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Charming, primitive cross stitch designs, Blackbird is a relatively new design company with a great look! The patriotic designs use dusty, 'faded glory' colors, and the seasonal
birds are large and colorful enough to look great wherever you place them! | |||||
| (Note: if you purchase an auto-ship, it will show up on your order form as a "zero-cost" item, as we won't charge your credit card until we ship the kit.) | |||||
 Announcing Anniversaries of the Heart Blackbird is beginning a new series of house samplers during 2010. Full-sized leaflets each month... January through September... each 5 x 5 sampler celebrates special people and events that have touched your life. I especially like the borders on each... that generally go around only three sides of each sampler! Alphabets and numerals are included so you can personalize each. Stitch each house sampler individually on several different colors of linens, or put all 12 on one 1/2 yd piece of R & R 30ct Old Towne Blend linen -- layout diagrams are provided in each leaflet for that option. (We are offering the large chunk, but not the individual linens each month... as they all differ.) Luscious overdyed flosses, pretty houses and motifs. The final three designs, along with the two bonus panels will be printed in one larger multi-page book, similar to the rest of Blackbird's larger publications. That book -- containing the Oct, Nov and Dec designs will finish out this set late this year. Just AWESOME!!! 
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 Rose Garden from Blackbird Designs Blackbird's newest Reward of Merit -- a tiny design -- this is a mono-chromatic piece that could be worked in any number of your favorite shades of hand dyed! Finishing approx 5 x 7... make a pin cushion or frame weight, by making a little pillow and filling it with *Lizard Litter!* No kidding... when Barb and Alma came for our class... our cushions were filled with lizard litter from the pet store!!! (The bag actually named it that, but listed the contents as crushed walnut shells, but WHY use walnut shells when you can have lizard litter?!) Little Rose Garden is a small chart. (you're on your own for the litter!) | |||||
 Threads of TimeBlackbird has announced a stunning new 2011 Engagement Calendar... and we're in LOVE! They're here now, and they're just lovely! Alma writes: 'Some Pleasures never fade with the passage of time. Small tarnished thimbles, old balls of thread, celluloid tape measures, needle cases and lace making bobbins spangled with old trader beads are treasured finds. Collecting everyday items has been a real joy for me. As you record your days in this calendar I hope you find joy in these small things too. May your days be filled with bits of ribbon, jars of buttons and glorious silk threads.' Alma's calendar features a different page spread for all 52 weeks of 2011, each paired with a beautiful photograph Alma has taken herself -- of her treasured collection! 6 x 9 Spiral bound, 112 pages of full color, what a lovely way to begin organizing 2011!! | |||||
 Honeysuckle ManorBlackbird has a new 40-page book of exquisite sampler projects, all inspired by an antique sampler stitched by Louisa Bell sometime in the 1700's. Recharting the original sampler Barb and Alma found on E-Bay, they each have designed lots of smaller projects -- cushions, boxes, a covered tape measure, even little pin and needle cupcakes! Everything is done in the same color palette of the original sampler -- soft overdyeds of roses, attic teas, mosses, steel grays and cremes, both Belle Soie silks and weeks, Gentle Art and Crescent cottons are used. Pages and pages of lovely pictures, charming projects, and Blackbird charm!!! | |||||
Rewards of Merit Pincushions | |||||
It's Berry Time, another in the Loose Feathers Series A pretty trio of berry baskets, this is stitched in only one color of hand-dyed floss -- pattern suggests Crescent's Wild Berries cotton. Finishing approx 6 x 17 on 28ct, it's just a sweet piece. We have it available as the chart only, or chart with R & R hand-dyed linen of 30ct Iced Cappuccino -- enough for the sampler and little berry. The bonus pattern for your set of 5 needlework accessories is that strawberry emery. By the time Loose Feathers for 2009 is finished, you will have 6 samplers, 5 tiny needlework accessories, and a neat stitched bag for the accessories. View the earlier 2009 designs in this series below, and think about joining our Auto-Ship program for them! | |||||
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Peacock Pinkeep & Needlebook Blackbird's first in their 2009 Loose Feathers Series of designs... this year, we are being treated to needlework accessory cases and pieces! Peacock Pinkeep is the first, and the leaflet includes a *bonus pattern* of matching Needlebook! Stitched on hand-dyed 28ct Light Grey/ Straw gingham linen, in Crescent's Belle Soie silks or DMC cottons, the box measures a generous 6 inches in diameter, and I remember it being about 3 inches high. Alphabet letters wrap around the sides, and the peacock adorns the top. The finishing instructions do not create a box that opens -- rather a firmly stuffed large 'cushion-box.' (You could always construct your lid to lift off...) Anyway, this year proves to be full of lovely needlework accessory pieces -- offered every other month -- in small leaflet format. (Anticipated costs for subsequent months -- low $30 range, including the fabrics.) We have an auto-ship set up, and can send you the hand-dyed linens called for each time, along with the chart. Charming! (Blackbird is doing a monthly set of mini-stockings, too... take a peek at those as well!) 
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Winter Wonderland What a beautiful winter-y white house -- surrounded by all the flora and fauna of winter! Geese, squirrels, berries and blackbirds, I love the symmetry of this design. Check out the house's roof for the quilt motifs. Then, look at the birds on that roof -- more angular patterns -- then add that spindly border of winter berries... what a pretty presentation! Offered as Blackbird's Loose Feathers #39 design, this is a small chart, and is stitched on 30ct Dark Chino linen in overdyeds. Finishing approx 8 x 10, the bonus pattern features a pin cushion reminiscent of the urns in the house's garden. | |||||
Joyeux NoelBlackbird has a new 40-page book that features designs inspired by a French sampler the gals found at the Paris flea market in France! Originally stitched in 1906, it was simply an old alphabet piece... with a French holiday greeting. (seems Barb has 'issues' leaving anything cool and neat behind on her travels!) The whole book features smaller ideas and pieces -- hearts, gift tags, strawberries, napkin rings, pin cushions... all sorts of small DO-ABLE things. Two of my favorite pieces are the 'Tis the Season' cardinal piece -- just lovely with the trails of lilting holly and snowflakes...and the Paris Stocking! Another of Blackbird's little vintage stockings to match the monthlies and the Vintage Halloween Book set! This one features the Eiffel Tower surrounded by a holly vine and falling snow! A beautiful book... the photography is stunning... and it is simply *bliss* to page through over and over again! | |||||
Midnight WatchGosh, I LOVE this one! Stunning colors, bold design, this stitches to finish approx 8 x 15 on 30ct. Lots of hand-dyed flosses, and simple cross stitch, I love absolutely everything about this! Barb and Alma are 'Queens of Crafting' because of the following tip! Look at the candle on the right-hand side of the cover -- they tell you how to scan you needlework, reduce it by 50%, print it using an inkjet on clear-full sheet labels, spray with Krylon matte finish, peel the paper away from the backing, and line a plain glass hurricane! Holy COW! ...all from a cross stitch chart!!! Offered as the leaflet. | |||||
Raise a Glass of Cheer | |||||
Halloween GreetingsJust a simple thing -- this is stitched with only ONE color of Weeks floss -- Jack-O-Lantern! There is a pumpkin cushion featured on the cover. Simply stitch 48 rows of 75 stitches each... and then gather that little thing together for a *Totally Stitched* little pumpkin! Too cute! Offered as a small leaflet. | |||||
Vintage Halloween Stockings  Blackbird Designs has released a book of 13 Halloween Stockings -- to match their on-going series of mini monthly stockings!!! 36 Pages full of charts and lots of color pictures for you to enjoy! In addition to the 13 stocking patterns, there are several other projects too -- small necklaces and pin cushions, and a little 'keeper' on a ring for flosses. 5 Of the mini stockings are stitched on R & R's hand-dyed 30ct Cafe Kona Linen, 5 on 18th Century Brown, and 3 on Witches Brew. Any of the 13 would be good on any of the linens... but the set of three fabric colors gives you lots of subtle color variety. The entire book uses just a few hand-dyed floss colors... and we've estimated that you'll need several skeins of a few colors to stitch all. If you are picky about matching dye-lots in your hand-dyeds... our floss set includes 3 skeins each of Weeks Carrot, Sweet Potato, Charcoal, and 4 skeins of Crescent's Blackbird. ( I think there are only 8-ish more colors to find in your stash.) Each stocking finishes approx 3 x 5 -- just like Blackbird's monthly series.  Our recommended linen cuts include 1/4 yard of Cafe Kona, and 1/4 yd of 18th Century (enough for 6 - 9 x 9 individual cuts out of each), and a 9 x 27 cut of Witch's Brew for 3 more -- you'll have enough fab for AT LEAST 15 stockings... and if you're really *good* you can place them closer on the linens, stitch a few of them in different colors -- mix it up a little -- and get crazy! Or... make your own fabric choices!! | |||||
 
 The Stocking Collection Three little stocking each month... by the time December rolls around, you'll have a 36-piece set of miniature stocking ornaments for a table-top tree!!!!! Barb and Alma of Blackbird Designs have three 5-1/2 x 8 mini-leaflet publications already, one for each month, and we're going to begin auto-ships for the rest of the year! Each stocking a sampler theme, January's features a New Year's design, a birthday stocking, and winter carnations. February's has sweethearts and violets, and March has a green Quaker piece, daffodils and a tiny shamrock stocking! All measuring the same size -- approx 3 x 5 on 30ct -- each uses different overdyed linens, and call for Weeks, Gentle Art and Crescent Colours overdyed flosses. Stitch counts average 43 x 73... so final sizes change depending on your fabric choices. I'd pick a couple of your favorite neutral fabric colors, get fat quarters of those (you'll get 6 stocking per fat quarter piece, there are 36 total in this series) and repeat the linens throughout the year. These would be pretty on hand-dyed or regular linens, and aida, too!!!! These were DARLING at market -- *A DEFINITE* to collect in 2009! | |||||
 
 
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 Small Rewards of Merit A Thread Keep, Journal Cover and Pin Cushion... this is a trio of designs that can be finishing ANY WAY you choose -- not necessarily as suggested! Pins and Needles is a sweet piece stitched mostly in reds and berry overdyeds. It measures approx 4 x 5 on 32ct, and is stuffed with crushed walnut shells (which we sell!!!) The Wild Rose Journal Cover is stunning... the flowers are round rows of chain stitches, so it looks like the expensive stitching on decorator drapery fabrics! Wild Rose finishes approx 5-1/2 x 7 on 32ct. Bluebird's Thread Keep would make a pretty basket-topper -- it's approx 4 x 6, and does come with the dark brown thread ring. Sweet little pieces, these are offered in small chart format. | |||||
 My Heart is TrueAnother of Blackbird's lovely books... this one features small pincushion projects by Italian artist Nicoletta Farrauto, along with Barb and
Alma. The 'Friends With You' project book and Garden Gem Pin Box are my
two favorites... All are stitched on hand-dyed with overdyeds, and then tea-stained! A 'must-have' book for Any and All Blackbird Fans!!! | |||||
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| Merry Christmas Ella, I Thee Wed & Mildred's Garden House Blackbird's houses#4, # 5 and #6 in the nine part Remember Me Series, each of these houses celebrates a family member of Barb's and records her family genealogy. 9 Designs in the final set... we'll probably wait another year before the final three are released. All are offered as small leaflets, all are approx the same size, all feature a charming house with lavish gardens or greenery surrounding them, and the COLORS in each are stunning! The #1 When This You See piece is stitched in lavenders -- it is charming, and since its a shop model... I get to enjoy it everyday! Choose various ancestors to remember with your houses... hang all nine of them on the wall going up your staircase, or something fun like that! | |||||
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| The Remember Me Series These are the first three in a nine-part set of small charts that is designed to depict your family history through the dates and initials of each piece. The first, When This You See, celebrates designer Barb's mother. The date of 1936 is the year LEW was age 12. The second piece, My Missouri Home is Barb's piece - she chose not to divulge her age (!) ... but put the date her sampler was completed in the roof area. (She could have put her marriage year in there...) The third piece, Maude Eloise celebrates Barb's Grandmother, who in 1891 was 10 years old. Her name is in there... and maiden name is on the roof. You get the idea here. You'll need to do a bit of family genealogy to choose who you need to stitch about, but what a neat way to remember those before us! (An alphabet is included with each piece so you can replace the names if you choose.) Depending on how far you can go back... you could have a whole set of these climbing up the wall in your stairway, or lining the wall above kitchen cabinets... Pick and choose who gets which house, too! Offered as 5 x 8 leaflets, each is stitched on varied 28, 30 and 32ct linens in lots of overdyed Weeks and Sampler Threads, and finishes just about the same size... approx 9 x 9. A really nice set! We don't know how long it will be for the last six... so something fun to look forward to! | |||||
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| Live Each Season One of several new offerings by Blackbird , this is by quite an accomplished quilt designer, and artist -- Maggie Bonanomi. So elegantly primitive like Blackbird's favored style... Live Each Season is full of simplicity, grace, and gentle color. All of Blackbird's new things are beautifully pictured on the chart fronts... and such a delight to look at! They are next-to-impossible to write words about... but seeing the pics says so much about each! | |||||
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 Spring MelodyA stunningly primitive floral basket, punched with a 3-strand needle in lots of overdyeds... this is absolutely gorgeous!!! There are scallops in the edge design... look closely... the slight color variation adds so much interest! Punched on regular weaver's cloth, the edges of the fabric showing are 'painted' with a Rit dye solution to give it an old, distressed look. (Forget trying to hide that bright fabric background!) Then, Alma explains that the frame this is in is a Flea Market Find!!! It's OK to find something old and dinged up a bit... it adds to the charm of the piece, and that painted fabric! Offered as a card design, you'll transfer it to the fabric, and use overdyeds from your stash! | |||||
 Tokens of Friendship This is a wonderful soft-covered book featuring 8 of Blackbirds's designs... all beautifully presented and photographed... just so it's even fun just to page through! The publication is trimmed down to an 8-1/2 x 9 presentation -- something different -- and is stuff full of pretty photos, recipes and charts! Each design has a tiny story... I've just spent 20 minutes paging through this to try to do my 'web words' for you! All overdyeds, all hand-dyed linens and Hog River frames... this is really a treat for a primative lover! We've shown a few of the designs above... enjoy! | |||||
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 A Fine CollectionThis is a gorgeous book -- 42 pages worth! -- of classy, primitive designs, something for each month of the year! There is a charming hand-drawn calendar for the year, along with a few recipes, some finishing templates, awesome color photos of all the cross stitch projects, and of course the charts for 13 different designs, that are each large enough and 'good enough' to have stood alone in their own leaflets! Wonderful overdyed thread choices, lots of hand-dyed linens called for, this whole book is extremely well done! Truly a Fine Collection, we've shown some of the design featured. At first, $26.00 seems high... but after you see what's inside these pages...(and realize that they could have been 13 individual books for $6-ish each) you'll be thrilled with it! Beautiful graphics, and that charming hand-drawn calendar! Note: clicking on the image at right will take you to a nice slide show of some of the designs in this book. When you're finished, just close the window. | |||||
6068 S. Sheridan Tulsa, Ok. 74145 (918) 493-1136 Fax: (918) 493-1933 Toll Free Order Line: (888) 543-7004 Store Hours: 10 -- 6 CST, Monday -- Saturday | |||||
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