What A Lucky Gal I Am!

Those who attended the recent Weekend of Stitches retreat (sponsored by House of Stitches in LaPorte, Indiana) were showered with gifts.  Someone said it felt like Christmas morning.  Linda, the shop owner, had door prizes and a parting gift for all the attendees.  Even I got a parting gift!

Look what was inside!

Linda had wonderful wooden tool blocks with ruler/threadholders made for all of us.  Both the block and the ruler/threadholder are inscribed with the name and date of the event.  This will be a lasting keepsake from our wonderful weekend.  The block has holes in the top for scissors, needles, and other tools like my frog counting pin.   (Unfortunately, the frog pins are no longer available.)

Here is another view of the tool block and ruler/threadholder in front of the shaker sewing box I found antiquing in Connecticut in July!

I put my class kit threads on a paper hornbook to have them organized.  In class I talk briefly about the history and purpose of hornbooks and show a few images of antique ones.  Then I pass around some reproduction hornbooks.  One of the gals in my class, Ruth Ann (Fran) Russell, asked me if I had a copy of the little book, A Little History of the Horn-book.  When I said no, she gave me one.  WOW!!  I was blown away by her generosity. 

 Below is a photo of the front cover, and below that is a photo of the inside-back cover.  I love this image!

Fran told me later that she knew the book was meant for me--I love hornbooks, plus this book had originally been in one of the Cincinnati libraries.  (I think I need to visit library sales more often if such treasures are offered.)  Thank you, Fran, for this wonderful gift.  I will treasure it always!

I was so happy to finally meet Fran in person.  Many of her C Street Samplerworkes models are on display at House of Stitches.  As in so many cases, the models are so much more beautiful in person than in a photo.  Last year I stitched Fran's I Sigh Not for Beauty, and now have it hanging in my family room.

My last gift was from Pat G. from Michigan.  Pat's husband, Bob, does woodworking and has made a "perfect bow maker".  The four pegs are movable so you can make bows of different sizes.  Thanks, Pat and Bob.

I first met Pat a couple of years ago at A Stitchers' Gathering in Louisville, Kentucky.  A Stitchers' Gathering is a retreat put on by Rae Iverson.  The location may vary from year to year.  It was Rae who first encourage me to teach classes, and my first two teaching pieces, Call of the Sea and Long May She Wave, premiered at Rae's retreats.  Pat was in my first Long May She Wave class and sent me these photos of her completed class project.  Great job, Pat!

Charts for both the 13-star and 50-star flag are in the class kit. Pat chose to stitch the 13-star flag.   Both her photos show the little sewing case opened.  The first photo shows the case outside and the second the inside.  The scrimshaw pieces in her photos are from another project, My Favorite Things Stitching Basket, which is available at your local needlework shop. (The scrimshaw pieces can be ordered from me.  I can only ship them within the US--sorry!) 

Long May She Wave is available only as a class project.  You can check my teaching schedule on the left sidebar of my blog or on the teaching page of my website to see when and where Long May She Wave will be taught in 2013.  Linda and I are also looking into fall 2013 dates for me to teach both Long May She Wave and  Fruit of the Vine Sampler Huswif  for her Weekend of Stitches.  I'll let you know as soon as we finalize the date.