Here is the photo I promised for American Glory.  This was just released today and will be available from your favorite LNS as soon as they can get them from Kelmscott.

It was very difficult to get a good photo of this one for some reason but I assure you it is wonderful in real life.  The white and touches of gold just don't show up very well in the photo.  Among the motifs are Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness, Justice, e pluribus unum, Home of the Brave, Land of the Free, and In God We Trust.  The verses are: One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, One nation evermore--Oliver Wendall Holmes, From Sea to Shining Sea from America the Beautiful and From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam from God Bless America.  The postal abbreviations for each of the fifty states surround the motifs in alphabetical order to form the border.  The overall design is 228w x 206h.  It was model stitched on 40 ct Lakeside Linen Vintage Sandune using GAST threads but I must warn you that there is quite a bit of over one stitching so if you have trouble seeing that, you might want to use a 32 ct instead.   The GAST colors used are Schoolhouse Red, Presidential Blue, and  Chalk, with just a few touches of Gold Leaf.  Can you identify all the pictorial motifs?

I really hope you like this one.  I really enjoyed designing and stitching it.
Until next time...

Christmas gift for you

2013 has been a very productive one for me and I want to thank each of you for your support.  My newest design American Glory will be released later this week and I will show you a photo then.  But for now I wanted to give you this small design in time for the Christmas Season.  If you wish to share, please do so by sending your friends to my blog.  Thanks in advance for doing that.  (If there is anyone out there familiar with blogspot can tell me how to add these as pdf.s please let me know.)

	Christmas at the Yellow House
Designed By:	Kathy Geddes Bonham
Company:	Lady K Needlearts
Copyright:	©2013
Fabric:	Aida 14 or evenweave (28 over 2) Platinum
	78w X 78h Stitches
Size:	14 Count,   5-1/2w X 5-1/2h in

Floss Used for Full Stitches:

	Symbol	Strands	Type	Number	Color
	S	2	DMC	310	Black
	,	2	ThreadworX	1122	Smokin’ Guns (DMC 318)
	j	2	ThreadworX	11213	Wrought Iron (DMC 414)
	*	2	DMC	727	Topaz-VY LT
	#	2	ThreadworX	10371	Rich Chocolate (DMC 898)
	'	2	DMC	971	Pumpkin
	.	2	DThreadworX	10302	Reflections (DMC 5200)
	x	2	ThreadworX	1097	Devilish (DMC 321)
	?	2	ThreadworX	11611	Tropical (DMC 700)
		1	DMC	995	Electric Blue-DK

1

MH PGS Bead

42010

Ice

Notes:

Backstitch using one strand of floss: 

House, windows, porch, columns and benches in DMC 310

Steps and snowman in ThreadworX Wrought Iron 11213 (DMC 414)

Wreath and bush branches in ThreadworX Tropical 11611 (DMC 700)

Scarf in ThreadworX Devilish 1097 (DMC 321)

Bow on wreath in DMC 727 or use a metallic gold braid #4

Icicles strands in ThreadworX Reflections 10302 (DMC 5200)

Substitute French knots for beads or vice versa.

Enjoy!

***Please remember that while this is a gift to you, it is still under my copyright. 

American Glory is Finished

I just got American Glory back from the framers and I really like it.  I sure hope you will as well.  I am trying to get a good photograph for the cover and to share here with you so keep checking back over the next few days.  Today it was overcast and I just couldn't get the colors to show up well.  This is the next one in the International Series along with Spanish Flair, French Elegance, and Celtic Charm.  (I wonder which country will be featured next!)  This one was designed using Gentle Arts Sampler Threads in  Schoolhouse Red, Chalk (white), and Presidential Blue.  It has just a touch of gold for accent.  I stitched it on Lakeside linen Vintage Sand Dune so the white shows up well.  I will share the photo as soon as I can.

Now I am back at the design board putting the finishing touches on the next one.  Hope to start stitching it soon.

Until next time...

Happy Labor Day!

I cannot believe it is September already!  Hope you had a great weekend.  I spent most of my time stitching on my newest model--American Glory.  I love how it is turning out and cannot wait to share it with you.  But even as I am stitching on this one I am also in design mode.  I have had some wonderful suggestions and have been  inspired by many of you and I can't seem to design fast enough.  

I have also designed a smallish design that I am going to offer here on the BB as a gift to my followers.  So keep checking back.  You never know when it might show up.

Until next time...

Designing Updates

I have just completed the designing of one of my larger pieces that I plan to release in October.  I am preparing  to model stitch it now.  It is going to continue the *International Series* which includes Spanish Flair, French Elegance and Celtic Charm.  This one will be called American Glory and I sure hope you like it.

I also finished up the *tiles* but need a name for them.  I am still undecided how I will release them but I am leaning toward releasing them one a month for four months.  It was also suggested that I stitch them in different colorways to give the stitchers a choice.  So I am contemplating this as well.  

Please check back often as I will update as I can.  Thanks to all of you who enjoy Lady K Needlearts.  It is a joy to design for you.

Until next time...

Designing dilemma

I am currently designing a series of-- for lack of a better word-- "Tiles".  There will be at least 4 of them all using the same colors which can be framed, of course, but would also be great to sew into a quilt or wall hanging.  My dilemma is whether to release them one or two at a time or all four together.  Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.  I've thought of releasing them all together in one chart at a higher price but then I've been thinking that stitchers might prefer getting them individually at a smaller price per chart.  What do you think?

The models for the first two are being stitched now and the other two will soon follow.  Then I will decide whether to add the last two or stop at four.

Thanks for stopping by.  Until next time...

New Design for Nashville Release

I am so pleased to announce the release of my latest design which will debut in Nashville! It is a companion to Spanish Flair and French Elegance.  It is called Celtic Charm.  It is a bit larger at 307w  x 307h and is stitched on 36 (or 40) ct linen using ThreadworX fibers.  The ThreadworX colors are 1048 Woodland Green (20 yd skein), 1105 Sunset (20 yard skein), 1049 Parrot Bay (5 yd skein), 1046 Lemon Grass (5 yard skein), 11291 Grape Ice (5 yard skein), and 1125 Arboretum (5 yard skein).   There is also a small bit of DMC (Black 310 and Red 321) used.  The model was stitched using 1 strand of floss on 36 count linen.  If using a larger count fabric or using 2 strands you will need an extra skein of the 1048 and 1105.  This was so much fun to design and stitch.  It is available for pre-order now and will be available for order after Nashville Market.    I hope you like it.

The model was custom framed by The Stitch & Frame Shop in Rock Hill, SC.

Catching up...

It has been a crazy fall and holiday season and 2013 has started off with a bang!  I contracted the nasty version of flu right after Christmas and have had a time shaking it off.  But I am on the mend and I am now trying to get ready for the Nashville market.  Unfortunately, as a result of this setback, I have only one design finished as of now rather than the three I had planned.  I still have hopes of finishing the model of the second design but we will see.

My large design is another in the series to accompany Spanish Flair and French Elegance.  But this time I have wandered away from the red and black to a luscious green and gold and have added touches of a few other colors for accents.  Can you guess the theme for this one?  I can't tell you more right now but I hope you will like it.  Stay tuned for more updates!

Now for more news!   I am starting a new series.  It is a series of tiles taken from quilts and floor tiles from centuries past.  This will be a grouping of  six (or more) designs all the same size and using the same color palette. They have a stitch count of 150w x 150h and no specialty stitches are used.  The colors can easily be changed to suit your tastes. They would be lovely stitched as one piece and made into a wall hanging or quilt but also will look great framed and hung as a grouping--or alone.  I am really excited about these designs and hope you will like them as well.  If I can get the model finished the first one will be released in Nashville.  But since that is not looking promising at the moment, I will probably release it in April.  I am still debating whether to release them one at a time every other month or to release two at the same time.  Any opinions?

Keep watching.  I will keep you updated here.  Thanks for your support.  Until next time...