Butterfly

Present sorrows wings are taking . . .

Pleasant memories are waking . . .

The first of two butterflies . . . a recent interest of mine and a small nod to the aniticpated arrival of Spring.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Sneak Peak of Journey's End

Here is just a little peak at my next pattern and I haven't got much more than this stitched. I don't know if I'm the only one with this problem, but hand dyed threads present me with unique challenges. They are beautiful and I love stitching with them. I had a skein (well some of a skein) of WDW Gold Leaf left over from another project. Now I must have bought that skein a year ago if not longer. I was using it in this design, ran out of it and needed to buy another skein. The new skein had so much more brown in it than yellow it looked like a completely different color. It was still a lovely color but it looked so different than the one I was already stitching with I had to take out all the old stitches and redo them with the new thread. This was the only part of the design I've had time to restitch. I despise taking out stitches but I suppose lesson learned. Always check my threads and when necessary stitch with a new skein, preferably before I start any stitching at all.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Bluebird

I got a comment and a couple of e-mails asking about my Bluebird. It hadn't actually occurred to me but it is one of my patterns. It's from years ago and I designed it for that beautiful blue toile which is the backing of the bird. It's funny where inspiration can come from.

The pattern is a somewhat randomly arranged alphabet of both upper and lower case letters. It's stitched over two on 40ct R & R Park City Blend using GA Barn Grey because it matched the blue in the fabric. It was finished into the bird and hung with tea stained silk ribbon. It spends most of its' time in my craftroom but recently moved to my diningroom because the blues so nicely reflected the icy winter weather we've been having.

Thank you for your kind words about it and if you're interested in the pattern let me know. The pattern would include the alphabet and a sewing pattern for the bird itself when stitched over two on 40ct. If stitched on another size linen the pattern would have to be resized which I typically do using the copier function on my printer. A printed pattern is $6.50 including shipping charges and an e-pattern is $5.00. If you're interested simply e-mail me at appleseedprim@yahoo.com or use the link on my sidebar.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

St. Valentine's Day Free Pattern -- Cross Stitch

Here is the St. Valentine's Day Free Pattern. It's a complement to the pattern for purchase Seek Thy Love which I will post tomorrow. The pattern is entitled Peahen's Valentine. Year after year my husband complains that Valentine's Day is a "woman's" holiday, that men are primarily ignored in the area of recieving gifts and being pampered. I'm not sure that's entirely true but even if it were I, personally, have no problem with that. The peahen (rather than the more traditional peacock) is in honor of that spirit. The colors used are GA Pumpkin Patch, GA Dark Chocolate, GA Heirloom Gold, GA Grecian Gold and GA Shaker White and it is stitched on 40 count Weeks Dye Works Angel Hair. (The same colors and one of the linens used in the Seek Thy Love pattern.) If you would like print the free pattern simply click on the link on my sidebar. I hope you enjoy the pattern and consider purchasing Seek Thy Love. The two patterns really do look quite lovely together.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

January Freebie -- Cross Stitch Pattern

Christmas is over but for me the spirit of the season keeps on for a little while longer. Each season brings its' own joys but Winter is for me special. There's something about the cold, harsh weather outside that is so uninviting and yet so nice to look at out a window. This time of year keeps everyone inside on the sofa by the fire. It just invites warm blankets and comfy pajamas; soul warming foods and heart warming snuggling. After eleven months of the year spent running here and running there, summer vacations, soccer games, dance recitals, school performances . . . After the stress of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas all piled up one on top of the other with barely time to breath in between . . . After all that, January offers me a chance to slow down before birthday season in our home begins. Those long, dark evenings with no errands to run or trips to the playground find me sitting on the sofa with one of my children; we talk we laugh we play and I feel that I'm getting a chance to know them again without all the hustle and bustle that so often crowds out moments like that. Occasionally even my husband takes that spot on the sofa if he can squeeze in between one of the children.

In honor of those moments here is my January freebie. It could defintely be a Christmas design but it makes me think of those Winter months I adore so much. Where I grew up the deer would be out in the woods behind our house well into March hiding in and about the snow covered trees. I used Gentle Arts Oatmeal, Picnic Basket and a Christmas Limited Edition color called Christmas Tree (though Gentle Art Blue Spruce would work well too). The design is 41 squares wide and 66 squares long and is about 2 by 3 inches stitched on 40ct as I've done. If you would like to print out the pattern click on the link in my sidebar. I hope you enjoy stitching it during your quiet winter moments.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Free Peacock Cross Stitch Pattern

I've been doing cross stitch for about fifteen years now (yikes). I left it to the wayside for a few years in the middle there (mostly during college) and then picked it up again when I became a stay at home mom. For the last six years I have ventured into sewing, wool applique, rug hooking, punchneedle . . . whatever drew my fancy. Of course cross stitch is my first and one true love. It seems only fitting then that my first post would be a free cross stitch pattern. I call it Wintyr Peacock but a different color scheme can certainly change the theme. Here's a picture of what I stitched using the pattern. Maybe I'll make it into a pincushion backed with the fabric shown. I haven't decided. I stitched it on 40 count with some scrap linen sitting in a basket in my bedroom so it came out pretty small. I do like those tiny little designs though; so easy to stitch and such instant gratification. If you would like the pattern just click on the Free Pattern link in the sidebar and print in out. Let me know how it turns out, I'd love to see others' work.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn