Happy New Year 2018!

Wishing you a very happy and healthy New Year.

My prayer is for a year of healing for one and all!

Time flies by without posting, so I thought it would be better to have quick and short posts rather than none at all. I wanted to post these final 2017 finishes on New Year's Eve, but here they are now...

"Sprig of Holly"

by Pineberry Lane

"Christmas Fruit Basket"

by Threadwork Primitives

I actually stitched this Christmas 2016, but finally "finished" it at the end of 2017.

 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

~Matthew 11:28

Blessings, Patti

Bucket List Stop #2~Attic Needlework

My fun didn't stop when I left The Olde World Quilt Shoppe as I drove directly to Attic Needlework!

The last time I was in Arizona, I was four blocks from the shop, but just couldn't make it there.

This trip I was absolutely going to get there!

Oh My! Was it worth it! I have never seen a cross stitch store this large and well stocked in my life!!!

I walked in the door and had no idea where to look first!

Should I go right, left, or straight ahead?!

So much to see and take in, it was best to stand in place and move very slowly lol!

This beautiful table caught my eye very quickly!

Isn't everything stunning?!

Attic Needlework is blessed with many local designers.

And their work and models appear throughout the store. 

Each sampler is an incredible work of art

That are appreciated even better in person.

I recently purchased this Stoneware Rabbit kit and it is also so pretty in the variety of spring colors.

While Attic Needlework is the go to place for samplers,

they also carry many other themes and this Christmas wall was stunning!

Could I please have one of each? ;)

Many of the models are stitched over one, which make them even more exquisite.

It brought back my years of stitching over one. But as I aged and my eyes did too, it's not practical for stitching on the train/bus/water taxi anymore. Hopefully I will go back to stitching over one someday when I am retired and stitching at home.

A bowlful of beauties

A tin of treasures

A case of museum quality masterpieces

How can one make any decisions when surrounded by such loveliness?!

This tray with a design by Threadwork Primitives is stunning - the colors so subtle and the velvet pincushion perfectly matched!

An entire display of lovelies by The Primitive Jewel

Stunning in progress samplers done on 40 - 50 count linen.

I simply can't tell you how wonderful my time was at Attic Needlework. It was a pleasure to be there with many other equally smitten stitchers. And it was an honor to meet kind Jean Lea the owner of this phenomenal stitching mecca.

Attic Needlework has a website here and be sure to sign up for their newsletters - they are wonderful! You can find past issues here. They also have a Facebook page here.

Thanks for letting me share this wonderful trip! In my next post, I'll share my shopping at Attic Needlework and have a little giveaway for joining me on this trip.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;    my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

~Psalm 62:5-6

Blessings, Patti

Stitch Camp 2015 - The Campers

 

I'm back from another adventure, but find that I need to blog in order or I will forget :)

so that will be another story for another day...

 

One of the best parts of stitch camp is spending time with other stitchers.

I was so blessed to sit at the "Rock Star" table with these lovely ladies:

From left to right:

Linda Lautenschlager of Chessie and Me

Lisa from Maryland,

 (who I sat with at The Inspired Needle retreat with Plum Street Samplers last summer)

Pam from Illinois, who I've been taking classes with for years :)

Linda Danielson of Samplers Remembered

Tanya Brockmeyer of The Scarlett House

me

 

Wasn't I lucky to sit and visit with these Rock Stars for several days?!

 

And if that weren't enough...

 

 

I also was able to meet and visit with Theresa, Nan Lewis of Threadwork Primitives

and Pat.  I felt like I already knew these three buddies through Prim Stitchers Society on Facebook. Nan had been an online friend for years, but it is always so much nicer to meet someone in person :)

 

Now they aren't just online friends :)

 

 

And of course, Stacy Nash was there too, always fun to visit with.

 

Be sure to stop by Nan's blog here. She was smart and took table pictures of everyone there :)

 

Another fun part is show and tell.

 

Pam wore this lovely scarf that we all coveted - a gift from her pen pal in the UK.

 

 

Sherri wore her beautiful Stacy Nash necklace complete with darling charms.

(I need to dig mine out of my unfinished stash...)

 

 

Theresa's lovely finish of a Threadwork Primitives design -

both front and back - joining friends from Canada and the USA

 

Linda Danielson's finish of a lovely Lori Brechlin of Notforgotten Farms design.

A beautiful bracelet

 

with precious details.

 

Even the backside is gorgeous!

 

Linda also shared her wonderful antique needle threader helper!

I need to see if my Dad could create something similar :)

 

Here is a lovely finish of a Rebekah L. Smith design published in Early American Life magazine.

 

Isn't it sweet?!

 

The inside is gorgeous and useful!

 

I need to pull that magazine out ;)

 

And even more stunning finishes!

 

So much talent in one schoolroom!

 

We spent a lot of time oohing and aaahing!

 

And purchasing more patterns :)

 

Linda's beautiful sewing box.

 

And a stunning sampler designed by Tanya of The Scarlett House.

 

And yes there is still more fun to share...

 

I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.
~Psalm 119:30

 

 

Blessings, Patti

Bittersweet Sisters Fabric Challenge

Do you remember a month ago when I mentioned the Bittersweet Sisters fabric challenge? You can read about it here. The challenge was for us to create something with Lori Brechlin of Notforgotten Farm's wonderful Bittersweet fabric.

Well, here is the big reveal ;)

 I created 6 little sewing boxes - one for each of us - filled with a little group of antique textiles for our crafting, a wool heart, and a wooden acorn. I was so thrilled with the plant markers that I bought this past summer from Wendy of Pineberry Lane that I asked her to make 6 bittersweet spoons. I love the way the spoons turned out!

Nicki sure was busy! Look at all the lovelies that she made from her bittersweet fabric!

Wow! I loved them all, but that Bittersweet crafting apron is really something!

Here you can get a better peek.

And look at this! Carla said the Bittersweet fabric reminded her of wallpaper - perfect for this lovely wallhanging. The border fabric looks just like an antique combed wood frame. And that's not all!

She also used the fabric for gifts for all of us!

This sweet little sewing bird box is just wonderful!

The bird is made of the Bittersweet fabric and look inside!

So many treasures! The box itself is lined with Civil War newspaper. And also inside - these wonderful scissors, a spool of our favorite faux suede ribbon, wool acorns, and from the fabric - a thread holder, needle holder with an assortment of Carla's favorite needles all labeled by size and type, and the tiniest little packet of morning pins. Did you notice the vintage pins and antique buttons on the pincushion as well? So many details that I have been frequently admiring and oohing and aahing over! 

Kim made us each this wonderful personalized heart based on a design by our favorite designer - Maggie Bonanomi! It is right at home on the doorknob of my hutch in my dining room :)

and look at this wonderful packaging holding one of the gifts from Wendy!

a soldered charm holding the Bittersweet fabric with sweet little embroidered hearts!

I put it on immediately and have been wearing it almost every day since!

Such a great way to keep my Bittersweet Sisters close to my heart!

And that is not all...

 can you believe that Wendy also stitched one of these wonderful bags for each of us?!?!

This design is by Nan Lewis of Threadwork Primitives who was also a TDIPT Sister of mine :)

And isn't the finishing awesome? 

The finishing was done by Faye of Carolina Stitcher. 

You can read about her finishing of this project here.

Faye, your work is absolutely wonderful! And I especially love the winding vine on the hanger ;)

And I can't forget Linda!

She wowed us all, by creating not 1 or 2 but 5 of these incredible boxes!

(Linda, we think you need to make one more for yourself!)

How incredibly appropriate is this design?!?!

The colors are gorgeous and so is the ribbon trim.

But wait - take a look inside!

The box is lined with our Bitttersweet fabric and wonderful vintage buttons!

Linda also made a soldered ornament of us witches and brought us each back a candle from her trip to Paris. 

(Oops! and the paper tag of us witches is by Carla. Stored in the box so it wouldn't get crushed on the way home.)

I think I am one of the most blessed women on earth to be included in such a wonderful, generous group of talented women. I love you all! I think that I kept putting off this post as it seems to wrap up the Bittersweet Sisters Gathering 2013 and I really don't want it to end. I miss you all. But I guess as soon as we can catch our breath it is time to start planning Bittersweet Sisters 2014.

And if anyone out there is still following along, the fun doesn't end!

Next up is the Country Sampler Star Party and then finally will be the big giveaway of my trip gift bag...

Thanks for letting me share this special time with these special ladies!

"From his abundance, we have all received one gracious blessing after another."

~John 1:16

Blessings, Patti