Bumping - Handmade Holiday 2012 Gift Exchange

Hello, readers!


Here is a link to Elfster to enter the exchange:
http://www.elfster.com/exchange/view/6974686/020ed2/


I wanted to re-post this once more as the deadline approaches. A few weeks ago, I posted a Handmade Holiday 2012 Gift Exchange and invited anyone interested to enter.  I have had a few responses, but I am extending the sign-up deadline to Sunday, November 11 and promoting the exchange more to drive some more interest.  This is a really great way to share your creative talent with a new friend - or, you could just use it as an excuse to de-stash.  :)

Just for a reminder, here are the rules:

1.) Make something handmade that you think would make a great holiday gift!  It can either be a craft made from a pattern or an original creation.
2.) Materials cost limit of $10
3.) Labor cost - no limit, up to your discretion, but please invest some time and thought!  Make something you can be proud of.  :)
4.) Sign up by Sunday, November 11, 2012
5.) I will select gift exchange partners on Monday, November 12, 2012.  This gives you approximately one month to get your project ready.
6.) Mail your gift by Saturday, December 1, 2012
7.) US and Canada residents only, please.  This is just so nobody has to pay an exorbitant amount on shipping or worry about customs - although if I receive interest from a few people from the same non-US/Canadian country, I will definitely consider changing this rule.
8.) If you sign up for the exchange, please subscribe to my blog - that way, if there are any updates, I can post them here for the participants to read.

I am also working on my wrap-up from my Trans-Con Stitch-A-Thon - stay tuned for details, including 5800 miles of knitting, In-N-Out burger, and great aerial pics of the Rockies over Salt Lake City!

Thanks for stopping by!

Finished - First Christmas Ornament of 2012! Scarlet and Gray Christmas Ornament

Well, readers, I have been busy, busy, busy!

I have stitched Teresa Wentzler's Byzantine Ornaments in the past before, but I wanted to be able to sell Christmas ornaments this year, so I decided to make my own design.  I made up a little pattern that is inspired by TW's designs, but I used a completely different shape, added some new stitches, changed the colors, and added more sparkly beads!  I wanted to stitch something in scarlet and gray/silver, because my tree is all decorated in red and silver, and because I am a double-degree graduate and HUGE fan of The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!).  TW's ornaments are all gold, so that really isn't the best option for my tree.  So... here is the result!

Scarlet and Gray Christmas Ornament, designed and stitched by Erin Turowski

Close-up of center motif - squares edged with buttonhole stitching

Close-up of border motif - satin-stitched diamonds

Scarlet and Gray Christmas Ornament (reverse) - backed with gray felt

Scarlet and Gray Christmas Ornament, hanging on my Christmas tree!

 I am quite happy with how this turned out!  It is a very sparkly and shiny little ornament.  It measures 3" x 3" (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) square.  I stitched it using DMC embroidery floss and accented it with Kreinik silver cording and Mill Hill seed beads.  It is stitched on white 28-count Monaco fabric, and I covered the back with gray felt and trimmed the sides with shiny silver polyester/nylon cord trim.  It is stuffed with a few pieces of polyester fiberfill.  To make the ornament, I used the technique I explained in my Pillow Ornament Tutorial a few months ago.

I also want to stitch these ornaments in different colors (purple and silver, blue and silver, and a few variations of gold), but I just wanted to finish one so I could see how this pattern turns out.  I will probably still stitch a few of TW's Byzantine ornaments this year for gifts, too, but I am really proud of my creation.  :)  If you want to bring one home for your tree or give one as a gift, check out my Etsy shop!  I take custom color requests, too.

I have also been working on Celestial Dragon - here is a photo update!

"Celestial Dragon" by Teresa Wentzler

It is really slow going, but this piece is gorgeous, so it's worth it.  (As you may be able to tell, I am a sucker for sparkly things.)

I also FINALLY found some white frames for a couple of un-framed Christmas cross stitch pieces I have laying around, so I will be mounting and framing those soon.

So... does anyone else have any fun Christmas projects they are working on?  If you do, please comment below and leave a link to your blog/Flickr/Etsy/whatever - I would love to see what my readers are up to!

Cheers - and have an awesome day!

-Erin

"Byzantine Ornaments" by Teresa Wentzler (Cross Stitch)

These ornaments are two of a set of six by Teresa Wentzler.  They can be found in her Cross Stitch Christmas Collection book, which also has some gorgeous patterns for other Christmas projects.  I have worked all six of them, but unfortunately, I gave them away before I took pictures of the finished ornaments!  I will be making them again this year, though, so I will be sure to include pictures of the finished ornaments, as well as step-by-step instructions for how to make a pillow ornament from a cross-stitch project.

The finished designs are about 3" x 3" each (28-count linen over two threads), although the sizes vary slightly.  They include specialty stitches (mostly eyelets and satin stitches) and gold bead work.

"Byzantine Ornament #4" by Teresa Wentzler

"Byzantine Ornament #5" by Teresa Wentzler