We all know what it is like to have a Best Friend or BFF as my daughters now commonly call them! In fact my BFF from school days is coming to visit me in three days time for a girly weekend and catchup. We may only see each other once every couple of years but that childhood friendship lasts a lifetime and is something to be treasured. I am sure we will eat lots, laugh lots, cry much and talk incessantly for two full days…about every aspect of our lives, our families, our thoughts, dreams and worries. That’s what they are there for…
I have three days to also get some stitching ready to take – cos I can talk and stitch at the same time!
To celebrate my weekend of indulgence I thought it was time to introduce my little collectible family of Best Friends. Through our life we have many friends with many personalities.. There are the popular girls, the brains, the caring souls, the sporty ones and the shy types…they all make an impact and all have something to contribute to our ‘growth’ and how we turn out as a person..
So in honour of all of my life’s friendships here are 14 new patterns for you to collect… can you find yourself? or your BFF?
I have included two variations in each pattern – you can embroider them – with a few different embroidery stitches – (I have included complete stitch diagrams to help).. OR you can colour them – using the Colourque method and then just backstitch the outlines. Of course you could also choose to just backstitch and not colour – but colouring is fun! Instructions and colours for both versions are included in each pattern along with that trusty iron on transfer which of course will save you time and transfer 3-4 times.
You can see all of the different designs on my website but here are a couple of peeks for you…
A front cover showing the embroidered version
Rain or shine, you will find Alex outdoors. She is practical and very knowledgeable about the weather. (Don’t ask her about it.) She has a great sense of adventure and is always up for a little exploring, even when she should probably be in class.
And a colourque’d version (back cover)
Marie is very grown up and when she is older she plans to be a famous ballet dancer. She practices almost every day and practically lives in her dance clothes. This does make her very good a tying bows, though, and she is always helping others with the ribbons in their hair.
What to do with your besties?
Besties can be simply hooped and displayed as a single or a group on a wall OR collect 12 and make them into a simple quilt. There is a free downloadable quilt pattern available and the link is in each pattern so you can download and print it or just read it from your computer.Remember there is the tutorial on hooping your embroidery a couple of posts back on this blog. The designs suit a 6” hoop.
If you’d like to stitch these as a BOM Kate at Buttontree Quilts is preparing to run this as a program, give her a call.
Of course because I have made many many many friends over the years here on Facebook which I consider to all be my BFF’s in the stitching world so I have to offer you a chance to get your very own Bestie pattern..
So leave a comment here and tell me about your BFF friend and what she means to you, then choose which Bestie best fits her personality and if chosen, I’ll send you one… I’ll send out one free pattern for every ten comments so spread the word…
I’ll be back to choose after my weekend of indulgence (my husband has booked it as my birthday present and as yet I do not know where we are going – so I’ll tell you all about it next week)
hugs and hug your best friend today
Helen
Your post is really helpful, and I like your post a lot. Thanks a lot for sharing such positive information.
Posted by: Mobile App Developers | September 03, 2012 at 10:02 PM
I know I just posted a comment about my best friend, but I felt the need to also say that my 3 sisters are also my best friends. Since our mom passed away 8 years ago, we've made a pact to get together one weekend a year for a sibling retreat to celebrate our lives together and remember our mom. I live in South Dakota, Linda in Colorado, Elaine in Maine, and Kathie in New Hampshire, so this one weekend each year is the only time all 4 of us are together. It is a special time that we all cherish. Kathie reminds me of Angie; Elaine is a lot like Alex; and Linda is very much Zoe. Love my sisters and your Besties!!!!
Posted by: Susan Hopkins | August 07, 2012 at 12:17 AM
Penny reminds me a lot of my best friend. I can always rely on getting a hug when things are tough for me, or just because she loves me. I hope you had an awesome weekend with your special friends. It is wonderful that you have all made the commitment to stay close............friendships like that are so precious!
Posted by: Susan Hopkins | August 07, 2012 at 12:08 AM
My best friend is very much as Angie,she loves to bake and to have friends on parties.Always something new and very very yammy.She is very talkative and maybee the hair is in more wild curves than Angie has .We really have had many wonderful houres in our life.
Wish you good luck with this new design.
Posted by: ulla fredriksson | August 06, 2012 at 06:18 PM
Hi Helen, I have only known my best friend for just over 12 months. She has been like the sister I never had. We meet through our love of patchwork and stitching. Her advice, support, love and friendship means the world to me :)
Posted by: Laurynda Tormey | August 06, 2012 at 03:39 PM
They are so beautiful! My favorite is Penny. She reminds me of my wonderful friend Anna... I miss her very very much :(
Posted by: Rachelle Jones | August 06, 2012 at 01:25 PM
My best friend is the wife of my husbunds best friend and she was so great after I had my motor accident last year and 4 children had to go to school and sports. She was great in helping the family together and the household roling next to het job and son!
Posted by: silvia Broekhuis | August 06, 2012 at 05:31 AM
Helen, this is my first time to leave a comment, but I need to tell you that I love your patterns and have found a fabric medium here in Thailand so I can now color my stitcheries. I am sooo very pleased with this find! I have two best friends who look out for me, pray for me and are here for me, and vice versa of course. It makes all the difference in life, some times are to good to and some too bad t go it alone! I hoppe you had a really fun weekend!
Posted by: Cathy | August 02, 2012 at 10:57 AM
How gorgeous these girls are. My "bestie" would have to be a Penny - always there when you need her. Enjoy your fun times.
Posted by: Susan | July 30, 2012 at 11:10 PM
These designs are so great. I have known my best friend forever. She drove 800 miles this past week to be with me as I start radiation. She is like Gemma, athletic, strong and will do anything for you.
Posted by: Dell | July 30, 2012 at 07:10 PM
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Posted by: psd to html | July 30, 2012 at 05:57 PM
Love the designs! My best friend I met only eight years ago. We simply clicked. It was my first job interview since landing in a wheel chair. She created a job for me on the spot. We have worked together for six years after that. Even after that business failed, we still talk every day, travel together, run a foundation together, laugh, cry and are simply each others endless support system! I'll just call her now.....
Posted by: Heleen Groot | July 30, 2012 at 05:09 PM
Your Besties quilt is gorgeous Helen. My BFF is probably closest to Alex except she is a he, my wonderful husband Noel! He is always doing things outside.
Posted by: Christine M | July 30, 2012 at 05:03 PM
Helen... Wow another cute pattern...
I love the "Jessica" pattern.. It reminds me so much of my daughter... we are best friends..
She loves to have late night chats....
Sandyn
Posted by: SandyN | July 30, 2012 at 04:47 PM
Helen, i'm not entering to win a Bestie, but just want to say that these designs look like the perfect fun way to introduce young people to the wonderful art of stitching. They are all darling. Have a lovely break...
Posted by: Anthea | July 30, 2012 at 04:08 PM
Enjoy your time together. My BFF from college (we were roommates our last year) came down and stayed the weekend with me a couple of weeks ago. She's probably most like Gemma - although my friend would say she's all about field hockey and kicking butt. :) I have to say, this BFF of mine has been a really strong support for me over the past year as I've gone through a serious medical crisis. Not sure which I loved most about all her packages: the treats that she hunted down for me, or the cards and pictures created for me by her young daughter.
Posted by: beezus | July 30, 2012 at 03:16 PM
Firstly I hope you have a wonderfully relaxing weekend away with your Bestie! You deserve some R&R...
My Bestie...well we used to live in the same rural town and not a day would go by without us seeing each other, or texting or talking on the phone. August last year both our lives took on different directions, hers took her south, mine took me west. We now live approx 8 hours from each other. She is very much like me, crafty, (although her craft of choice is paper, mine fabric) and quiet. She would do anything for the people she loves and she is truly a "good person" for want of a better way to describe her. I miss her so much my heart aches.
From your Besties, both Angie and Jane describe her...But I think Jane has the slight edge.
Posted by: Kirsty | July 30, 2012 at 02:53 PM
Oh Helen, the besties are so cute and yes, I have probably had all of those friend at some point or another. Leila would most match my Becc. Now I have only known Becc for 2 years, but it feels like forever. I think she knows me better than I know myself.
Enjoy your trip away.
Posted by: Debra | July 30, 2012 at 02:13 PM
Love your Besties Helen! My best friend is most like Penny. She has always had a shoulder to lean on - every since first grade!
Posted by: Mary on Lake Pulaski | July 30, 2012 at 01:59 PM
Have lovley time H, those friendships last a lifetime :-)
Posted by: jo in tas | July 30, 2012 at 12:43 PM