Special Projects from Three Special Ladies!

I was delighted that three of the ladies at A Stitcher's Hideaway brought finished With My Needle projects for me to see in person. I thought you would enjoy seeing these very talented needleworkers. They were all gracious enough to let me take their photos with their projects.

First is Barbara with her completed My Treasures Sewing Case. Barbara told me she stitched it after seeing her friend's completed one. The cute little sheep lining fabric comes in the package with the chart. Barbara crocheted the button that closes her case. Such a nice job, Barbara!

Next is Deb and her completed Busy Bee Sewing Case. I stitched my model on blue linen, but Deb decided to use red.  I never would have thought of using red on this project, and I love it!!  The design is so striking on the red!  (I think I now need to stitch a design on red linen.)  The bee lining fabric comes in the package with the chart.

Deb told me that until this project she had never made any changes to any project instructions, but she knew I like to encourage people to make changes.  I like to see stitchers put their personal touches on a design to make it "their own".  After seeing how great this piece came out, I think Deb now has the confidence to make more changes in the future.  It is such a liberating feeling.  Congrats, Deb, on a great project!

  

The next three photos are from my classes.

First is Donna's Call of the Sea which I taught at A Stitcher's Hideaway in 2005.  (I think it was either the second or third class I ever taught.)  Donna and her sister-in-law drove in from Long Island for the class.  Over the years both of them have attended lots of classes at A Stitcher's Hideaway. 

Donna did such a beautiful job with both her stitching and her finishing work as you can see in the photos.

Barbara, whose photo you saw earlier in this blog posting, was in the same Call of the Sea class as Donna in 2005.  Hold your breath when you see what she did with the project!

Not only did Barbara make the sewing case project, she added a lined basket, a scissors weight, and a shell pincushion!  On her basket lining, she repeated some of the motifs that were on the inside of her case.  I wish you could have seen it in person!  It was just stunning! I was blown away by Barbara's creativity.  You are truly amazing, Barbara!

I'm sorry that I forgot to get a photo of the inside of Barbara's case.  Like on my model, her case has three silver fish bodkins that look like they are swimming in the sea.

And last, but certainly not least, is Barbara's A Needleworker's Sampler/Huswif.  This project was designed to be finished either into a huswif or framed as Barbara chose to do.  Barbara took this class with the Mayflower Sampler Guild in Duxbury, Massachusetts.

I first met Barbara years ago at Sampler Gathering.  What great memories we both have of our times there.  It certainly was great to see her (and her beautiful stitching) again!

Thanks Deb, Donna, and Barbara for sharing your beautiful work.  Also thank you for letting me show photos of you so that my blog readers can see the ladies who created these wonderful pieces.

My Treasures Sewing Case and Busy Bee Sewing Case are both available through needlework shops.  A Needleworker's Sampler/Huswif and Call of the Sea are class projects and are not available at shops.

LOTS of "eye candy" from Anke! (Part 1)

Oh my goodness!! Look at the photos Anke from Australia sent me of some of her needlework!!  In this post, I'm showing you photos of her Busy Bee Sewing Case, Maidens of the Sea, and Quaker Turtles.  I'm saving her photos of Strawberries So Faire Sewing Cases for later in the week so that you aren't on overload.

Anke wrote, I came to realize that by now I’ve stitched -and finished!- a few of your designs. A bit of a surprise as it is either the design itself or the way it's finished that makes me choose a project and not its designer. But then again your "Acorn Sampler Sewing Case" was one of the very first charts I bought when I started cross stitching back in 2005. Daunted, I put it aside, and now even with some finishing experience and a few projects that incorporated specialty stitches done, I’ll savour the chart some more.

 Loved doing the "Busy Bee Sewing Case" -not only because my grandfather kept bees. Did it in 2008 using a mix of over-dyed and DMC threads; stitched the bees because I don’t like charms.

At the beginning of 2010, it was the "Maidens of the Sea" turn. Used HDF silk floss on 32 ct linen tinted a light antique blue. The needlepage is made from flannelette tinted grey and it’s closed with a freshwater pearl. The mermaids got eyes -didn’t add them to the "Busy Bee"women and find that without eyes they look somewhat soulless.

Got a very soft spot for tortoises, terrapins and turtles; add to that a love of stitching smalls and one cannot possibly go past your "Quaker Turtles". Stitched one set using the recommended materials and, as I liked the design so much, stitched it again over 2 -gives the design room to breathe. While I like the petite finish working over 1 effects, to me it sometimes blurs the finer details. The other set is worked with ‘Imperialosity’ HDF silk floss over 2 on tinted ~40ct unevenweave. I adapted the backstitch pattern to be worked over 3 threads -wasn’t brave enough to even consider picking up regular backstitches.

Remembered a stitcher cum lover of these ancient reptiles and made another scissor weight from scraps left over.  In case you’re familiar with Dr Suess' "Yertle The Turtle"… click here.




Oh my goodness, Anke!  So many wonderful pieces!  I love the extra turtles you added to your set!  Looks like you have quite a bale of turtles.  ( I have to admit that I had to look up what you call a group of turtles.)

Part 2 of Anke's beautiful needlework will be in my next blog post.

Sandra's Busy Bee Sewing Case

You may remember seeing some of Sandra's lovely work before. (Sandra is from Yorkshire, UK.) Today I have photos of her Busy Bee Sewing Case.

Sandra wrote, Seeing Su's "Busy Bee Sewing Case" reminded me that I have finished one or two of your projects, although this was stitched years ago. I would have used DMC threads as this was in the days before I was buying overdyed threads, or silks etc. I made a little thread holder to go with case and scissor fob. I believe the lining fabric came with the chart pack together with the bees.

case front

case backcase inside

Thanks, Sandra, for sharing more of your wonderful work. I really like the additions you've made to this project, and the bee waxer is wonderful!!

Sandra told me that she has recently finished her Acorn Sampler Sewing Case and hopes to send photos soon.

Su's Busy Bee Sewing Case

Susan M (Su) from the Cumbria region of Great Britain sent me these photos of her Busy Bee Sewing Case.

Su wrote, I stitched this some time ago now and I'm afraid as I always do I change colours etc, I used Kaallund Silk thread to stitch it all.

I'm quite excited as I have plans to stitch ''Maidens of the Sea' later this spring to put into the exhibition at Fobbles in July as they are having a sea theme going on this year for one of the displays.

sewing case front

sewing case back

sewing case inside

Isn't this sweet with all of Su's wonderful "bee things"? I'm hoping to meet her in person (and also see her lovely work in person) when I teach next May for Beverly at Fobbles.

Below is a photo of the outside of Fobbles. Isn't it charming? Thanks, Beverly, for letting me post the photo here.

Busy Bee Sewing Case and Remember Me Sewing Pocket by Peggy

I can't remember when Peggy Cook from Knoxville, Tennessee and I first "met". I know that it must be at least 17 years ago because it was before I helped to co-found the Queen City Sampler Guild nearly 15 years ago.

Peggy and I both love to stitch reproduction samplers. Over the years we've exchanged some very long letters and photos about the samplers we were stitching and also news about our families. We were finally able to meet in person when Peggy came to Cincinnati to take a class sponsored by my sampler guild.

Twice I've visited Peggy in her home and saw her exquisite samplers in person. I don't know when I've seen so many wonderful stitched samplers in one place!! Peggy later became obsessed with doing miniature samplers and later with needlework accessories. What a magnificent needleworker she is!

Sadly, we don't write each other as much as we once did.....back before we were on the internet. I think that our lives have just gotten so busy. However, I still fondly remember going to the mailbox and opening up one of Peggy's wonderful letters---often 10 pages long or more. I would read and reread each one.

Peggy recently sent me photos of some of my earliest designs that she stitched years ago.

First is Peggy's Busy Bee Sewing Case. Her first photo shows the case front, and the second one shows the case back. The third photo shows the case inside and the scissors weight.

The verse on the case front reads, Like the busy bee, may I with industry ever be. The darling bee lining fabric is included in the package with the chart and assembly directions.

Peggy also sent me a photo of her Remember Me Sewing Pocket. Peggy told me this is one of her favorites.

The project has 3 parts: a sewing case or pocket which can be worn around your neck as a name tag or simply to keep your needlework tools handy, a needlebook, and a scissors weight.

Peggy and I both stitched our projects over one linen thread, but you could stitch yours over two linen threads if you want to have a larger pocket....great for holding even more needlework treasures.

I particularly like using my pocket as a nametag at needlework seminars or tradeshows because I can slip my hotel room key, cash, and a credit card in it and not have to carry my wallet.

Another option for this design is to stitch and frame either the front or back of the pocket or both of them. Wouldn't they make cute petite samplers? Or how about making them into ornaments or pillows? Let your creative juices flow.