Lots of Goodies to Show You

I decided today to clean out my email mail box, and in doing so I found some photos that I forgot to show you earlier.  I'm so sorry.  I found so many photos that I'm dividing them into two blog posts.  I'll begin with the retail products that you can get at your local needlework shop.  In the next blog post, I'll show some class project finishes.

The first photos were sent by Ann, who owns Knowledge and Needles in Brighton, Canada.  Ann's customer Catherine S. decided to stitch Adorn Thy Heart to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary this August.  Catherine replaced the verse on my model with her own personalization.  She even found a place to add the words "Golden Anniversary" using gold thread.  What a special touch!

Thanks, Ann, for sharing photos of Catherine and her special sampler.  Catherine, I hope you and your husband will have a very special 50th anniversary year and that you will send me some more photos once you have your sampler completed and framed.  Perhaps you could include a photo of both you and Peter with the sampler.  Hmm--maybe also an old wedding photo.

Next are photos of Dee L.'s completed Quaker Needlework Box. You may remember Dee's name from past blog posts.  She is a beautiful needleworker (and finisher) and is also very prolific.

Dee stitched her box and the accessories on 32-count Antique White linen using Eggplant overdyed thread from Weeks Dye Works.  Dee  wrote, ...very labor intensive - could not begin to say how many hours/days are involved in the stitching and then the assembly!! The lining is a dark purple silk that I purchased in Gastonia, North Carolina at Mary Jo's. (Wonderful fabric store!!)

Yes, as Dee said A Quaker Needlework Box does have lots of stitching--all over one linen thread, but aren't the results outstanding? Well worth the effort I think you'll agree!  I've recently heard from a stitcher who is using blue thread for her version, so perhaps soon I'll have another completed box to show you.

Next is Kay Lynn S.'s Family Record Sampler that she stitched for her daughter and son-in-law to celebrate the births of her two granddaughters.  I love the way Kay Lynn added the words Stitched By Mom to the bottom of her sampler.  And look at that exquisite frame!  Kay Lynn, what a family heirloom you have created!  It is no wonder that your daughter was thrilled to receive this gift!

And last, but certainly not least, is the needlebook/sewing case that Linda Z. won as a door prize a few months ago when Darlene Anderson spoke on Adam and Eve samplers for my sampler guild, The Queen City Sampler Guild.  Perhaps you may remember some of the photos I showed after the event.  Linda had to leave early, so I didn't get to take a photo of the sewing case she won.  Does the design look familiar?  It is one my charts from A Is For Apple.  I love the way the design looks on the blue linen.  And wasn't Darlene clever to turn the needlebook design into one for a sewing case?

Darlene even included a pair of scissors with each sewing case she gave away!

Such a group of talented needleworkers!  Stay tuned for more photos from other gifted stitchers!

More Goodies from Denette

What a delight it was to receive these photos from Denette from Ohio of her completed Quaker Needlework Box and Blue House Needle Primer! 

Denette wrote, My work is just an example of how well you (and Tom) develop your instructions. They are so easy to follow. It helps that I am quite visual but none the less, the directions are incredibly easy to follow. Thanks again for helping me create wonderful keepsakes.

Thank you very much for the photos and for your kind words, Denette.  We take great care to provide very detailed instructions, and we pride ourselves on them.  After we have completed our instructions, we send them to two excellent reviewers who go over the instructions with a "fine-tooth comb".   This is an extra step we like to take to assure that what you receive is of the highest quality and is lacking nothing.  It's nice to hear that our efforts are appreciated.  Thank you!



A Quaker Needlework Box
(with needlebook, scissors weight, and two threadwinders)

 

Blue House Needle Primer Front
(The wooden hornbook and a mounting board are included with the chart.)



Blue House Needle Primer Back

 It is hard to believe, but a few months ago Denette was intimidated by the thought of assembling a three-dimensional project.  In the last six months she has also completed two teaching projects, A Lady's Worke Box and Call of the Sea, classes she took in the Canton, Ohio area.  I think she is "on a roll" with her beautiful finishing.

To see more of Denette's lovely work, just type "Denette" in the search engine (Search This Blog) on the left sidebar of this page.

After my last blog post, Kerri asked about a sampler that was partially shown above my fireplace.  Here is the sampler in its entirety.  Many of you may recognize Dutch Beauty.  The sampler is so large that the only place I could find to put it is above the mantle.  Also, because it is so large, I keep it in place year round and just decorate around it.

I'm continuing to work on the border of the Anne Maria Clarke sampler.  Three-fourths of the queen stitches in the border are completed!  Yahoo!  It is such a slow process!  My friend Margaret reminded me that there are more queen stitches in the flower baskets.  I don't think I'll mind them because the motifs will develop as I stitch those queen stitches.  I'm just glad that I decided to do all those in the border first, so that soon I can start having fun stitching this beautiful sampler.

A new needlework box for your stitching enjoyment!

By now many of you have seen my two newest designs at your favorite needlework shop, either in person or on-line.

A few days ago I introduced you to Hannah Cummins, a charming reproduction sampler. Today I'm showing you my newest  box, A Quaker Needlework Box.

This little embroidered box, which measures almost 3-1/2 inches by  3-1/2 inches, is the perfect size for holding your needlework tools. Place it on a table next to you when stitching, or take it to your favorite stitching event. (Isn't it fun to take such "treasures" with you to a stitch-in or to a class?)

On my model, I used 32-count Antique Ivory linen and Gloriana Cranberry silk thread.  I cross stitched the motifs over one linen thread using just the one color of overdyed silk thread.

There is no reason why you couldn't instead stitch the project over two linen threads to create a larger box. Just think of all the "goodies" a larger box could hold! Regardless what size box you choose to stitch, make sure you buy enough linen and embroidery thread from the same dye lot. The chart directions tell you how many cross stitches there are in the entire project.

On the inside of the needlework box are two pinkeep medallions. A large pincushion is on the inside of the box lid. (When stitching, why not take off the box lid, and turn it over to reveal the pincushion which will come in handy as you're stitching?) Charts and directions are included for the embroidered box, the pinkeep medallions, a scissors weight, a needlebook, and two threadwinders.

This project uses only backstitch, cross stitch over one linen thread, and four-sided stitches. Stitch diagrams are provided along with very detailed assembly directions. I've also included suggested linen and lining layouts so that you can make the best use of your fabric.

Our detailed instructions are 13 pages long plus the cover with large color photos. As many of you know we pride ourselves on our very detailed instructions. (I say "we" because my husband Tom draws all those wonderful figures you see in my products.)

I hope you like my newest designs.

I need to run.  I'm off to take my Hannah Lancaster sampler to be framed!  I can hardly wait to get Hannah back and on my walls.