Stitchers' Friendship exchange

[Mabel Figworthy]

There's a thread to sign up for this in the General section, but here we can show them off as and when we finish them.

Remember, the only rule is that you have to use this chart -- what fabric and thread you use, whether you add beads, charms or embellishements, how you finish it (card, coaster, needlecase, flat-fold, ornament, biscornu, hemmed doily, whatever) is all up to you.

Deadline is 1 September, or when everyone has finished it -- whichever comes first. I will then put all the names into a hat and take them out in no particular order to decide who sends to whom. If you would rather not send outside your own country (for example because you are turning it into a 3D finish) please let me know and I'll take that into account.

and here is an image to give you an idea of what one stitcher did with the design -- only you can decide what it will look like once you get your hands on it !

[minij]

This looks like great fun and so many possibilities, really exciting thanks for organising it Mabel

[Rose]

This is great Mabel and I like the fact that you are going to wait until the end to decide who sends to whom. That makes it a super surprise. I want to get a start on this but not sure I can until I have finished another project and I get cought up with the Mystery stitch and get some more done on my Serendipity Sampler. I know I have plenty of time to get it completed!!!!!

[Mabel Figworthy]

I just realised that the picture I posted has "variations on the theme" itself -- the buttons are in a different place and one of them is a thimble! So feel free to get creative, others have gone before

[megandmog]

Will be a little while before I get started on mine as I want to wait till all my new stash arrives so I have plenty of fun things to choose from!

[Sarah Gixxer]

I think I will make mine like a little cushion, with felt for the back, stuff it and maybe add some ribbon, possibly all round the edge and then making a handle at the top to hang it with. I thought I would use some of the DMC satins I got in my stashmas gift for the stitching on this.

[kell]

I've already started mine - I just couldn't resist!

[coffee_freak]

i'm doing mine starting tonight..

anyone know the translation? i'd like to do it in english?

[Slinky]

anyone know the translation? i'd like to do it in english?

My schoolgirl French suggests to me a translation of "Gift of stitching, gift of friendship" but I am sure others will come up with a more accurate/eloquent translation.

[Rose]

I was going to translate it to "Gift of Stitching, Friendship"

Not sure if it is a perfect translation but it is what I came up with.

[Sarah Gixxer]

Mmm, I hadn't thought about the translation yet. Might have to get my graph paper out and doodle a bit! I might put "stitched/stitching gift of friendship". If it fits in. Might have to change the style of lettering or move the scissors a bit or something. This will be really fun to do! I have to order a suitable piece of fabric so I'll probably start on it next week or maybe a little after that.

[megandmog]

I'm going to keep mine in French!

Finish will depend on what inspiration I can find!

[Mabel Figworthy]

The literal translation is "stitched gifts (or presents) - gifts of friendship" and I suppose the idea behind it is that stitched gifts are gifts of friendship, because they show you have given special thought to what to give this person and also have taken the trouble to make it yourself! So anything that reflects that idea, in whichever language and in whatever words, would be fine .

I'd thought of doing it in Dutch, but I can't get the words to sound right, and they're too long , so I think I'll either keep the original French or try something English. Like Sarah I may also play around with the letters a bit, and I think I'll include that thimble you can see in the photograph -- I like it!

This is going to have such a lot of different interpretations, wonderful!

[Sarah Gixxer]

I have ordered the fabric for mine now - I'm going to use black Aida and stitch with DMC satins - probably red, yellow and orange and incorporate some of the gold beads left over from my Xmas Sampler - and perhaps a bit of gold metallic as well. I'm eager to get started on this now.

I am going to try and work out the wording in English, but if it doesn't work on paper, I will leave it in French.

[coffee_freak]

sounds pretty! oh and if u get it worked out in english, let me know..because i've tried and am bad at it..lol..didn't work

[mags]

Haven't finally decided yet but if I do it in English I'll probably backstitch the lettering as it will be a bit longer. Got my fabric and floss sorted

[Mabel Figworthy]

I've been playing around with this in my stitching program, and I'm thinking of using a peachy-variegated opalescent Silkweaver fabric with a dark red Gloriana silk and a buttery Gumnuts silk -- I can't really show it very well in the mock-ups, and the background colour is much darker than my fabric, but it'll give you an idea:

[Sarah Gixxer]

Wow, that looks great, Mabel! I love the way you've done the lettering. I need to have a look at making up my own lettering too as I would rather do it in English than French.

[mags]

That looks lovely Mabel

[Rose]

That looks great Mabel. I am going to do my version soon on my PC Pro and see what wording looks best.