Looking for a fun time or need a vacation?

I thought that I would use this opportunity to update you on some upcoming classes.

May 18-20, 2012, I'll be teaching once again at the Inn Stitches Spring Fling. Kim has moved the retreat this year to Dover, Ohio, which is about only 45 minutes away from Ohio's Amish country.  If you have the time, you could make a mini-vacation--take the class and spend a few days in the peaceful Amish country either before or afterwards. May should be a lovely time of year to be in the area.

The class project at Spring Fling will be A Lady's Worke Box. This is my newest class piece. I've decided to premier it at the Spring Fling because quite a few of the ladies who attend this retreat have already had all of my other classes. I needed something new for them.

A sewing or worke box has long been a cherished possession of many girls and women because it is a safe place to store cherished needlework items. And, of course, both plain and fancy needlework played a very important role in female arts in days gone by.

When finished, the project's 5½ x 9 x 7-inch-high box is decorated with an embroidered panel on the front. Another embroidered panel covers the inside of the box lid. A hornbook threadholder with an embroidered panel, a Jacob’s Ladder needlebook with an embroidered cover, a ribbon-embellished embroidered pincushion, and a three-sided scissors weight are stored inside. The box interior is lined with dupioni silk, and the lining has pockets for storing additional small items. The box comes decorated on the outside with a decoupage print matching the embroidered front panel. During assembly you can choose to cover the print with your embroidery or use the printed side as the back of the box.

Stitches Used: alternating double backstitch, backstitch, closed herringbone, cross, cross stitch over one linen thread, cushion (traditional and reverse slant), diamond eyelet, double-sided Italian, four-sided, herringbone, mosaic, plaited cross, Rhodes, Rhodes heart, rice stitch variation, smyrna cross, tent, tied half Rhodes, and zigzag.

Kit Contents: The kit includes the charts and very detailed stitching and assembly directions as well as 36-count linen, silk embroidery threads, DMC threads for the twisted cords and the whitework on the needlebook, hand-dyed silk ribbons, hand-dyed wool for the needlepage, dupioni silk for lining the needlebook and box, a wooden hornbook threadholder, a wooden ruler, a wooden box, two threadwinders, and printed covers for making a small notebook.

In addition to the class, Kim has made arrangements for us to enjoy a full tea luncheon on Saturday at the Magnolia House Tea Room. After that, if you want you can go to Warthur’s Museum. This museum is built like a Swiss chalet and showcases 64 ebony, ivory and walnut train carvings created by Ernest “Mooney” Warther. One of the highlight of our visit will be to stroll through the Swiss-style flower garden’s to Frieda Warther’s Button House. Frieda's collection has over 73,000 buttons arranged in beautiful designs on the walls and ceiling. Won't that be amazing? I hope they'll let us take some photos. Frieda will give us a behind-the-scenes tour of her collection.

If you are interested in getting more information about the class and other fun events, please email Kim at trennerneedleworks@yahoo.com.

Another exciting upcoming event is Stitcher's Hideaway in Sturbridge, Massachusetts where I'll be teaching the Fruit of the Vine Sampler Huswif. Having taught before at one of Sue's retreats, I know it will be a great time for all. Sue has timed her retreat this year to coincide with the 4th of July celebrations at historic Sturbridge Village. The class begins on July 5, so you can come a day early and enjoy the festivities at the village on the 4th. Sue has also arranged a special program entitled Celebrating Patriotism for the afternoon of July 6. The program will be presented by Sturbridge Village staff members. It certainly sounds interesting. And, if that is not enough enticement, Sue has also timed her seminar to be near the enormous Brimfield Antiques Show. WOW!! I can hardly wait. This part of the country is such a terrific area to visit. I can't get back there often enough!

The Fruit of the Vine project can be made as a sampler and framed, or it can be made into a huswif (or sewing case). On the inside of the huswif is a mattress-style pincushion and pockets for storing your needlework tools. An embellished dupioni silk band wraps around the folded huswif to keep it closed. The embroidery is the same for both the sampler and the huswif. The project also includes a coordinating needleroll and scissors weight.

Stitches Used: algerian eye, alternating double backstitch, backstitch, barrier, Belgian cross, closed herringbone, cross stitch, cross stitch over one linen thread, four-sided, herringbone, horizontal elongated cross, long-armed cross, montenegrin, mosaic, nun’s stitch, plaited cross, queen, ray stitch, Rhodes, Rhodes heart, Rhodes octagon, satin, small plait, smyrna cross, star, tent, vertical elongated cross, and zigzag stitch. We will also be working a closed herringbone box on the sampler/huswif and the scissors weight.

Kit Contents: The kit includes 36-count linen, silk threads, cotton perle, hand-dyed silk ribbon, skirtex, dupioni silk, beads for the needleroll closure and decoration, mother of pearl heart-shaped thread rings, a grape charm, pearlized pins, and complete and detailed stitching and assembly directions.

If you want more information, visit the Stitcher's Hideaway website.

Both Kim and Sue have opened their class registrations. Please remember that you must be present to get the class kit. I hope to see a bunch of you at one, or both, of these fun events. Both Kim and Sue are wonderful hostesses. You will have a wonderful time and go home with wonderful memories.

Looking ahead, I'll be teaching in La Crosse, Wisconsin October 20-21, 2012. The two projects offered there are the Fruit of the Vine Sampler Huswif and A Lady's Worke Box.

Then the weekend of November 10-11, I'll head south to teach once again for The Sampler Guild of Georgia which is in the Atlanta area. They are still working on choosing their projects.

Then looking ahead to April 12-14, 2013, I'll be off to Colorado to teach several classes for the Sampler Guild of the Rockies (including a brand-new piece that will premier with them). On September 7-8, 2013, I'll be back in the Chicago area with members of the Lake Michigan Sampler Guild.

There will be a few more teaching events in 2013, and I'll let you know when the details have been worked out.

Looks like I have a pretty full two years ahead of me. I'm looking forward to see a bunch of you...I love seeing old friends and making new ones.