Are you noticing a trend?

I guess Black is the new Black!  This makes a perfect Hat Trick of brights on black by Ink Circles stitchers this week.  Without further adieu, I present the Bramble and the Rose by Sharon.  Now, anyone can see it's black fabric, but you might not have guessed (or be able to tell at this resolution) that it is 1 over 1 on 28 count!  You might also have guessed the silk is HDF. Which it is, Hibiscus to be precise.

This came out simply stunning; thank you for letting me post your picture here, Sharon - it is an inspiration.  My hat is off to all who can stitch on black fabric. Three cheers for black!  Three cheers for not being afraid of colors!  Three cheers for actually FINISHING your WIP.
Hip Hip Hooray!

OOOHHHH you guys, I'm going to need a bigger Thesaurus so I don't sound like a broken record.

In Full Bloom

I always thought it a shame that you could only see the growth rings on a tree once it was cut down.  These Growth Rings are not quite the same concentric ones we see in a tree trunk, nor does exposing them mean the death of the plant. Every little "cell" of this design is bursting with flowers, leaves, or seed pods.

This is Rosanne's version of Growth Rings.  It's done on 25 count black Lugana using Anchor variegated threads 186 and 1345.  She used 3 strands of floss to get good coverage given the large fabric count. Given that fabric count, the finished piece is roughly the size of a redwood trunk.  I'm not sure of her finishing plans, but table topper might be a good option. It's going to look fabulous no matter what she does.

Thanks for sharing your beautiful finish, Rosanne!  You did an exquisite job.

Folks looking for the Growth Rings pattern will need to get their hands on the back issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine (March/April 2009) or wait until later this year when the copyright flips back to me and I can release it as a stand-alone chart.

Three Sides to Every Triangular Story

This is Vicki's Cirque des Triangles.  Isn't it so amazing - the colors just sing on that black!  I've had fun watching this one grow in person. Every so often I have the chance to go over the moutains and see friends in Portland.  We always meet for a little stitching and Vicki shows me a few more completed triangles.  And now it is done.

She's done an outstanding job - I can't wait to see the framed version on my next trip to the wet side. It's so inspirational to see how every single version of these Cirques stitches up so differently depending on the fabric/fiber choices.

Most excellent work, Vicki!
 

Lucky Penny

Karen's turn to show off!  She's finished up her Cirque des Cercles and it came out just beautiful.  She used DMC 4130 on 32 count Copper Penny linen (2 over 2).  I think that it must have been Lucky Penny linen that she found, since things came out so well!  Thanks so much for sharing your finish .  *Insert Happy Dance Here*

Looking for (Frames That I) Love in All the Wrong Places

I did a double take when Bobbie told me where she found this cool frame for Beau Leggy.  I must say it is the absolute perfect match to her choice of fabric (a OOAK from Thread Gatherer)!  She chose to leave off the cactus, which would have been a bit unnerving where it was placed anyway.

This was a Christmas gift for her Dad and word is that he was quite pleased.

I must say I was tickled when she told me she had picked one of my patterns to stitch, as she happens to be THE Bobbie of Stitching Bits and Bobs and has access to just about every chart on the planet.

Oh, yeah - the frame came from Tractor Supply!

Santa's Nine Plus the Understudies

We all know that there was more than one Lassie.  It only stands to reason that Santa would have a few reindeer in the back pasture just in case Dancer was off auditioning for Dancing With the Stars.  Or perhaps Vixen were to be picked up by the local vice squad for holding down a street corner.  And Dasher maintains a fairly busy marathon calendar.  Do we need to go on? (Some Twitter buddies and I spent a whole afternoon speculating why there were only 8 reindeer in The Huddle.)  Besides, what IS the natural lifespan of a reindeer?  I guess there is nothing natural about them, so perhaps that thought is moot.

Kathy gives us good glimpse of Santa's stables.  Each ornament has 9 reindeer - she added one to the back of each, along with a grandchild's name.  We're not going to tell which reindeer is which, but each kid gets a complete set.  Thanks for sharing your picture of your beautiful finishes. They really are a treasure that will be enjoyed each year by those lucky, well-loved kiddos.

She's the Tops

Vanessa says she's running out of wall space to show off her cross stitch finishes.  A common problem, eh?  Some of us move up to higher fabric counts to get tinier pieces or give everything away.  Others, like Vanessa, opt for more creative, non-framed finishes.

She's made this fantastic table-topper from the Bramble and the Rose pattern.  It's stitched on Picture This Plus's Crystal Shale Belfast and fabulous silk from Hand Dyed Fibers in HDF Examplar Black Iris Bud & Bloom.  The fringed edge makes this a perfect, elegant addition to the room.

Thanks for sharing your finish, Vanessa!  We join in your well-earned Happy Dance... And we forgive you in advance if you become a little militaristic about where visitors set down their wine glasses.