Quaker Alphabet Exchange pictures

Well, as I promised, this is the Quaker Alphabet exchange that I made for Amy (Amy Stitches). I pinched the photos from her blog... I hope she doesn't mind cause the camera is fritzing.

I used the Simple Harvest Alphabet from Blackbird Designs, Needle & Thread. I stitched this side over one thread on 32 ct. Lugana with Vicki Clayton's Garnet silk.



On this side, I stitched an Ackworth Urn pattern from Ackworth Pattern Book by Jacqueline Holdsworth over 2 threads with one strand of silk.

The tassles are made with the silk too. I hate to make tassles, or should I say, I hate ATTACHING the tassles to the piece because they just look messy. If anyone has tips on stitching the tassles on invisibly and close to the little pillow, please let me know.

I love stitching for exchanges but I really obsess over the finishing. I have a finishing phobia because I see all the beautiful pieces you make and I don't feel my skills are on par.

Silly, I know.

Amy likes the little pillow, she sent me the nicest note too! So, that's fab! ENJOY!

Cari also made me the bestest scissor fob for this exchange. The fob is stitched over one on the teeniest count of fabric with the coolest overdyed thread in a luscious Autumn color. I put it under my magnifier and I thought to myself, I wouldn't be able to stitch this over 2 on this fabric, let alone full cross stitches over one. I LOVE IT and I've been using it with the prettiest autumn colored Gingher scissors that she included. Plus, she sent me a book thong with a little horse charm....too cool! It's holding my place in my bible.

I apologize to her because I have not posted a picture of it. Partially because I haven't had a chance to breath, I am working so many hours recently because of a big Customer audit in a few weeks and by the time I get home, there is no light to take decent pictures. And the point and shoot digital camera has decided to fritz out when it feels like it, intermittently.

And news! I sent my love, John Foster, to the framers...woo! I can't wait to get him home! I know I shouldn't have indulged but he is so lovely (swoon) that he doesn't deserve to be tucked in a drawer until we have a blue moon, the cow's come home or hell freezes over, in that order. (Is anyone else out there so in love with a design that it makes your heart just sing? Or am I the only weirdo stitcher on the planet....)

The Cadet just came home too, so we are off to dinner at Uno's.

Thanks for hanging in there with me and thanks for stopping by!

Wow, it's been a while!

Quick post...Have you seen this from PlumStreet Samplers? Wicked cool! For those with a morbid sense of humor...I love it!




I have lots of photos and and exchange picture too! So once I get dinner done, I'll edit this post and add some pictures!
Stay tuned!

My most excellent visit from Patti

What a wonderful weekend!

Patti from Stitching in Lobster Land was my weekend guest as she made her way to Pittsburgh and Ohio. We had a blast! She arrived on Friday afternoon and I can’t describe how happy I was to see her. I last saw her almost a year ago, at CATS in Hershey. I felt so comfortable with her when I first met her and yes, that feeling remained when I saw her on Friday. It was like time and distance really didn’t matter, we picked up right where we left off. So, first of all, we gabbed and gabbed, just to catch up. Patti brought me a most wonderful hand blown glass ball to hang in my window. It’s cobalt blue and green. TOO pretty. Then we went outside to see the ponies. And then we had show and tell. Patti brought a few Heart In Hand patterns, her stitcher’s wallet (which is gorgeous) and an exchange piece that’s too cute for words. And I shared my first string stitching and some of the second stringers. We had an Upstate NY dinner, spiedies, corn on the cob and salt potatoes. I had black & white cookies for desert but we passed cause we were stuffed! Then we got down to business...it was Friday, so we both worked on our Stitcher’s Wallets. Patti is almost through the second page but I am still plugging away on the first page. But seeing what’s to come has spurred me on to be more dedicated to work on it cause it’s truly a beautiful piece. On Saturday, we got up and made the drive to Stitchery Row, my very local LNS. Along the way, we sightseed a bit, we went to the ATM and drove past where I work which is down the block from Stitchery Row (how convenient for me...and how inconvenient for my checkbook!). Kimberly (the shop owner) was so gracious to us, we pawed through the patterns and fondled the fibers & fabric. Patti bought some Lugana to stitch Prairie Schooler’s, Seasonal Sampler patterns (Spring has Come, Summer Breeze, Autumn Winds and Winter Wind) over one after she saw my Autumn Wind WIP. What a bad influence I am! But she was really good with her purchases, me, not so much! I bought a piece of 36 ct Flax linen to stitch a French redwork sampler, a piece of 28ct Cream Lugana to kit Brenda Keyes, Plymouth Sampler, 2 skeins of Gloriana silk in lucious fall shades and 3 skeins of Weeks. Also, I bought the Whitman tin pattern. A nice haul! And it was so nice to spend time looking through all these patterns with someone to share the excitement.
Then it was off to Owego for lunch.

We lunched at the Hand of Man, a very eclectic gift shop that also has a small restaurant in the back of the shop. We ate lunch on the veranda overlooking the Susquehanna River. SO relaxing!

We both commented that it was heavenly, not too hot and the breeze was just right. The veranda was lush with potted and hanging plants. The atmosphere is conducive to great conversation and relaxation. And the food is great too,. After lunch, we went browsing in the shop, talk about sensory overload. Patti definitely liked all the displays. The shop is jammed with goodies arranged in themes. It’s truly unique. Then we strolled down River Row and stopped in shops that piqued our fancy. A quick stop to Dunkin Donuts for Iced Tea and we were on our way home for dinner and an evening of stitching!
Patti & I both stitched on exchanges, so there are no pictures to share just yet. She made great progress but the frogs were visiting me so I wasn’t as productive.

Sunday morning came very quickly and Patti had to get on the road. David went to Best Bagels and came home with breakfast for us. And before I knew it, we were giving Patti directions from the house to the highway, hugging goodbye and promising to visit again soon. The weekend with her went by so fast. But it is one that I will remember for a long, long time!

I promise to post some pictures of my Quaker Alphabet exchange that Cari sent to me when I get home tonight She made me the most exquisite scissor fob from a Workbasket freebie in lovely Autumn yellows and oranges. She stitched it over one on a very high count fabric (it’s a wonder she didn’t go blind) and her stitches are so uniform an perfect. I am in awe! Along with the fob she sent me a pair of Gingher scissors. She must have known that I lost my pair of Ginghers when we took the Cadet back to Rochester last week. So, I am using the pair she gave me (and I promise they aren’t leaving the house) and when I use them, I think of her!
Thanks, Cari!!!

The Cadet and his posse

Yesterday, we spent the day with Mike and his friends in Rochester. We took them to dinner at Red Robin, a fantastic burger place..the burgers are the size of your head! And very tasty!

Mike and the lovely Jenna

Mike's Posse

We had a great time with all of them and I have to say, we felt a little old being with 20 year olds. But, the Cadet enjoyed himself and was happy to see all of them again (especially Jenna) after a month in South Dakota. He did well at Field Training, finished in the middle third of his Flight. His Flight won Warrior Day and was the best Flight during the session. So he was proud of his performance and, of course, the David and I are very proud of him!

As we were coming out of Red Robin, I commented that Mike is now a man. And the David remarked that The Cadet is still our boy cause he costs us a ton of money! LOL!

Today, I am cleaning the house. And I have a hair appointment and I need to run errands. Then I will start my presentation. I don't want it hanging over my head all weekend. I will obsess enough over it the next few days cause I really don't have a lot of time to review it with Mr. Manager before we go to that meeting. If I miss the mark on what he wants me to do then he will be put in the position of talking around what I put together. I don't want that to happen so I am a bit anxious about it.

I will also be putting together my Quaker Alphabet piece for the SBEBB exchange. It's going to be a couple of days late but with my work schedule of 12-14 hours a day for the last few weeks, I was hard pressed to stitch at all.
Then I will be working on my Grateful Hearts exchange. I haven't started it yet but what I've picked out to stitch isn't going to take a long time...yea, yea, famous last words.

On September 14, I will be posting a tutorial on how to make a Cube on Focus on Finishing. So tune in! I'll be getting my act together for my online class this weekend. Which reminds me, I have to email Karen so she can add me as an author on the blog so I can post my instructions.

And the most exciting thing is going to happen next weekend! Patti from Stitching in Lobster Land is going to visit me on her way to PA! I am so excited! She'll get here in the afternoon on Friday and stay through Saturday. I can't wait! Stitching and girl time. Of course, we are going to go to Stitchery Row on Saturday and then we'll go down to Owego to the historic district and have lunch at the Goat Boy and visit some truly eclectic shops on River Row.
It's going to be a good time! And don't worry, I'll have pictures to share.

So have a great Labor Day weekend! Thanks for coming by to visit!