It was time to put my State Flower Quilt blocks aside for the time being to make way for these. Scrumptious morsels of goody goodness. They're my new (free-with-purchase) BONUS transfers for December, and I love them! I know how much some of you look forward to these little surprises each month--and I so enjoy creating something to fit the moment, the season, or the sweet tooth. So there ya go. I just uploaded them to the PatternBee website, where they will be on display HERE until the end of the month...and then something new will replace them on January 1, 2011 and all the bonus designs for 2010 will be bundled into one collection and made available by Valentine's Day. (It helps to have a plan.)
OK. Here's a wonderful find. Some of you ladies may remember these fabulous candy-striped towels that were so common in grandma's day, but over the years became scarce. That's why I was SO happy to discover that these old-timey towels are once again available. They are just so cute. And they are perfect for embroidery. I recently purchased these, by the yard, from the Susan Branch website. I must say, the quality is top-notch and a pleasure to work with. The sides are hemmed--you need to hem the ends though, which is easily done. (I turned under 1/2" twice and stitched straight across.) For non-sewers, Colonial Patterns now offers similar towels in finished sets of twelve! I'm stocking up.
For inquiring minds...I used 6 delicious strands in outline and back-stitching for most of the designs here. 3-4 strands for small details, like stripes on the candy canes, faces, and lettering. (The designs are not necessarily limited to towels either, you could use them on a pillowcase, or individually to decorate other items.) Enjoy!
For me...I think it's time to bake some cookies!
