Dulaney Woods Treasures: December 2015

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. It's hard to believe it's already all over with and tomorrow will be New Year's Eve. Where does the time go?

I wanted to share a few of the stitches I did for family and friends. I have always tried to make some hand mades for loved ones. It just seems like a special way to say I love you.

This piece was for my sister JoAnn. I used a Chessie and Me pattern to make it.

Here is what I made some of my sweet friends. I forgot to take a picture of them finished but you get the idea LOL!!!

I decided my mother would love my blog hop piece and since it's my first punch pattern ever.... I gave it to her. I think she was happy with that. :0)

My friend Holly finally got her Pineberry Lane- Black Jack pumpkin...I did him in orange for her though. She was so surprised...she said she thought she'd have to wait forever before getting one.

I also managed to finish a stitch I've been working on for the last few years. I guess you could say a Christmas gift to myself LOL!!!

My hands are never to far away from my stitching needle...it's what makes me happy.

I hope this post finds you all happy and healthy!!! Happy New Year too!!!

Hugs,

Theresa

Day #10 in the 12 Days Of Christmas Blog Hop

Welcome to Dulaney Woods Treasures. I would like to thank you for taking the time to follow the lovely blog hop Wendy from Ravenwood Whimzies has been so kind to put together. It has been a pleasure to participate in such a lovely hop with so many talented ladies. I hope I can make them all proud as this is my first blog hop. I'm a bit nervous and I hope I explain things well enough. There are a lot of photos so if I didn't explain it well enough hopefully the pictures will do the rest. Please read through the directions completely before starting, so you have some idea of how it's all going to fit together.

Snowy Night Needle Punch:

Here are the supplies you will need.

DMC threads in the following colors and how many of each:

Snow:

453 (1)

3024 (1)

3865 (1)

3866 (1)

Sky:

930 (5)

3750 (3)

3768 (1)

Tree:

3011 (1)

3012 (1)

3052 (1)

3031 (1)

Snowman:

712 (2)

739 (1)

921 (1)

310 (1)

3031 (0)

Moon:

783 (1)

Small scissors

Hoop

Ultra punch needle (or other)

Needle punch threader

Pencil

Weavers cloth

Wool

Matching thread for the wool

14 Buttons

Doll needle

Iron

Pins

NOTE: You will be using a medium needle head in your punch needle along with all six threads of your DMC thread on setting 1.

After collecting all your supplies you are ready to begin. First trace your pattern onto your Weavers cloth by using a window as your light box.

Once your pattern is traced onto your Weavers cloth place it in your hoop. I use a standard size 7 hoop you can pick up at any craft store. I know many punchers use a Morgan brand locking lip hoop but I find I don't mind tightening my fabric in my hoop every so often.

Now that you have your fabric tightly in your hoop you are ready to thread your punch needle. Please refer to your punch needle instructions that came with your needle for doing this. Once that is done set your punch needle on setting one.

This sets your loop size to be short which is my preferred setting since I don't like my punches to look like shag carpet. :0)

It's time to start punching. You will punch all the out lines and small details first.

For those of you who haven't punched before we are working from the back side so this photo and the ones below are pictures taken of the working surface (the back of the project).

Punch all your outlines first and details. Thishelps the smaller details to be seen...if you do the background first the smaller details will get lost and distorted by the other thread).

Once you outline something you can begin to fill them in. Make sure to trim your thread tails after you punch a little ways this keeps them out of the way and so you don't punch them under. My thread tails are always about 1-2" long (I use a pair of manicure scissors to trim mine).

Keep it neat where you are working and trim the tails off very short.

I did the whites for the snow in different sections...mixing it up making it look like snow drifts.

I used the darker blue 3750 to create shadows and to outline things before filling in the sky with the 930.

This is the back of the project once it's done. As you can see I punch very close together. If you are just learning punch needle don't stress this comes with time...practice...practice...practice. I can't stress that enough.

Here is a picture of the front.

Now some of the details like the snowman's eyes and coal buttons down his front...along with the snowflakes will be done after the piece is completely punched. You'll be working on the front of the piece to do this and tying off in the back. I used knots to add those details rather then trying to punch them.

You will cut five 4" long pieces of black (310) DMC thread. This will do the coal down the front of your snowman and his eyes. Tie a knot in the middle of each. Thread a large doll needle with one end of the floss.

On the front side of your punch insert your needle where you want to put your coal button and push the needle through until your knot is flush with your needle punching.

Bring the other end of the floss through to the back the same way.

Now tie it into a single knot on the back and trim your threads. Do this for all the snowflakes, coal buttons and coal eyes on your snowman.

Once your piece is completely punched and you have done all the knots for the snowflakes, eyes and coal buttons you are ready to connect your punch to the wool backing. First you will need to cut off the excess weavers cloth....I cut mine about 1/2"- 1" away from my punched piece. Then you will need to iron that in on the backside so it gives you a nice pressed edge to stitch with.

Now you will trace the wool backing pattern onto a piece of freezer paper. Then cut your new wool template from the freezer paper and iron (use the wool iron setting) it to the wool you'll be using for the backing.

This makes it easier to cut into the shape you need.

Once you are done cutting you can simply peel the freezer paper off.

Now you can center your punched piece on your wool and pin into place.

As you can see I have a matching DMC thread to stitch my piece down. I want the back of my piece to be very clean looking. Thread your needle and begin to stitch your punch into place.

I like to hide my knot inside.

Now that your knot is hidden inside insert your needle into the wool backing and pull tight.

Once on the back side insert your needle into the wool backing and just catch the weavers cloth close to the edge of your punching.

You will keep doing this until you go all the way around. In the photo above I just wanted you to see how the stitches look. Now for one of the fun parts -- looking for the perfect buttons to put on your wool petals.

I used antique white mother of pearl (shell) buttons but what ever you want to use is perfectly fine. Just stitch these down with your matching thread and you are done. Now I did stain mine after I finished and you may do the same with a little walnut stain if you wish. I mixed my walnut stain as directed on the package.

I hope you have fun creating with this design...enjoy my friends!!! <3 Also I'd love to see your finished pieces so please drop me an e-mail.

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

48 in drained maraschino cherries (10 oz jar)

1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Combine flour and Cocoa powder in a mixing bowl; set aside. Beat butter in a large bowl for about 30 seconds with a electric beater on high. Add sugar through baking soda; beat until mixed. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Gradually add flour and Cocoa mixture.

Shape dough into 1" balls; place on a ungreased cookie sheet. Press down the center of each ball with your thumb. drain maraschino cherries, saving the juice. Places a cherry in the center of each cookie. In a small saucepan combine the semi-sweet chocolate pieces and the sweetened condensed milk; heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of the cherry juice you set aside. (Sauce may be thinned if need be by adding more cherry juice).

Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the sauce mixture over each cookie making sure to cover the cherry. Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes or until done. Makes about 58 cookies.

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Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Hugs,

Tee