Sale at LNS

On Thursday I went to my LNS and found a large amount of patterns on sale (75% off). I searched and searched through them to find something new to work on and the only pattern I came up with was


Birds of a Feather, Garden Romance. Originally $7 marked down to $1.25!! I like the pattern and I have most of the sampler threads to stitch this up. I think it would make a great pillow to add to my collection. Sometimes after working on a large project I like to do a small one or when I am traveling.

Here is my progress on Hester's Needle:


I really like the detail of this small sampler and the colors are perfect. Enjoy!!

Hester's Needle

I finished the bands for the month of January for the TN sampler project and began Hester's Needle. I am using a 40 ct distressed linen that I purchased from Silkweaver and overdyed Sampler threads. Not in suggested colors but very similar. I am trying to use up fabric and threads I have on hand without buying new. I really like working on this linen since it is distressed and an evenweave..beautiful!!

Tennessee Samplers

Last Wednesday I attended my cross stitch sampler meeting at my LNS Double Cross in Knoxville TN. A representative from Tennessee Samplers gave a lecture and slide show presentation of original Tennessee schoolgirl samplers. She also proposed a project that will last through most of the year and will incorporate actual bands from the original samplers. I chose to use the 36 ct Birds of a Feather Barn Owl linen and silk threads from my stash. The sampler will be quite large. Each month at the meeting the members of the group will get 4 or so more charted bands to add to the samplers. I chose to use the red and blue colors. I will post pictures as I progress. I worked on some of the bands over the weekend.

Rainy Day Blues

My family and I are searching for a house in Knoxville, TN. The search is slow going until we found the perfect and I mean perfect home on Saturday. We placed a bid and then found out it was sold. I am still very dissappointed and it is Wednesday!! Anyhow, the search continues...very frustrating. Any advise?

As for cross stitch. I started a new project on Monday. I am doing it on a 40 ct linen and it is very pretty. The pattern is from Hester's Needle. It is called Garden Path (on left). I changed the colors to use my increasingly large stash of Sampler and WDW threads. I kept the colors pretty much in the same tones.

Well my older DD is home since they have a plumbing problem due to all the rain at her school today (very nice?!?) and so is my younger DD.

Enjoy the day, my friends.

Hardanger Hang Ups

Thank you for your comments on the Blackbird Designs project. I will enjoy it for many years to come.

My family and I have been sick with a stomach virus and now I have a terrible sore throat. I am not feeling well, but life goes on .

I bought a book on Hardanger (above) from Herrschners . It is a beautifully, detailed book with over 200 pages of graphs. However, I am not sure how to carry thread when I am wrapping muliple vertical rows (as needed in the Whitework samplers I would like to do). If anyone knows what I am talking about please email me. Thanks...

I also need to purchase more linen so that I can start another sampler. I have some 32 count, but I really like to work on tea stained 36 or 35 count. On Wednesday I have a sampler meeting at my LNS and I may just have to wait until then to purchase it.

Have a relaxing Sunday....

Blackbird Designs

The picture above is project from the Blackbird Designs book Tokens of Friendship that I did last year. I sent it to Summer Truswell for finishing and look what she did...It's beautiful!! I also had her put a pocket in the back for those paper sachets that you buy at craft stores, food stores, drug stores, etc.

It's lovely...Thank you Summer!!

Blogs

I love reading other blogs related to stitching. Everyone is working on such beautiful projects. I especially like reading what it is like to live in other countries. Stitching in Holland and Romy in Austria are just two of the blogs I really enjoy reading...what did we do before blogs?

I did some stitching on the Essamplaire Jane Turner and it is very slow going because it is so intricate. My current rotation in Scarlet Letter Sarah Tatum, Essamplaire Jane Turner and I am looking for another project to work on also. I think it will be a Norwegian design, not sure yet.

I also want to mention one of my favorite on-line cross stitch stores. It is Homespun Samplar I have bought many patterns there and the turn around is very quick. I have even gotten excellent advice when I called in to ask a question.

Here is one of the patterns I have my eyes on.. It is from Needle's Prayse and it is called 17th Century Whitework...Stunning...

Enjoy and have a wonderful evening..

Drawn Thread Work

It's a bright, sunny morning here in TN. It's usually not sunny here in the morning. Last night my DH and I went to his company Christmas party at The Chop House. The atmosphere was dark and it had many fireplaces and shelves with a lot of different plants and knickknacks. For dinner we had filet with a baked potato. For dessert they served us an extremely large piece of cake. I had apple, caramel pound cake (it sounds better than it tasted). We had a lot of fun...

As I approach the finish of Jane Parish I plan to do some cut work or drawn thread work. I have always wanted to give it a try and now is the time. Has anyone done drawn thead work? Is is difficult to learn? I will give it a try, hopefully today. I have had a pattern from Needle's Prayse. They do not have a website so I am giving you a link to an on-line store that sells their patterns Needle's Prayse patterns

I really like it when patterns have intricate cross stitch then drawn thread work....so beautiful.

Enjoy and have a special Sunday.

thinking of freebies

It's a cold morning here in the Tennessee valley. I woke up early and already made our bed, cleaned my daughter's room, scrubbed the kitchen floor, did dishes, put of load of wash in, made breakfast, swept, vacumned and it's only 7:44 am. Another day in paradise?!?!

I am making tremendous progress on my Scarlet Letter Jane Parish sampler. It should be done in a week. It is very nice. Not a favorite, but I am satisfied.

I am posting a link to a website that has nice freebies I thought you may enjoyKreinik and of course Drawn Thread. I made the pumpkin keeper on the Drawn Thread freebie page into a pillow. I repeated the design four times sewed on a pumpkin charm and it came out lovely. It is still one of my favorite autumn pillows.

Enjoy and have a peaceful day.

Lavender & Lace Angels

You know how much I love samplers, but now I have my eye on the Lavender & Lace angels. They are so beautiful and detailed. I see a lot of them stitched on Aida cloth. However, I am not a big fan of Aida, I prefer linen. The Aida is easier to work with but I don't think it gives it that heirloom, professional touch.

I just purchased Angel of Spring to work on after I finish the samper I started on Jan 1. I started Cathrine Russel from Antique Sampler and Needlework Magazine. I would like to work on a Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter angel this year. It would be nice to have a wall of cross stitched angels in my home, along with all of the samplers.

One of my DD is back in school today, one is home. Yesterday we went roller skating most of the day. Yes, I put on my roller skates and skated with them. I really enjoy roller skating even though I am a Mom.

Enjoy and have a peaceful day.

First Complete Project 2006

I finished Shady Day yesterday evening. For a small project it required a lot of time and work. I am pleased will the results and will get this one framed.

I restarted my walking and exercise schedule yesterday also. Now I need to continue to clean up my diet which I also did yesterday. This morning it is thundering here so I will do floor exercises.

My husband is off today due to New Year's so we will have a family day. I had wanted to go to Pigeon Forge, but we will see about the weather.

As for cross stitch. I will start a new sampler so that I have three projects in my rotation.

Hello stitching friends. Enjoy your day.