Emma Lerch

Scarlet Letter--Emma Lerch 1843

Mystery Stash Linen--overdyed with walnut crystals

AVAS silk fibers

Apologies for the wrinkles--Emma looks like she has been living a rough life.  One of my 2018 goals is to complete Emma Lerch.  As I look at her, I am close.  One of my observations about stitchers is there are sampler lovers and those who do not love samplers so much.  For those who love samplers, and I consider myself one of those people, we can't get enough.  We are always looking for the next sampler either an original or reproduction.

What is it about samplers?  the border? alphabet? verse? motifs? house? medallions?  It is all of these things and throw in colors and scale and proportion.  Yes, I love a sampler with a flower growing out of a pot taller than the house.

I was drawn to Emma's border--it is big and bold

While Emma's border looks balanced and symmetrical--it is not.

Sweet Emma and I suffer from the same stitching affliction:  borders.  We both struggle with meeting borders.  Emma made it work, she added a stitch here and there, she dropped stitches.  There are three different colors of leaves.  Did she run out of one color or she started stitching with the incorrect color and like me was to lazy to rip out and stitch with the correct color.

This was my progress on Emma at the March 17 Homespun Gathering.  Judy is my stitching accountability partner.  She is stitching Heartstring Samplery His Eye is on the Sparrow--if you haven't seen Judy's beautiful sampler,  hop over to her blog (hollandhousegifts.blogspot) and check it out.  Our next gathering is in May and I think Emma will be finished.  Am adopting Judy's suggestion:  stitch every day.  Some days it is only a few stitches.



  

Stitch Time

Heartstring Samplery--His Eye is on the Sparrow

Yesterday was Gathering time for the Homespun gang.  This is Judy's HEIOTS.  Her finger is marking the half way point.  It is beautiful and she is making great progress.  Judy and I have become each other's accountability partner.  At the next gathering, Judy hopes to have this sampler completed and I hope to have Emma Lerch completed.  

Delilah was working on her Blackberry Primitives BOM piece, Settler's Pride (a Maggie Bonanomi design).  Maggie has such a way with colors and wool.  Is everyone as anxious for the postman to deliver Maggie's book, Pure and Simple as I am?

Another BOM piece from Blackberry Primitives.  Linda has beautifully sewn all the blocks and has begun setting the blocks.

A couple of Linda's latest strawberries.

Strawberries with a patriotic them and Linda has graciously offered to give us strawberry finishing lessons.

I'm still stitching on the Rose Garden Basket by Stacy Nash.  Thank goodness my stitching sisters were there to help me with finishing tips.

There were many more completed pieces and works in process,  I was to busy talking, eating and stitching to get good photos.  Good food, beautiful needlework, plans in progress--it doesn't get any better.

Market 2018

Oliver

Stacy Nash Animal Cracker Crumbs series

Mystery Stash linen

Gentle Arts Shaker fibers:  Black Licorice, Carriage Black, Endive and Lambswool

Nashville Needlework Market 2018 has come and gone and what a market it was!  Those designers just keep getting better and better!  To see some of the goodness of market watch Kitten Stitcher on Flosstube or Needle in a Haystack.  There are other Flosstube's about market, I just haven't had time to watch them.  Local Needlework Shops are having market days and their websites are brimming with new things.  

Isn't Oliver just the sweetest little guy?  He has a very lovable face.  Lady Dot Creates with her wonderful ribbons, pom pom trims and rick rack will add more goodness to Oliver.  I have some rayon ribbon to add: Black Licorice and Jack.  I found an old rusty bell in my stash which I will also add.

La D Da

Fraktur Scissor Block and Fob Kit

Lori (La D Da) always adds the nicest touches.  

Both Oliver and the Scissor block were very quick and easy pieces.  

It's a rainy day in Nashville--a great day to stitch.  What next?  Maybe one of the strawberries from the Blackbird Girls, Deck the Halls.