The Box

Yesterday was Gathering Day for the Homespun girls.  Late last year, one of the girls had suggested we participate in a box exchange.  The idea was to choose a box and fill it with twelve stitching goodies:  something fun,  our favorite color, something sharp, an accessory, an embellishment,  something patriotic, etc.

The exchange was played like dirty Santa.  All boxes were carried into the Gathering in a brown paper bag so no one knew who brought which box.  

Who doesn't love chocolate?  and Godiva chocolate?  The box was beautifully tied with a chocolate brown silk ribbon.  I was number two selecting a box and I kept my fingers crossed while all the numbers were being called, hoping no one would steal my box.

Just look at all the goodness inside this box!  This Grasshopper felt like she had choose wisely.  I knew that Godiva box would be filled with stitchy goodness and boy, oh boy was I ever right.

The beautifully stitched scissors pillow (with a Stacy Nash design) had a pocket on the back.  Inside the pocket was this beautiful pair of scissors.

The patriotic strawberry was stitched with the finest of tiny stitches.

A patriotic, coverlet biscournu for my dough bowl.  Great finishing job--and the maker's first time finishing a biscournu.  Check out that chicken made with French General fabric and tiny beads for eyes.

Pom pom trim from Lady Dot, beautiful threads for Christmas or maybe a flower and vine.  AppleJack has his eye on my magnet wand.  Shh, I already put it in my traveling stitching bag.

So who was the gifter/maker of my box?  The same stitcher who just finished Sarah Braizear, the 2018 Queen of the May sampler from Hands Across the Sea in record stitching time:  Judy!

Judy calls the sampler one of her tablecloth samplers--it is big 27 x 27.  There are not enough words to describe the beauty and skill in this sampler.

Thank you Linda for suggesting the box exchange and thank you Judy for my box.   Beautifully stitched and finished projects.  I hear this all the time and will never grow tired of hearing "stitchers are just the best."