I posted the list of March Freebies a few days early so the more ambitious among us can get started. LOL With the weekend coming up, you can get your materials together and start stitching right away.
This month's theme is flower or flower basket, and it should be a REALLY easy one to find a chart for. In fact, it will probably be harder to narrow things down! There's a ton of really nice freebies available. Some will require a little creativity and imagination to turn into ornaments, but most of them should work "as is". Also note that some of the designs are a little larger and may need to be stitched over one on a higher count fabric to bring the size down a little.
I've also included just a few designs available for purchase if you need help in that direction (or an excuse to buy new stash...), but I bet everyone has at least one flowery item in their stash somewhere. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!
Here's my February ornament! It's a freebie called Folk Heart by Tokens and Trifles. It's on a natural linen, 32 ct. The threads are one strand of DMC 99 (a variegated pink/burgundy) with one strand of DMC Pearlescent Effects #E818 (pale pink).
I know it's hard to see the pearl thread. It didn't have as much glitteriness to it as I would have liked. Maybe this close up will help?
Maybe some Balger blending filament would have been a better choice. Or some beads here and there. Live and learn!
Hi Everyone,
I chose a JBW Designs chart that I had in my stash called 'Merry Miniatures II'.
As you can see I changed the colours a bit and I still need to buy a Dove charm for the centre.
I stitched this on 32 count Ivory Jobelan using DMC Threads.
Stitched by Sue in Australia.
I stitched up this freebie for one set of Bride's Tree ornaments (the set I have to finish by August 1st). This is Christmas Hearts by Just Nan.
I modified this pattern - I wasn't thrilled with the pinkish purple called for in the pattern, especially since I wanted to use red DMC Rayon thread for the hearts, so I substituted 2 shades of golden yellow DMC floss. I also used WDW Hunter and Holly for the green, and generic gold seed beads for the beading part (I modified placement of the beads.) I am IN LOVE with the Rhodes heart, and am looking forward to stitching more of them. I also found that 2 strands of the rayon made the satin stitch hearts a little fuller and much nicer. This was SUCH a fun stitch and I absolutely love the way it turned out. I'm going to finish it by framing it in a mini wooden hoop.
I also have this finished piece awaiting ornamentification (is that even a word?). 
This is from the Victoria's Sampler Hearts of America Series. If you don't know about these - they're pretty cool. Each heart features the state flower and the state bird, as well as other symbols of the state. Also, a new specialty stitch is done on each heart. (Thea has also done Hearts of Canada and International Hearts).
I stitched this up a while back, but still have to turn it into an ornament. I stitched the couple's names and their wedding date on a matching piece of fabric for the back. This is for the set of ornaments for my best friend and her husband. As you might have guessed, they were married in Hawaii. (I'm not sure why the picture appears blurry)
I did finish two house pieces into ornaments. The one on the left is for my best friend and her husband (name intentionally blurred). It's a free chart from Maryse, which I modified to include their name instead of the month. I also added the year. I originally had this set up as a padded ornament with cording, but the stitching wasn't centered, and I got so frustrated I took the ornament apart. The ornament I glued together. With hot glue. Which I will probably never do again. I ended up turning it into a little pillow ornament which is cute, but a little disappointing to me because it wasn't what I originally wanted. However, it's stitched over 1 on 25 ct. linen and I won't be stitching it again any time soon. I think it turned out okay.
The one on the right is a freebie from Chartmakers, House on a Hill. I backed the ornament with a brown calico-like fabric which turned out nice with the black cording. (Again I modified the design to change the year and the initials to those of the couple.) I'm pretty pleased with how this one turned out.
I finally unearthed a picture of my last January house finish--
It's part of a LHN piece from an old JCS (1999, I think). I did it in Splendor and Vikki Clayton silks
And I made a pair of February heart finishes --
This is one of the JBW trees in Belle Soie silk and red beads.
This is part of a Long Dog sampler that I did in Carrie's Creation "Surprise." Originally I was going to use it for something else, but I decided it would be a perfect heart for the Bride's set I'm doing for a particularly colorful friend.
And finally, a little progress on my final January house --
It's a Dragon Dreams JCS ornie. I'm waiting for the Kreinik I need for the roofs to come in.
Hello, everyone. I just found and joined this SAL tonight. I've always loved the Bride's Tree ornaments (saw some lovely blown-glass ones as a child and always wanted some myself) so I'm thrilled to find this blog. I'd forgotten about the Rosewood Manor ornaments and they are very nice, but I think I'm going to stash-hunt for my first set of ornaments.
I was reading back in the blog, and when I surfed The Floss Box to see a house design that had been stitched, I found a biscornu pattern that could be interpreted as pinecones on trees (scroll down toward the bottom for "biscornu21"): http://blog.theflossbox.com/?page_id=289
Patricia (known on several stitching yahoo groups as Dr. P in NC)
I finished my February ornament. It was from the 2000 Just Cross Stitch Christmas ornament magazine. I am really enjoying being a part of this SAL, as so far it has kept me on task.
Only ten more ornaments to go!
Here's my February ornament. The design comes from Peace, Love, and Joy: A Southwest Ornament Collection by Lorraine Koester of Redbird Designs. I stitched it over one on a scrap of linen, using whatever threads I had handy. I finished it using the whipstitch technique.
At last I have finished my January ornament. I've altered a pattern by M & W Designs, "The Pink House" 
The Assissi pattern came from Hobbyloco.
That red thingy on top is the cord that will not behave for photos! The ornament is basted for now. I have to go back and restitch it but am having hand issues so that will have to wait. I really enjoyed working on this one!
I finished my heart ornament for January. It is a Homespun Elegance design from the 2000 Just Cross Stitch ornament book.
Due to my camera's breakdown, I'm not able to show you my January ornie stitched! I'm so sad about it. It is the little boy ice skating in the Prairie Schooler "Button Up," which I've pictured above.
The house in the background of the block is very similar to our Yankee Barn house which we lived in at the time my son, Jason, was a little boy (3-7 yrs old). We lived on Blueberry Hill, in Hanover, NH. Jason learned to ice skate at 5 yrs. old and skated in a Dartmouth youth hockey program.
I chose to change the color of the house to DMC 400 & 301; and "Jason's" green jacket to DMC 163. Which is more in keeping with our 'Barn color of the mid-to-late 1970's. The little ornie was stitched on 28 ct. Lambswool. When my camera is back up I'll post a photo! Hugs, Deb
I finally finished my house ornament this evening after work. It came out a little different than the one in the magazine but overall it isn't too bad for my first attempt at a house-shaped finish.
House on a Hill by ChartmakersI am going to have to double up for February...but the reason is a good one! I remembered that Cross Eyed Cricket had charts for this very theme...Keepsake I, Keepsake II and The Keeping Box; so I ordered two of the charts from 123 Stitchery and just received them today, and I purchased The Keeping Box chart from Ebay, which also came today; So...instead of stitching my ornaments from Best Wishes Ornaments chart by Rosewood Manor, I am going to stitch them using the Cross Eyed Cricket charts. I will have January and February's ornaments stitched soon...Below is a pic of the charts;
I've received a few links to pinecone charts and ideas, which is wonderful! Thanks so much to everyone for helping out - this is probably going to be the hardest theme to fulfill, so I'm glad we can work together.
Also, Linda has offered up some additional freebies she's found for February, which have been added to the list:
I've started my house ornament twice now only to get part way and decide I think I want to do something else. The first I was stitching on 40ct but it was still going to be larger than I really wanted it to be, and after several mistakes I tossed in it the scrap basket.
On my second choice I made very good progress on the other evening in my husband's office while I sat with him as he worked. In the morning I really disliked to colors. I hope to make progress on Jan and Feb by the end of the week.
The ornaments posted so far a beautiful and I'm quite inspired!
:0)
I'm a day late, but tonight I finished my ornament for the January Bride's Tree SAL. It will now go into my FUFO pile until I figure out how I want to "ornamentify" it. I'm pleased with how it came out.
Jane Greenoff's Liberty Building (kit)
You may remember that this was the kit that was missing its chart. While I was waiting for the chart to arrive, I started my February ornament. Hopefully I'll be on time, then, next month. We'll see.
If anyone would like the kit, leave me a comment over on my blog by February 8. If more than one person would like it, I'll draw a name randomly. You'll have to provide fabric and black floss, but there's enough left of the other colors of floss to stitch the design again.I've been trying to find freebie patterns for each theme, and most of them are pretty easy - I can come up with at least 3 or 4 for each theme. Except the pine cone - it's nearly impossible to find a free pattern that will work. Or any pattern, really. As far as I can tell, pine cones are not an easy thing to find a cross stitch pattern for!
If you happen across any, please let me know so I can list them in October. Also, since it may be difficult to find freebies, ANY pinecone pattern suitable for an ornament would be appreciated. If you see a pattern in a chart or book, let me know where to find it. I have a few, but not many.
Thanks for your help!
