A Problem and a Solution

One of my huge frustrations in sitting down to stitch only to discover something is missing.  It's either my scissors, a floss, or the chart,  I always seem to be searching for something instead of stitching.  Just when I get everything located, Lucy jumps into my lap, everything goes flying and the search begins anew.  Does anyone else have these problems?

During a recent visit to Hobby Lobby, I found this tray.  It is large enough to hold my chart.  My homemade make-do helps to keep the fibers organized.

I added a magnet which holds the make-do in place in the tray and is a resting place for my scissors.  The ort cup came from The Country Cupboard in Crossville.

The Sew-Lutions magnetic box also came from Hobby Lobby and is the perfect place for needles, needle minders and threaders.  The tray is just deep enough to hold Q-Snaps with project.

When I am finished stitching, the tray sits beside my stitching chair.  It is a solution which is working for me.  With significantly cooler temps, it is finally beginning to feel like fall.  Weekend agenda:  fall baking (pumpkin bread) college and NFL football and stitching, lots of stitching.

Catching Up

Good Intentions

Kathy Barick

This piece says so much about me.  I had good intentions of posting more about samplers during Sampler September.  Then there was a great gathering with the Homespun group and the Music City Stitchers group, my awesome experience at SassyJacks and the Bristol Orphanage Sampler lecture and workshop and the relentless ninety degree weather . . .

Let's catch up

In All Things Be Exceedingly Diligent

Needlework Press

After posting about my dirty half dozen unfinished samplers, I did finish the sampler In All Things Be Exceedingly Diligent, my first horizontal sampler.  Diligence as I like to call her is in the capable hands of Lynn the framer.  She should be ready to bring home and claim her spot with the other samplers sometime soon.

One of the things which I did during Sampler September was go through all my sampler charts/designs and choose twelve which I am making a priority to stitch.

• A Sampler Study 1802 by The Primitive Hare
• Sarah's House and The Winter is Past by Blackbird Designs
• In the Berry Beginning by The Scarlett House
• Felicity's Sampler by Serendipity Designs
• Hannah Lancaster by the Porcupine Collection
• Noel and Quaker Handworke by With Thy Needle and Thread
• Companion to Beatrix Potter an Ackworth Sampler by Stitchy Box
• Hospitality by Words of Praise
• Plantation Sampler by Canterbury Designs
• Rebecca Robinson by The Scarlet Letter

Sandra was stitching The Plantation Sampler at the last gathering and Tanya Brockmeyer had this sampler on her sampler wall and my sampler mojo was rekindled.  I purchased linen and silks at SassyJacks's to to start her.  Time will tell the story of my progress in stitching these samplers.  Two thoughts:  Good Intentions and Diligence

Christmas Village

Prairie Schooler

stitched by Sandra

Our September Homespun Gathering was just the best.  We welcomed three new stitchers:  Karen, Allison and Jeanette.  Patty, Lori and Sandra also came--it was so nice to welcome them back.  Yes, we had a full house with many amazing finished pieces.  This group is a blessing, so many talented women and wonderful cooks.  Did I mention we shared a delicious pot luck meal?  We introduced ourselves to Karen, Allison and Jeanette by sharing how we came to shop and stitch at Homespun.  Reminiscing down the Homespun memory lane was good for more than a few laughs and tears.  Thank goodness Judy was there with her camera to take pictures of all the finished pieces, because I was to busy visiting and being inspired by all the projects (finished and in progress).

When Kim (SassyJack's) announced Claudia Dutcher Kistler would be coming to SassyJack's in October for a lecture and workshop on the Bristol Orphanage samplers, I immediately sent in my registration.  The entire weekend was an amazing experience.  From Claudia's very informative lecture on George Mueller and the British orphanage samplers, shopping at SassyJack's, the ambience of Weaverville, old friends, new friends, Vonna's delicious FiberTalk cookies, sharing and inspiration, it was one of the best stitchy events I have ever attended!  I don't have enough words to adequately express the wonderful experience.  

Returning home, Melissa reminded me Sat. October 12 was a stitch day for the Music City Stitchers.  This is a new to me group which meets once a month at the Brentwood Library.  It is a a young, growing group.  The group has outgrown three meeting rooms and now meets in the largest room the library has.  A special thank you to Ryann for organizing this group and sharing her exquisitely made counting pins and needle minders.  Several of the group are planning weekend shopping adventures to SassyJack's.  One of the many, many fun things Kim is doing is yearly squirrel needle minders.  Below are the 2019 and 2020 squirrel needle minders and Kim has already chosen the 2021 squirrel.

According to the calendar the first official day of fall 2019 was Monday, September 23.  Mother Nature did not get the memo.  This September in Nashville was one of the driest, hottest on record!  Day after day of ninety degree temps with no rain, just got the best of me.  I lost my stitching mojo, gardening mojo, fall decorating mojo, and AppleJack says my cooking mojo.  The kicker--Nashville went from ninety degrees to frost in less than a week.  It was wonderful to wake up Sunday morning to frost on the rooftops.  I have never been more ready for cooler temps.  Tennessee and much of the south has one color for fall:  brown.

Sarah's House

Blackbird Designs

Until next time, I will be stitching on Sarah's House, watching Flosstube, scanning Instagram and reading blogs.  AppleJacks says "keep those fingers away from the shopping carts."