Tuesday, March 31

Update on the heart sampler

I've been working on the Heart sampler.

Sue , thank-you for the pages of hearts you scanned and sent me, a number of them now feature on my sampler. The little gingham heart and the heart outlined with flowers in the image above as well as the two plaid hearts in the images below are some which Sue sent me. I hadn't thought of leaving some stitches uncrossed in order to create the effect of the warp interlacing with the weft in the plaid and gingham hearts.

I've also discovered that a number of heart motifs feature birds. Its got me wondering about a number of things.

In which period were they created? Who created them, men or women.

Where did these type of hearts featuring birds originate?

What objects were ornamented with these hearts? and why birds?

I've heard of the use of the Sarus Cranes as a symbol of fidelity and loyalty because they pair for life but the birds I've seen don't resemble cranes so which bird is depicted?
What about the heart used primarily in text messages? It's in the heading of the post.(using the little symbol here is creating havoc with the html code which I don't have a clue how to fix and blogger is giving me a hard time today uploading pics etc ) Now back to the little heart symbol. I think whoever created it is so clever and I need to feature it on my sampler, after all its the evolution of the heart symbol.
That's the sampler to date. I'm on the look out for smaller hearts to populate the empty spaces, I'd like it to be chock full of hearts.

On a separate note - I've become an affilate of Amazon and Flipkart. You will see the banners on the side bar. Should you wish to shop online I would appreciate it if you could click on the Amazon or Flipkart banners/buttons and make your purchases.Amazon and Flipkart will pay me a small percentage of the value of your transaction without increasing the cost for you by even a cent. Thank you and happy shopping.

Thursday, March 26

Earth Hour

VOTE EARTH

The lights in the common areas of our apartment complex is going to be turned off from 8.30pm to 9.30pm on Saturday and people have been urged to do the same in their apartments.
I read in the newspapers today that India is officially participating for the first time.In Bangalore the Brigade road association, Forum Mall and ITC Hotels are participating to show their support for the cause.
Paula has written about Earth Hour on her blog.
I hope you'll participate.

Tuesday, March 24

Catching up with TAST




Got a couple more before I actually catch-up but I have made progress. The samples above are of Butterfly Chain, Crossed Buttonhole, Satin stitch and Wheatear Stitch.

Tuesday, March 17

The Heart Sampler

In 2000 I started on an alphabet sampler and I wanted to include heart motifs in the sampler but I couldn't find more than two motifs. One a border and another a tiny one of two birds and a little heart.
Today almost ten years later with access to the internet and the wonders of search engines and blogs I've set out to make a sampler of heart motifs.I'm astounded by the variety, the simplicity as well as the complexity of the motifs I've come across thus far.


I'm working on cotton fabric with only red thread.
The motifs are being embroidered as I find them.
This motif is really spectacular, but then again I've been oohing and aahing over each and every little motif I've come across.
Initially I found small motifs and now I'm finding only large ones. Need to find some small ones to fill up the empty spaces.
That's progress on the sampler thus far. The heart with the cherubs is not crooked its the angle at which the photograph was taken.
The following blogs have been enormous repositories of cross-stitch heart motifs. Thank-you for sharing.
If you know of sources which I can access for heart motifs I would appreciate it. Border patterns which incorporate hearts would be great too.
Tomorrow I'll show you the progress I've made with TAST while I was away visiting family.

Tuesday, March 3

TAST - Basque Stitch

One more stitch done, got about six more to complete before I catch up. I'll be doing just that in the next ten days when I go visit with family and catch up with more than just TAST.
I'll be checking in and viewing all the buzz in blogland, just won't be posting until the middle of March.
The heart sampler is coming together beautifully, will have pics of it when I'm back and there are pages of the Red Book which must be revealed so do drop by in about ten days when I shall be back and promise to post more frequently.

I must thank the twenty five followers of my blog - I'm truly amazed, and for all of you who take the time to visit from all corners of the world , I do appreciate it.

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