Free Cross Stitch Blogs Closing

All other cross stitch are closing on January 1, 2011.

Save any links you want because all links will be deleted on January 1st. I am not saving any links, so I will not be able to e-mail anyone free links if they miss the deadline.

So visit those blogs now and save your links! This will be the final post "alert" to stitchers to save your links now!

This "Halloween" blog will remain open for now, but no longer updated.

I am taking a break from quilting to return to knitting.

Knitters can follow along at my knitting blog.

Happy stitching!

New Direction for The Blog

A classic example of "taking more than you can chew" - I kept expanding the types of cross stitch chart categories I could find. It came to the point that my free time was spent editing cross stitch links and adding to this blog.

Visitors will notice I did discontinue some of the cross stitch categories I thought I could manage (not!). It is important to continue to find and post new Halloween/Autumn & cat free charts as I find them. However, I am discontinuing looking for other charts.

I briefly worked as a quilt designer back in 2003-2004. I had the good fortune to have my quilt blocks purchased by Quiltmaker & Harris Publications. I have toyed with the idea of doing more designing at some point.

But for now I want to make some quilts for my daughter's house and my son's apartment (give them a little of me).

And I haven't worked on any of my art dolls in a couple years. I have so many quilt/bead/doll projects to make and/or complete.

In order to keep the theme of Halloween for the blog, I will at some point post links to free Halloween quilt patterns.

For now - happy stitching or quilting!

Blackwork, Angels, SAL's, Biscornu and More

Between Elphaba & puppy classes, quilting, repairing my daughter's silver jewelry and many more hobbies, summer has flown by. This was basically my daughter's last summer home. She is entering her senior year and will not be home next summer as she will be in her master's program. She and a couple friends have rented a house, so I have been busy making some items (including quilts) for house since she will be living in it for 2 years. The only one still "at home" (besides my husband, the dogs and the cats) is my son who is entering his sophomore year. He still has a couple more summer vacations to come home.

So of course all blogs have been neglected. I do have to post this freebie for a series of charts for a SAL of Blackwork Perfume Bottles

This is the same designer who did the series of Blackwork thimble charts.

Au Papotage des Dames is doing a series of "Biscornu - 15 Faces of Angels". Scroll through older postings for all the charts. Look for the angel image with telecharger on it to click on for the charts. She is also doing an SAL of the Alphabet. Keep clicking on "next" pages to get all the letter charts. I keep repeating myself, but sign up for her newsletter; she does send out free charts in some newsletters which are not available on her website.

Here are other pages for all her free charts and links to other free charts. Not all may work; some outside sites may have dead links and some charts may be from her newsletter only. For example she did an SAL of cows whose charts came only in her newsletters.

http://aupapotagedesdames.over-blog.com/categorie-11320595.html

http://aupapotagedesdames.over-blog.com/categorie-11014855.html

http://aupapotagedesdames.over-blog.com/categorie-10982809.html

On a different note, for crocheters, she has a page on how to crochet a scrubbie; go to Google Tranlsate to translate the directions.

Keeping up with the Blackwork theme is a new site for free Blackwork charts:

M'Lady Osanna's Blackwork Designs

Among her charts is a chart for a Blackwork dragonfly.

How about Angels??

Here is a webpage from a designer with some great Angel charts. Here are her Monochrome charts with Angels and Blackwork too. Her Christmas cross stitch charts include a really cute and easy Nutcracker chart.

She also has a couple of Ladybug charts. Look under the word "Címkék" in the righthand column for all her categories of free charts - just keep clicking to see what kind of designs are in each of the categories.

Summer Quilting

Summer is almost over - the overnight temperatures are in the 50's and the first lake-effect rains have fallen (pre-cersor to the winter lake-effect snow).

We have a shabby old screened porch that I decorate for outdoor living every summer. I make all the pillows from "orphan" vintage/antique quilt blocks. Orphan blocks means you have only one or two of the same design - not even enough for a miniquilt.

I have a wonderful glider from the 30's. However since one of the springs needs repair (not sure it can be done since it is all metal), I cover it with pillows so no one will sit there. I do have 2 more wicker chairs not pictured, including a gray wicker rocker from the 30's (which I have had since I was a teen).

The porch is also my summer sewing room since the porch table is so much bigger than our little kitchen table. I have been busy layering quilt tops and basting them, so I can quilt them inside when the weather is cooler. The red/white one is just a small "cheater" print for a table runner for my daughter's house. The rooster weathervane is a Debbie Mumm pattern. The top of the quilt is a huge rising sun - machine appliqued.

I will get more pictures of other quilt tops I am basting.

Hundreds Free Cross Stitch Links

I literally have hundreds of links to designers and other websites with probably at thousand free charts when all added together. Some designers are so prolific it is hard to keep up with their postings and sort all their charts into categories. There are a few designers with over 100 pages on their blogs of free cross stitch charts.
I spend a couple hours everyday trying to sort out free links into categories so that the reader can find the charts easier. However, there are just some sites that would take weeks.

I started a new category of "Cross Designers". While I keep sorting out the smaller sites, I have posted the larger sites into this category until such time that I can devote time to going through large sites with up to 400 pages (there is a site with 400 pages of charts).

Make A Difference for a Police K-9
I like to periodically remind readers of my personal favorite charity: bulletproof vests for police dogs.

Bulletproof vests are not standard issue for the majority of police departments. Vests cost about $700 each and there is usually no room in tight budgets for the vests. Police K-9 dogs risk their lives too and deserve to be protected against bullets and stab wounds. Vest 'N P.D.P. is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for police dogs across the U.S. Many departments are on waiting lists for months before they can finally receive a precious vest.
Consider either donating to the organization: Vest 'N P.D.P. or contacting your local law enforcement agency to find out how you can help provide for these wonderful and dedicated dogs.

Vest 'NP.D.P. even accepts Paypal donations no matter how small - all donations are greatly appreciated. Pass the website onto your friends to spread the word that police K-9's are not automatically issued bulletproof vests - some agencies have budgets that cannot accomodate purchasing the vests.

Child's Easy Summer Towel & New Knitting Links

Here is a simple free pattern to make a backback which becomes a hooded beach towel for children. The pattern uses 1 1/2 towels (so of course you will need 2 towels). It is a very simple pattern, easy to sew and is just adorable. Mommies and Grandmas, get out your sewing machines and sew up a couple of these for your special children. A beach is not necessary; they can also be used for a trip to a city park pool.

http://www.thetraintocrazy.com/tutorial-hooded-beach-towel-backpack.html

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I collect Pink Flamingos, so I was surprised to find a freebie for one. Knitting Memories has a free pattern for a Pink Flamingo dishcloth:

http://knittingmemories.blogspot.com/2007/06/always-flamingo.html

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Visit the other blogs for recently added links:

http://pinkcelticwitch.blogspot.com/

http://pinkchristmaswitch.blogspot.com/

http://the-pink-witch-knits.blogspot.com/

Free Cross Stitch Links

Make sure to change your bookmark for Sandrine Creations, she has changed her blog site:

http://www.sandrinecreations.fr/blog/

Her free charts are too numerous to describe, but they are all unique and very creative. Her charts do include Halloween, cats, ladybugs, horses, Christmas, Nesting Dolls (Matroeskas) and so much more.

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A Japanese site with Japanese, French and English:

No text needed to click on the color charts.

Charts include: Blackwork birds, several seasonal Biscornu charts and one Biscornu chart with squirrels and acorns.

http://pipposusaitalia.blog.shinobi.jp/Category/8/

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Tantes zolder

http://myauntsattic.web-log.nl/

Site is full of archived antique and vintage embroidery patterns for cross stitch. Some have Quaker themes.

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Half Cross Stitch Tutorial:

DMC's page for a tutorial on the half cross stitch:

http://www.dmc-usa.com/majic/pageServer/0501000321/en_US/Half-Cross-Stitch.html

Free Cross Stitch & Sewing Links

I have several links to share with you today. For Pink Flamingo lovers I was not able to find a new free chart, but I did find a retail site with a large selection of Pink Flamingo charts and kits for sale:

http://www.abcstitch.com/subjects_php/subjects.php?mainsub=birds&subject=flamingo&itemtype=

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For anyone interested in sewing a fabric case for their laptop computer, here is a blog with step by step directions:

http://sewing.about.com/od/bagstotespurseproject/ss/linedlaptopcase.htm

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Summer is a time for watermelons and here is a free chart from the Sampler Girl (she sometimes will delete charts from her archives so save it while you can).

http://atthehoneysuckletree.blogspot.com/2010/06/free-chart-for-summer-stitching-i-love.html

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Sylvia's SAL: "My Little Heart" continues:

http://syku66.blogspot.com/search/label/Sal%20%22My%20little%20heart%22

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And a new (to me) French designer: Katouya:

http://katouya.unblog.fr/index-des-grilles-et-des-sal-crees-par-katouya/

No thumbnail pictures, but LOTS of free chart links to click on.

Happy sewing and stitching!