you Katie. I hope to catch on all my blog reading this week. Hope you enjoyed those girls over the holiday.
DeleteFirst things first: I really like your new blog header! So sophisticated and yet conveys important things about the home: good books, gardening, good food. Very nicely done!
ReplyDeleteAs for the Christmas carol pillows, they are wonderful! I like the bells and thread you used. They truly look antique, like treasures you've had for a very long time.
I also like the way you have displayed them in the basket. I'm saving the picture for future reference and inspiration. Thank you so much for sharing these finishes!
Oh ---the blog header was an accident. There will be a story to tell there:)
DeleteThank you...I really do like them so much. Now, to keep Gus out of that basket.
I love your new banner too...very nice! And these little pillows are just beautiful. I love primitives and vintage things and would like to decorate just with primitives one year. Love the muted colors and you really got the details perfect! I bought some rusty bells from Etsy one year...I need to get them out and do something with them! Great game this weekend! The best! Happy December!
ReplyDeleteThere will be a story coming about the banner. The change was an accident!!!
DeleteI love primitives. I am so drawn to those pictures of homes decorated that way.
Oh I LOVE LOVE LOVE them Sandy. They look perfect to me.
ReplyDeleteThank you Friend.
DeleteSandy, your basket of stitched Carols is fabulous. I like the cording you created for them and the color of the velveteen backing. I really like their understated elegance. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThank Robin. I think these are very versatile patterns and all of them came in a strawberry pattern as well in Garnet. They would be so pretty too.
DeleteJust beautiful, Sandy! As you said, I could not love them more. They look so pretty in the basket. Maybe I will get back to cross stitch in the New Year, we will see.
ReplyDelete