HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

May your holidays be filled with peace,

love and joy,

happy treats,

special surprises,

and of course..... some stitching time!

Temporary Detour!

Just a quick update on my misplaced website:

If you're having trouble getting to www.ljperindesigns.com
please try using this address:

http://laurajperindesigns.tripod.com

and it should get you there.

There seems to be some mysterious roadblock to my website...
(hmmmm....maybe it's lots and lots of snow)

Anyway, hopefully I'll get this issue resolved soon, and have things back to normal.

Sorry for the inconvenience!

Need a Little Christmas??

I've been very busy this season stitching up gifts, working on new designs for the coming New Year, finishing and mailing off models for the TNNA trade show in Jan. 2009, etc., etc., etc. . . . So guess what? I haven't had any time for leisurely blogging lately. Sorry about that....

BUT... I did take time to post on my website another seasonal freebie pattern for all you seasonal stitchers out there. It's called HOLLY & IVY and it looks like this:


It's a small 4.25" x 4.25" square, stitched on 18 ct. mono canvas. I used an assortment of Rainbow Gallery threads, as well as #5 pearl cottons. The original variegated thread I used - Overture V63 - has been discontinued, BUT, you can still get Encore E63, which is the same elegant variegated color, but a slightly finer thread, so use 2 ply of that instead of the 1 ply of Overture.

Anyway, I stitched this cutie several years ago, and came across the model a few weeks ago, remembered how much I liked it...and thought I'd share it now with you.

And if you want to stitch up a matching companion piece for it, check this out:


It's called HOLIDAY SQUARE. For this freebie, please visit Rainbow Gallery's website: www.rainbowgallery.com and click on their FREE PATTERNS page. You can download this pattern, which I recently sent to Rainbow Gallery as a special seasonal treat.

HAPPY STITCH-FILLED HOLIDAYS!!!

T'is The Season

I have to admit that not only am I a "seasonal stitcher" (I prefer stitching bunnies and chicks in the springtime, Santas and reindeers in December), but I'm also a "seasonal designer." I really have no interest in creating Christmas designs in July. Instead, I love getting inspired for my designs in the proper seasons.

So now that the holiday season is upon us, guess what?? Yup. I'm busily stitching away on new Christmas designs.

Here's the very latest holiday pattern I've finished. I call it BOX OF ORNAMENTS, because the rounded blocks remind me of those old-fashioned ornaments with sparkly caverns exposed on one side:


I've taken a traditional quilt block and jazzed it up for the holidays. I've used red, green and gold ribbon metallics for the centers of all the "ornaments." Unfortunately, the photo just doesn't show all the sparkle and glitter of this design.... but it's really an eyeful of Christmas cheer!


Here's an up-close look at all the elements in the design - all very fun to stitch.You'll notice that there are lots of different ornaments to stitch: small, medium and large... And since I couldn't decide which outer border to use - the red/green/gold banner or a very fun peppermint stripe - I've graphed both and will let YOU decide which border you want to stitch!

So, if you're interested in my BOX OF ORNAMENTS, please check out my website (click on the LAURA J. PERIN DESIGNS link in the list on the right.) for more information.

It's That Time of Year

It's time to pull out the Christmas decorations. All those santas and trees, reindeers and snowmen. Every little thing that's red and green and twinkling bright.

Here's one of my holiday quilt patterns I call RED BIRDS AND WREATHS:


If you look at it carefully, you'll see the flying red birds in the corner sections (they remind me of cardinals, don't you know....not that we have cardinals here in Northern California, but I like to imagine them anyway).

And then the green motifs remind me of wreaths. Hence the quilt name.
Unfortunately, you can't see the sparkly red metallic diamonds in the center squares that are sprinkled thruout the quilt. Photos just don't show the metallics. sigh.... but trust me, the red sparkles add quite a festive touch to this pattern.

And I even stitched this design in two ways: one with nine blocks (above) and one with four blocks. Both graphs are included in the pattern. Here's the four-block version:


I've always thought these would make great pillows for Christmastime. (Not to mentions stitching them in other colorways: earth-tones, blues and golds, pastels, etc., etc., etc....)
Soooo....Are you in a holiday mood yet? Well, get out all those reds and greens and golds and GET STITCHING!