Merry Christmas & Don't Pout!

Hi Everyone!

Look at these cuties!  My new Christmas Designs, Merry Christmas & Don't Pout, finished by Faye Riggsbee.  They will be available at your local needlework store soon.  So easy to stitch...30 count confederate grey linen by Weeks Dye Works.  Threads used are:  Weeks Dye Works--Oscar,Bark,Whiskey and GAST Buckeye Scarlett, Shaker White, Heirloom Gold, and Kohl.
Happy Stitching!
Gayle

L'il Abby's

Good Morning Everyone!
I just had to show you the "L'il Abby's stitched as one large piece!

Isn't is beautiful?  My friend Faye, the Carolina Stitcher, stitched this up as I was designing each piece!  Thank you Faye...what a great job you did!

L'il Abby's are sold individually but can be stitched all together or individually.  Chart one has the diagram to stitch them together.

Working on my new kit for the Nashville Market in February.  And I will be releasing one more Christmas design before the end of the year.

I hope you have a great day!

Happy Fall..Y'all

Happy Fall Everyone!
It has been awhile since I last posted!  The final L'il Abby "Wisdom" has been completed and will be released on Friday.  This has been so much fun and I thank all of you have been busy stitching them.

L'il Abby "Wisdom"

I also had them all stitched as one and will have a photo for you soon.  It is at the framer and will be ready next week.  If you remember, #1 "Love" had the instructions and charting to turn them into a one piece design.

I had three designs at the St. Charles Market this summer and happy to say they all did well!  My kit sold out very quickly...as it had a very limited number.  I was just getting my feet wet...my first kit and not sure how many would sell.  So I am so sorry that some of you were unable to get it but I have seen a few still around at the online needlework stores and my local needlework store, Judy's Stitchery Nook in Harlingen, Texas still has a few.

To Thine Own Self...Be True  Kit

 

Bless This House is similar to Home Is Where You Hang Your Needlework, if you like those designs.  I also designed a small pillow to be used for a Christmas decoration.  I like to put stitched pieces in wooden bowls and sit them around the house.  I have a lot of framed designs and started designing more smaller pieces to use this way.

2014 Angels Watching Over Me---- Available at Needlework Shops Now!

Merry Christmas To Thee ....2013 Design

Another two Christmas Designs coming soon!  Thank you for all the e-mails.  I try to answer everyone...but sometimes it takes me awhile so please be patient.  I will answer!

Have a great Fall!

Where did summer go?

 Thank you to my friend Faye, who has done the finishing on several of my L'il Abby's and a couple of other designs too, for the picture walk of the L'il Abby's she has stitched for me.  So beautiful!  carolinastitcher.blogspot.com  Take a peek!

Next up! The needlework market is coming up very quickly and I have put together a Limited Edition Pin Pillow kit.  It is very limited.... so if you want one, let your needlework store know to pick one up for you.  They can only get it if they attend....and get to Norden's booth fast!  This is my first kit so this was kind of a test kit...I had a great time making them but realized that it takes a lot of time to hand dye fabric, distress ribbons, make stick pins!  Oh well, it was well worth it if you enjoy what you are doing!  I am sort of a perfectionist....I have a hard time leaving well enough alone.  I had to iron all the fabric, linen and back fabric, display the items in the package, just so......I'm sure some of you out there know what I mean.  I can drive myself crazy over the most simple things!

Where did this summer go?  It was HOT here so I'm not totally sad to see it pass quickly.  Our winter's are usually in the 60 or 70's...my kind of weather!  It will be here before you know it! 
Hope you are having a great week and stitching as much as you can!

Gayle

L'il Abby's

Just a reminder...all of the L'il Abby's can be stitched together as one large piece. Directions on how to do it are included in the Love chart # 1.

Update!

Update the Norden Crafts Give a Way starts at 7 p.m. tonight, July 22.

Give A Way

Good Morning Everyone!
Today Norden Crafts will be featuring this L'il Abby Patience and giving away three (3) charts on their facebook page. I don't know what time or how long you will have to enter to win but keep checking their page today for a chance to win!
Have a great day!

 

Gayle, Abby Rose Designs

Happy Saturday!

It has been so hot here in Texas...I have spent the last few days indoors puttering around.  Usually we have a little wind since we are very close to the Gulf of Mexico...we get a breeze from the ocean.  Not the case, these last few days.  I can't remember when it has been so humid and still.  Yesterday we had a little thundershower around 7 p.m. and we lost electricity for about an hour and a half.  It was so hot...I wondered what on earth I did before air conditioning.  When I grew up not everyone had it...don't remembering it being so hot!  I guess with age we are a little less willing to put up with the heat.  I was sooooo glad when the electricity came back on!  hope it doesn't happen again today...it's looking a little cloudy again!  I can't wait until winter....we usually stay around 50 to 70 degrees during the winter. 

I have another picture for you.  I finished up my paper mache boxes yesterday.  Got them all waxed today.  I got a little better at making them with experience.  Green is my favorite color so I had to make a green one!

Working on my last L'il Abby.  This series was so much fun.  I hope you enjoyed it too!  The final should be released at the end of August.

Hope you are enjoying a great weekend!  Happy Stitching!  Gayle

Etsy

I listed my primitive boxes on Esty today.  Will add a few more later this week.  This has been so much fun.  I love stitching but it  has been a great break.  I have one more L'il Abby to finish to get the series complete.  It is almost finished.  Will get back to it tomorrow.  It has been so hot here this week.  Usually we go down to South Padre Island and spend a week but for some reason this summer I just wanted to stay in where it was cool.  I think it has something to do with the allergy problems I've had this summer.

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/196745450/handmade-primitive-decorative-boxes?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/196757843/handmade-primitive-boxes?ref=listing-shop-header-1

Hope where ever you are...you are having a great day!

Happy Stitching!
Gayle 

I Love Primitive Paper Mache Boxes!

Wow, I have two posts in one week!  That's huge for me. I wanted you to see what I have been working on.  Occasionally, especially after I have just finished some big projects, I like to dabble in other areas of art.  I've always enjoyed painting but never really had the time to practice like I should.  I have been intrigued with these painted paper mache boxes I have seen at  cute little gift stores and on the internet for a while now.  Kept saying I'm going to try that....so I did.  This week I have been painting boxes like a mad woman.  I keep thinking I'll tire of it but as soon as I finish one I want to do another.

This was so much fun!  I painted, stenciled, aged, and waxed!  I was going for the primitive autumn look.  I'm sure the people at Hobby Lobby are wondering what I am doing with all those paper mache boxes.  I've been there at least 3 times this week!

Look out Hobby Lobby! I'm coming back.  I have the urge to do some Christmas Primitive boxes next.  It's a good thing I go back to work next week...otherwise my house might be filled with paper mache boxes.  I'll keep you posted!

St Charles Needlework Market....And next give-a-way!

Hi Everyone!  It has been a while since I posted...I have been busy getting ready for the Fall Needlework Show.  I think I might have taken on more than I could handle but somehow managed to get everything ready...just in time.  It hasn't helped that I came down with some nasty allergy problems and had to take a few days off from everything to recover.  For a solid week it was cough cough , sneeze sneeze, sniff sniff.  It's a good thing they make some great allergy relief medication these days.  My doctor says I just need to stay on it until allergy season passes.  Living here in south Texas...I'm not quite sure when that is????

Anyway....on to my designs.  My first is a Limited Edition Kit.  I only made 240 of these, it was great fun dyeing my own fabric and ribbon but it was time consuming.  I won't do that again for awhile :).
I added the backing...and yes I had to age it too and then some how I got it into my head to make hand made stick pins to go into the kit.  The design is a pin pillow after all...it needed a pin!

Here's a picture:

 

 Next Design is my new original design sampler called Bless This House With Love and Laughter which goes along with the others that I have designed Bless This House and Home Is Where You Hang Your Needlework.

 

And my Christmas Design, Angels Watching Over Me... A small pillow that can be used in your Christmas decorating.  I love pillows....you can put them in containers or sit them on mantles...I just love them!!!

And I can't forget my #8th L'il Abby...Faithfulness.  One more to go and it is in the works!  The final will be called "Wisdom".  I'll get an updated picture of them stitched as one for those of you who are finishing them that way. 

L'il Abby #8  Faithfulness

All of these designs will be available at your local needlework store by the middle of August.  If you want a limited edition kit...let them know to pick one up at the Needlework market for you.... They will go fast!

I also promised another Give Away... so first person to answer this question will get a "Home is Where You Hang Your Needlework chart....  What year did I begin to design for Abby Rose Designs? Hint:  Answer is on this blog.

Hope everyone is having a peaceful, relaxing summer filled with lots of stitching!

Gayle
Abby Rose Designs

Happy 4th of July! 

I thought this graphic was appropriate for the holiday!  I know we are all proud that our products no matter what they might be.......are handmade in America!   

Where has the summer gone! Seems like the kids just got out of school... I have been enjoying my summer by staying cool and stitching and designing.

The Fall Needlework market will be in St Charles, Missouri, in August and I have been busy preparing a kit, a Christmas design, a sampler, and the final two L'il Abby's.

I will be showing you my kit in a couple of weeks....It is a Limited Edition Kit (only 250 made) So cute...if I do say so myself.  It will come with hand dyed linen, all the floss you need...WDW and GAST, the backing fabric and ribbon to finish it.  OOOh I forgot...I handcrafted a small stitch pin for each kit so you can use it with your finished design.  You have probably guess by now...it's a pin pillow...not to small...not too large.  Please ask your local needlework store owner to order it for you at the market!

Next drawing for another design will be next Monday...It will be my Christmas design from last year ...Merry Christmas to thee.

Happy Stitching!

Gayle

 

And the Winners are.....

Hi Everyone,

I am going out of town unexpectedly so I thought I would do this a little sooner than 4 p.m.

The winners of the designs...Love and Kindness are:

Christie G, Carthage
Kathy, Pace
Deb, Odenton

Please e-mail me with your address so I can mail out your designs!

Keep watching my blog... I may have another give a way later in the week!

Gayle, Abby Rose Designs
gaylereger@aol.com

Abby Rose Designs...New Blog Design...Giveaway!

Last week I promised to do a design give-away in celebration of my new blog design...and of course to get some new followers!  So I have decided to give away three sets of my first two designs in the L'il Abby Series. The patterns that will be given away are:  Love and Kindness.  This is what you need to do for a chance to win.  Leave a comment with your first name only and city that you live in.
On June 17th at 4:00 p.m. central time there will be a random drawing and three of you will win.  I will post your name and city and you will have 24 hours to contact me to receive your patterns. Please pass this along to your friends!  I'll be doing a few more give-aways again next week.  You can also follow me by e-mail or sign up as a follower to be notified of the next Abby Rose Giveaway!  Happy Stitching!


          

Come Look At My Brand New Blog Design!

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I am so excited to post today because as you can see...I have a brand new redesigned blog!  This is something that I have wanted to do for a long time.  When I look at it now I think it truly reflects me as a stitcher.  I hope you like it as much as I do!

To celebrate my new blog I will be doing a few give-a-ways next week.  Please keep checking back and hopefully you will be a winner of a few of my designs!

Before I forget....because I'm so crazy about my new blog...that's all I can think about, I wanted to post my 7th design in my L'il Abby's series.  The title is "Gentleness".  For those of you that are stitching the series as one... we are down to the final three.  Gentleness has been released and is available at your local needlework store  The final two will be released in mid to late July.  Send me pictures, I would truly love to see your work or your interpretation of my designs.  I love seeing how some of you change the colors to match your décor or colors that are your favorite.

I am also working on a design that will be similar to Home is Where You Hang Your Needlework and Bless this Home that I think you will want to add to your collection, especially if you have been stitching these.  I'll give you a sneak peak in a few days.

I also have a limited addition kit that I am planning to send to the St. Charles Market in August.  I have been working very hard on this kit to make it just perfect.  One hint...it is a pin pillow and the kit comes with hand dyed (by me) linen, overdyed vintage ribbon (overdyed by me) and decorative stick pin for your pillow (made by me) and all the overdyed thread needed to stitch the design.  It has been a labor of love putting this kit together but I have enjoyed every minute of it.  I will keep you posted on where and when you will be able to get it.

Things are warming up here in Texas...afternoons are too hot to do much of anything but stay in doors and stitch.  So I guess that is what I will do this weekend...finish up some pending designs.
I hope you have a great weekend!  I will close with a picture of "Gentleness" and a reminder to check back next week for my blog make-over give away!


Happy Stitching!

L'il Abby's "Gentleness"  #7 in L'il Abby's Series

Gayle...Abby Rose Designs

Number Six!....Three more designs to go in the L'il Abby's Series!

L'il Abby's

 

Good Morning Everyone!  We are now up to Number 6 of the L'il Abby's Series with Number 7 to be released in a week or two.  I have had so much fun designing and stitching this series.  This is a photo that Faye Riggsbee, the Carolina Stitcher sent me.  She has been stitching them as one....  Aren't they great?  I can't wait to frame this one.  I've been stitching them individually and either framing or having them finished as small pillows.

  

I'll be back later this week with a photo of the newest design...Gentleness!

Hope you have a great week!  Gayle, Abby Rose Designs

Placement Chart for L'il Abby's Love, Kindness, Patience, Joy and Peace!

L'il Abby's on Placement Chart

If you are using the placement chart that comes with Chart 1, here are 5 of the designs added.  Four more to go and the next 2 will be available in late April.  Thanks to Faye of Carolina Stitcher for stitching these up for me !

Happy Stitching!  Gayle

Joy And Peace...New L'il Abby's

L'il Abby's Joy

L'il Abby's Peace

I guess they sound like Christmas Designs...but they're not!  It's just the names of the next two L'l Abby's to be released this week.  If you have been following along with the series, we are now up to 4 and 5.  I had planned to hold out and release one a month but since everyone seems to be enjoying this series and asked for more, I will release them a little quicker than I had planned.  They are easy to stitch...a couple of evenings or a long weekend and you will have one finished.  To show you the many ways you can finish these, I have had a couple finished by Faye, the Carolina Stitcher...and oh what a beautiful finisher she is.... and  I have had a few framed, and then of course, if you purchased number one, Love, there is a placement chart inside so you can stitch them all up as one design!
All are on 30 count linen....that I hand dyed with coffee.  It is so simple.  If you happen to have some left over white linen from another project, try your hand at dying your own.  It is fun and really doesn't take a lot of time and will save you precious stitching funds!  This is what I did to dye my own.  I have a flat plastic container with a lid that you use to store items in....like blankets, or shirts or flat stuff.  I use this container for all my dyeing processes.  I usually use left over coffee from the morning.  The longer it sits the better...I use the grounds too, so don't throw them away.  First, I lay my linen flat inside my container, then I rub the coffee grounds into the areas that I want to have a stained look.  You should try to use a random pattern...it looks a little more natural.  Do not put the coffee on the linen first!!!  For some reason, the stains from the coffee grounds will not take if the coffee has been applied first.  Don't know why, but I have tried it, so I know!  Allow your coffee grounds to sit on the linen for an hour or so, just to get a good stain.  Then pour enough warm coffee, not hot, it will damage your linen, to cover your linen.  Then put the lid on and let it sit for at least an hour.  The longer the darker the linen will become in the process.  Now, rinse...not too much, or you will rinse out your hard work.  Hang to dry...then give it a good ironing.  I use sizing when iron, I like the stiffness it gives the linen and it helps to iron out all the wrinkles.  That's it....not hard.  A couple of weeks ago, I tried my hand at aging my linen with walnut shells.  I'll show you my experiment on another day....It was different!

To stitch L'il Abby's Joy, you will need the following:
30 count linen
Stitch Count is 75x75
GAST thread in the following colors:
Pecan Pie, Corn Husk, Garden Gate, Carriage Black,Faded Rose, Harvest Basket, Old Hickory, Country Redwood, Piney Woods, Victorian Pink

WDW thread in the following colors:
Baked Apple
Whiskey
Confederate Gray   
and good ole DMC white

To Stitch L'il Abby's Peace, you will need the following
30 count linen
Stitch Count is 75 x75
GAST thread in the following colors:
Pecan Pie, Corn Husk, Garden Gate, Buckeye Scarlett, Pomegranate,Faded Rose, Old Hickory, Age Pewter, Wood Trail, Piney Woods

WDW thread in the following colors:
Bull Frog, Onyx, Whiskey

* Many of the colors used run through the entire series!

Thanks again to everyone who has purchased an Abby Rose Design!

Here's a picture of my little precious Coco...who is always by my side!

Happy Spring!  From Coco!

Spring Break!

Hi everyone! It is finally starting to warm up around here!  Yes this week is Spring Break in South Texas.  I live near South Padre Island and every year thousands of high school and college kids head south for some sand and sun!  Mother Nature has not been extremely kind this year because I haven't seen the sun in days...it rained yesterday but one good thing...it has warmed up!  I'm not so sure I would put on a swim suit and dive right in to that cold ocean but I am not a 20 something spring breaker!

I have had many requests to release more of my L'il Abby's a littler sooner than I had anticipated.  I think you have found out how quick and fun these are to stitch.  So I am preparing the next two for early release.  Check back soon for photos and they should be available to you in a week or two!

Hope you are having a great week wherever you live!  Spring will be here for all of us soon!

Gayle
Abby Rose Designs

Just Released!

L'il Abby's From Abby Rose Designs

 

 

Just released at the Nashville Market! My new designs, called L'il Abby's. They are about 75x75 or 5 inches by 5 inches.  As the previous post indicated, they can be stitched as one if so desired.  My friend Faye, you may know her as the Carolina Stitcher, stitched these together as one with the border pattern that is provided in chart one.

The first three have been released:  Love, Kindness, Patience!  You can now find them at your LNS.  There are a total of nine and additional designs will be released starting in March.  Keep checking back and as I release each one, Faye will stitch another to the model.  Thank you Faye...your finishing is beautiful and so is your model stitching.
If you need someone to finish a project for you, you can check Faye out on her blog,  Carolinastitcher.blogspot.com

Hope it is warming up where ever you are...Looking forward to Spring!

Happy Stitching,

Gayle

New Designs To Be Released at Nashville Market

Good Friday Everyone!  I hope it has started to warm up wherever you are today!  It has been a good winter for getting cozy and stitching.  We are heading into a warm stretch for a few days and then I guess it will get chilly again next week.


I have wanted to do a series for quite a while.  There are times that I like to work on big projects and some times I want immediate gratification...a small project.  I guess we are all like that from time to time.  That's why I put together nine designs that can be stitched as one large project or you can individually frame them or make them in to ornaments or pillows.  Each design is 75 X75 stitches about 5in x 5in, on 30 ct. linen.  My new series is call L'il Abby's...because they are little!  There will be three released at the Nashville Market and then one a month until we reach nine.

L'il Abby's Love

Isn't it beautiful?  The finishing was done by Faye at Carolina Stitcher.  She has agreede to stitch the entire series as one large design.  We will show you her progress each time I release another design in the series.  My photography just doesn't do it justice.  The finishing was gorgeous! If you would like Faye to finish yours....you can visit her blog at carolinastitcher.blogspot.com.  She has a wonderful blog and lots of finishing ideas. 

The first three will be displayed at Norden Craft's Room at the Nashville Needlework Martket in February.

L'il Abby's Kindness

Li'l Abby's Patience

 All are designed on 30count, white linen hand dyed with coffee.  The process is rather easy and if you have left over white linen from another project, you can easily dye it to stitch these cuties.

Hope you have a great weekend!  Happy Stitching!

Gayle