Little By Little : The Silver Needle, Fine Needlecraft Materials


Bee Story *Over in the meadow in a snug beehive. Lived a mother honey bee and her little bees. 5 Buzz said the mama. we buzz said the all snug in 5 their cozy beehive.* Kind of a strange verse -- but I get the meaning, and it's cute. The hive picture is super charming though and is worked with Gentle Art Sampler Threads. On 35ct it finishes approx 8-1/2 x 11! Offered as a chart.
The Fishing Lady *May fine remembrance picture me* That's a neat sampler saying! At first, I thought this was called The Finishing Lady -- and I wondered why she was sewing over water!!! Finishing approx 11 x 9-1/2 over two on 35ct, this is worked with DMC and overdyed flosses. The design does feature some Satin Stitches in the leaves and beehive that is across the stream on the grass. An interesting piece, to say the least!
Ann Pennsylvania Peacock & Idelia Mae Rich Little by Little's Cynthia Bradford has two charming pieces that feature PAPER faces on Idelia Mae and Ann. Ann Pennsylvania is a distant relative -- Cynthia found her name on some old family records -- and knew she just and to design something with that name! Evidentally paper faces in samplers were popular in the 19th century and sometimes painted directly onto the linen instead. Ann's 10 x 11 piece features a lavish tree, beautifully dressed Ann, and her city and place of residence. All the pretty hand-dyed threads just add to the charm. Offered as the chart, Cynthia has a friend who made a watercolor painting of this tiny paper face included with the chart. Idelia offers the same charm. Her red dress is elegant, you can just tell she was a lady of good character! She finishes approx 8 x 9. This pair of pieces is charming -- especially because of those faces.
Quaker Faith & Counting Book Samplar Quaker motif and tidy, bold alphabet, Quaker Faith -- especially -- can be split apart into smaller elements, but I really like it the way it is. Faith finishes 9 x 9 on 35ct, and is coded for DMC floss... just a pretty piece.
Black Sheep Sampler I have always liked this design! Not sure what most of it means... but I think the ship and sailboats are neat, the whale, the ducks playing Indians! There is the black sheep up there -- the subject of the verse -- and the couple inside that stone house, the path and that tree on the island. Maybe it's a good conversation piece on its own! Offered as the chart, it finishes approx 8 x 9 on a 35ct. DMC floss coded.
The Birthday Gift This is lovely! Stitch just the vase and flowers, or the verse, too. There is a partial note in here about Birthday being intentionally mispelled as Brithday... but that thought isn't finished! A mystery! Pretty colors... is for my birthday!!! Offered as the chart, 5 x 6 on 35ct.
Winter Joy This is a neat idea -- an ornament that is stitched on two different fabrics and then joined together to make one piece. Worked in DMC and some overdyeds, those rows of cross stitch around each half half make your finishing look better. The outer edges are turned under, and the seam between the two linens on the front is hidden a bit beneath that stitching. Offered as the chart, you do get both sides in here. Each side is simple... but charming together!