Sunday, September 7, 2008

Guiltless Dragonfly Scissors Pocket & Fob





I'm not crazy about expensive "limited edition" kits and designs. I don't like the pressure it brings on the buyer to hurry up and get something "right now" when it may cause a financial hardship on them or a big disappointment if they decide they really can't afford to splurge. This is not the same as "shop exclusives" which may only be available from one source but are available for a long time, giving plenty of opportunity to obtain it. There are some gorgeous designs that have appeared as limited edition kits that I would like to have had but just couldn't afford when they were available so I just missed out. Recently, Just Nan came out with the limited edition "Gilded Dragonfly" kit which was limited to 1000 kits. Wow, think how many stitchers there are that would have loved to have had that beautiful kit, but only 1000....? So I asked myself, "What is it about this design that I really like? Is it the flowers? No, not really. Is it the specialty stitches? No, not really. Is it the dragonfly? Hmm, yes, I really like the beautiful dragonfly charm (which I was able to find online here). But what is it I like the most about it? THE COLORS!!! I love the colors and the fact that it is a scissor case and fob set!!! So I decided to design my own set using the features I liked the most - similar colors and a scissors case finish with a dragonfly of some kind. It had to be an original design - I wanted to be sure it would be completely different than Nan's design so there would be no question of copyright infringement. I hope I have achieved that. The first step was to design a suitable dragonfly - I originally called the design the "Poor Stitcher's Dragonfly Scissor Pocket" because it was designed to be stitched with DMC instead of silks and had a stitched dragonfly instead of an embellishment one. I decided on the new name because a stitcher wouldn't need to feel guilty about the cost of stitching this one! I know you will recognize the chart as being the same as the Hummingbird Scissors Pocket and Fob. That's because although I designed the Dragonfly Pocket first, I actually like hummingbirds better so I adapted the design and decided to stitch it that way instead. "Guiltless" Dragonfly comes in two color schemes - a light and a darker one - depending on the fabric you choose to use. The opalescent fabric I like to use needs the darker color scheme to show up on it but I love the lighter color one which was actually the original design choice. A gold dragonfly or a silver one, metallic blue or metallic green, with French knots or with beads - lots of opportunity here to customize the design and make each one unique. I'm including some more fob variations that will match both the Dragonfly and the Hummingbird set. Happy stitching!!

Click on images for larger views












35 comments:

Ruth M. said...

Wow, VERY nice---Beautiful work--i will have to go search out my stash for the perfect threads, lol.......

Theresa said...

I love your designs!!! Thank you for sharing them. I'm definitely going to try this one!! I hope my final piece can do your beautiful designs justice....

Anonymous said...

What beautiful designs--thank you so much for sharing these! I can't wait to stitch these up. I can only hope they will turn out half as nice as Olga's. :D

Annie said...

Thank you so much for sharing these designs. They are really beautiful.

staci said...

That is a lovely pattern! How generous of you to offer it for free!!!

Anonymous said...

I really love your designs and would like to thank you for providing these beauties. :)

patternnuts said...

Gorgeous! Thank you so much!

Lucy said...

Thank you so much for sharing...beautiful!!!!!

Daffycat said...

Wonderful design~ Thanks for sharing!

CJ in OK ;-) said...

Your detailed patterns are really terrific. I look forward to seeing what's next. Happy Stitching CJ(ok)

Hazel said...

These are lovely too. I can't decide which colour scheme I like best. Maybe I'll end up stitching two!! xx

tkdquintmom said...

This is beautiful AND affordable! Love it! I already printed off the hummingbird one but I love them both. I do have a question for you, could you kindly email me when you have a chance? xstitchquintmom@msn.com thanks!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for these lovely charts!!! I love your creations and I always feel a lot of pleasure when I come on your blog!
Thank you so much!

Kisses

Corinne

Claudia said...

Thank you for being so generous!!! The pattern is SO beautiful!!! I LOVE dragonflies and this design is a real gift for me!!! As soon as I stitch it, I leave you a message for you to see it in my blog, OK? (sorry, it´s in Portuguese, but there´s a lot of cross stitch ("ponto cruz" - here in Brazil - there...) which has no language...

~mj~ said...

Thanks so much for the freebies! Your designs are lovely, and I couldn`t agree more about the 'limited edition' kits out there. The specialty threads, charms and assorted "do-dads" they often call for make them ridiculously expensive. The designers often own the company that makes the threads and charms, which is fine from a business perspective, but a PITA for stitchers. Some designers put their charms on things that could very well do without, and do it just to sell things. I realize designers need to make a profit, and no doubt it is difficult at times, but they have forgotton the people they are designing for. Perhaps they would sell even more patterns and kits if they reduced their prices. I, for one, can not afford hundreds of dollars for a needlework kit. I do the same as you do. If I want to work it badly enough, I take the designers inspiration and rework it to suit myself and draw up my own charts.

Sorry to be so long winded. I`ll get down off my soap box now.

fiore-crea.blogspot.com said...

BRAVISSIMA.

CIAO

fiore-crea.blogspot.com said...

I don' t WRITE INGLISH.

BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS.

Anonymous said...

Your blog is beautifull, thank you! (sorry for my awfull english)

Anonymous said...

What a lovely idea, your designs look beautiful

Solitary Raven said...

I leave for awhile, knowing it takes awhile to design, and I come back to not only my favoritist design yet, it has dragonflies in it:) and cute ones to boot!
Thank you! Perhaps I should check in more often!
Laura

Michele said...

Gorgeous design! Congratulations on a wonderful piece!

Michele

Anonymous said...

So lovely things you designed, tiny and sweet. Thank's for our eyes this blog is full of wonders (sorry for my poor english). I will come back soon.

Anonymous said...

very nice ! thanks a lot !

Anonymous said...

very nice design thank you

Graciela said...

Muchas gracias, hermosos tus diseños.
Saludos

Graciela

Anonymous said...

Wow, that dragonfly set is utterly gorgeous! Now I'm stuck which one to stitch ... hummingbirds or dragonflies! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful designs! :D

deborahinwi said...

Hello, I enjoy reading your blog, and I have added it to my reading list!
If you would like to add me, i'm at
http://northwoodsstitcher.blogspot.com/

trillium said...

This is lovely! Thanks for your efforts to give us more goodies to create.

nela said...

muchas gracias esta muy hermoso...

Unknown said...

How pretty! Thank you for sharingit with us! :)

Rebekah said...

Those are really beautiful designs! Thank you very much for sharing these! I love dragonflies and my Mom loves hummingbirds. Hmm..I can make the hummingbird one for a gift for her. :-D

DUSTY said...

Your designs are lovely -- thank you for your hard work and your generosity !!!
Dusty from CT

Anonymous said...

The dragonfly charts are just beautiful. I have been searching for something special to do for my sister n law and aunt and you have provided just that.

I have a question you have listed two #987. I know this is not right so what might the correct colors be.

Thank you very much for your hard work.

monkey22

Anonymous said...

Wow, this is beautiful work!
It is such a lovely design, you are very talented!

maryy said...

Vous avez un très joli blog et merci pour tous ces beaux modèles. Cordialement.
You have a very nice blog and thank you for all these beautiful models. cordially