My very first linen project

In my last post I mentioned my very first linen project and learning to do specialty stitches.  I thought you all might enjoy seeing what I was talking about.  This was a class project for the guild.  I saw several folks working on it at the Keepsakes retreat that year and fell in love with it.

It was specially designed for us by Janie Hubble of The Cat's Whiskers who came to us all the way from Australia! It was a wonderful class.

The project was called Forget-Me-Not Stitching Roll and Accessories.  The class took place on Valentine's weekend 2009.  It was stitched on 32 ct. antique white linen with Dinky Dyes silk floss and ribbons.  It was lined with a pistachio dupioni silk.

The stitches used were:  cross stitch over two, cross stitch over one, queen stitch (since we are the Queen City Sampler Guild), woven star stitch, spider web roses, lazy daisy stitch, basket weave stitch, half diamond eyelets, Rhodes hearts, straight stitch, blanket stitch, and slip stitch.  Yes, I got introduced to specialty stitches in a big way on this one!  It was so worth it though.

 

I absolutely loved doing the ribbon roses!  The ribbons were variegated so you never knew what your rose would end up looking like.  This is my favorite one of all.  It reminds me of a peace rose!

Here's a better view of the left side.  I love the saying on it and the way the vine frames just that part of the saying.

This is the outside center.  I love how Janie put a crown there and added the pearls as the "jewels."

This is the right side with a peek at the end that closes it when it's rolled up.

This is the end that shows when it's rolled up.  I love this basket and everything about it.

Here it is all rolled up!  Check out the cube shaped scissor fob.  Want to see the inside?  Of course, I'm going to show it to you!

Here's the full inside view.  From left to right we have the needle page, scissor pocket with fob, removable pincushion and finally the removable thread keeper pocket.

Here's a close up of the needle page.  It repeats the basket from the front with a half diamond eyelet stitched edge.

The actual needle page is a piece of the softest doctor's wool with a pinked edge!

Next to the needle page is the scissors pocket.  The bow is just decorative.

Here's a better view of the cube shaped fob.  This is what made me fall in love with this project.  I'd never seen a cube shaped fob before and was curious to find out how to construct one!

Next to the scissors pocket is the pincushion!  I love how we tuffted the middle with that tiny pearl button!

This shows how we used the half diamond eyelets to attach the silk back with blaket stitches!  We did the same on all the inside pieces.  Isn't that slick?!

We attached the removable pincushion with these ribbon roses that hold down the silk ribbon ties.  Another slick idea!

Last but not least, is the removable thread keeper pocket that's tied to the mother of pearl hearts with more of the silk ribbon.  Janie had the crown shaped thread keeper made specially for our class and was her gift to us!

So that wraps it up!  Yes, this was a very ambitious project for a first time linen stitcher with no previous experience with specialty stitches.  I'm so glad I jumped in with both feet.  It is one of my all time favorite projects.

If you ever get the chance to take class with Janie (I'm not sure if she's still teaching) or if you find one of her charts you won't be disappointed!  I just found her new blog and here are a couple fun posts she wrote on an airline proof travel stitching kit and which is the right side of the linen!

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Thanks for hanging with me on this long post.  I didn't realize I'd have that much to say!  I hope everyone has a great weekend and gets to spend some time in the happy chair!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher