Sarah Woodham and other news...

The frame came in today for the Sarah Woodham sampler (the original is pictured above). My model stitcher (and great friend), Kathy, stitched the reproduction in about a month -- it was over 25,000 stitches, and it's gorgeous.

I didn't realize until I got it back that the original is stitched on an unevenweave linen, so although the original is square, the reproduction is taller than it is wide. R&R is dyeing me lots of the Olde Towne Blend in 40 count, and I've got silks hanging at the shop ready for my customers. But first, I've got to stitch in two more words and two little birds that I left off of the chart (the birds were intentional; the words were not.)

Today I finished printing the charts for the Jenny Bean Pin Tuffet, which is a companion piece to the Jenny Bean Halloween Sampler. I used the most adorable Shaker Pin Cusuhion from Sudberry House. I designed, stitched, finished and printed that chart in less than a week. The finishing was a breeze (took about ten minutes). And yes, I did use my hot glue gun. And yes, I did burn myself. Just Another Button Company designed me some exclusive pins to put in this. There are three "Funeral Rose" pins, and a swirl and a checkered circle. All are tea-dyed. I'll post a picture here on the blog soon.

So, now I have to decide which of my old samplers to reproduce next. I know I'll be designing another Jenny Bean sampler, too. Oh, oh, and I've ordered envelopes and will be printing notecards with pictures of samplers from my own collection to sell at market and in the shop.

Since there's always so much to do right around market, I generally don't sleep well. I have been up too, too early all week. I was designing a Noel Pin Garden this morning at 5:30. No rest for the wicked? The weary? Well, not for me, anyway.