Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

Beads of Courage

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Nascar Race Mom sent me an e-mail requesting help getting the word out about Beads of Courage. If you aren’t familiar with this worthy cause, Beads of Courage is an outreach for children with serious illness. Each of the different colored beads given to the children tells a story of strength, honor, and hope. The beads are symbolic of the children’s milestones through often challenging treatments and of hope during every step of the journey.

The Jimmie Johnson Foundation is “dedicated to assisting children, families and communities in need throughout the United States. In its third year, the Samsung Helmet of Hope program is a partnership of the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, Samsung and Lowe’s.  This partnership is part of the Samsung Hope for Children program, a corporate giving program that aligns athletes and retail partners to help children learn, live and thrive.”

Your vote for Beads of Courage could help them win an additional $20,000 from the Samsung Helmet of Hope For More. Voting ends on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 5pm EDT so please hurry over and vote! Get more details at Nascar Race Mom’s blog.

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Mini Pumpkins and Jack o’Lanterns to Cross Stitch

I just can’t resist sharing a few more Halloween cross stitch patterns when they are as cute and quick to stitch as these!

This boo cross stitch from Luzatolye was the first little Halloween cross stitch pattern to catch my eye. I love the pumpkin Os! At just 23 by 8 stitches and using four colors, you can stitch it up in no time. On 14 count fabric it measures 1.6 by.5 inches, or about 4 by 1.27 cm. 

Another cutie from the same designer is this jack o’lantern with a witch hat. Another four-color project, this one is 14 by 18 stitches, which is an inch by just a little more than an inch, or around 3 cm square, worked on 14 count fabric. 

If you like your minis a little bit bigger, this jack o’lantern with leaves is from White Protea Art and measures 47 by 28 stitches. That comes out to 3.4 by 2 inches, or 8.5 by 5.1 cm, when stitches on 14 count fabric. It uses nine colors. 

Or there’s also this little cutie from that same designer. I love the little leaf on top of the pumpkin. At 33 by 36 stitches, it comes out to 2.4 by 2.6 inches, or 6 by 6.5 cm, when stitched on 14 count fabric. I think it uses around eight colors. 

Template Love Create also has two mini jack o’lantern cross stitch patterns that I like (I swear I didn’t plan to do two from each of the same designers, it’s just the whimsy of an Etsy search!). There’s one that is more round and one that’s oblong, which I like because it’s different from most of the pumpkin patterns you see. The pattern listings say both are six colors (though they look like four to me) and 28 by 28 stitches, but I don’t think that can be true. Either way they both fit in a 3 inch hoop and would be a super cute little addition to your Halloween decor.