Happy Birthday Sampler

Lately I have just been overwhelmed by all sorts of annoying distractions and nonsense, so my stitching progress has been slow.

I did however, manage to get a picture of "Happy Birthday" framed.

I actually finished this last year. I did it for my mother-in-law who celebrated her eightieth birthday last July.

The design is by Blackbird Designs. I used Sampler Threads from the Gentle Arts and stitched it on 32 ct hand-dyed linen.

Originally, I did not plan to frame it because my mother-in-law has said many times that she did not have any more wall space to hang anything.

I decided to turn it into a scroll to be presented and untied.

I searched for quite a while until I found a piece of calico that exactly matched the color of the thistles. I finished it with the calico folded over the front to show the color, and made ties that wrapped it in a bow. I only wish I had a picture of that. I thought I had taken one, but I cannot seem to find it.

Anyway, when I gave it to her, she decided she would rather have it in a frame.

Here is a picture of it framed.

I like the way it turned out! I think the frame is just right for it!