Lots of Finishes to Share!

Grab a cup of tea, sit down, and enjoy these photos of some wonderful projects created by some very talented needleworkers.

Here are some items from Julie H. First is her Ackworth Friendship Book. Since Julie and I know many of the same needleworkers, it's been fun trying to figure out whose initials are on her various book pages. I got half of them right away, but I'm still working on the others.

Julie also completed Kindred Spirits. She was in the premier of this class last November when I taught for the Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild.

I saw both of these projects a few weeks ago when Julie brought them to Stitchville USA's Spring Fling. Thanks, Julie.

Next is Kim's Hannah Cummins, 1828. Didn't she pick the perfect frame to highlight her sampler?

Next are photos from Pam Z. The first three are of her Kindred Spirits project. Pam was in the same class with Julie last November. She is giving the completed worke box and accessories to a friend.

Look what Pam created using one of my Mini Quaker Samplings and snippets from my Quaker Pattern Book.  I love to see such creative finishes!!

Pam wrote, For this project I used 36 count HD Linen (LSL) in Vintage Tarnished Silver, and I stitched it with Gloriana Silk Northern Lights. The inside is a light blue Dupioni silk. My husband is a woodworker, and he made the double frame in Maple. It has a little magnet to close it.

      We live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and I am a member of the Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild. I am also a quilter and knitter. 

     I learned a lot from your fabulous instructions on Finishing when doing A Lady's Worke Box. So glad I took that class when the guild had you come teach for us last November. I plan to stitch more of your other patterns soon.

And last, but certainly not least, are photos from Barbara R., who lives in the UK. Barbara was in my classes when I taught at Fobbles in 2011. She and some of her friends get together regularly to work on the class projects.

Here is Barbara's A Needleworker's Sampler/Huswif.

Thanks Julie, Kim, Pam, and Barbara for sharing photos of your work.  I'm just sorry that it's taken me so long to get the photos posted.

I think that I'm now caught up on posting photos that have accumulated in my mail box. If you've sent me a photo and haven't yet seen it on my blog, please resend it.

Introducing "Mini Quaker Samplings"

Quaker Samplings began in 2006 as a pair of samplers, I and II. These samplers were very popular, and so I added Quaker Sampling III to this series. Now with Mini Quaker Samplings, I'm adding two more samplers, Quaker Sampling IV and V. (The package contains charts for both.)

These samplers can be stitched entirely in cross stitch over two linen threads using one ply of embroidery thread. On each of my models, I decided to stitch the first letter of my first name using four-sided stitches to set it apart from the rest of the letters in the alphabet. I cross stitched everything else. These samplers can be stitched on linen or aida.

The models were stitched using one ply of Brethren Blue Sampler Thread from The Gentle Art on 36-count Meadow Rue linen from Lakeside Linens, Inc. We suggest you buy 2, 5-yard skeins of your favorite overdyed thread if you want to stitch both samplers using one ply of thread like we did.

Quaker Sampling IV. Stitch count: 73 wide x 93 high

This sampler features floral and bird motifs that are often found on Quaker samplers.

Quaker Sampling V. Stitch count: 103 wide x 102 high

Medallions are also a popular feature on Quaker samplers, and this sampler features half medallions.  The theory behind stitching only half of a medallion is because it is symmetrical, why stitch the same thing again?

As you can tell from the stitch count, both of these samplers are fairly small making them quick stitches.  I hope you will enjoy them.  Stitch one or both (or perhaps even my whole collection of Quaker Samplings.)

I hope to ship the new charts to shops on my automatic shipment program in early February.