I'm looking forward to The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini, the next

novel in the Elm Creek Quilt series.

Look for it Oct 30th!!!

a bit of stitching

a few motifs on aida cloth

tucked into luggage tag holders ...

these are from

Tutorial ....

Edited 9/30/2012:    Per request, I added some patterns I created / used to the tutorial.    And enlarged some of the photographs (tho, I think if you click on them, they will enlarge on your computer screen).    

Welcome new readers from Craft Gossip dot com!    I was excited to be featured.     Link here.     

I have tried a step-by-step

tutorial for the 

matchbook style needle books 

that were favors for a recent NANI workshop.

Direct link HERE

or from the sidebar.

If you have questions, please send me an e-mail.

Barbara (and others who have asked):   

I hope to have the kanzashi tutorial up soon.

fun stuff + giveaway

Party Favors!!!

On Saturday, before the workshop began, each participant selected a gift bag.

Inside was the kit (instructions, linen, perle cottons, needles), an ort container

(made by the lovely and talented South Paw Stitcher)

and match book style needlebook - open the matchbook + there is felt where the matches should be.

(made by yours truly)

Interested in seeing photos of the stunning

show-n-tell?

Visit South Paw Stitchers' post.

Interested in having an ort container of your own?  

Along with some needlework stash?

Visit The Molly Giveaway post for details.

I am over the moon with my new patterns ...

Here are some of the designs I created on the matchbook covers:

and ... the ones left over from the workshop

will be sold at the Holiday Boutique.

Sewing Machine Day

Sewing Machine Day

Per Holiday Insights Web Page:

When : June 13th and September 10th

Sewing Machine Day celebrates a very important invention ----- the sewing machine. The first sewing machines were made in France in the 1830s. It wasn't until 1846, that they were patented in the U.S. What a great invention. Prior to it's creation, clothes items were sewn together by hand...stitch by stitch.

People who know how to use a sewing machine are dwindling in number. Our mothers and grandmothers had a sewing machine in the house. They used it, too. But, look around your house. Do you have a sewing machine? Chance are, the answers is no.

If you have a sewing machine, enjoy today making things with it. If not, consider picking up sewing as a hobby.