Art in the Garden

Art in the Garden
TalTree Arboretum
Valparaiso, IN

Gingher's Designer Series

Mike (the Gingher Guy),
Mike & Carol's Internet Store,
found some
Gingher Alyssa
4" scissors from the Designer Series

(they have other scissors, too)

I'm so happy.

I have a pattern for the
Alyssa scissors

(I think House of Stitches still has a few patterns)

Yep, I put my scissor order in : )

Good excuse for me to go thru
the closet & unearth my pattern ....

giveaway

Sally,
blogging at
StitchyAngel's Treasures

has an awesome giveaway

details on her post:

A Wee Giveaway

giveaway

Faye,
blogging at
Carolina Stitcher
is celebrating her
blogaversary
with a giveaway!

Details on her post
My First Year Blogaversary ~ and some weekend progress

Crescent Colours

I picked up this
fiber ...
because of the name

This is our
Honey Bunny
She finds
hiding places
all over the house
& has a 'thing'
for clean clothing : )

new stuff ....

I picked up a couple patterns

A Valentine Message
Blackbird Designs c.2005

AND

Lois, blogging at
Of Needles, Pins & Stitching Things,
stitched CHS Hearts & Flowers ....
and I really liked the way hers looked!
So, picked it up

Guess I was in a heart sort of mood ...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I don't have this pattern - but thinking to buy it!

Oh my, alphabets .... I just love this pattern:Simply Red Plus Reproduction Sampler
Homespun Elegance

Save the Date!!!

per Linda, House of Stitches:

Some of you have been asking about our annual

“Midwest Stash Exchange”

(a swap meet for needle workers).

It will be in our back parking lot on
August 14, 2010.

More information will follow but we want you to

mark your calendars now.

Plan to be there!

ready to travel ...

Check out
Einschies Blog,
details on this post
The traveling pattern

The next stitcher will be
chosen around June 10th

EDITED:
the other pattern ...

Last I knew Nic
was stitching it

Per her blog post, May Goals,
lettering needs to be added
and stay tuned to her blog!

needlelace progress

so far:
I really should have started with the motif
on the other side of the bookmark.

the instructions were to make the flower
(the motif with the points)
from the center outward
and then couch down fibers in between motifs ...

Yep, that would have been easier ...

The buttonhole filling looked complicated, so I started on the other end

As I was making the buttonhole stitching in the center
ring & bringing fibers into the sides,
I realized I needed fibers in between
the motifs to anchor the side fiber.

I managed to figure a way to get the fiber couched down
and will get it wrapped (overcast stitch) later today/tonight

the other lines are supposed to be buttonhole (I think)

picture in progress:

This is what the back looks like
I've been couching with green
sewing thread ...

If you want to give this a try, go to
Needlelace

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Looking around the internet, I found:
Reticella: a walk throuth the beginnings of Lace, Link Here
has nice background info
with project
& bibliography

this site
has links to on line lace books

A new Fob!

A big THX to Carol for making this beautiful beaded fob!
(she does not have a blog)

GF Beth, w/o blog, taught a
canvas scissor case class
for our EGA chapter, NANI

She borrowed my
scissors case for a
class model

Beth had asked Carol
to make a fob to match
my set (lucky lucky me)

When she gave the scissors
case back to me, attached
to the scissor handle was
this stunning fob!

Close up:


The project in the background is
a needlelace bookmark
I started
Link to post

Needlelace

I have started my bookmark
using size 10, lt peach, Royale crochet cotton.

I used a brass stiletto
to make the holes thru the
pattern and cardboardI wish my button hole stitches
were more even!!!

Next, I'll attempt
a motif

Want to give it a try?
Needlelace introduction & pattern HERE

Link here for access to a couple on-line lace books

Needlewoman's Angel

This is a Needlewoman's Angel Pin
from Ozark Delights

I purchased this pin (for a gift)
at the Quilt Festival in April

I thought the pin & verse so very sweet

It says:

May the texture & beauty of this angel
give you divine inspiration
that the work of your hands
may be a delight

Happy Mother's Day

Thx for the beautiful bouquet ...

and beautiful cards!

The Verse is a Rebus, Part II

Thx Pat!!!

I was given
these photos from
Pat Winter
of the tea trays
she purchased

It is so much fun
for me to see
close up images
these pieces

I thought I'd share ...

Polly, put the kettle on
and we'll all have tea

(who is Polly?)

Except the kettle boiling be,
filling the pot spoils the tea

And, I wasn't able to figure out
what that meant -- so, consulted
with a couple tea drinkers & stitching friends,
in the know ... they tell me
you can only brew a good pot of
tea with BOILING water
not warm, not hot --- has to be boiling

Another picture:


Has anybody else
seen or stitched
a sampler like these?

Part One - previous post

The verse is a rebus ....

A couple of days ago,
I noticed a photograph
taken by
Pat Winter
on her post
Paulownia tree in bloom

If you look at her post
and scroll down to the items
she purchased,
you'll see a couple of trays
with tea themes ....

What a blast from the past

In July of 2001, I purchased a
pattern, from a stitching friend, called
The Tea Sampler
c.1996 Threads Through Time

This morning, I unearthed it
in my stash:

On the pattern, it says "This little tea sampler was found at a flea market
and is now in a private collection.
The original is a tiny piece measuring 4 1/2" wide by 4" tall.
Unframed, the linen was sewn to a fabric backing.
The verse is a rebus in which a picture represents a word."

This is the photo which came with the pattern:


This is a close-up of the one I stitched:
I used wildflowers by Caron (Fiesta) and
Danish Designs flower thread

Of course, I took it to some stitchy friends
& we decided the verse was:

Except the kettle boiling be,
Filling the pot
spoils the tea

The photo on Pat's blog reads:
Put the kettle on
And we'll all have tea

my guess is the tray underneath
has nearly the same verse
as the one in the pattern I have

Has anybody else seen sampler verse in
a rebus? I find them so interesting

Open House at The Scarlet Letter

Did you get an e-mail?
What exciting news!

You are welcome to
an Open House at
The Scarlet Letter and Smoke Ham Farm,
June 12th, 2010,
from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm,
where you will be able to view and purchase
our antique and reproduction samplers,
kits, charts, books,
needlework accessories,
and other new or limited edition items
not available on our website
or through the mail order catalog.

Link to information HERE

Contact:
Marsha Parker
samplers@scarlet-letter.com

for further details

Machias handwork expert designs artful objects - Bangor Daily News

Check out the article in Bangor Daily News

featuring Barbara

who blogs at:

Mainely Stitching
AND
the rock farmer's wife

Link to article here:
Stitchery Soothes the Soul
Machias handwork expert designs artful objects - Bangor Daily News

Congrats!!!!

Vintage Ornament #14

Vintage Ornament
by Carol L. Steffensen
c. 2009 Chickadee Hollow Designs

This is one of my purchases
from the Int Quilt Fest, Chicago

I had seen similar designs
last year - and kicked myself
for not picking one up!

The pre-printed & pre-colored design
is on a paper backing.

You peel off the paper & position the
ornament on a piece of batting

Stitch/embellish to your
heart's delight!!!

Once complete - press with warm iron & finish

They suggest adding a backing fabric,
cut out the design,
use a buttonhole stitch on the outside edge

This photo is from their web site:

There are a lot of holiday designs to choose from
and the Spring ones are charming!!!