a great needlework day for me on Wednesday and reflecting on my 2009 accomplishments

Wednesday was a great needlework day for me!!

First, I finished the Mary Busby sampler that I’ve been working on. I’ll take Mary to my framer, Carol, later today. She’ll be framed similarly to Ann Trump, Maria Spence, and Mary Wigham whose photos I’ve shown previously on my blog. I wish that the photo below would do justice to the beautiful colors Mary used. The colors are exquisite. Maybe once framed we can get a better photo. I plan to hang the four Ackworth schoolgirls together in our bedroom.

If you look at the very bottom of the sampler you might be able to make out the inscription I backstitched: Stitched by Ellen Quigley Chester in the year 2009 - West Chester, Ohio. The inscription won’t show when the sampler is framed, so I didn’t take the time to chart it out in advance and center it.

I feel it’s very important to document your needlework in some way. I often ask Carol put a clear plastic pocket on the back of a framed piece where I put information about the project as well as about myself. However, I have to admit that I haven’t been as good about this recently as I used to be.

The other great thing that happened on Wednesday was that I got a note in the mail from my sampler guild, the Queen City Sampler Guild, saying that I had won our 2009 challenge contest. (I won a $30 gift certificate that I can use for membership dues or apply towards a class.) Last January, we were asked to make a list of needlework things we hoped to accomplish during the year. If we completed items on the list, our names were entered into a drawing held at the guild Christmas party last Saturday. I missed the party (we were in Florida for my aunt’s funeral) so I wasn’t able to see in person the many items that our guild members completed during the year.

At this time of year I like to take inventory of what I’ve accomplished. Perhaps you like to do the same.

With My Needle projects
Family Ties sampler
Multiplication Table Examplar
My Needle’s Worke Box
Quaker Samplings III (to be released at the Nashville 2010 needlework tradeshow)
Huswif, unnamed at the present time (to be released at the Nashville 2010 needlework tradeshow)
Fruit of the Vine Sampler Huswif (a new teaching project that will premier with the Heartland Stitchers, March 2010)

“Recreational” stitching (The design company is shown in parenthesis following the name of the project.)
Completed Dutch Beauty (Permin)
Forget-Me-Not Stitching Roll & Accessories (Cat’s Whiskers)
Ann Pennsylvania Peacock (Little by Little)
Mary Wigham (Needleprint)
My Quaker Lady (Jardin Privé)
Mary Busby (Needlelace)

I guess that as 2009 draws to an end, it’s time to think about my needlework goals for next year. Are you making plans for next year too?

Meanwhile I leave you with a photo of My Quaker Lady, framed and ready to be hung on the wall.