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Those pictures are so beautiful and delicate. They are truly keepsakes. I often wonder if the recipients understand the time and love that goes into these types of gifts.

Lovely finishes on those cards - do you sew the stitched piece onto fabric with padding, then stretch the fabric around card?

Mabel Figworthy wrote:Lovely finishes on those cards - do you sew the stitched piece onto fabric with padding, then stretch the fabric around card?

For these cards, I cut a piece of cardstock the size I wanted the card to be (based upon the size of the motif), then cut the fabric about 1/2" larger, wrapped it around the cardstock and used glue stick to hold it. Then I cut a piece of quilt batting just a bit smaller than the motif, centered the motif on the fabric-covered card (adhered with temporary basting spray), then I machine stitched around the motif with monofilament (invisible) thread (through the cardstock). I used to glue the motifs down, but decided I would like to have the recipient be able to remove it to use for something else if they want to. Then I use glue or double-backed tape to affix this to the actual card front. That way, the back is all hidden. I find it is easiest to print the inside greeting on regular printer paper then cut it to the size I want and use double-backed tape to adhere it to the inside of the card...rather than try to feed the card through the printer, which of course I would need to remember to do before mounting the motif onto the card front. (TMI?)

Ah, I would never have thought of stitching through the cardstock! Must be because I don't really know how to use a sewing machine . It's a very neat and beautiful way of finishing them!

*drools over your organisation* I feel like I need such an itemised list to keep me in order!

I love your cards, so much work! Where do you get the patterns? Do you make them up yourself?

The finishes are superb (so's the stitching, of course). What a cunning way of doing things.

RedfootDaddy wrote:*drools over your organisation* I feel like I need such an itemised list to keep me in order!

I love your cards, so much work! Where do you get the patterns? Do you make them up yourself?

The majority of the charts I use for cards are freebies from the internet, but I also have a few magazines and books that I glean motifs from. I don't think any of these latest ones are from either of them, but a couple of my favorite sources of free charts are Lesley Teare and Durene Jones.

All the wonderful comments really make my day! Thanks!

I just finished this 18" throw pillow cover for DD#1 for her birthday. I've worked on and off on the cross stitch since May of 2015. The chart is from the Spring 2014 issue of Stoney Creek Magazine. I changed the birds that were in the circle to an eagle motif, since this is going to Alaska. I used my new Westalee ruler templates to quilt it. I even designed my own border motif with one of the templates. I didn't have an 18" pillow to insert for the pictures, so I just stuffed it with one of my bed pillows.

Wow that's beautiful. Lots of work done with love.

That is absolutely gorgeous and I love the way you have quilted it too. Very Well Done

Squirrel wrote: That is absolutely gorgeous and I love the way you have quilted it too. Very Well Done

WOW! Totally agree!!

Carole

rcperryls wrote:

Squirrel wrote: That is absolutely gorgeous and I love the way you have quilted it too. Very Well Done

WOW! Totally agree!!

Carole

I also completely agree! Fabulous!

Truly a masterpiece!!! Beautiful finish!!!

That pillow is so beautiful!!!! I checked out your blog with the hopes of seeing more pictures, and I wasn't disappointed. You did an amazing job with the quilting, too. Just for totally selfish reasons, I would love to see a "Follow" button on your blog. You do amazing work.

Thank you all so much.

AlwaysGoofy ~ It looks like I added a "gadget" to "follow by email". Does that not work for you? I'm new to the blogging thing, so I still have a lot to learn. I'll check out your blog, too. I live north of Seattle as well.

Here are a few of my cards for April birthdays:

For my daughter:


For a friend:


Inside of friend's card is a decoupage picture ... the fabric coming off the sewing machine is actual fabric:


A card for another friend:

Beautiful cards!!!

Lovely!! I know they are so appreciated!

Carole

Your cushion is lovely and so are your cards they are very imaginative and look fantastic

I love all the new little cards you've completed. It's so creative of you to add real fabric to the card where she is sewing.

I signed up to follow by e-mail. Hopefully, it will work. I have a strong spam filter on my e-mail, so sometimes these things wind up in my spam folder. I'll keep my eyes open for your updates.

Here are a couple of Easter cards I've completed. I wanted to make a couple more, but ran out of time. I always underestimate how much time a CCS chart will take. I ended up printing a couple out with my Hallmark card computer program.

This is a chart I got from alitadesigns.com. (Thanks, Alita!)


This one is from Lesley Teare. (Thanks, Lesley!)