Until We Meet Again...

As you have probably guessed,

the Bittersweet Stitching Sisters will not be gathering in 2020

due to to the pandemic. 

 

We have been together for over 10 years now and look forward to spending time together each autumn.

We've been on many adventures each year

Throughout the Midwest

We've taken classes with our favorite teachers

at some of our favorite places

Although we hope and pray to be together again in 2021,

it won't be the same

We lost one of our dear Bittersweet Stitching Sisters this summer.

Our dearest Nicki passed away

We were blessed by her amazing faith, her endless generosity, 

her boundless support and constant positive attitude.

Nicki was always thoughtful and inclusive

She was talented in all of the various mediums that she worked in

from cross stitch and quilting to rug hooking and wool applique and knitting too

We are blessed for having known her

She is greatly missed!

Until we meet again...

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

~Psalm 91: 1-4

Blessings, Patti

A Few Late Summer Finishes

“Mustard Seed Manor Sewing Book”

Design by Stacy Nash

I bought this kit back in 2013

Stitched it on and off

Finished stitching in 2019 and finally it’s fully finished!

Here is the inside of the sewing book  

Everything that you could need

A place for pins and needles and floss too

A pocket for your pattern and linen and a place to store your scissors

Of course the back needed a little love ;)

“Truckin Along - August”

By Stitching with the Housewives

This was such a joy to stitch and was perfect for my birthday month.

I also made a little scissor fob to use for my fall stitching.

This was a limited edition kit by With Thy Needle and Thread. 

I had leftover thread and so stitched it again.

I made it as an octagon pinwheel, but forgot to add the pins lol.

I love the backing fabric.

Sign from “Truckin Along - September”

By Stitching with the Housewives

It was charted for pumpkins in the bottom corners,

but our family tradition is to go apple picking in September

So I decided to change it up.

I also changed two of the floss colors.

And here it is all finished.

And I had the perfect place to put it...

Great with my Rae Dunn apple pieces 😊

🍎 🍏 🍎 

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

And walk in the way of love, 

Just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us

As a rag rant offering and sacrifice to God.”

~Ephesians 5:1-2

Blessings, Patti

A Stitching Adventure

Last month, Mom and I attended Rebekah L. Smith’s 

Flower Pin Cushion class

At The Crafty Ewe 

In Broadview Heights, Ohio

We had such a lovely time.

Mom shared her latest masterpiece with Rebekah - 

a limited edition pattern by Rebekah L. Smith and Lori Ann Corelis.

 You can’t tell with the masks, but they we both smiling :)

We were thrilled to receive a great goodie bag from The Crafty Ewe filled with this great collection of Valdani threads. 

And we even had time to stop at a few antique malls, including this favorite.

I found this huge pincushion that reminded me of an

old trade sign and is about as big 

A well used tomato pincushion 

And some vintage notions.

Here is Mom’s completed class project.

And mine. 

It’s reversible, with a different color way on each side. 

Perfect for putting out on a table so you can view both sides.

And not only is it a pincushion, but the butterfly is a needle keep complete with a magnet.

Such a lovely adventure! 

A well done class with only five students 

And we felt so safe throughout our adventure

The Lord will keep you from all harm -

He will watch over your life;

The Lord will watch over your coming and going

Both now and forevermore.

~Psalm 121: 7-8

Blessings, Patti

Fully finished for Summer!

“Truckin Along - June”

By Stitching with the Housewives

I really like this series! Monthly designs are so fun.

I’m debating whether I want to take the leather handles off the basket...

I think it will be cute hanging on a wall.

I’ve been able to fully finish a few things to enjoy this summer...

“Star Spangled”

By Stone Street Stitchworks

One of my favorite stitches of 2019. 

Now on display to really enjoy 😊 

“July’s Celebration”

By Blackbird Designs

From their book “A Fine Collection”

I stitched this so many years ago - probably the year that the book came out.

It’s stitched over one so it is rather tiny and I never could decide how to finish it.

I think that it looks right at home finished simply in this tiny basket.

“Liberty Sewing Pouch”

By Stacy Nash Primitives

Another over one stitch from many years ago.

Another simple finish, but it really focuses on the stitching.

“Old Glory”

What’s in my cup series

By Stitching with the Housewives

I stitched this last month and really enjoyed this quick stitch.

I had fun with the rick rack too 😉

Perfect for a little shelf

And it joins some finishes from past years.

“Truckin Along - July”

By Stitching with the Housewives

This is an abbreviated version as I had an idea as to how I wanted to finish it

I finished it on a little wooden crate filled with gingham stars.

I thought it would go perfect here:

Those little pennants reminded me of my patriotic Rae Dunn pottery.

Don’t they look great together?

And finally my most recent finish:

An abbreviated version of 

“Star Spangled Swine Farm”

By Hands On Design

I’m enjoying these finished patriotic stitches 

and now I’m ready for stitching sunflowers and bumblebees for August!

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at.

People look at the outward appearance,

But the Lord looks at the heart”

~ 1 Samuel 16:7

Blessings, Patti

A Perfect Pandemic Vacation

I don’t leave the house much, let alone go on vacation 

 But our week at the cabin in the north woods seemed perfect this year!

We spent many hours in our kayaks.

We love watching the loon families.

I love time spent in a kayak.

I saw a creature swimming quickly across the river at one point and had to follow it to see what it was

 We’ve seen muskrats, otters and mink in the past.

This time it was ...

A snake! I’m not sure what kind of snake, but it sure could swim fast!

I brought this tote bag filled with one EPP project, two wool appliqué projects, and countless cross stitch projects 😉

So what did I work on?

 I did some wool appliqué on the golf course as is tradition.

 I finished

 June Truckin Along

By Stitching with the Housewives 

(I was close to finishing before we left.)

And I finished an abbreviated version of

July Truckin Along

By Stitching with the Housewives

We didn’t go out for dinner as we usually would, but cooked at our cabin instead.

And we didn’t shop much but there were a few shops that we were comfortable going to as masks were required and social distancing and hand sanitizing enforced.

 I was so happy to find some treasures are River’s Edge Antiques & Quilt Loft.

This needle and pin book was destined to return to Chicago and the etched scissors are so sweet.

I found a few thimbles for my collection

When I got home I discovered a tiny note stuck in this thimble advertising Monarch Ranges - what a treasure!

And the find that made my heart skip a beat:

A baby shoe last with the unfinished baby shoe still on it.❤️

Look at the amazing sole

Size 2 - so tiny!

It does my heart and soul good to spend some time in nature!

Mom and I are hoping to go on a little adventure in a week.

Please keep your fingers crossed for us that it will be safe for us to do so.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Blessings, Patti