My Latest Release...

Hello and happy August to you all! :o)

I can't believe the summer is almost over... this year is certainly flying by! I mentioned on social media, recently, that my goal for the rest of 2019 is to catch up on releasing more of my previously published designs in my Etsy shop. I am pleased to announce that my 'Herbs Sampler', which was originally published in Issue 270 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine (August 2018) is now available here.

My 'Herbs Sampler' ~ first published in issue 270 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine,
August 2018 ~ photo credit: WOXS

This design is a personal favourite and was well received by WOXS readers last summer. I really enjoyed the process of creating an English country kitchen style sampler and was inspired by my collection of glass jars and classic blue & white china, which I decided to depict as 'flower pots' for the various herb varieties I am most familiar with (many of these grow in our home garden).

To help me get this design ready for my Etsy shop, my lovely Mum in New Zealand offered to stitch the model, as she planned to display the finished sampler in her kitchen/dining area. As you can imagine, I was more than happy to have her do that - she definitely saved me a lot of time! Mum had the model all beautifully stitched and custom framed by the time we visited NZ earlier this year, so we were able to take photos of it during our stay. I absolutely love her choice of cream aida and painted wooden frame, the combination gives the piece such a soft and delicate look. Thanks again, Mum! x

Herbs Sampler by home♥stitch♥ness

My 'Herbs Sampler' has been popular since I released the chart a few weeks ago and it's lovely to see an older design do well for a second time around. If you missed the design when it was first published in the magazine, now is your chance to stitch this pretty sampler for yourself! :o)

Enjoy the rest of your summer and - as always - happy stitching!

Jenny x

Some Mid-Summer Fall Stitching...

Hello, again! :o) 

It's time for another update, since I am really trying to make a commitment to post more regularly in this space. Today I want to introduce to you all my newest design - a cute, autumn themed pattern that just might inspire you to get a head start on your fall stitching! ;o)

'Hello Gourd-Geous' by home♥stitch♥ness

As much as I love pumpkins, I wanted to do something a little different than usual for this design and here is the result: 'Hello Gourd-Geous' is a perfect mix of modern cross stitch and rustic charm and I think it would make a great addition to your seasonal decor this year! ;o) These decorative gourds were so much fun to stitch and the colour palette is definitely a new favourite. 

A little behind-the-scenes story about the design process... it was actually my husband that helped me come up with the wording. My original draft said 'have a gourd fall' and he took one look and said it wasn't catchy enough AT. ALL. He is usually right about these things, so I asked him what he'd suggest, instead... along with a few silly responses (of course - ha!) 'hello gourd-geous' sounded clever and witty, so that is how I settled on the phrase.

'Hello Gourd-Geous' by home♥stitch♥ness

The 'Hello Gourd-Geous' PDF pattern is now available in my Etsy shop and I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I will admit that I've had my finish on display for the past few weeks, even though it is still perhaps a little early... ;o) 

Thanks for stopping by! Happy stitching, everyone!

Jenny x

Time for a Catch Up...

Why, hello there! 

It's been over a year since I blogged and it is very much time to dust off the cobwebs and post an update. My oh my, where to begin? So much has happened! I think I will start with my most recent news and then work my way back through the last few months...

I have two brand new designs and the one I'd like to share with you today is a lovely little strawberry sampler called 'Berries in a Basket', which is available as a PDF pattern in my Etsy shop. This 'berry sweet' design has quickly become a best seller and I am ever so grateful - thank you! :o)

'Berries in a Basket' by home♥stitch♥ness

I've received lots of encouraging feedback about this pattern, most notably stitchers seem to really like it because it is a spring/summer themed design featuring a red cardinal, while typically we see red cardinals mostly in winter/Christmas patterns - something that never even crossed my mind when the idea came to me originally, so I find it interesting that this aspect has turned out to be such a novelty. 

The other comment many people have made is that they really like the fact that both a male and female cardinal are featured. Personally, I think female cardinals are just as beautiful as their male counterparts, so I wanted to make this pretty lady equally rich in colour using mostly golden thread... don't they make the cutest wee couple? :o) I should also mention that the chart caters for those of you that might wish to stitch a different bird by offering two other options, including a pair of European red robins and South Pacific silver eyes.

'Berries in a Basket' by home♥stitch♥ness

As a designer, it's always good to hear what resonates with an audience, as it really helps me when looking to turn more ideas into future cross stitch projects. I can't wait to show you my other release, soon - it's an autumn design, so for those of you ready to start your fall stitching, it may be your next new start! ;o)

Until then - happy stitching!

Jenny x

Cornish Village Scene...

Hi friends!

Spring has FINALLY arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, and I am very glad to be enjoying warm days, again, and seeing so many flowers in bloom! It's not long, now, until school will be out for the summer. Do you have any exciting holiday plans this year? We've already had our big trip to New Zealand, of course, but we still hope to get away for a couple of long weekends, here and there. 

One place on my list of future summer holiday destinations is definitely Cornwall, in South West England... you could say I became particularly interested in the region once I began watching the BBC's 'Poldark' a few years ago! ;o) The scenery looks truly breathtaking and I began browsing through all sorts of travel photos online - I was very inspired!

'Cornish Village Scene' published in the June 2018 Issue 268 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

Naturally, I started thinking about how I could capture a characteristically Cornish landscape scene in cross stitch, and this is what I came up with... it almost felt like I was working on a painting! :o) It is a large piece, done in a modern, poster art style, and it is my biggest design to date! In the foreground are some vibrant blue agapanthus, and I even managed to sneak a bit of 'kiwiana' into it - our native NZ cabbage trees are very popular in gardens around the UK! ;o) 

I am very happy with how this scene has turned out and if you'd like to stitch it yourself, you can find the pattern in the June 2018 Issue 268 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine, which is currently on sale in all the usual places. 

Thanks for visiting and - as always - happy stitching! :o)
Jenny x

Spring Street Scene...

Hello! :o) 

I'm back again this month ~ have actually been all the way to New Zealand since my last post! My husband, children and I enjoyed a lovely summer holiday (and escaped the last of the winter here in the States - YAY!) for a few weeks. I had not been home in 3 years, so it was really good to be able to catch up with friends and family there, as well as soak up plenty of beach time! :o)

As I mentioned previously, I have a new design to share with you that I think you will love... 

'Spring Street Scene' published in the April 2018 Issue 266 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

Here it is! :o) Published in the April 2018 Issue 266 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine, it is actually one of my largest designs, so far. It is a sweet, spring themed street scene ~ inspired by fancy London neighbourhoods full of pretty painted houses with overflowing window boxes! Not to mention all the magnolia trees and wisteria vines, laden with flowers, that have become such a stunning feature in those areas every year. 

I don't know about you, but I could very happily move into any one of these cute houses! If I had to choose, I think I'd pick the blue one... :o) Who wants to move in next door to me!? ;o)

Happy stitching!

Jenny x

Inspirational Hoop Art for Kids...

Hello! And happy 2018 to you all! :o)

Here we are, it's mid February already... am not sure where the time goes? I hope you've had plenty of opportunity to get some stitching done so far, this year! :o)

I've been back to work, mostly behind the scenes, ever since the holiday season finished. I am very excited to show you my latest designs published in the March 2018 Issue 265 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine - they are definitely some of my favourites to date! ;o)

'Inspirational Hoop Art' published in the March 2018 Issue 265 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

I love everything about this little scene - the vintage toys and books really complement the hoop art. These bright and colourful designs will appeal to kids of any age and stage - you can stitch them for the little adventurers and explorers in your life! :o)

March 2018 Issue 265 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine

To my surprise, I was featured again on the front cover of this issue - something I don't think I will ever quite get used to! At the same time - such a thrill! :o) I'll be back again next month with another design for WOXS that I think you are going to love... I certainly enjoyed creating it! ;o)

Take care and as always - happy stitching!
Jenny x

The Festive Season...

Hello again, friends!

I must say, it does feel good to be dusting away the cobwebs from my blog and writing posts once again. Can you believe it is November already!?! The pumpkins are now disappearing and Christmas decorations are starting to take their place... I haven't decided when I will put up our Christmas tree, yet. As much as I like to make my autumn decor last through until after Thanksgiving, it's a funny time of year as it really starts to feel a lot more like winter than fall.

I am excited to tell you about my latest collection of designs published in the latest December Issue 262 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine - a set of six Nautical Christmas Ornaments! 

Set of six 'Nautical Christmas Ornaments' published in the December 2017 Issue 262
of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

Having grown up in New Zealand, where Christmas is a summer holiday, I still like to reminicse over warm days spent at the beach at this time of year. It was quite an adjustment for me, getting used to celebrating Christmas in the winter, and I still like to decorate our home with both winter and summer themed ornaments. This collection, to me, is a perfect mix of both! And not only that, they are perfect for the many stitchers who live near the coast. I am eager to get started on stitching these, myself - I think I might hoop them up for our tree with some red pom-pom trim! 

I hope you'll enjoy stitching these, too! :o)
Jenny x

A Busy Year...

Hi friends!

How are you all? I hope this finds you well and that you've had lots of time for stitching throughout 2017. It has been a very busy year for me and I have not updated this blog in such a long time (which is a bit naughty of me - sorry!) It's hard to know where to begin - so much has happened since my first design was published in The World of Cross Stitching magazine, a little over a year ago. I have become a regular designer for WOXS, which has been an amazingly wonderful experience, and through this opportunity I have met many more lovely stitchers, as well. I have plans to start featuring some of your work here on my blog. I already share a lot of work-in-progress and/or finished project photos on my social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram are where you can mostly find me these days) but I was thinking a special 'gallery wall' here might be an extra special feature! :o)

In the meantime, I thought I'd do a bit of a summary of the past twelve months... starting with the British version of my signature 'Four Seasons' samplers, which was published in the special 250th Issue of The World of Cross Stitching magazine! I was absolutely thrilled to create this design as it is such a fun one to stitch. Done in the same style/layout as my New Zealand and Australian versions, it has lots of sweet little scenes making up the overall sampler. This pattern is actually now available in my Etsy shop and as a little treat, I will be offering a discount code towards the end of this post, so keep reading... ;o)

'British Four Seasons Sampler' published in the January 2017 Issue 250
of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

'Lavender and Daisy Wreath' published in the August 2017 Issue 257
of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

Next up was another variation in my collection of floral heart designs, a pretty 'Lavender and Daisy Wreath' published in the August 2017 Issue 257 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine. I especially love how beautifully the team at WOXS finished the model in French country style - the lace framing the hoop is absolutely gorgeous and the purple ribbon literally 'ties it all together'. These floral hearts are such a joy to create and continue to be very popular!










Perhaps my favourite project so far has been my 'Dreamy Retro Kitchen' design, published in the September 2017 Issue 258 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine. This was especially fun to work on, as it is based on my kitchen at home, right down to the colours! I love British kitchen ware and have gathered quite a collection of both new and vintage items, over the years. We even have a ruby red stand mixer, just like the one featured! The really neat thing about a design like this, is that you can mix and match the thread colours to suit your own kitchen decor, so the possibilities are endless! :o)

'Dreamy Retro Kitchen' published in the September 2017 Issue 258 of
The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

The October 2017 Issue 259 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine featured my set of four 'Sewing Accessories' including a pincushion, needlebook, scissor fob and notebook cover. I love the soft, layered look of each piece and I enjoyed 'scattering' some pearl beads across each notion to add to the pretty 'antique' style of the collection ~ I think they turned out really well. 

 

   

'Sewing Accessories' published in the October 2017 Issue 259 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

And, most recently, I designed these two lovely autumn posies for the November 2017 Issue 260 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine. These designs celebrate the classic blooms we all identify with late summer/early autumn - the colours are rich and vibrant and they make the perfect pair of stitched decorations for the season!

'Autumn Posies' published in the November 2017 Issue 260 of
The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

So, there you have it - a selection of the designs that have been keeping me busy this year! I also have a couple of new patterns that I released this year for home♥stitch♥ness, so I will post about those soon, too. In the meantime, if you read this far, well done! And don't worry, I haven't forgotten that I mentioned a discount code... ;o) From now until the end of 2017, you can receive 40% off your entire purchase in my Etsy shop by using the coupon code THANKYOU2017  ... this is my way of thanking each and every one of you for your support of my work. It truly is a dream come true to be able to stay at home with my children while doing what I love - cross stitch - and it is you, my stitching friends, that help to make it all possible. In a nutshell - you are awesome!!! :o)

We'll catch up again, soon! As always, happy stitching...

Jenny x

Special Thanks to The World of Cross Stitching Magazine...

Hello friends! And a warm welcome to everyone who has found me here over the past week or so! As many of you will already know, I have some big news to share...

The World of Cross Stitching magazine Issue #247 November 2016

Last week, the November Issue #247 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine went on sale in the UK... and I am featured! It has taken a little while for it to actually sink in, even though I've been preparing for this all year - it is quite surreal. To see my work in print is an incredible feeling - and yes, that is me on the front cover! ;o)

The World of Cross Stitching magazine, Issue #247 November 2016

I am absolutely thrilled that my first design for WOXS is now published. As you can see, it is a Christmas themed pattern of a festive heart shaped wreath. If you've been following along for a while, you will know how much I love designing these pretty little heart shaped wreaths! ;o) I spent a lot of time on this design, making sure it was perfect and I hope many of you will enjoy stitching it as much as I enjoyed creating it! :o) 

This opportunity really is a dream come true for me and I wish to say a very special thank you to the Editor, Ruth, who has made it all possible and has been absolutely wonderful to work with over the past year! I am so grateful to the the entire team at WOXS for including me in their fabulous magazine! Make sure to pick up a copy so you can get a head start on your Christmas projects this year with The World of Cross Stitching magazine! :o) And, if you are outside the UK and can't wait for the hard copy to arrive in your country, there is always the digital option! Available for iPad in the AppStore: http://bit.ly/1mRnSBG or for Android: http://bit.ly/1tn7DAH or at Zinio.com . 

As always, happy stitching!
Jenny x

Give Thanks Cross Stitch Pattern

Hello Stitchers! 

Once again, it has been a couple of months since I last updated the website/blog, but if you have been following along with me on Instagram or Facebook you will know that this week I released the pattern I have been working on for... well, most of the year! I am excited to introduce my late summer/autumn inspired design 'Give Thanks'.

'Give Thanks' by home♥stitch♥ness

The phrase 'Give Thanks' is a sentiment that means a lot to me and is something I try to remind myself to do on a daily basis. For this design, I knew I wanted to stitch a floral garland with a prominent sunflower and the colours I chose seemed to lead me in the direction of an autumn harvest theme, with lots of red, orange, gold and brown threads used. Also, I could not resist including another little monarch butterfly to the design, as well - it was such a popular addition to my 'Summer Garland' pattern that it deserved to be featured again!

'Give Thanks' by home♥stitch♥ness

'Give Thanks' has been flying off the virtual shelves in my Etsy shop over the past couple of days and for a limited time, you can purchase the PDF at the special introductory price of just US$4.50. The design is quite large and fits perfectly in a 10"/25cm embroidery hoop for framing. With the autumn months just around the corner here in the Northern Hemisphere, it would be the perfect design to stich as part of your fall decor this year, and especially for the celebration of Thanksgiving! :o)

Happy stitching!  
Jenny x

A Free ANZAC Poppy Chart...

With ANZAC Day drawing near in both Australia and New Zealand, I have a free chart I'd like to share with you all... 

A free ANZAC Poppy cross stitch pattern

Last year I stitched up this little red poppy for ANZAC Day and shared it on my Facebook page and Instagram. One of my lovely cousins (who is also a cross stitcher) asked me if I'd mind sending her the chart so that she could have her primary school students stitch up poppies as an ANZAC themed activity for her class. As she recognised - this would make a great project for children. 

It is a very easy and straight forward pattern that is suitable for beginners. All you'll need is a black button from your stash, a scrap of fabric (the larger the count the better) and a few thread colours to stitch the design. 

Spending some time quietly stitching is a great way to reflect on the sacrifices made by the many men and women who have fought to ensure our freedom. You are welcome to use/share this chart as much as you wish. 

Lest we forget.

Jenny x

Anniversary Sale...

Hi everyone! Just popping in to let you know that this week marks THREE YEARS since my original four home♥stitch♥ness design releases were accepted into several needlework stores throughout New Zealand! What a journey it has been since then...

To celebrate this anniversary, I want to let you know that there is a SALE happening all week over in the home♥stitch♥ness Etsy shop! If you've had your eye on any patterns, you can receive 40% off by entering the code 'ANNIVERSARY' at check out. :o)

Thank you so much for your continued interest and support - I appreciate you all!

Jenny x

New Little Kiwi Cross Stitch Pattern...

Hi friends! Just wanted to let you know that my latest design - 'Little Kiwi Chick' is ready! The PDF cross stitch pattern is now available in the home♥stitch♥ness Etsy shop for just NZ$5.00 - this special introductory price will only last until the end of October.

'Little Kiwi Chick' by home♥stitch♥ness

It has been a while since I released a 100% NZ design and this little Kiwi was so much fun to stitch! This 5" hoop art would make a super cute handmade gift for a new baby, for friends and family living overseas (read: Christmas!) or it could even be a great project to use when teaching your child how to cross stitch!

The pattern includes nine different gingham colour options.

The Kiwi can be stitched facing either left or right and you can choose from 9 different gingham colour options. I enjoyed stitching this one so much that I am going to make another one for our son's room - in blue, this time :o)

Happy stitching!
Jenny x

A Free Gift :: THANK YOU!

I first released this pattern two years ago (to the day, even!) and have just spent some time updating the chart. Lately, I have been thinking about what an amazing journey this little creative venture I call home♥stitch♥ness has been! Although there have been challenges along the way, I have already met several goals I set for 2015 and since I have so many more people following along now than I did when I first published this chart, I want to release it for a second time in case some of you would like to stitch it.

Today I am here to simply say THANKS to each and every one of you who have shown an interest in what I'm doing and supported me. It means so much to me that you are here and the following pattern is completely FREE if you'd like to stitch it. Below you can read about the story behind the design and I invite you to share the chart on social media as much as you wish! The threads I stitched the model with are true to the original colours, but you are more than welcome to change them to match your decor. If you do stitch it, I'd love to see it all finished! 

Thanks again and I hope you will enjoy this little project!

Jenny x

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Sunday, October 6, 2013

A Free Gift: Decorative Cross Stitch Tile Pattern

I am excited to share this project with you as it is something I have been wanting to recreate for a long time now and the story behind it has special meaning for our family...

Decorative cross stitch tile pattern

My husband is Belgian by name and by ancestry, so I like to say that "I am Belgian by marriage" :o) Both grandparents on his father's side came to America when they were young, then met and married over here. Several years ago, we had the privilege of visiting Belgium and staying with a cousin and her family. We fell in love with the country and the experience made me rather proud of my inherited Belgian heritage.

A gift I designed and stitched for my husband's very first Father's Day

During our time in Belgium, we were taken to the site of my husband's grandmother's family home where she lived before moving to America. Sadly, the house had not long been demolished for the purpose of new development and all that remained was a pile of rubble. However, out of the ruins, his cousin had salvaged a number of broken pieces of patterned 'tile' as you can see in the photo below, which I believe originally decorated the kitchen. 

Our little piece of decorative tile from Belgium

We were given this piece of tile along with a photograph of the cottage to take home with us and the tile has been an ornament in our garden ever since. It is starting to look a little weathered and worn, now, and since I have always liked the pattern, I have been wanting to stitch up a replica to 'preserve' the design and create another keepsake. I finally got around to charting the pattern a few weeks ago and funnily enough, I realised the colours in the tile are exactly the same colours we used to decorate our daughter's bedroom when she was a baby - I had never noticed before! It will be a nice little piece of family history to hang on her wall.

Stitched Belgian tile hoop art

I want to include the pattern here as a little gift of thanks to you all for your interest in home♥stitch♥ness. I am not sure how to make it available as a PDF to download straight from the blog, so instead I'm going to post the pattern below and you can click on it to enlarge it, then right click and save it onto your computer and print it out that way... 

It is a repeating pattern, so you can stitch as much or as little of it as you wish. I chose to work on Wichelt's 28 count Clay linen as the colouring of it is very similar to the clay coloured background of the actual tile. It has saved me a LOT of work not having to stitch in between the decorative motifs, but I have suggested a comparable thread colour for stitching in the 'gaps' if you wish. For my project, I wanted to stay true to the original colours of the tile, but there would be so many other gorgeous combinations you could try - for a bolder look I think Navy, Red, Mustard and Cream would look amazing!

Obviously, the design is not my own, I have simply charted it so I can recreate the pattern with needle and thread. You are most welcome to use the pattern for your own project and share it with your friends :o) I would love to see what you make with it!

Happy stitching :o)

Jenny x