Lot's of Catching Up

      I hope you're all enjoying your Summer. We've been having lots of rain and cooler temperatures. It's much more enjoyable outdoors without the typical Iowa summer of high heat and humidity. Owen and I have been enjoying long morning walks. Lot's of time being spent weeding the garden beds and discovering what the deer and rabbits have eaten during the night.

      I decided to concentrate on stitching smaller designs during the warm weather months this year. Here's what I've stitched so far.

     Paulette and Tanya have come up with lovely designs for the Colonial Gathering Club.

A Colonial Candle Pocket - Plum Street Samplers

Cotton Bird - Plum Street Samplers

Strawberry House - The Scarlett House

I adore the small kits Chessie & Me designs each year and I couldn't resist the latest one.

1776 Harbor - Chessie & Me

Another sweet kit I couldn't resist...

A Summer Garden - Cherished Stitches

 I discoverd this A&E design in the WIP closet. It only had about an hour of stitching left to complete the design.

Adam and Eve - Kathy Barrick

Last of all... a design that I've wanted to stitch for some time and finally decided to stitch it while watching the tennis tournament at Wimbledon. I love the little sheep!

Betsy - Sheepish Designs

I've been wanting to take a class with Betsy Morgan for the longest time. In June, Lynn's in Madison, WI , held a workshop and Betsy taught her Toy Chest Etui with the many toys. Here's my start on the front panel for the toy chest. 

Toy Chest Etui - Betsy Morgan - Front Panel

Owen's recommendation for the perfect Summer day.... a nice long nap!!!

***SOLD*** Petits Cadeaux Brode - $35 - US Shipping Included

In excellent used condition. 95 pgs. Hardbound.

If you would like this book and can pay via PayPal click HERE. Please provide your PayPal e-mail for invoicing. The price includes shipping in the US only.

Repertoire des Motifs - Valerie LeJeune - $45 - US Shipping Included

 

If you would like this book and can pay via PayPal click HERE. Please provide your PayPal e-mail for invoicing. The price includes shipping in the US only.

Les Marquoirs d"Ecole - Muriel Brunet - $30 - US Shipping Included

In excellent used condition. 64 pgs. Soft Cover

If you would like this book and can pay via PayPal click HERE. Please provide your PayPal e-mail for invoicing. The price includes shipping in the US only.

Un Natale da Ricamare - $10 - US Shipping included

In excellent used condition. 101 pgs. Soft Cover.

If you would like this book and can pay via PayPal click HERE. Please provide your PayPal e-mail for invoicing. The price includes shipping in the US only.

*SOLD* Motif d'Hier, d'Aujourd'Hui Point de Croix - $30 - US Shipping Included

In excellent used condition. 79 pgs. Soft Cover.

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*SOLD* Petits Rouges d'ici et D'Ailleurs - $30 - US Shipping Included

In excellent used condition. 140 pgs. Soft Cover

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* SOLD * Le Livre des Abecedaires et des Frises - $32 - US Shipping Included

 



A charming book of alphabets and motifs for use in samplers and household decorations, including Hallowe'en and Christmas motifs.

The text is in French but there is very little that would be difficult to understand. DMC colors are shown. 

The linen counts and finished sizes are given in centimeters; however the stitch counts are furnished.


Soft Cover, 206 pages. 

In excellent used condition. 

If you would like this book and can pay via PayPal click HERE. Please provide your PayPal e-mail for invoicing. The price includes shipping in the US only.

Cartonnage Brode Au Fil Des Boites - $35 - US Shipping Included

 

In excellent used condition. 90 pgs. Hardbound

If you would like this book and can pay via PayPal click HERE. Please provide your PayPal e-mail for invoicing. The price includes shipping in the US only.

Lot's of Catching Up to Do

     I always think I don't have enough new material for a blog post... and then it seems I have too much!

     Stitching is first up on my list of what I'd like to share with you. You may have noticed I have a 'thing' for rabbits. I couldn't resist La-D-Da's new design. I made a couple of changes. CC Bramble Bush was used instead of GAST Sable and I preferred a rice stitch border to the two single stitch rows for a border. My rabbit was stitched on 40 ct. Lakeside Vintage Navy Bean.

Spring Hare - La-D-Da

Elizabeth Sarah Oliver 1842 - Plum Street Antiques

      Paulette hit another home run with her Elizabeth Sarah Oliver sampler reproduction.  I'm stitching my Sarah with the Gentle Arts threads as charted on 40 ct. Lakeside Vintage Cedar Plank.

     

A Parrot, A Leopard, A Lion - Scarlet Letter

      I'm getting close to finishing the stitching of the top portion of my casket. Those big blossoms take a life time to stitch!

      Lot's of time was spent in the sewing room too!

Piecing these Swoon blocks are a lot of fun and I really enjoy working with the Downton Abbey fabric collection.

      Working with the brighter, modern fabrics is fun too! Here's another Fresh Mini Quilt Club mini quilt. It's the final pattern of Club 2... but the good news is that another Fresh Mini Quilt Club will begin on May 1st.

Fresh Mini Quilt Club - 6

And  more Hampton Ridge blocks were created.

Switching between projects keeps quilt piecing fun and interesting.

      I was the lucky winner of a giveaway from Kimber Mitchell from Heirlooms by Ashton House. It's a wonderful new quilt book by Tara Lynn Darr. I have my eye on making  the Oh , Miss Scarlet mini quilt.

    
       Spring has finally arrived and looks like it plans to stick around and not let Winter sneak back in. Owen and I have been enjoying our morning walk/runs in the prairie.

Park Bench Fini

     A final press  this morning to show off the 'fini' of my Park Bench quilt by Jaybird Quilts. First the  Chief Inspector of Quilts gave the quilt top a careful scrutiny...

It passed!!!

I finally felt I had enough samplers featuring birds to create my 'Bird Sampler Wall' in the Sewing Room.

....and just a bit more progress on A Parrot, A Leopard, A Lion.

The bottom photo is a truer representation of the linen and thread colors... even though it's a bit blurry.

Being a Chief Quilt Inspector wears a guy out!