Token of Love start

Free chart+linen and floss from stash=GREAT FREE PROJECT!

40 count linen, 1 strand silk floss stitched over 2 strands

It's been too long...

I've been away from this blog for too long...but I have a wonderful new freebie to let you know about!  Martina of Wiehenburg Samplers has a beautiful Quaker sampler that she's giving to the members of her Yahoo group.  It's being released in parts, the first two parts have been released and are available in the group's files.

You can see a picture of the sampler (named Token of Love) on the group's homepage.

So head over to this link and join the group!  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wiehenburg-samplers/

Finishing doesn't have to be expensive...

This is the Downton Abbey freebie that I finished on Sunday evening.  I decided to frame it, and I hope to eventually have several of my favorite quotes from the series charted, stitched, and hanging with it.  So framing it required that I find a frame that would blend easily with other frames that may be purchased a year or more after this one, and that wasn't too expensive.

This is a frame I already had in the house.  It's one from Wal-Mart, and it cost $3.  In addition to coming in a range of sizes, it's a basic deep cherry/mahogany color with gold trim, so I should be able to find other frames in the coming years that will look good with it.

I would have loved to have used a gold oval frame with this, but when I was looking for one online everything I found was both too simple, and too expensive!

I'm very happy with the way this turned out.  Not bad for a 100% stash project!

Frugal can be fun, and beautiful!

I'm having such a good time with my frugal project--and I think the project is developing quite nicely.  Here's the latest update on Sense & Sensibility:

Sense & Sensibility

The Sampler Girl

I've not bought--and I'm not going to buy--one single thing to use in order to stitch this project.  My sampler won't look one bit like the cover model, but that's OK with me.  I'm thrilled with the way it's turning out and I don't even mind that it's taking a bit longer to stitch than it would have if I had just made a run to the store and bought exactly what the chart called for.   There's been some trial-and-error, and a few things that might end up being tweaked at the end (those dormer windows just don't really show up--I may just take them out entirely, or change the color of the window sashes) but when it's over I'll have a sampler that's really MINE!

So if you haven't tried frugal stitching, go look at your stash, pick out a pattern, and come join me!

Freebie Friday--French style!

Did you miss the beautiful Sampler aux Bluettes when it ran last year?  If so, here's the link to the page where you can download all the charts:  SAMPLER AUX BLUETTES.  This could be a beautiful way to use up plenty of scraps of floss!

I hope you have a great weekend of stitching--I've been making some great progress on my frugal projects, look for updates on Monday!

Don't forget...the SAL has started!

The bookmark SAL over at Les Croix et Moi has started!  Go print out your chart and come join me!

Freebie Friday!

Like cats?  Then check out this site!  http://aurorenono.over-blog.com/article-grille-chat-35-97333417.html

Even if you don't want to stitch cats, check out the site.  There are plenty of other great freebies there, too!