Birth Sampler Ideas Needed

Ok, so considering the fact that I'm giving birth in 12 hours (planned
C-section), I'm about 9 months late deciding on a birth sampler
pattern for my baby girl! I've looked around a little bit, but
everything I've found is just so.....nauseatingly cutesy. So, I guess
I'm looking for ideas or ways some of you have turned "regular"
patterns or samplers into birth samplers. My tastes tend to run
toward Teresa Wentzler (for the challenge but not the fantasy), Lorri
Birmingham (for the classic elegance), or MLI. I'm not a fan of
Precious Moments, Stoney Creek, teddy bears, or "country home" quickie
type things. I'm not opposed to something religious in nature. Maybe
something "timelessly classic" in it's heirloomness. I don't want to
look at it hanging on the wall in five years and wonder what in the
heck I was thinking choosing that design. Ok, so I'm a little
finicky!

I need some inspiration here, so hopefully I can get something made
for her before she turns 1. I make stuff for everyone....I can't
believe I'm already failing my first born!

Jinx

Jinx the Minx wrote:
Ok, so considering the fact that I'm giving birth in 12 hours (planned
C-section), I'm about 9 months late deciding on a birth sampler
pattern for my baby girl! I've looked around a little bit, but
everything I've found is just so.....nauseatingly cutesy. So, I guess
I'm looking for ideas or ways some of you have turned "regular"
patterns or samplers into birth samplers. My tastes tend to run
toward Teresa Wentzler (for the challenge but not the fantasy), Lorri
Birmingham (for the classic elegance), or MLI. I'm not a fan of
Precious Moments, Stoney Creek, teddy bears, or "country home" quickie
type things. I'm not opposed to something religious in nature. Maybe
something "timelessly classic" in it's heirloomness. I don't want to
look at it hanging on the wall in five years and wonder what in the
heck I was thinking choosing that design. Ok, so I'm a little
finicky!

What about the Victoria Sampler "Heirloom Birth Sampler?"
Or the VS "Summer Dreams?" Both of those are very classic.
I know I've seen a few others here or there, but they're
not coming to mind at the moment.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Jinx the Minx wrote:
Ok, so considering the fact that I'm giving birth in 12 hours (planned
C-section), I'm about 9 months late deciding on a birth sampler
pattern for my baby girl! I've looked around a little bit, but
everything I've found is just so.....nauseatingly cutesy. So, I guess
I'm looking for ideas or ways some of you have turned "regular"
patterns or samplers into birth samplers. My tastes tend to run
toward Teresa Wentzler (for the challenge but not the fantasy), Lorri
Birmingham (for the classic elegance), or MLI. I'm not a fan of
Precious Moments, Stoney Creek, teddy bears, or "country home" quickie
type things. I'm not opposed to something religious in nature. Maybe
something "timelessly classic" in it's heirloomness. I don't want to
look at it hanging on the wall in five years and wonder what in the
heck I was thinking choosing that design. Ok, so I'm a little
finicky!

I need some inspiration here, so hopefully I can get something made
for her before she turns 1. I make stuff for everyone....I can't
believe I'm already failing my first born!

Jinx


DS's "birth sampler" (stitched when he was 13, LOL!) is the TW "Fantasy
Sampler" http://www.twdesignworks.com/Designs/fs.html.

Rather than do the alphabet in the middle, I chose a scripture passage
from Proverbs. Then I used the alphabet to stitch his full name and DOB,
his parents' names (DH and my maiden name) and his sisters' names. Had I
done it at birth, he wouldn't have had his sisters on there, since he's
the oldest. My intention with a birth sampler is not so much the *birth*
as the *life.*

(However, this procrastination may have an odd result with DD#2. Her
"birth sampler" is a TW UFO (the carousel), and hers will have not only
her DOB, but her high school graduation and college graduation, LOL! She
became engaged last week, so I may pull it out an add her wedding date
to it, once that's set. Now THAT truly is a LIFE STORY sampler!!!)


Now DD#2, the youngest of the lot by a decade, actually had her birth
sampler before her first birthday - it was the first one I did. Hers is
a Permin design, http://tinyurl.com/6lro2s

I think it was the second thing I ever stitched on linen, and my first
really big stitching project.

Like you, I'm not so much into "cute", and I don't bother with time,
weight, all that detail. On DD#2, in the spaces for those I put
"daughter of..." and "sister of...." To me it's the date and the family
relationshsips that are of long-lasting importance.

HTH,
sue





--
Susan Hartman/Dirty Linen
The Magazine of Folk and World Music
www.dirtylinen.com

On Jun 17, 1:05 am, Jinx the Minx wrote:
I make stuff for everyone....I can't believe I'm already failing my first born!

LOL! I know *just* how you feel! I, too, make stuff for everyone,
but DS is getting married next month (they've had the date set for
over a year!) and I didn't even *think* about stitching them something
until recently. sigh.

Others will have good ideas for you, I'm sure!

Joan

P.S. Good luck with the c-s! One hint: sweat (or loose) pants are
*great* afterwards!

Jinx the Minx wrote:



I need some inspiration here, so hopefully I can get something made
for her before she turns 1. I make stuff for everyone....I can't
believe I'm already failing my first born!

I'd like to second the recommendation for the Victoria Sampler's birth
sampler and mention that Lesa Steele Designs has a lovely one, too.

Elizabeth
--
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~living well is the best revenge~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate
and expand her sense of actual possibilities. --Adrienne Rich
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jinx the Minx wrote:
I'm looking for ideas or ways some of you have turned "regular"
patterns or samplers into birth samplers.


I took a regular alphabet sampler and at the bottom just stitched the
baby's name and date.

MLI has Baby in a Basket which several people have used for birth
samplers again, just add the relevant info in an empty space.

--
Karen C - California
Editor/Proofreader www.IntlProofingConsortium.com

Finished 5/21/08 - Helping the Hummers

WIP: Christmas Music Bellpull, Oriental Kimono (Janlynn),
MLI The Teacher (gift to the library), Bethany Angel,
Flowers of Hawaii (Jeanette Crews) for ME!!!
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel

CFSfacts -- where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf
Newest research blog: http://journals.aol.com/kmc528/Lifeasweknowit/

Jinx the Minx wrote:
Ok, so considering the fact that I'm giving birth in 12 hours (planned
C-section), I'm about 9 months late deciding on a birth sampler
pattern for my baby girl! I've looked around a little bit, but
everything I've found is just so.....nauseatingly cutesy. So, I guess
I'm looking for ideas or ways some of you have turned "regular"
patterns or samplers into birth samplers. My tastes tend to run
toward Teresa Wentzler (for the challenge but not the fantasy), Lorri
Birmingham (for the classic elegance), or MLI. I'm not a fan of
Precious Moments, Stoney Creek, teddy bears, or "country home" quickie
type things. I'm not opposed to something religious in nature. Maybe
something "timelessly classic" in it's heirloomness. I don't want to
look at it hanging on the wall in five years and wonder what in the
heck I was thinking choosing that design. Ok, so I'm a little
finicky!

I need some inspiration here, so hopefully I can get something made
for her before she turns 1. I make stuff for everyone....I can't
believe I'm already failing my first born!

Jinx


You can turn almost any pretty sampler into a birth announcement simply
by choosing the colours carefully and inserting a band that contains
baby's name and date of birth. Sandy Vanosdall is a favourite of mine
and I've used a number of her samplers (including her quick and easy
Sweethearts series) for exactly this purpose. I simply stitched the
sampler down to a point where I thought the name would insert well,
added that, stitched on and then added the birth details in a later band.

Another birth announcment was made from a lovely Noah's Ark design by
Sue Hillis. I just stitched the Ark in isolation and then added DD's
details above and below it.

If you use the sampler idea, you can add a 'baby' flavoured charm to
enhance it. I've added cherub charms and a bow of the appropriately
coloured ribbon to this end. Depends on what sort of sampler you might
like. Victoria's sampler and Lesa Steele do lovely hardangery ones.
Sandy Vanosdall does smaller ones with more detailed stitching. Just
Nan's are more cross-stitch based...

Or, you might prefer to choose, say, a baby animal design or a guardian
angel motif? Just about anything can be adapted, especially if you use
your chosen nursery colours.

Best of luck with the CS and remember to WALK TALL afterwards. If you
crouch, you'll wind up with the great granny of all backaches! ;-

--
Trish {|:-} Newcastle, NSW, Australia

First of ALL i hope you have an easy labour ,,,,
since you did leave it so late , maybe cahnge your strategey ,,, make
her a work that will grow with her [at least in her firstr year ,,,

First embroider her name , date and hour [opptional] of birth , add
names of parents +dates of birth [ooptional] , now you can prepare a
Smile a Tooth etc, and add the date you first see it !!!!
Embroider 1object with the number 1 beside it
, 2 objects with the number 2 ,, etc.....

Best of LUCK
mirjam

"Jinx the Minx" wrote in message
...
Ok, so considering the fact that I'm giving birth in 12 hours (planned
C-section), I'm about 9 months late deciding on a birth sampler
pattern for my baby girl! I've looked around a little bit, but
everything I've found is just so.....nauseatingly cutesy.
Jinx

Jinx -

Two of my favorites are Pat Rogers' "Roots and Wings Birth Sampler" and TIAG
Baby Garden. I did P Buckley Moss' "The Newborn" for my granddaughter
(who just turned 18) and she still loves it.

Wishing you luck

Kathie in VA

On Jun 17, 2:05*am, Jinx the Minx wrote:
Ok, so considering the fact that I'm giving birth in 12 hours (planned
C-section), I'm about 9 months late deciding on a birth sampler
pattern for my baby girl! *I've looked around a little bit, but
everything I've found is just so.....nauseatingly cutesy. *So, I guess
I'm looking for ideas or ways some of you have turned "regular"
patterns or samplers into birth samplers. * My tastes tend to run
toward Teresa Wentzler (for the challenge but not the fantasy), Lorri
Birmingham (for the classic elegance), or MLI. *I'm not a fan of
Precious Moments, Stoney Creek, teddy bears, or "country home" quickie
type things. *I'm not opposed to something religious in nature. *Maybe
something "timelessly classic" in it's heirloomness. *I don't want to
look at it hanging on the wall in five years and wonder what in the
heck I was thinking choosing that design. *Ok, so I'm a little
finicky!

I need some inspiration here, so hopefully I can get something made
for her before she turns 1. *I make stuff for everyone....I can't
believe I'm already failing my first born!

Jinx

How about the Noah's Arc by Dimensions. Put the baby's name & date in
the arched box on top & the birth info in the box on the bottom.
Great for a girl or a boy.

Last year I stitched up the Waxing Moon Roots & Wings & it turned out
really nice. It's something that Shelbi can always keep out if she
wants. Not too babyish. Her name & birth info was stitched onto a
seperate piece of fabric & put in a 5"x7" matching frame & attached to
the 8"x10" R&W frame with ribbons. The smaller piece can be removed
& put into her baby book when she gets too old to have it hanging in
view of her little friends, but the R&W will still be appropriate.

Good luck in surgery tomorrow. And enjoy the new little darling!

Hugs n' Stitches - RoseAnn - IN