Early Summer, 2022
Dear Friends,
I have decided that this will be my Season of Gratitude!
I think of myself as a pretty happy person--low key, peaceful, and quiet. But after these past 2 years, I have noticed a weed sprouting up in my psyche--Crankiness. No, really, I am not kidding...The world is making me crabby! The tragic part of that is that it is full blown Summer and the heat always raises my irritability index. Bob is trying to save the environment, so we are not going to fix our air conditioning. Yay! But then, technically it isn't even summer yet. Last month, I decided that the news was not helping my naturally chill personality, so I just gave it up. I used to be an avid news reader first thing in the morning, but that started the day on such a depressing note, that I switched to evening. Well...that might have been worse. So I am done with it. Somehow during the day, I seem to find out about the big things, and everything else just has to avoid me. Sadly, there are a few other things which gnaw at me such as constant road construction, green motorized scooters, bad drivers, and ranunculi thiefs--to name just a few. Even though I am not dwelling on them, I remind myself.
Which brings me to my Season of gratefulness. I am focussing on little blessings and simple pleasures, which should be so easy since there is an abundance around me to make my soul joyful. We have had a beautiful Spring filled with cool air and plenty of rain, and the mountains behind my home are a color pallet of greens. I have spent many hours stitching and even working on an embroidery project trying to catch up with my friends. I'm not...but it doesn't matter because I am having a great time. And...I have read a plethora of lovely books which have lured me to the 1960s, to a posh hotel in NYC, to Shakespeare's England, and a re-visit to the Isle of Guernsey. I'm not keeping a gratitude journal since that would most likely make me crazy, but I am cataloguing them in my brain to return to as needed. Sadly, there are those in my life who--even as I am writing this--have cast aspersions on my pleasantness.
But I am able to ignore them because of my joy in writing to you.
So please read on and I hope your hearts are filled with gladness. T
Hector's Stocking
by Shepherd's Bush
pattern: $10
Kits also available
This has been the longest birth of a stocking ever. I had it designed and stitched late last summer and early fall, and...
But finally, if all the stars in the evening sky are aligned, we will have it in hand next week. I wanted to do a quintessential Christmas Santa, so here he is bringing home the Yule tree on his little sled amidst a lovely snowstorm. We have the linen, the backing fabric, the charm set, and all of the threads, so we are ready if you are.
This is how we set our pictures up for the stockings. We decided to photograph in the front hall at the shop as it was still cold, rainy and sometimes snowy when we photographed this.
So here is the process.
This the front hall as it always is.
We are trying to decide just the perfect place to set everything up, the drawer was an option....
Then we decided to bring in a chair, packages, and a few pictures.
We start stacking fun props that might work, books, blocks, puzzles, a cricket ball.
Teri starts the slow process of creating the right mood, everything has to be just right. She tweaks tiny details up until the last second. I fill the stocking with sweets and toys and tie on ribbons to hang it.
Robert, the photographer takes many pictures, and Teri checks them. Then she moves the blocks, then the greens, then the tops. I just have to go to the back room and hope for the best.
Finally it is ready for the stocking. This is the completed shot and we both loved the look. YAY!!!!!
Now to tweak color and crop.
This is the finished shot that will be on the front of the pattern.
Quilt Bag
by Shepherd's Bush
chart: $8
Bluebell bag: $15
Kit includes pattern, #5 perl cotton, buttons, a needle $34.10 (bag not included)
Spool zipper pull $8.00
Here is Teri's newest pattern for the darling vinyl bags. Bluebell is one of 3 new colors. I think that Quilt turned out so sweet. It is very clever and fun and perfect for all those lovely quilters in our lives.
Quilt Bag Littles
fob and pincushion
Complete kit with floss threads, linen, backing, chenille edging.
The small pieces are so much fun to stitch, The pincushion is stitched just like the bag, and the fob design is also included on the chart.
New Plaid bag colors
Bluebell- blue ( Quilt Bag)
Misty (teal )- the design for this is coming and it is fantastic!
Peony - Pink ( still dreaming of something fabulous))
We also have the original colors, red, gray, and green. They are a so much fun to stitch, and they work up so quickly.
Look for the Beauty
by Bent Creek
Chart: $12.00
our button set : $9.20
This is a new pattern from Bent Creek. We just love the sweet saying and the darling design. We have added a great set of buttons
4th Block Party
by Hands On
chart: $12
Kathy from Hands On shows this as a wonderful pincushion, but we wanted to try it as a long framed piece. We used a neutral linen, added buttons, and it is a favorite new patriotic piece.
Fall on the Farm
by Little House Needleworks
each chart (or square ): $7.00
We just love Diane's series like this. We have stitched so many--Little Sheep Virtues, ABC houses, Farmhouse Christmas, Jack Frost's Tree Farm, Early Americans. ( you can see all of these on our website.)
Her latest series is Fall on the Farm It is adorable and is looking more fun each month. Every month we get a new block, and there will be 9 squares in all. We are adding buttons to each block, wait until you see the great button for this month. It is new and different. Give us a call if you would like to join our automatic, or if you would like to get a whole set when it is finished in August.
New Patriotic things from Thread Milk
Liberty Lodge chart $15.00
Patriotic Thread Drops
assortment 1 and assortment 2
$20.00
New wooden thread minders from Under the Garden Moon
$8.00
These wooden minders are just adorable.
Wool needle cases
by Under the Garden Moon
Pattern $10 - for all 4 designs
wool supply sets:
beehive:$10
Bunny: $10
Sheep: $10
Bird: $10
For those of you who are waiting for Halloween...It is coming...
Happy Halloween
by Primrose Cottage
chart: $6.50
We just love this new pillow from Primrose Cottage. It is stitched on 10 count fabric and we added buttons and a great spooky fabric to finish it off.
Acorns
by Prairie Schooler
chart: $12
Another great Autumn pillow. Stitched on 7 count fabric with #3 perl cotton. We even have the finishing fabrics to make this charming harvest pillow.
Garden is growing and since our water is severely rationed, we will see how it grows this year. Cucumbers are up and the tomatoes are growing. Broccoli is just starting, but peas are coming on a treat.
This year will put drought gardening to the test.
Flowers to bring the bees
This "fun" friend visits Teri's bird feeders every night. He does not even look up when she tells him to go away. She rubs the bird feeder pole with crisco to keep him from climbing up to the feeders. He is very determined, or very hungry.
Happy Summer!
