Baby Mockingbirds (Vicki Sawyer) UPDATED

Carolyn Hedge Baird has just finished stitching Vicki Sawyer's Baby Mockingbirds.  This design is distributed by Melissa Shirley who posted a photograph on her Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/370199729251/photos/pcb.10152834796744252/10152834794829252/?type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/nestndlpt/photos/a.366613130049979.87853.141607859217175/1117916774919607/?type=3&theater

Your local shop will be able to order the guide and canvas from Melissa Shirley design or you can ask  Chaparral where Carolyn works for help obtaining the canvas and guide which will be available shortly.
http://www.ndlpt.com

A guide for Baby Mockingbirds is also available from Virginia Barney.  Email her at stitchstyleblog@gmail.com or through her Stitch Style blog.
http://stitchstyleblog.com/2015/02/finished-party-in-the-coop/

http://stitchstyleblog.com/2015/02/baby-mockingbird-stitch-guide/

UPDATE:  Enriched Stitch will teach their version of Baby Mockingbirds at the shop May 30th.  I think a guide will be available with the thread kit after the class, but check with the shop to be certain.
http://astheneedleturns.com/baby-mockingbirds-class-2/

Wanda Witch (Renaissance Designs)

Carolyn Hedge Baird has done a wonderful stitch guide for Renaissance Designs' Wanda Witch with her little cat.  You can see three photos of the almost finished canvas here.  Use the side arrows to navigate.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=833640773325781&set=pcb.749477645129396&type=1&theater

You can pick up the guide via Carolyn's shop, The Chaparral.  They'll even get the canvas for you if you like.
http://www.ndlpt.com

Oliver the Owl Loves Halloween

Laura Perin is continuing to alternate creating wonderful counted designs and doing fabulous stitch guides for Sandra Gilmore canvases.  The next canvas to get the Laura Treatment is Sandra's Oliver.  You can read about Laura's special touches here.  To order, either ask you shop to get the canvas and guide from Fleur de Paris (Sandra's distributor) or you can pick up the guide itself from Laura (second link).
http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/2014/10/whooooo-loves-halloween.html

http://www.laurajperindesigns.net/ljp-stitch-guides.html

Who loves Oliver?  We do!

Puffin Spotted in Maryland

If you love puffins and/or Ruth Schmuff's stitch guides, you will want to pick up the canvas for Scott Church's Puffin canvas, distributed by CBK but available with the guide thrown in for free at Ruth's shop (second link).
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/10/puffin-parade.html

http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/puffin/

Suzanne Does Free Guides UPDATED AGAIN

Suzanne of the Hugs and Stitches blog is sticking her toe into stitch guide territory by offering to share the steps she took for the projects she worked on her own and posted about on her blog.
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2014/10/exciting-new-project-underway.html

UPDATE:  Here is more of her Santa piece.  This is one of the designs she is doing a stitch plan for.
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2014/10/progress-on-santas-suit.html

http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2014/11/santa-has-belt-and-buckle.html

http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2014/11/santa-has-new-suitjust-in-time-for-big.html

http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2014/12/mrs-clauss-fur-collar.html

Here is what Suzanne stays of what she calls "stitching plans"--

I am trying to keep up with my "stitching plans" but I will at least throw one together if someone asks for it.  So if you decide you want the plan for any of these projects that I created myself, just let me know via email and I can send you the pdf guide for reference and ideas.  Until I consider myself a professional stitch guide writer, there is no fee. And since it's free, there is no pressure for it to be perfect...so, there's THAT.   heehee

I do not re-release any guide that was written or provided by a shop/writer, only those that were my creation in entirety.  thank you.

No, Suzanne, thank YOU!

Everybody, take a browse and see if anything Suzanne has created from scratch catches your fancy.  She's willing to help you out, which is very nice of her.

UPDATE #2:  Suzanne shows off her paid guides here.  She's also added a tab on her blog with a list of her available guides (second link below).
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2015/03/stitching-plans-by-suzanne.html

http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/p/stitching-plans-by-suzanne.html

The Three Witches

Just in time for Halloween, Michele at Bristly Thistle has finished her stitch guide for Pajamas and Chocolate's "Three Witches."  I think it is charming.
http://bristlythistle.wordpress.com/2014/10/16/three-witches-stitch-guide-complete/

I'm sure Patt (the designer--Pajamas and Chocolates is the Patt and Lee hand painted line) is very pleased.  If you are charmed as well, you can pick up the canvas and guide via Michele's shop.
http://www.bristlythistle.com/paj142.html

Festival Owls Stitch Guide

Carolyn Hedge Baird just posted on Facebook that she's nearly finished stitching the Vicki Sawyer/Melissa Shirley canvas called "Festive Owls."  You can get a good idea of what the finished piece will look like here.  I think it's magnificent!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10203250884456936&set=gm.745653792178448&type=1&theater

Here is Joanne's version, just finished. She used Carolyn's guide, too.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160841405492968&set=gm.8103229373087483&idorvanity=108537025890131

If you are interested, use Facebook's messaging system to let Carolyn know or contact her through Chaparral Needlepoint in Houston, Texas.
http://www.ndlpt.com

Virginia at Enriched Stitch has also done a stitch guide for the Festive Owls.  You can contact her at the shop or emailing her at stitchstyleblog@gmail.com or through her Stitch Style blog.

http://stitchstyleblog.com/2015/02/finished-party-in-the-coop/

Laurie Walden UPDATED

Melissa Shirley has added a profile of Laurie and the guides she has written for MSD canvases to her website.
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galcol/index.cgi?index=1311778482_8805&col=158

UPDATE:  Laurie has a website now!  If you click on the Stitch Guides section you can choose between the designers Laurie's done guides for.   Click on the designer name to see models of the finished designs.  They are a varied lot, but Laurie's done a great job on each and every one.  Since this article was written in 2014, Laurie's website is the best place for current information on guides available.
http://stitchlaw.com

Laurie's Rabbit Family from Labors of Love has been especially popular.  Laurie teaches these pieces as classes but I think you can get the guide from her if you aren't going to be in the area where she is teaches.
http://www.laborsofloveneedlepoint.com/stitched-rabbits.html

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=985960161503048&set=gm.1085793944831096&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1514892371862164&set=gm.1252463678164121&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1699535790064487&set=gm.1390400864370401&type=3&theater

A Free Stitch Guide from Palma: Seaside Shell Cracker

Seaside Shell Cracker

Palma Seljan has posted two free stitch guides for some of Melissa Shirley's little seasonal cracker canvases on Facebook, and kindly offered the guides to me to post here, too.  So here's a treat from Palma--The Seaside Shell Cracker.  The bare canvas is shown in the link below.  As you can see, there are several in this ocean-themed cracker series, all of them great fun to stitch.  Many thanks for the guide, Palma!
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galsearch/index.cgi?index=1369675910_4619&col=

Yesterday I posted Palma's guide for the Halloween witch's hat cracker.  Use the Previous arrow at the bottom of this article to see it.   Now here is Palma's guide for the Seaside Shell Cracker.

*************************************************

Stitch Guide

Design: Seaside Crackers by Melissa Shirley - Shell

Area	Thread	Stitch
Centre Square Background	#12 Kreinik braid 9732	Skipped Tent
Shell	Oriental Linen OL 030, OL 057 #3 DMC Perle 3033	Make spokes with the DMC Perle. Then Spider Web stitch with the OL following the color design.
Sand	Weeks Dye Works 5 Pearl 1111	Upright Cross
Border	Sea Grass 134 Crystal Braid CR13	Lay the Crystal Braid and then stitch with the Sea Grass 2 vertical stitches, skip 2
Side Panels	Watercolors 127 #12 Kreink braid 9400 6 mm Twisted Bugle beads TW206-260F (link at the bottom)	Slanted Wave from “Got Stitches”? by Gone Stitching, page 12. Watercolors for the vertical stitches and Kreinik for the Diagonal. Place bugle beads at intersection.
Blue Line	#12 ThreadworX metallic 910031	Stich 2 Satin stitches vertically, 2 Satin stitches horizontally
Squares	Tila beads TL402FR-TB, TL413FR-TB	Attach to the area following color design
Light blue line	Crystal Braid CR13	Van Dyke

For the twisted bugle beads: http://www.caravanbeads.net/ProdList.asp?scat=7 

A Free Stitch Guide from Palma: Halloween Witch's Hat UPDATED

Palma's Halloween Witch Hat Cracker

Palma Seljan has posted two free stitch guides for some of Melissa Shirley's little seasonal cracker canvases on Facebook, and kindly offered the guides to me to post here, too.  So here's a treat from Palma--The Halloween Witch's Hat Cracker.  Here is the bare canvas.  As you can see, there are several in the Halloween cracker series, all of them great fun to stitch.  Many thanks for the guide, Palma!
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galsearch/index.cgi?index=1314913556_26839&col=

Tomorrow I'll post Palma's guide for the Seaside Shell cracker.  But for now here is Palma's guide.
UPDATE:  Palma used rizo beads held on by a small round bead in her borders.  They don't appear to be listed in the guide but I think this is what she used.  The site calls them "rice droplet" beads.  They are shaped like fat rice grains and have a hole in one end only.
http://www.fusionbeads.com/3x6-5mm-Bright-Neon-Orange-Rice-Droplet-Seed-Beads

*****************************************************

Stitch Guide

Design: Halloween Crackers by Melissa Shirley – Witch Hat

Area	Thread	Stitch
Centre Square Background	#Sea Grass 113 #14 Sundance beads 422A	T-stitch Attach beads at the yellow dots
Hat	Petite Very Velvet V601 Kreinik Micro Ice Chenille 17 #11 Luminous Delica beads DB2038, DB2031, DB0756 #11 Luminous Delica beads DB2040 #14 Sundance beads 516, 422A	Sprats Hat Couch the Kreinik Attach the delica beads with basketweave stitch for the border For the flower: string the beads and tack them in place; for the petals you’ll have to string 1 time for each color one for the outer part and one for the centre.
Black line	Silk Lame Braid SL133	Continental over 2
Orange Border	Crystal Braid CR12	Van Dyke
Side Panels	#5 Painters Thread 108 Petite Sparkle Rays PS02 Petite Sparkle Rays PS52 Shimmer Blend Ribbon Floss 304 Mill Hill Petite Glass beads 42014	Cashmere with Painters Thread and Tent with PSR. This stitch I think is called “Corduroy” – it is cashmere with tent in between For the yellow area – Diagonal Roumanian For the orange area: Satin stitch String the beads and place along the balck line
Green Line	Petite Sparkle Rays PS02	Van Dyke

Snowman at Play

If you are a fan of the snowmen from Ewe and Eye and Friends (and who isn't!?), you'll want to admire the cute version done from a Terry Christopher stitch guide.
https://www.facebook.com/2thepointneedlepoint/photos/a.823291674369494.1073741833.157438187621516/823291847702810/?type=1&theater

You can reach Terry via Facebook at the shop's 2 the Point Needlepoint Designs and Fibers page or use the contact information at the 2 the Point website.
http://www.topoint.com

Autumn Stitch Guides for Melissa Shirley Designs

Melissa Shirley Designs has created an album of fall themed stitch guides on their Facebook page.  It's a fun browse, even if you don't happen to have any of Melissa's pieces to stitch.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152756568754252.1073741880.370199729251&type=1

I spotted guides by Cynthia Thomas, Laura Taylor, Beverly Churchfield, Paula Fehleisan, Fay Haverly, Wendy Harwood, Jan Ayeroff, Gina Luizzi, Tony Minieri, Robin King, Carolyn Hedge Baird, and Vicky DeAngelis for Melissa's own designs plus pieces by Mary Lake-Thompson and Debbie Mumm.  Melissa has even done a few guides for her own pieces.

Have fun exploring Thanksgiving and Fall Harvest delights by Melissa and her friends.