Finished Object: Serial Bowl Collection, Lesson 1 by Plum Street Samplers

Plum Street Samplers is one of my favorite designers for primitive designs and smalls. Many of the designs can be finished quickly (depending on stitch speed and available time) and uniquely. Some of the recent finishes have been pillows, and this one is the first design in what is called The Serial Bowl Collection.

Serial Bowl Collection of Sampler Lessons: Lesson One was released at the Nashville Market back in March 2015. From start to finish stitch completion took about six weeks, not including finishing. I was working on some other projects at that time, too.

I used 32 count taupe Lugana. I can't follow directions and used two threads over two instead of one thread over two, so the threads that came with the kit were not enough to finish the project. In place of those threads I replaced similar over-dyed cottons that were good matches for the design. These included threads from The Gentle Art and Week's Dye Works.

GA Barn Door --> Week's Red Pear
GA Cherry Cobbler --> GA Cranberry
GA Cinnamon Toast --> Week's Cinnabar
GA Sunkissed -->  GA Lambswool
GA Timber --> GA Molasses (trees only)

                                           

The finishing directions instructed that the chenille be attached using glue. I ended up sewing the pillow together first, then hand-stitched the chenille around the edges. I also created my own pillow insert. 

Finished Object: Route 66 by Little House Needleworks

Little House Needleworks has a variety of different types of patterns, though Diane does have a certain style that can be seen in all patterns regardless of topic. I'm usually drawn to her houses and samplers, but I did like the "Route 66" pattern when I saw it! I loved the vintage car and trailer that harkened back to the days before Interstates.

I finished the design into a pillow. I used Route 66 fabric for the piping around the pillow and a blue travel motif fabric for the back. Both were from previous projects I had finished.

For this pattern I used Newport Antique White/Khaki Linen on 28 count. I liked the fabric because it reminded me of a picnic table cloth, but then a fellow stitcher pointed out that it looked like the grid on a map. What an even better idea!

I only converted two colors.
DMC 597 --> Gentle Arts Tutti Frutti
DMC 603 --> Classic Colorworks Pink Champagne

I did make other changes in design elements due to the fabric. Most notable is the change in border from cream to yellow. I did this to mimic the lines seen on two-lane highways. I also finished the United States with full cross-stitches instead of the half the pattern suggests. With 28-ct fabric, too much white was showing through.

I finished the design into a pillow. I used Route 66 fabric for the piping around the pillow and a blue travel motif fabric for the back. Both were from previous projects I had finished.