OK, I can't wait

Here are the two Jane Philpott samplers side-by-side at last. Wow! Of course the pictures don't do them justice. They are wonderous. The colors are so great. I was going to stretch the reproduction, but remembered I have to take it home and put the snake in. I hadn't decided how to graph it. Jane's is satin-stitched, so I decided to put in lines to help with satin stitching, but also put in cross stitch placement for those who would rather stitch it that way. Ssssss! What do you think? (Just click on the picture above to make it larger.) Chris did an absolutely fabbo job stitching this one -- it's a stunner, and she did a good job protecting it from drool at her various stitching functions/retreat. Thanks Chris! You're one in a million!

If you want to be on the auto, the silks are here, and I have a bunch of the fabric and more on the way. I will try to ship pre-orders out before market -- will depend on how the rest of the fabric comes in (slowly or quickly.) Of course if you're among the first to sign up...you're golden.

Oh, one more note. Three of the birds have bead eyes (two tiny turquoise and one black). I decided to include the beads with the graph, so everyone doesn't have to try to run them down. I found some teenie tiny turquoise beads online, so I'm hoping they'll work... :D

How Can I Keep from Singing?

So many new designs are laying around the house and shop, getting ready for their big debut in Nashville. Above is the next in my Make Do series -- "Singing." The kit comes with the linen, the hand-dyed flosses, the chart and the chenille trim. The Make Do part? You have to dig in your stash and find a color for your bird. I stitched mine in Milady's Teal by Crescent Colours, but you make your bird your favorite color. This will be available on the first, and quantities are very limited. Once they're gone, this is discontinued and gone.

Also, here are some of the flosses that have arrived in preparation of the Philpott Adam & Eve sampler, which is now ON THE WAY here! It will be released at market, and it's going to be so stinkin' great! Ooh, aah. I will post a pic as soon as it's here. Thanks thanks thanks (and thanks again) to Chris Canaday whose diligent hands have brought this old sampler back to life. I have been busy stitching, too -- right now I am working on (about half done with) a St. Patrick's Day clothesline for Raise the Roof designs. Lots of clever things large and small. Kathy Krause is busy with Jenny Bean's sampler (see last post.) It'll all come together. It always does. I can't wait. I can't wait.

Jenny Bean is at it again

Here's a picture of Jenny's latest creation -- no name yet. Any ideas? This will be released at market. It's being stitched on 40 count Vintage Navy Bean by Lakeside Linens in Sampler Threads (regular line -- no limited editions). I'm finishing it in an Olde Colonial burl wood dowry box, but you can also get just the frame of the lid (and hang it on the wall.) Or use your own creative ideas. I am taking pre-orders now for the chart and/or supplies on my web site. Just send an e-mail, give a call, whatever. (By the way, this is just a gif image from my, um, Jenny's cross stitch software...the piece will look even more fabbo on linen.)

Jenny has a few other things to work on for market, and I just finished two pincushions (for Raise the Roof) that will be released in conjunction with Just Another Button Company at market (shop owners can get the graphs in my booth or in the JABCo booth.) This chart will NOT be given to the distributors, but you can continue to purchase through JABCo or me. These are stitched in Weeks Dye Works on the Weeks Dye Works linens and stuffed with crushed walnut shells.

More stitching to do this weekend -- wish me luck.

A picture and a promise of spring

I finished the cross stitching part of this sampler last night (will be a market release in a few weeks.) I'm waiting for some silk ribbon to do a few ribbon roses, and then this is going off to the finisher. It uses five colors of Silk N Colours and one ribbon by The Thread Gatherer and is stitched on 32 ct. Porcelain Vintage linen by Lakeside Linens.

The quote is from Shakespeare's "As You Like It," and you may also remember it from Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka (he sings this little song while pedaling a bicycle in the inventing room in the "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" movie. The name at the bottom is actually one of William Shakespeare's daughters (she married a Quiney). The date isn't right, of course, but I just thought it'd be fun to "hide" some meaning in there. You can preorder the graph, fabric and/or fiber pack from me (one of the silks is going to be a brand new color at market -- a tealy-green called "Water Nymph."

More on the way -- spring is coming -- I promise! Tonight I'll be finishing (fingers crossed) the two pincushions for Just Another Button Co. VERY CUTE! Can't wait to see what they look like done. Lots of other fun things on the way.

Gearing up for market...

Ooh, I have so many wonderful irons in the fire right now. (Which, frankly, is where I'd LOVE my iron to be -- in the fire, because I hate that thing!) Market is now just a number of weeks away, and I'm going to spend time today stitching on a few market models. Here are some sneaky-peeks (not pictures yet) at what's going on:

One of my model stitchers is making good progress (great progress, actually) on a reproduction sampler of Adam and Eve (check older posts for pictures of the original.)

I finished designing a sampler with silhouettes of skeleton keys this weekend, and I'll be stitching that on Fresco linen by Picture This Plus. I also have been finding lots of antique skeleton keys -- will be doing neat ornaments with those that shops will be able to buy at market, or you can get them through my site when they're done. I am also thinking the new Jenny Bean sampler, which will fit in an Olde Colonial burl wood box top, will have some keys on it, too. Love that theme!

Crescent Colours' model stitcher is stitching Libertyville, a companion piece to Christmasland. This is going to be a series...so keep watching for more seasonal villages in silks. That model will be at market, and the packets will start shipping to shops in March.

I am currently stitching on a spring-time sampler in five different colours of Silk N Colours and one of the Silk N Ribbons. It's got a spring-time Shakespeare quote on it that was ALSO featured in the "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" film.

I'm working on two pincushion designs for Just Another Button Co. (to go with their Just Pin sets). VERY cute -- stitched on the hand-dyed Weeks Dye Works Gingham Linen to go with the Lemonade Button pin sets.

And there will be another Jenny Bean pincushion designs...I'm keeping details tight on this one, because I've come up with an "unusual" base for these, and am waiting for them to come in for measurements and all.

That's what I've got going right now...wish y'all could come and stitch with me! Have a great day, and stay warm!!!