I am currently stitching the Carolyn Pearce Strawberry Fayre heart etui as a stitchalong project. See the end of this post for all the information you’ll need to join in!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week, as I’ve completed the embroidery on the front panel, I was going to feature images of your stitching, as several of you have been stitching it along with me….BUT, you seem to be a rather modest lot, as I’ve only had two people send in images of their heart etui panels to feature! But they’re really good ones, so read on…..
My Strawberry Fayre front panel embroidery looks like this:
The images I received were by Jeanette, from Australia, and she has done an amazing job on her heart etui (in fact, she’s almost finished hers, but I’m not going to let you see all of her pictures until I have reached the point that she’s got to!!).
This is the front panel of Jeanette’s etui:
Jeanette is stitching her etui using the materials pack that she bought direct from the Inspirations magazine, so her colours are quite a bit different from mine. I like both – they are just different!
This is Jeanette’s panel once she has mounted it onto the heart-shaped padded plastic shape, ready to make into the etui. It looks much more ‘real’ like this, doesn’t it?
Jeanette has actually almost finished hers, and sent me some very tempting images of the rest of the etui, but I’m not going to show you those just yet! You’ll have to wait!
Alexandra sent in this image of her panel, which is almost finished:
She says, “I really am enjoying this project and have learnt a great deal as I’ve gone along. I’ve still got the strawberries/raspberries to finish and have found them challenging, I really don’t see the point of the oyster stitch when it has a bead on top, but that’s just choice. I have mainly used the threads suggested but there are some substitutions. I also changed the primrose and calyx as I didn’t like the yellow.”
Isn’t it interesting how each stitcher’s personality comes out through their stitching?
The next bit I’m going to stitch from this project is the back panel, which should be a lot quicker to do than the front was, as there’s not so much embroidery on it, and most of the elements are very similar to the front panel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~INFORMATION~~~
The Strawberry Fayre design, plus the complete list of materials, appears in Inspirations magazine number 95. The publishers do sell a full materials pack (not including the mother of pearl ruler though!), but it’s rather expensive, so if you can use your stash, and just fill in with bits and pieces, then so much the better! The magazine is published in Australia – if you live in the UK, as I do, it is cheaper to buy a back copy from Manor House Magazines, and save a lot on the shipping.
EDIT: The materials pack from Inspirations, and the magazine from Manor House in the UK are not available any more as at March 2018 – I don’t know if any more stocks will be available now, unfortunately. The publishers may bring out a digital pattern pack later, which they sometimes do with popular projects from their magazines, but we’ll have to wait and see…..
To read about this project stitchalong from the beginning, start here. The post about which FABRIC to use is here. The post about the THREAD SUBSTITUTIONS that I made, plus WHERE TO BUY the threads and beads, etc., is here.
To look up all the posts in this series in the sidebar, see under the CATEGORIES list, under: Embroidery / Full size (others’ designs) / Strawberry Fayre heart etui, or use the SEARCH BOX at the top of the blog, and search for ‘Strawberry Fayre’ to get a list of all the posts (but it’s in reverse order, sorry!).
I’d be interested to see images of how your project is progressing – please email large, clear, well-focused images to mail@janetgranger.co.uk Please bear in mind that any images sent may be used in this blog and/or social media such as Facebook or Pinterest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are you interested in doll’s houses and stitching? Then why not visit my website, where you can buy doll’s house needlepoint kits to make all kinds of soft furnishings for one-twelfth scale dollhouses. There are over 280 kits to choose from, plus chart packs, fabric project packs, tutorials, and lots of eye candy to inspire you! Kits are available on 18 and 22 count canvas, 28 and 32 count evenweave, and 32 and 40 count silk gauze, so there’s something for everyone – from beginners to experts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janet Granger's Blog 
Hi Janet,
I have not had a chance to begin the Strawberry Fayre project. But am keeping a close watch on what you and others are doing on it. Keep wanting to get started, but have other projects to finish first. That’s my excuse for not sharing anything😀.
OK, excuse accepted!!!!
Very interesting to see the mounted heart. Quite difficult to do, I anticipate.
I look forward to seeing all the steps you do, Janet, when you mount your hearts.
I don’t think the heart will be too hard to mount when we get to that bit – the instructions are very clear.
I think pulling the fabric on the vertical down to the heart point, and achieving a completely smooth finish on the embroidered fabric will be a challenge. I can’t wait to see yours and your steps. You know I am a great admirer of your assembling skills. I love the explanations you give of every step. I will struggle with not having enough strength to pull.
I’ve already got a plan for how I’m going to do it, and I’ll try to take lots of pictures!!!
Really looking forward.
Hi Janet, your heart is looking lovely! It will go much quicker from now on, though stitching four of the inside hearts gets a little repetitive, it looks really nice when finished.
I didn’t buy the Inspirations kit, but made up my own with most of the specified special threads, but not all.
Oh, I got that wrong then! I thought you’d bought the kit 🙂 You used a lot more of the recommended threads than me, then. I changed almost all of them.
Oh how interesting see the three different embroideries together! The similarities and the individual differences are fascinating. Well done to you, Jeanette and Alexandra for each creating something so beautiful and unique despite the challenges this particular etui has presented! 🙂
Thank you!
Thank you, Kathryn.
Thanks Kathryn, it has been a challenge but Janet’s blog has certainly helped.