Finish a sampler, start a sampler

Emma Lerch (aka Lydia Emaline Shults)

Scarlet Letter

Linen--mystery stash

Fibers a ver a soie

One of my stitching goals for 2018 was to finish Emma Lerch.  It was Emma's big, bold asymmetrical border which drew me to her.  Emma was not afraid to use color because the colors in this sampler are anything but timid.  Emma either liked pink, she used what she had or her LNS had closed.  At the September Homespun Gathering, Lori shared a wonderful quote:  Done is better than perfect.  This quote comes from the Facebook motto.  Perfectionist continuously tweak projects and never finish them.  Perfection can be an enemy of progress.  I get bored or distracted or discouraged that my project is not perfect and give up.  No finished project is perfect, and if I keep trying for perfection, I will never finish.  There is no perfect project anywhere, ever.  Every project has a flaw that someone can point out.  Done (meets and surpasses standards) but not perfect is okay.  When I wrap my head around this concept, maybe just maybe, I will get more accomplished and will have fewer WIP's and more FFO's.  When I am searching for something in my sewing room and find unfinished projects and look at them and ask myself why I stopped, I am going to remind myself that done is better than perfect.

Yes, I changed the name from Emma Lerch to Lydia Emaline Shults because she is a part of my family.  Attached to the back of the sampler will be an envelope with Lydia Emaline's story, sad and true.  Yes, I also know leaves are missing from one of the bottom sections of the border--the leaves will be stitched before carrying Emaline to the framer.

The Dirty Brown Sampler (2001)
Beside the Hearth by Janet Morse
Mystery stash linen
Needlepoint Ink Silk 587 Burnt  Umbre Range

Being a sampler lover, there is always a next sampler waiting to be stitched.  At the gathering, Rita brought her beautiful Dirty Brown sampler to share.  It was wonderful to welcome Rita back to the gathering group.  Stitchers are kindred spirits.  Seeing Rita's beautifully stitched sampler reminded me I had this sampler in my "to be stitched sooner rather than later" pile it was time to get stitching.  So, I did what every sampler lover does:  finish a sampler, start a sampler.  Dirty Brown Sampler has been a delight and joy to stitch.  Letters stitch fast.  Hopefully without any life distractions, I will have my own version of Dirty Brown Sampler to share at the November gathering.

Rita's sampler

At the September Homespun gathering, I was too busy visiting, eating and admiring WIP's to take many photos. I did take a photo of Rita's sampler and I also took a photo of Judy's exquisitely stitched and finished Carriage House (Kathy Barrick) Quaker stocking.  A beautiful stocking and it will be a treasured family heirloom.

Judy's Quaker stocking

In keeping with the spirit of done is better than perfect, Stacy Nash's Rose Garden basket, Threadwork Primitives All American Finn and Erica Michael's strawberry are waiting to be FFO'd.  None of them is perfect, they each have flaws and each will be finished and will be good enough.