As I mentioned before, there’s no point in honoring a book called Forlorn Toys without showing some of the toys. So I drafted up a representative sample.
I’m still filling in the background stars, but that should not take long. Then another plain band of long armed cross stitch, and selecting the first of what will probably be the last two strips on this piece. The final touch will be to revisit the motto section, adding themed elements left and right of the lettering, and perhaps jazzing up JOY a bit so that it doesn’t look so pitiful against the darker typeface used for the rest of the lettering.
As to the remaining strips – I’m actually running out of material. I either have to spend more time drawing, or stitch slower. But in the interim I have decided that designs used on pieces I have given away, never to be seen again are now fair game for repetition. So if you see something that piques a sense of deja vu, you are exactly correct. Done before, but not precisely in this way. An old friend returning for a repeat visit.
After this one on to the next. No clue yet as to what that might be. I have a couple of outstanding promises in queue. Possibly one of those. And those teddy bears… I may doodle up a couple of strip variations featuring just them, for folk who want to do up birth commemoration samplers, or bibs and toddler clothing trims for particularly favored children. Provided there is interest, of course.
String-Or-Nothing 
Let me know if I can send you 32 count linen. I purchased a full yard of Khaki.
Thank you for the offer! I am grateful, but I tend to work on finer counts, and feel kind of awkward taking freebies without fair trade.
Your designs are too beautiful to use only once!
That’s a very fine selection of folorn toys!
It is a joy following your stiching fantasies, extremely skilful, and so fun to look at!
I wish you all the best with your recovery, and countless joyful stiching days ( and nights, as all true craftswomen know. )
Thank you so much for sharing your art, thanks to you I have become interested in blackwork, and will try it once my workload lessens, hopefully this fall/ winter.
Best regards,
Anna-Barbara Kress,
Helsinki, Finland