Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Year of the Dragon...my first freebie!

Ever since I started my stitching blog, I have wanted to create some gifts for my followers, and here in the new year of 2012, and the Chinese Year of the Dragon, I have come up with this design for you all!  I hope to put out a new freebie every month this year for your viewing pleasure. Eventually, I hope to begin publishing my own patterns under the banner of Riversong Needlearts!  I have in the works more Chinese New Year animals, as well as many other ideas knocking around inside my brain. I am still learning my software and how to convert PCStitch Pro patterns to pdfs, so bear with me please!  Freebies will be available for your download, but please do not share the pdfs! You may direct friends to my blog instead. All the patterns I create are of course my property and under USA Copyright laws. I reserve the right to remove any freebie if abuse is noticed. Free patterns will be up for one year and then will be added to my catalog for sale once my company is up and running.  Please let me know if you like what you see, and please send me pictures if you stitch this or any other forthcoming pattern!  I'm willing to take requests on small designs, but cannot promise success quickly!

My creative process starts with Google Images. If you add the term "free rights" you get hundreds of clip art and free design motifs one can use with a clear conscience. This design is a compilation of several image motifs I used for inspiration, including a border motif and a Chinese Dragon figure with horns. From there is was just a matter of creating the border/corner sections and adding a fierce dragon face. The final size is 50x50. A gold backstitched line is added only if you wish to make a biscornu as I have done. I have stitched it on 28ct black linen, but you could use any color or count, even Aida, as there are no fractional stitches and only a little backstitch.

Please click here for the link to the pdf, which includes the key and other information about the chart. Save it to your computer and then print. You may need to use the snapshot tool to enlarge the chart, I certainly did! If you click on the first pic below you will see the chart clearly, and could right-click and save I think. You will not have the key unless you use the pdf. Still, a couple of quirks to figure out, including how to get the colors of the stitch blocks to show on the key with the symbols. Let me know if there are any issues with getting the pdf, please!

My stitched dragon.....
In order to make it into a biscornu, I stitched the red border/corner sections again to use for the back. You can add your personalization there as I have shown below. I left off any bead or button to make it dimple. The shape of the biscornu is what makes the finish I believe! You can add a ribbon hanger if you'd like.

Because someone has had issues getting to the pdf here is the floss list.


DMC 726 topaz -lt
DMC 725 topaz
DMC 783 topaz - md
DMC 816 garnet
DMC 780 topaz - ul vy dk
Backstitch Lines
DMC 783 topaz - md
DMC 816 garnet
                                                       


11 comments:

  1. I love this and have just added the link to my blog!!
    Looking forward to more Riversong originals.

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  2. Too cool, Kathy! Congrats on your first freebie!!

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  3. fab, can't wait to stitch that for hubby, good luck with your designing

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  4. Congratulations, Kathy, I love the new design and you are so clever. I am a new follower - I just came across from Jo's blog. Just to let you know, I tried to access the pdf but to do so I had to join Keep and Share and even then it said that I was trying to access someone else's account and that I had to request Sharecontrol from you - all starting to get a bit fiddly and cumbersome. Just thought that I would let you know.

    Hugs, Kaye xoxox

    http://kittenstitching.blogspot.com

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  5. Kaye thanks for letting me know! I just started using the site and it said that I could share with non- members, so I'll have to check on that in the morning. You can get just the chart from the pic of it by right clicking and saving. I will put the DMC used on the post tomorrow too....check back!

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  6. Kaye, I did a quick check and the link worked fine for me, took me right to the pdf. Did you save it first? You can print and take snapshot of chart for enlarging after you save the pdf. Don't know why it would give you that message. If anyone else has a problem let me know and I'll message the Keep and Share web master in the morning. Sorry! First one is bound to have some kinks to work out!

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  7. Okay, now it's really fixed! It was not made clear to me that sharing had to be enabled on the site. Sorry for the gremlins, or maybe FROGS in the works!

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  8. What a cute first chart, Kat. :D

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  9. Cute chart there Kat!! ROAR The Dragon says!!!

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