Velvet Ribbon for Finishing

Here is the hanging pumpkin I stitched on 19-ct linen using my Silk 'n Colors. I used two piece of foam core (1/4"). I laced the cross stitch to one piece and glued a piece of hand dyed wool fabric (felt like) to the other piece. I then glued them wrong sides together, covered with a clean cloth and weighted them until glue dried. I rusched our hand dyed 1" velvet ribbon. I used several left over pieces in various colors. You need about a total of 4 x the length you are trying to cover with rusched ribbon. Thus, if I needed 40" around the entire piece I would have used about 160" of ribbon. I use either beading thread or sewing thread to do the rusching. Knot the end of your thread and begin at either side at the bottom of your ribbon. You will be sewing in your gathering stitches along the length of the ribbon. Begin taking small running stitches with the thread working in a zig-zag fashion from left-to-right or right-to-left depending upon which side you begin at. After you have stitched about 6" of zig zag lines in running stitches, gather this up. It is beautiful isn't it and oh so easy. Continue your zig zag running stitches until you have rusched enough ribbon to cover the area you are covering. The length of your stitches as well as space between stitches determines the end result of your rusching. The important thing is to keep your stitches the same spacing, and the zig zags the same size. Since I used different colors I did them each as separate pieces. You will need to securely knot your thread at the end (I like to do a tacking stitch) to hold all of your gathers together! I used a good tacky fabric glue to glue the ribbon around my cross stitch piece.

To hang the piece I formed a hanger out of copper wire and added ribbons tied onto the wire. I coiled the wire around a pencil to give the handle a couple of interesting designs.

If you'd like a free copy of this pattern just send me a stamped/self addressed envelope. I also stitched it as a white pumpkin and it was cute that way also. I'll post a picture of this as a white pumpkin in a day or two.

Ribbon for rusching is aavailable to purchase directly from us retail mailorder. Call me at our number on our website: www.threadgatherer.com or email me from our website. I usually have many colors available. The velvet ribbon is $3.00 a yard for the 1". You can also rusch our 7mm ribbon and this is a beautiful sachet or pinkeep finish.

Until Later,

Cece

A conversation with a Black Bird -

Tell Me Dear Bird Friend -

How can I use Velvet Ribbon in finishing my needlework?

Our next blog will be a show-and-tell.

In the meanwhile, don't forget to enter out contest to win the handmade soap and Silk 'n Colors. You need to leave a comment on the previous post. I'm drawing next Monday morning. . . .

Until later -

Cece

Anise Blood Orange Soap & Thread Give-A-Way

Since it is Orange and Black this month, I am having a give-a-way!

You will receive the last bar of handmade soap I have left of my Halloween Soap of the Month. This one is scented with our own mix of Blood Orange, White Pepper and Anise. It is a nice scent and the glycerin soap contains Hemp seeds for exfolliation and give you a nice lather. In addition, you will receive a few Silk 'n Colors in Ink Black and the orange family. How to win? Leave a comment with your favorite Halloween poem or quote. I'll do a random drawing. I'll announce the winner on Monday morning. Good luck!

October Orange

It is the month of Orange and Black. Popcorn balls were always a favorite treat at my Grandmother's House on Halloween Night. My recipe uses Jello so you can change the flavor and color as you wish.

Jello Popcorn Balls

1 1/4 C Popcorn, popped

1 Cup white Karo Syrup

1 Cup white sugar

1 C miniature Marshmallows

1/2 C butter

1 3-oz pkg. jello

Pop corn and set aside in large bowl. In sauce pan combine sugar, karo syrup and butter. Heat over medium heat until butter melts. Stir in dry jello and continue stirring until all sugar is melted. Add Marshmallows and stir to melt. Pour over popcorn and combine. Form popcorn balls if desired, or allow to set up and break into pieces.

Limeade Ice Cream

Limeade Ice Cream - Tart and refreshing. A science teacher made Ice Cream with his High School students and this was his recipe. I made it neon green. My first taste was 'tart' but 'interesting' and I thought, "Not overly sweet!" and then I had one of those "Oh No" moments, as I'd forgotten the sugar!! There wasn't time to make it again before Mariah and her friends arrived so I did the only thing I could - stirred in the sugar - after the churning! Three hours later when the Kids arrived for ice cream it was smooth and creamy - no grains of sugar!

Limeade Ice Cream

2 3-oz pkgs. of instant lemon pudding

1 Cup Sugar

1 Quart Half 'n Half

1 12-oz can frozen limeade

1 12-oz can Evaporated Milk

Green Food Coloring

1 2-liter bottle of Lemon-Lime Soda

Combine the pudding mix, sugar, half and half, evaporated milk and limeade in your ice cream freezer bowl. Stir until limeade has dissolved. Add lemon lime soda to the fill mark on your ice cream freezer. You won't use all of the soda. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions using rock salt and ice. Makes 4 quarts.

Popular Phrases that Include Green

First an image from our Idaho Mountain adventure in panning for Gold. We had a few days of vacation with Giulia Manfredini of Punti Antichi Designs and her husband and daughter who were visiting us from Italy! (L to R) is my daugher, Mariah, her boyfriend, Jordan, Mario and Giulia. It was a great day even though we didn't find any gold!

If you are not familiar with Giulia's designs you must visit her website at: www.puntiantichi.com She designs exquisite 3-dimensional pieces.

Now for a few popular phrases that include the word 'green':


Get the Green light. . .
Green Corn. . .
Green Thumb. . .
Green Room. . .
Greenback. . .
Greener Pastures. . .
Green with Envy. . .
Greenhorn. . .
Green around the gills. . .
Turn Green. . .
Going Green. . .

How green affects us physically:
Soothes
Relaxes mentally as well as physically
Helps alleviate depression, nervousness and anxiety
Offers a sense of renewal, self-control and harmony.

Green was a sacred color to the Egyptians representing the hope and joy of Spring.

More on Green later. . . .
Cecelia

Going Green

It is not hard to guess from the pictures that this month my blogs for the most part will be about the color green. Top picture is from my garden, and I love the chartreuse plant with the purple flowers. The bottom picture was taken while up in the Idaho Mountains this past week. I'll post pictures of this in the next day or two and tell you who was with me in the mountains!! For now, back to green. Cool Mint, Ivy, Seaweed, Olive, Camouflage, Leaf Green, Grass Green, Spearmint, Pond Scum, Moss, Chartreuse - just a few names of green that come to mind for me.

Did you know that there are 5 towns named Bowling Green, 10 named Greenfield, 2 named Greenleaf (one is in Idaho), 12 Greenville and one Green Acres in Florida. I remember another Green Acres from TV. More on Green Later.

The winner of the Red Violin Movie is Missy aka Birdy. You must be an amazing stitcher at age 109!! I loved that. Anyway, please email me your address so I can send you your prize. Missy also gets another gift included of my recent limited edition thread pack! In addition, there were 4 others who left comments. I've decided to send each of you other four the limited edition thread pack also! I am feeling generous today I guess. My email address is: thethreadgatherer@msn.com

You all are correct that the blood of his wife/lover was used to color the violin Red. It was a little shocking the first time I saw the movie! I missed the part where he used her hair to make the brush to apply the blood so I must watch it again soon! Thanks for all your comments.

Until Later,

Cecelia