coming next week!

This is the Cottage Thread Pal. It’s a bit similar in style to the Winter Thread Pal but I hope you will like it’s unique features. I designed this with A Place We Call Home from Country Cottage Needleworks in mind. The linen the pattern was originally stitched on has been discontinued so I went with my old favorite lambswool linen. I recommend 32 count, 28 count will fit but not leave as much of the pretty peach fabric showing around your stitching and of course the higher counts works as well.

These will be added to the webshop next week and I’ll let you know shortly when they will be at Hoffmans, hopefully next week as well. Feel free to email me about reserving one.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend and a Happy Father’s Day to dads everywhere.

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a basketful

A new addition to my little basket of pincushions.

This design from Beehive Needleworks is called Ruby Pemberton Sampler Pillow. I used one strand of DMC 154 over two threads of 40ct lambswool linen. In case you’re curious I’ve also shown a photo of the fabric I used for the back. I filled this with ground walnut shells.

This is the second Beehive design in my basket. The peacock is also by Beehive and I started the Red Swan Pin Pillow quite a while ago but I seem to have misplaced the pattern…*sigh*

You can see a list of all the designs in my basket here, and other (many of which I hope to stitch eventually) Beehive designs here.

My next stitch – Beehive Needleworks Zabeth Cottingill Sampler, for my wall.

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the ABCs

I love these new designs from Cross Eyed Cricket! You may remember that I stitched up the their oldie Alphabet design ages (and ages) ago. I also have the ‘Hello’ from that pattern on my front door.

The new designs are sweet and colorful and yes I’m thinking about another alphabet on my wall.

I’ve added these to the webshop and there’s a great deal on the set. Even the old Alphabet chart is still available.

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I planted a few flowers today, thought you’d like these!

little birds

A stitched finish – just because. I love these little bird samplers from Cherished Stitches. I finished up my favorite one (March) a while ago and it sat in a heap on the corner of my desk for ‘when I have a minute’…and became buried under other ‘when I have a minute’ things.

When I pulled the threads out for this they looked all wrong to me so I did my own thing. I’ve made up a few kits (very few) using ‘my own thing’ colors you will find them and other designs in this series at the webshop. Be sure to follow the designer’s instructions and only use 1 strand of thread. There is probably enough in the kits to use 2 but I don’t promise. There is definitely plenty for using 1.

I’ve made a tiny start on the May bird. I like this one because the colors remind me of two of my favorite Impie, Hattie & Bea fabrics. I’d like to take a moment to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all the shops who carry Impie, Hattie & Bea products, and another THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH to those who buy Impie, Hattie & Bea things at my webshop. Those few webshop purchases are what fund materials for the next product and yes there is something new in the works.

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PS – During one of my ‘waiting in the car’ knitting sessions, I came up with a pattern for face towels. I’ll share it here as soon as I have time to write it up, hopefully sometime this week.

yellow bird

Except it’s blue – Yellow Bird from La D Da. I stitched this up quite a while ago but finally took a few minutes to finish it up this weekend. You can read more about the materials I used here I think…scroll down to older posts about Yellow Bird.

More snow, the girls like to watch it fall, it’s about the only time the three can get along for more than 30 seconds without someone having a hissy fit (Yzma)…I’ve been out in it once to ship orders, would very much like to be home for the rest of the day but boys’ activities may rule that out.

I’m off to do a bit more stitching, some sewing, and some much needed dusting!

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PS – I’ve blogged about the other pincushions here and here.

Lavender Huswife

Something new from Impie, Hattie & Bea. This lightweight stitching helper is made with a woven Indian cotton with a pretty trellis over-weave, this fabric has a bit of a rustic character. The inside is a perky polka dot. The huswife includes a ring for your threads, a lobster clasp for your scissors and a pretty wool felt page for your needles. These will be available at Hoffmans for shop orders and can be found at the webshop. The purple scissors are there too!

I really enjoyed this project and have always loved this design from Little House, I love lavender too. I also thought I’d mention that I’m using Jane Austen’s spelling for ‘Huswife’ – I’ve seen this spelled several ways in different places.

Happy Stitching!

week past

Last week seemed to fly. Jerry went out of town last Sunday for work, that trip lasted longer than expected so we are really glad he’s home. I’ve had computer troubles and spent lots of time on the phone with Ben and Matt (tech support) trying to get it sorted. All better now. Add to all that kid’s activities and 10+ hours a day in the sewing room and there isn’t much time left over for being crafty!

We did dye eggs for Easter which are still looking pretty. I baked some chocolate cupcakes and wanted to do a pretty blue icing. My sky blue color has gotten very gummy so it wasn’t easy to work with, time to get some fresh colors I think. I also cooked up one of our new favorite dinner dishes, I first blogged about it here.

Some teeny tiny progress on my own Traveling Stitcher from Little House and a bit of knitting in the car while waiting for kids. I’m using 2 skiens of this yarn (in Eucalyptus) and this pattern to make a summery wrap, not quite half way yet!

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a new look

It’s been a little over 4 years since the original Traveling Stitcher Set from Little House and Impie, Hattie & Bea premiered and sold out at Market. Since then it has has a few different looks as we run out of fabric for the current style.

Well, it’s that time again! Finding the right combination can be difficult and frustrating, it took a while but I’m happy to finally share these with you. I will be shipping a batch to Hoffmans in the next few days and they are available at the web shop, as I write this post there are only six sets of the previous version available.

I hope to show you my own finished Traveling Stitcher set soon. In all this time I have never actually stitched one up for myself, I’m in the process now. Such a sweet cross-stitch pattern and pretty threads!

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Spring Stitches

Be sure to stop by next week for some Impie, Hattie & Bea news but in the meantime…..a Springtime Pillow.

I actually finished stitching this piece almost exactly two years ago, right after we moved out of the house next door. It brings back a lot of memories, good and bad. This is Easter Bunny Row from Bent Creek.

Today really feels like Spring but snow is predicted for Monday. Things are beginning to look green and birds sing all day. I have all the windows open and there is a nice breeze. I’m going to dye some eggs with Ethan shortly, it’s all very Springy.

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Little House, Gentle and Kind

Another sweet design that looks just right on Impie, Hattie & Bea’s Red Hoop Keep.

I loved stitching with the silk in this pack, the colors are gorgeous! I just set my little stitched design over the other so it’s not attached but you can see that this fits very nicely when stitched on 28ct linen. I used Antique Ivory Cashel for this.

Happy Stitching!

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