100 Stitches - Seeding Stitch

The seeding stitch is the latest stitch on my 100 Stitches  journey.  This stitch should really be called the easiest stitch ever! 

This stitch is a filling stitch and is used to fill in blank spaces inside shapes.  For my shape, I used a template:

I copied the diamond shape onto my fabric:

I first outlined the shape using the back stitch. Now to the seeding stitch. The reason the seeding stitch is so easy is that it is just small straight stitches stitched in all different directions. The only concern is to make all the straight stitches the same length. The first step I took was to come up through the fabric. I started at the top but you could start anywhere inside the shape:

Then I just started taking small straight stitches:

in a random pattern:

 stitching, stitching, stitching until…

 the whole diamond shape was filled:

So easy, and really beautiful when finished:

The underside of the stitching looks almost like the top side:

This is definitely a stitch I will use!

The seeding stitch is #72 and is in the Couching and Filling category of 100 Stitches.

Retro style Christmas tags

I just listed some new Christmas tags in my Etsy shop.

I used the description retro style because of these color combinations.  I think of these as retro.  These tags are really nice because they are editable - you can type in the to/from information or a nice message and then print.  Or you can just hand write in your message.

Print and cut them out:

Then use them on a gift:

They are really easy to use.

and I love all these colors!  The gift tags packet has 20 different tags.  This is what the packet looks like:

A few changes...

I'm making a few changes. I have created my own website! I wanted to bring all my different profiles together on one landing page. I have included links to this blog, my flickr photo stream and my etsy shop.

You may have noticed that the name of my blog has changed too.  While I have loved having everything named "big B" after this big sweetie:


Berit

it turns out this has been more than a little confusing!  When I first started blogging, the name big B was already taken in every form possible, so I went with bigbgsd (German Shepherd Dog).  Bigbgsd as a name doesn't really make sense, so to clear up the confusion, I'm just going with my own name!  Since it already has the word "yes" in it, I think it is a positive change :) 

Make sure to visit the new site - I would love to hear what you think!

Gingerbread Houses

I am stitching up another gingerbread house. I am using some interesting color combinations with this one.  Do you like the rosy pink color with the lavender and pink?  I am just getting started so there is still time to change colors!   

You may remember these three already completed houses - actually two cottages and a town house ;)

I am really liking this new one, especially with the upstairs balcony.   I am adding my new favorite blending filament floss to add some sparkle to the "frosting" on the eaves and roof!  After I finish stitching this, I have two more houses to complete and when those are done I'm going to plan out a design for a quilt similar to this one.