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.

Homespun Gathering Fall 2017

There are special times in life when you think it can't get any better and it does.  This is the case with the Homespun Gatherings.  At the sake of sounding redundant, there is always delicious food, beautiful needlework, inspiration and sharing time with your kindred spirits.

Heartstring Samplery

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Stitched by Jane

An heirloom piece of needlework!  Jane's beautiful execution of tension with her needle and thread is outstanding.  I neglected to ask Jane when she started stitching "sparrow," it is big the colors are rich and it is a piece of needlework which will be treasured by her family.  Jane is an avid gardener and great cook.  Jane was stitching the November word play by With Thy Needle and Thread.

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Sub Rosa

Polly Brown

Stitched by Judy

Another heirloom!  Judy loves stitching big houses and calls herself the youngster of our group.  She may be a youngster in age but this is not reflected in her needlework as she stitches with great execution and skill.  Judy has stitched several large samplers:  Liberty's Welcome, Yuletide Welcome and Ghoultide Welcome by Plum Street Samplers, Christmas Garden by Blackbird Designs, Red House Sampler by Brenda Keys, Christmas at Hollyberry Farms by Stacy Nash and this beautiful Polly Brown by Sub Rosa.  Judy's needle is always busy and she has stitched many other lovely pieces, these are just a few which I have remembered.  Ever the encourager, Judy tells me:  just stitch one needle full of fiber a day and you will make progress.  Judy is working on another big red house: Grateful, Thankful and Blessed by With Thy Needle and Thread--it is a beauty.

Chessie and Me

Club Piece from Country Sampler

stitched by Debby

Look closely at that deer, he is stitched over one.  Can't wait to see how Debby finishes this piece, she is very creative and imaginative with her finishing and framing.  Debby was stitching O Tannenbaum by With Thy Needle and Thread. Several of the group will be stitching this piece and we spent some of the time counting out the layout of the design on 36 ct Legacy by Picture This Plus.  The Santa, the words to Oh Christmas Tree and the sweet sheep all neatly displayed in a shadow box have caused many stitchers to fall in love with this teaching piece from Brenda Gervais.  Like Judy, Debby's needle is seldom idle and am sure she will have this piece finished and ready to share at the next gathering.

Stacy Nash

Country Sampler Club piece

Stitched by Debby

Debby had purchased a beautiful piece of red over dyed velveteen fabric and green silk ribbon for the finishing on this piece.  Hmm, I saw a red sleigh from Target which would be a great compliment piece for displaying this piece of needlework.

Lizzie Kate

To Do List

Stitched by Courtney

Courtney says she will hang this piece of needlework next to her back door so she can read it each morning as she walks our the door to begin her day.  Great words for each of us to practice.

Lucille was knitting, Ruth was stitching a Beatrix Potter baby sampler for a co-worker, Mary was stitching one of the Little House Needleworks Early American Series.  I have retrieved Margaret Cottam by La D Da from my PhD drawer and am determined to get her finished.

Did I mention the food was delicious.  Home baked bread, chicken casserole, corn casserole, cranberry salad, Shepherd's salad, pecan pie and carrots cake.  Yum, Yum--if you walk away hungry  after spending the day with this group, it was your choice.

Thank you Homespun Kindred Spirits for another wonderful gathering.  I am motivated to stitch and have finished projects to share for the first gathering in January 2018.  

We Gather Together

Yesterday was the annual fall gathering of the Homespun Reunion Group at the home of Linda Stoltz.  Each fall, Linda graciously welcomes the Homespun group to her home.  Our group is very blessed because not only is Linda a gracious hostess, she is the designer behind Erica Michael's Designs and an outstanding needleworker.  The gathering always begins with hugs, ohhh's and ahhh's and the smell of delicious food.  There is an air of excitement with projects in the works and an exchange of ideas for projects which are in the beginning stages.  Unfortunately, I have photos of completed projects and do not have the name of the design and am unsure of the stitcher.  The above project was stitched by Jacqueline.  Hobby Lobby is one of our favorite shops and she had found a box and mounted the completed piece to the box.

Another one of Jacqueline's pieces.  A beautiful piece for Thanksgiving, fall or any time of the year.

Jane's Lesson One in Abecedarian from Summer Schoolhouse by With Thy Needle and Thread.  Jane had stitched her piece over two on 36 ct linen.

Linda stitched this Blackbird Design piece called Away We Ride.  The bowl is another find from Hobby Lobby.

This wool appliqué block is from the Blackberry Primitives design Castleton.  Linda embellished the blocks with beautiful buttons which had been passed to her from women in her family.

Linda has completed all of the blocks.  She has many commitments on her schedule and says the project will be set aside as she fulfills her commitments.  We are all anxiously awaiting to see this project set together-it is beautiful and has inspired us to dig into our wool bins and begin our own wool appliqué.

Anne's punch needle was inspired by an antique rug she had seen at the Heart of Country Antique Show.  Yes, it is punch needle and looks like a miniature hooked rug.

Lori found this pumpkin frame (I think at Hobby Lobby) and downloaded a freebie design from the Primitive Stitchers website.  Don't you just love the very fall color on the house and smoke coming from the chimney?

Another sweet autumn/fall piece.  I failed to get the name of the design or the stitcher.  Love the way it has been finished.

Delilah adding embellishments to a project bag (which will be gifted to one of her coworkers)

The photo does not even begin to show the true exquisite stitching in this piece.  The designer is Chessie and Me (do not know the name of the design).  The piece is mounted on a beautiful black walnut box which Linda's husband made especially for the piece.

I so overwhelmed with all the completed pieces, I failed to get both the name of the design, the designer and the stitcher.

A Notforgotten Farm design--another whoops on the stitcher.

Delilah's miniature quilt--great selection of colors with the blues and browns.

Judy's needle has been very busy stitching Plum Street samplers--I think she has stitched three.  Dutch Beauty is on her list of future projects.  

Needles were flying, floss was moving from skein into linen and stitchers were doing on line shopping.  The group meets again in November and there were be more beautiful projects for the share table.  Delicious meatballs, a homemade coconut pie and pumpkin dump cake helped us keep our energy level and someone had decorated cookies with a needle pulling thread and cross stitch.  Thank you Linda, for once again opening your home to the Homespun group.  Am already counting down the days until we meet again November 18. 

Spring Gathering

Stars in the Garden

Yellow Creek Quilt Designs

Primitive Quilts Magazine Spring 2013

Anne finished her hexie--and it is beautiful.  Anne's father is making a frame for this quilt--the hexie's are 1/4"

Carriage House Samplings
A Mind Independent and Free

This photo does not even begin to do this piece of needlework justice.  This is a Carriage House sampler Anne adapted showing her father's genealogy.  The bottom half of the sampler is stitched one over one with her father's genealogy--a true heirloom!  (Am guessing this piece to be approx 4' long)

Samplers NotForgotten
Bird Song

Debby stitched this beautiful piece of needlework.  The colors are vibrant and the wonky flowers just make this piece of needlework all the more interesting.  (Sorry for the upside down photo--I couldn't figure out how to turn it)

Primitive Quilts Fall 2016, Winter 2016 and Spring 2017
Wool Applique Sampler by Blackberry Primitives

Linda is stitching this wool appliqué quilt offered as a block of the month, or kit through Blackberry Primitives.

North and South
Primitive Quilts Magazine

Susan finished the quilting on my North and South quilt in time for the gathering--once again, she did a beautiful job--she never disappoints!

The Gatherings are such a special time--friends, good food, beautiful needlework, talk of future projects.

Gathering

Saturday was the last Homespun Gathering day for 2016.  The Gatherings are always filled with good food, laughter and beautiful needlework.  This is a Scarlet Letter piece which Debby stitched.

Debby also stitched this piece by Blackbird Designs.  It's hard to resist a sampler with Adam and Eve and a big old red house.

Judy has also had a set of busy hands and needles.  This was a collection of freebies designed by Paulette Stewart of Plum Street Samplers --a great piece and she stitched using just four colors of fibers.

Judy also stitched this piece, I think the designer is Barbara Ann.  A great marriage sampler, so many wonderful elements in this piece.

Can't remember the name of the piece, the designer is Prairie Schooler.  Mary Ann did a fabulous job with the stitching--a great piece for Christmas or to celebrate winter.

Delilah's birthday gift signature quilt--a true heirloom.  

Cathy stitched this club piece from Tomorrow's Sampler club.  Seeing this piece makes me want to join this club.

I'm a little fuzzy on who stitched this piece, maybe Mary.  A great fabric selection-- the snow man and snow woman look like they are the woods in the middle of a snowstorm.  

Jane was catching up on club pieces, this one by Stacy Nash.  A great fall finish.

Debby had prepared a delicious chicken pot pie, Ruth had a tasty bean dip and Cathy had banana pudding!  Good food, beautiful needlework, and dear friends, it just doesn't get any better.  

We Gather Together

Lucille's beautiful quilt--her first quilt!  Her color choices of the blues and beige's work wonderfully together.

Ruth is working on the Mary Slatter sampler from the Worcester Art Museum collection.  Like Anne there are painted faces.

Jane's bee skep rug--another beauty in the making. Jane says she ran out of one of the gold colors and someone shared a similar color from their stash.

Cathy's Rachel Hyde sampler from Threads through Time.  She made some modifications and made it a memorable sampler for her husband.

Cathy's covered Polish pottery bowl from Old Colonial.

Mary Ann's Christmas houses--a Prairie Schooler design I think.

Anita made great progress on her rug.

Courtney says this is for her son's room.

Annie Magnolia makes one last appearance in TN and then she is packing her bags for AR. Lynne the framer did a great job adding her painted paper face.

Another great gathering--beautiful projects, good food, laughter and time with kindred spirits.