Welcome to our inaugural episode of Curious Crafters!
Show Notes
What Are We Wearing?
Anna is wearing the Alice Top by Tessuti Fabrics. Fabric: Jennifer Sampou rayon by Robert Kaufman purchased at Needles Studio
Carolyn is wearing her Hinagiku sweater designed by Eri Shimizu and knit with Biches & Buches Le Petit Lambswool and Le Petit Silk & Mohair
Finished Objects
Anna’s First Sampler — Unknown design from the 1980s and stitched by Anna. This piece survived an incident involving a bird who had recently digested purple berries and now hangs safely on Anna’s guest room wall. Update: Several of our viewers have also stitched this sampler and one of them knew the pattern! It’s Leisure Arts Keepsake Samplers #280 that came out in 1983. The designer is Susan Dean Hartman. Isn’t the cross stitch community amazing?!
Songbird Sampler — Designed by Artful Offerings, stitched by Carolyn, and gifted to Anna a.k.a Birdie. Stitched 1 over 2 on R & R’s Winter Brew 36 count linen using the Country Sampler conversion. This piece will be framed.
J & S Wedding Place Cards — Designed and crafted by Anna
Share Joy — Designed by Hands to Work and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on R & R’s Espresso 32 count linen using the called for Weeks Dye Works threads. This pattern was part of Kitten Stitcher’s 2021 Advent Box.
Works in Progress
Frederick and Frederika — Designed by Carriage House Samplings and stitched by Carolyn (Frederick) and Anna (Frederika). Both stitched 1 over 2 on Needle & Flax’s Pemberley 32 count linen using the called for NPI silks with one possible exception: Carolyn is considering using NPI 975 instead of NPI 967 for the grey-green leaves and stems.
Sir Dandy — Designed by Hands to Work and stitched by Anna. Stitched 1 over 2 on Zweigart’s Platinum 36 count linen using the called for NPI silks. Heads Up: There is an omission in the original chart — the corrected PDF file can be found here.
Spring Moon — Designed by Plum Street Samplers and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 2 over 2 on Seraphim Fabric’s Regency 32 count linen using the called for over dyed cotton threads with one exception: Black Coffee was not available, so Carolyn substituted Weeks Dye Works Molasses. Carolyn is also contemplating changing 2 of the 5 smaller blue flowers to shades of orange to play off the brick orange in the basket. This pattern is currently a Fox and Rabbit exclusive.
Vesle Vinterfjell Cardigan — Designed by Skeindeer Knits and knit by Carolyn. This is the 2nd time Carolyn has knit this pattern, The first version was for granddaughter, M, and this one is for granddaughter, A. (The girls are 1 month apart.) Both cardigans are knit using Tukuwool Fingering.
Shared Supplies
Linen: Lakeside Linen’s Pearled Barley 32 count linen
Patterns: Themes include birds, the seasons, Hands to Work, and houses
We’re Curious
Carolyn is curious about the visual effects and the stitching rhythm of stitching 1 over 2 versus 2 over 2 on 32 count linen.
Anna is curious about different techniques for stitching in hand, as she has recently ditched her hoop.
Thumbs Up
Carolyn gives a thumbs up to her annual bag of jelly beans, keeping house plants alive, and silicon magnetic thingies.
Anna gives a thumbs up to chocolate dipped shortbread, walks at the Baylands, and Wordle