EffDes PORTFOLIO

I started cross stitching in 1983 (I was 15) when I went to girls’ camp and took a craft class. I knew how to embroider and cross stitch (stamped, natch), so I thought I knew what I was doing and didn’t wait for the teacher to explain why I had a pattern and gingham fabric. But it didn’t take me long to figure it out. And I was hooked. So here I am, 20+ years later, still chugging along the ever-widening path of cross stitch aka counted thread embroidery.

It’s funny. One day, I was complaining to my husband that all my friends from high school and college are still doing the same hobbies they did when I knew them and naturally getting better at their chosen avocations all the time--and I just flit from one thing to another, never getting any better at any one thing--and then I remembered this.

Needlework is just such a part of my life that I take it for granted and never give it the credit it deserves. This collection is far from my entire body of work, as I failed to take pictures of many projects.

low-hanging fruit
(01/25/2008)

lugana 25, over 2
full stitches
variegated
Kreinik
beads
swarovski crystals

lollilollipop
(07/12/2007)

linen 28, over 2
full stitches
variegated

dhf operetta
(06/25/2007)

linen 28, over 2
full and back stitches
metallics
beads

ooh, look mama!
(04/01/2007)

linen 28, over 2
full stitches

tree of knowledge of good and evil rough draft
(02/28/2007)

linen 28, over 2
couching with metallics
silk

This is being reworked as the couching wasn’t minding. Yes, I really am going to abandon all this work. Somebody call a wahhhmbulance for me.

man & wife
(01/03/2007)

linen 28, over 2
full, half, and back stitches

I made this for my husband's 2006 Christmas present.

scott’s christmas stocking
(12/23/2006)

white furry fleece
metallics
satin stitch
finishing

mama’s christmas stocking
(12/23/2006)

white furry fleece
metallics
satin stitch
finishing

just messing around one day
(10/26/2006)

black 28-count linen, over 2
crushed velvet
2 kinds of yarn cut and sewn for fringe

les tuileries in four seasons
(10/3/2006)

You can see the specs on their order page.

in parts
(8/27/2006)

japanese stab-bound book
(7/22/2006)

book board
book fabric
art paper
specialty papers
ribbon

I started this in Oct, 1999 at a class given at Keith Coldsnow's (fabulous store, which is gone now /whine) in the Westport district of Kansas City, Missouri.

I just finished it tonight. It does actually involve a needle, in case anybody was wondering.

needlebook
(7/8/2006)

black ultrasuede
white felt
plastic canvas
white 1/8" satin ribbon

bell pull
(2005)

linen 28, over 2
full and back stitches
hardanger
beads
finishing

I entered this in the 2005 Missouri State Fair, where it won a 1st place ribbon.

lydia’s easter dress
(2004)

total sewing machine

daddy’s christmas stocking
(2003)

white furry fleece
metallics
satin stitch
finishing

lydia’s christmas stocking
(2003)

white furry fleece
metallics
satin stitch
finishing

mother & child
(2003)

oyster linen 32
color over 2
skin and eyes over 1
color conversion
metallics
full and back stitches
overwrapped backstitch

satin ribbon embroidery experiment
(2003)

Yeah, this is one I won’t be repeating.

lydia’s blessing dress
(2003)

total sewing machine

lydia's blanket
(2003)

satin stitch
straight stitch
hand quilting

I haven’t finished quilting this yet. I tied it first, but realized very quickly that no matter how young the baby is, she can still manage to pull out all the ties (especially if they’re satin ribbon). Plus, since it was my first attempt at a “real” quilt, I didn't really know how to do the ragged seams. I messed it up and quilting helps keep it together.

The characters are from Suzy's Zoo, so I need to note their copyright on that.

wedding dress
(2002)

satin and straight stitch
dmc rayon

I entered this in the Missouri state fair in 2005, where it won a 2nd place ribbon.

nick & katherine
(2002)

linen 28 UNevenweave, over 2
(silly me, didn’t even notice that the warp was longer than the weft)
full and back stitches

phyllis’s stocking
(2001)

linen 28, over 2
full and back stitches
satin stitch
hardanger
finishing

This is from Emie Bishop’s collection.

tapestry
(2000)

natural linen 32
color over 2
verse over 1
metallics
couching
blended needle
full and back stitches
tassels
finishing

This is my original interpretation of “In Parts,” although the verse is entirely non sequitur. I gave it to someone as a gift.

vase of flowers
(2000)

linen 28, over 2
full, quarter, and back stitches

This is from Paula Vaughan's “Love Songs.”

love songs
(1999)

linen 28, over 2
full, quarter, and back stitches

I did this for my friend Linda Hartmann nee Leavitt, and customized the song title because she is an accomplished song writer.

I did not take a picture of the finished piece, sadly.

guardian angel
(1998--twice)

linen 28, over 2
full and back stitches
wisper
metallics

This is “Guardian Angel” designed by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum of Lavender & Lace.

birth announcement
(1997)

linen 28, over 2
full, quarter, back stitching
lazy daisy stitches

Since the picture is kinda fuzzy, I went ahead and put in the picture of the pattern it came from.

mouse house dolls
(1997)

almost totally sewing machine

The green-and-pink mouse bib and skirt are an unknown evenweave with pink stitching in DMC rayon. Her foot and ear also have white stitching in DMC rayon, done with canvas waste cloth.

lace heart
(1997)

sweatshirt base
canvas waste cloth, 16

greg & ame
(1996)

linen 28 UNevenweave, over 2 (again with the warp and weft issue)
full and back stitches

pincushion
(1994)

total sewing machine

rainbow butterflies
(1993)

flour sack cloth
cross, straight stitches

christmas bell pull
(1992)

aida 14
full and back stitches

I may have to do this again since it’s done on Aida that is yellowing, most likely because of the glue holding the whole thing together. Update 12/07: I did take it apart, but I was able to get the glue out of it and launder it. I pinned it onto foamboard and it looks much better now.

Let that be a lesson to you, children of the needle.

ice queen
(1992)

linen 28 UNevenweave, over 2 (more warp and weft problems)
metallics
madeira wool
full, quarter, back stitches
blended needle

This is one of the famous MarBek angels designed by Rebecca Waldrop.

pink angel
(1989)

linen 28 UNevenweave, over 2
(this is the piece that started the warp and weft problems)
metallics
full, quarter, back stitches
blended needle

This is one of the famous MarBek angels designed by Rebecca Waldrop.

I entered this into the Missouri state fair in 2005, where it won a 1st place ribbon.

e rose
(1988)

This was from a kit I bought in Thirsk, England, to stave off the boredom of riding around England in the backseat on the family trip.

linen 28, over 2
full and back stitches

e fairy
(1988)

See previous entry re riding around England.

linen 28, over 2
metallics
couching
full stitches
algerian eyelets

welcome
(1987)

aida 16
full, quarter, back stitches

beehive
(1986)

linen 28, over 2
full, quarter, back stitches

This was my first project on linen. This was from a kit I bought in Hannibal, Missouri, to stave off the boredom of riding around in the backseat on a family trip. Apparently, I did a lot of that.

hummel
(1984)

aida 14
full, quarter, back stitches

other projects completed
(from 1983-1986)

aida 14
full, quarter, back stitches

I gave all these away as gifts and I never took any pictures, so I found the pattern book I used, and scanned them.