Autumn Love Cross Stitch-a-long!

      A few posts ago, I mentioned I had just finished up my last 20 year old cross stitch UFO. So, yes, there are many more kits in my wheelhouse from that era that haven't been opened yet. After seeing all the lovely "new" things on Instagram and Flosstube, I decided to stitch something which is more reflective of my current tastes, instead of where I was twenty years ago!

     Know me, and know I am a Lori Holt fan-- I picked the new "Autumn Love" piece from Fat Quarter Shop. Yes, I did just finish the epic Sandy Orton Autumn Sampler and I don't need another large wall piece-- but I love fall, it looks like a fairly simple (though large) stitch, and I have it in my mind to simplify things by making a smaller bench pillow with part of the pattern. Then, if I am thrilled with it, I may go on to make a couple more pillows, and a larger fabric one with the Autumn Love quilt pattern-- a nice grouping for my fall couch! All Lori's patterns are free on her Bee in My Bonnet blog, and the pieced block for the Autumn Love quilt doesn't require any additional purchase.

    I also love the cute accessories that Fat Quarter Shop has available with this project-- I have a cute project bag, and the floss keeper is so practical to keep yourself organized, and sew fun to look at! Once I finish with these colors, I'm sure I will use these things again for other projects. I then went back after the fact to buy the cute needle minder! I've had my eye on needle minders for a long time-- I don't have one-- and I am someone skeptical it will help me mind my needles, but I just couldn't resist.

     Kimberly Jolly and Lori Holt are doing a stitch-a-long on this from October 1st to November 15th, so that should be fun to watch their progress as well. The Fat Quarter shop stitch-a-longs are usually well represented with fellow stitchers, so it will be fun to have a little community on Instagram to cheer along-- the hash tags are #AutumnLoveCrossStitch and #fqsxstitch.

     I got off my habit of hand stitching for an hour each morning over the course of my recent move-- boy, did it kill my desire to get up in the morning! Now that I have this to look forward to first thing, I am jumping out of bed early. (Sort of.)

     I am using the called for DMC floss, but I switched the recommended cloth to a darker Oatmeal color-- it is Lori's 14ct Aida. The called for background looked too light for me, because I love rich colors for autumn. I'm using the side that looks kind of mottled-- like it is aged-- the other side is solid, so you have a choice. I'm also doing three threads-- most of these newer pieces use two threads on Aida, but I've always loved the full coverage, bead like quality that three strands gives. I laid the floss colors over the cloth just to make sure they would all show up on the darker cloth and they look great!

     The piece is going fairly quickly--  I'm giving myself a head start, and hope to finish my mini bench pillow by Thanksgiving. What attracted me to this pattern is that the quilt block shapes and the borders are patterns that once you have started them, they are really easy to just stitch without constantly referring to a pattern. Also-- no backstitch!

     My favorite part of the design is the lower center block with the crows and vase, so I'm stitching that. When I'm done, I'll probably add a scrappy border of squares all around to make a little bigger. I was also thinking, if you wanted more of a year round pillow, you could easily change the crow to a bluebird and change the flower from sunflower colors to match your own decor. 

    Depending on my whim at the moment,  I might then work on a couple more square pillows like this-- some of those other little blocks are sew cute! 

    Then this is design I would make in fabric for a larger pillow. I just love that this idea is more useful to me than a wall piece, and should take less time for me to complete. I'm sure Lori and Kimberley will love that I made this design my own!

     If you would like to stitch-a-long and have never ordered from the Fat Quarter Shop before-- here is a link for a coupon of $10 off a purchase of $50 or more. 

https://refer.fatquartershop.com/gp6scnt8

I will also get a $10 coupon, but if you enjoy the blog, it's a nice way for you to support San Francisco Stitch Co. as I begin to rev up the company for the fall-- and I SEW appreciate it. I'm hoping to have a free fall stitch along to get us all machine embroidering again...
IT'S TIME!

xox

Carol

     

And that is that!

   We said our final goodbyes to 95... the Welcome Mat is now out for someone else! It's the end of a fifteen year happy chapter of my life, and it's going to take a bit of time to unpack all the boxes and also the emotions of the whole move.

     We entered the "Beverly Hillbillies" phase of the move a week ago--- there's the roof of the Madeleine dollhouse, my little pink stool to reach high stuff on shelves, the toaster, my grandma's beehive string holder-- all things I could not bear to part with, and which now don't fit into my downsized home. Well, the toaster will have to fit! 

       I was able to quickly set up shop in our new home... it's not too fancy, but spirits and hopes are high for the new "quiltopia" studio to be constructed over the garage. There is a little peek of my meadow-- I have a meadow now, full of wild flowers! Hopefully, my Girl Boss persona will return and this can be a sewing blog again, instead of a moving blog.

     Before I left, I managed to sneak up to my favorite Michael's store framing people and FFO'd this beauty! You may have seen this on Facebook or Instagram before I went and I really appreciate your comments on which frame you liked best. I went with the rich colors of fall-- the frame is slightly distressed, as I didn't want it to be too fancy for our little log guest cabin-- come on up!

     I am beyond tempted to start the "Summer Sampler" version-- all four seasons were designed by Sandy Orton in the 1990s and are still sold by Kooler Design Studio. We are now in MAINE-- I can certainly rationalize the summer sampler getting me through whatever winter we have to face! Here are all four of them-- hopefully I won't be able to find which box they are in for a few months, as the commitment of time is immense, to say the least!

     I am jumping in on Fat Quarter Shop's #autumnlovecrossstitch-- resistance broke down between loading heavy boxes into my car! This is another huge fall piece by Lori Holt-- it matches exactly a quilt she designed a couple of years ago. I already have my big Autumn piece, so I think I am going to just make little pillows out of a few of my favorite blocks, like I have seen done with some of Lori's stitch card designs. My friend Lainey advised me-- just do a little unpacking, then ALOT of sewing each day-- sounds like great advice! Be sure to check out the stitch-a-long on the Fat Quarter Shop website-- there is a matching project bag, the thread holder below, and a needle minder I still have in my cart, waiting. It just makes the whole journey so organized and happy.

     The October Birth Month Mug Rug came off without a hitch-- only two more to go! Yes, it's time to reawaken San Francisco Stitch-- summer was a good time to let things slide during the move, but I've been thinking of starting a free fall stitch-a-long to rev it up. It has to be super easy, though-- maybe I take the old Autumn Twist designs and convert them to cross stitch? Let me know if you have any fun and EASY thing to machine embroider this fall by commenting below!

Ready for wherever this new path leads... sort of!

xox

Carol