Monday, August 10, 2009

Free Chart... AND... a Giveaway!

We have this weird, prehistoric-looking wildflower that pops up each summer in various places around our property. They grow to be easily 7 feet tall by the end of July, so they create quite a statement, even if they aren't the most lovely of wildflower.

I glanced out the kitchen window a few days ago, and saw a strange grey-ish lump on the side of the prehistoric flower head...

What on earth?... Having a suspicion of what it could be, I grabbed my telephoto lense and snuck around the side of the house. Sure enough, a woodpecker!

Eating seeds? Bugs? Whatever he was doing, he was very happy, and allowed me to snap several photos before he swooped off into the forest.

It doesn't show, but he/she had a red crest on the very top of its head.

That one little incident inspired this design, a free chart for you to stitch up however you might like... (left click to get the enlarged version, then save to your desktop).

You may do what you like with this little freebie, even stitch it up to sell, but please give credit to me as the designer- otherwise, there are no strings attached.

Here is my version of "Woodpecker Pair" stitched on chunky prairie cloth (27 count!), and turned into a pinkeep.

I used WDW Havana, Mocha, Honeysuckle, Bullfrog, Curry, and Brick.

I backed it with some of my favorite fabric, a Williamsburg fraktur pattern, filled it with a mixture of sawdust, crushed walnut shells, and dried lavendar (I still need to embroider my initals and date).

Its not my best work... I used the wrong wool for the sheep's tongues around the edge, so it is fraying a little, and the corner tongues keep wanting to stick staight up(or down)... but, it is still a fun piece of work, and smells delicious too.

If you are interested, I will have Jack draw a name on Wednesday morning from all who leave a comment on this post that they want to be included.

28 comments:

Unknown said...

A giveaway, how fun. Yes, please include me in your drawing - pick me Jack!

Dora said...

Nice outdoor photos. I think that wildflower is a "Common Mullein." Love the bird, too!
Thanks for the free chart and sure, I'd love to be included in the giveaway. Thank you.
~Dora

staci said...

What a sweet pattern, thank you!

And I love your pinkeep...the backing fabric is wonderful and the entire thing is finished so beautifully. I would love a chance to own (and smell) it! Thank you!

Gayle said...

Oh my - who WOULDN'T want to be included? LOL I'm crossing my fingers I can be the lucky owner of one of your pieces of work.

Gayle said...

BTW - you may be interested in seeing this blog - Tammy is a rug hooker (like me) and she is making a rug that includes several flowers from her yard - including the one you snapped a couple pictures of to share with us. It's very interesting! Her blog is called Skip to My Ewe - you'll like it!

basketsnprims said...

It's a lovely pattern & I would love to be included in your giveaway.
thanks,
Pam

Dog Trot Farm said...

Love the little pinkeep, please enter me in your giveaway. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I just LOVE the pattern.. and what an inspiration for a design. Thanks for the freebie and a chance to win your pin keep...It is beautiful.
Pam

Margaret said...

I'd love to be included in the giveaway! Thanks for the free chart too. :D

Nancy said...

Very interesting wildflower! Don't you love woodpeckers? We have a few around our house, and I love to listen to them, and I think they are pretty too.

Thanks for the lovely free pattern! I would love to be included in your drawing.

Jennifer Ann Fox said...

oh, this is so pretty. And incidentally I was looking for something smaller just this past weekend to put my new lavender in! Oh it will smell heavenly. I put mine in my stithing bag and when I stitch then its smells great.
I would also like a chance for the drawing too!
Jennifer
jennifer.dalenberg@yahoo.com
http://www.feathersinthenest.blogspot.com

Diana said...

Would love to be included to win your pinkeep. I like the way you finished it. It was nice that that woodpecker visited you to give you the idea for the design. They are so fun to watch!

Thanks for sharing the design,too.

diana.h@comcast.net

Patti said...

How fun! The free pattern means even more knowing the inspiration. I think I'll see how it comes out on a teeny tiny count :)
Please include me in your giveaway! Love the idea of the tongues on the pinkeep - never thought of that before...Thanks for so generously sharing the pattern!
Blessings, Patti

pammyjo said...

I bet it smells wonderful and I can't pass a chance to possibly win one of your pieces. Very nice design. :) I have seen that weed around here in Illinois too. Hmmm? I wonder what it's called?

Ellen said...

Interesting wildflower! Thank you for the free chart.

Hugs,

Jeanne said...

Love the free pattern ! Please include me in the giveaway, its wonderful.

Amy said...

What a treasure this would be to own - a piece of work by the very talented & local to me Beth Twist. Pls enter me in your fun drawing.

Julie said...

What a great little freebie, Beth. I'm very impressed. So cute. Thank you so much for being inspired by that woodpecker. :o)

Tanya Willis Anderson said...

Yes, please - enter me in your drawing!!! Lovely design and awesome finishing, Tanya who is at the beach and working on Ann Taylor!!!

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy your cross stitch patterns, thanks for sharing. Please enter me in your drawing.

Your plant is called Mullen.
Ronnie in Washington

Karen said...

Lovely photos and pin keep! I recognise the plant from my book on cottage plants its called Verbascum thapsus

Something Nice and Pretty said...

My daughter has one of those plants right by the corner of her in ground pool...really strange looking:)
I love the pattern and the way yours turned out:) Please include me!
Rondell♥

Kathy said...

I would love to be included in your drawing.

And your free chart is wonderful. Thank you so very much. I love it.

Also you photos are fabulous. Love the woodpecker. great shots.

Kathy
katkiley@aol.com

Barb said...

Hi there we too have verbascum in our garden ,but not that high and no woodpeckers either. Wonderful picture though, and if I could be entered into your draw even though I am in the UK i would be soso pleased. Thankyou for the chart if I dont get to win the real thing well I shall be content with having that.
Just a thought wonder if he was after caterpillars as ours was covered in them the other day.Hugs Barb B

Anonymous said...

what a beautiful pattern, thank you for sharing. please enter me into your giveaway the pinkeep is adorable.
Lovely oudoor pics, looks like a wonderful place to live

primitivebettys said...

Ack! Where have I been & how did I miss this? :) Lovely freebie & pinkeep Beth! I'm too late for the drawing, but I still printed off the chart.

Thank you!

Smiles,

Betty

Petra said...

What a great design inspired by nature no less. Thank you so much for sharing your stories and designs with us!

Hazel said...

I guess maybe I'm too late for the drawing which is a shame as it's gorgeous! x