More Cross Stitch From ChookyBlue's Cross Stitch Display Inspiration

My niece Kerri and her father lived with us for awhile and either my DD or I taught her to cross stitch.   She was about 4th grade then and is the mom of 7 now, two of which are teenagers.  I felt honored that she presented me with her first.  (I like to collect pins.)

About that same time, I taught my son who was a senior in high school.  He made this for a girl that he really liked, but she blew it and he gave it to me instead.  I love it still even though I was second choice.

My DD made this for me when a mother of several small very active children (boys) and I treasure it also.  It is beautiful, and was a sacrifice.

My father was a man who it was hard to get gifts for, his wants weren't great and if he wanted it he probably got it himself.  I made this family tree for him and he really loved it and was touched.  I felt very happy when I could find a gift he really liked.  This was the first, the second was his first brand new goose down pillow (from my mother and I) and the last was a lined flannel shirt from LL Bean when he was terminally ill.  It makes me happy to know that I found something that really made him happy. 

After I made a family tree for my father I made one for DH.  This one is obviously bigger, and my father joked about why DH's was bigger.  I told him I couldn't help that we had 3 kids and they had 5.  I'm a more is more type of person, lol, so if there was a bare spot I filled it.  These look almost nothing like the original pattern.  I tried to add emblems that were meaningful and added lots of family information.  I took patterns from all over the place and adapted things such as making the tree considerably bigger.  It's amazing how often when a birthday or anniversary is needed that we go look on the family tree cross stitches.

Several people commented yesterday on how they cross stitched but gave it up for quilting.  I can't really say that, I met my Waterloo.  This is the pattern.  Every single little tiny block is cross stitched and a co-worker made one that I thought was the prettiest that I had seen.   I wanted one too, and still do, but I didn't get too far and between work and this bugger, I pretty much couldn't see well enough to do it anymore (it couldn't be that I was getting older helped too).   I still keep it and hope to finish it one day, but I make no promises.

This is how far I got, I think it's beautiful.

It's worthy of a close-up.  I didn't get far, but I love what I did.  Small things occupy small minds, lol.   I haven't done any cross stitch since the little sampler that I did back in 1996 when DH was having surgeries for a broken leg, but I treasure the ones I have and they warm up my home.  they were done with love.  Thank you Chookyblue and Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it.  Have a wonderful holiday.

RRCB Step #1 and Cross Stitch

Step one done, I have about 215 if I counted right, a few more than needed, but that's ok they'll come in handy for something.

Chookyblue has been posting about cross stitching and invited others to participate, so I finally got some pictures taken.  This was the first large cross stitch that I made.  My daughter was about sixteen and learned at church and taught me so we both made one of these.   This one is in my dining room above my dry sink.

This pattern is one of my favorites, and I think that I made 3 or 4 of them.   Unfortunately, one was a wedding one, and the marriage didn't last so it has probably been discarded years ago.   Mine is on a wall between the living room and dining room.

I love the style of this series and made 3 different ones.  I would have made more if I had found more patterns.  I loved the style and the sentiments.   This one seemed appropriate for the dining room also.

DH had a broken leg back in the early to mid nineties and had about 10 surgeries and lots of problems before it finally healed.  this is just a small cross stitch that I got to work on while I waited for some of his surgeries.  He went to a hospital out of town and so it was just he and I and it passed the time.  I keep it in my kitchen between the bottom and top cupboards.

These last 2 are in my bedroom.   I made 2 or 3 of the Love One Another ones, not sure if the other(s) are still around, but mine is one of my favorites.

This one is over DH's dresser.    I have my two favorites plus a couple more small ones to share maybe tomorrow.   If you like cross stitch visit Chookyblue, there are hers to look at plus links to many others who are sharing theirs.