Margaret Sherry exchange and Gifted gorgeousness SAL :))

Thank you for your lovely comments on my Japanese dolls Cross stitch project in the last post :)

Last week my partner Valerie from France received a gift from me as part of Margaret Sherry 'Send a Smile' exchange hosted by Nia on the Margaret Sherry group blog. You can read more about the exchange here and see Valerie's post here . This also gave me an opportunity to post for Jo's Gifted Gorgeousness SAL where we stitch a gift for someone or stitch while using some stash received as gift . You can read about the SAL and July link-ups here .

I made my very first needle book for Valerie :))

I added a small scissor charm on the cover and the purple crochet edging as that is her favorite color. This design is a part of Margaret Sherry design ' Play time ' from the magazine, Cross Stitcher, January 2011 issue #234 .

This is the back side of the needle book. A light beige colored sewing theme fabric that I had once got from JoAnn's online store .

I also made a crochet door knob hanger for her and this is now one of my favorite crochet creations :) You can find the free pattern here .

Let me show you what's inside the needle book . It is made of baby blue felt fabric with four purple felt pages , all embroidered .

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

These are other gifts that I had sent her along with the needle book and the crochet hanger .

Satin lace, floss,bling stickers, a small box

mirror work items - pen, box, key ring and a fabric embroidered pouch

Cotton silk weaved fabric, one with border and one without it . These are usually used for Indian tops.

Colored eye tapestry needle set and buttons .

All together :)

I was glad that it reached safely and within three working days from India to France !! And Valerie loved those things very much :) I have taken few snaps while making needle book so may be I can show how I made it although it wasn't so easy for me but I learnt a lot about needle book making .

I hope you liked my creations :)

Have a great day!
Preeti

To all of you, my dear friends .......:)))

Side by Side or miles apart, friends are always close at heart

Isn't it a wonderful saying ? I just completed another cute cross stitch that was on my list of goals for 2015.

Titled as 'Best Friend,' it is designed  by Joan Elliott and is from the magazine - The World of Cross Stitching, March 2013 issue . I love these cute Japanese dolls :))

There were some golden stitches for which I used this golden sewing thread which I found easy to work with . I don't know the brand for this , I just got it from the nearest supermarket . It came with a set of six metallic threads .

I stitched the design on 14 count aida fabric and what I noticed is that when lot of black hairs are to be stitcched, then it is better to use three strands instead of two. The whiteness of fabric will be covered fully.

There were way too many french knots and if you know from my earlier posts that I have a Frenchknotophobia . The beads were looking heavy and cluttered . So I stitched tiny chain stitches and I am satisfied with that . See the above pic , I guess it looks fine .

This is going to be framed and hanged into Anshita's room as she liked it very much :) This is not the actual frame , just added one in picmonkey .

I also completed and made into a lovely finish another cross stitch but that one is for Margaret Sherry exchange that I signed up for. I cannot show you as it is a gift.

We are again at loss of rainfall for the past 15 days and the temperatures are going high again . Hopefully, end of the month or next month we will get returning monsoon rains again after they come back hitting the Himalayas in the north to the down south. Not much is left by the time it is done rinsing the entire country.

Anyways, the good news is that the City girl , Sania Mirza , became the first Indian woman Tennis player to win a Wimbledon Title in doubles pairing up with Martina Hingis :) Not often, Indian sports personalities, other than Cricketers , make to the world titles . So this is a big achievement . Indians are more good at academics . The 2014 world badminton champion , Saina Nehwal , is also from this City of Hyderabad where I am lucky to live :)

Hope you enjoyed your weekend.
I am starting to feel that I am going to get a week long cough and cold.

Have a great week!!
Preeti