Stockings!

I was shocked to discover how long it has been since I last posted anything on our blog. Many things have kept me busier than usual; if that's possible!  We did some major remodeling at home and I realized once again how much I am a "creature of habit".  I didn't cope well with living in chaos and construction dust!  We still have some painting to do but we are mostly finished and have a beautiful new bathroom and refinished hardwood floors.  We finished just in time for Thanksgiving and then rushed headlong into Christmas preparations.  I did manage to finish the last stocking so everyone in our family has one.  My granddaughter was unhappy last year that I didn't have a stocking like everyone else.  Here is a picture of our mantel filled with Shepherd's Bush stockings.

While we are talking about Christmas, we have decided to start NOW for next year.  We have all of our back issues of the Just Cross Stitch Ornament magazines on sale for 25% off.  We also have grab bags with linen or aida remnants that are perfect for stitching ornaments.  (The grab bags will be listed on our What's New page:http://www.houseofstitches.com/whatsnew.cfm. )  As an added bonus, the ornament magazines have many wonderful recipes from the designers.  You can stitch and cook your way through the magazines!

Have a very Happy New Year!  I hope it is one filled with good health, happiness and many wonderful new projects!

Happy stitching,
Linda

St. Charles Needlework Market

The National Needlework Association's Fall Market was in St. Charles, Missouri this weekend.  It was a marathon classes, shopping, networking and planning. Talking with designers and other shop owners is a great experience.  It's nice to know that there are many others who are also doing their best to spread the love of needlework.  If you are reading this, you probably already know how therapeutic and rewarding stitching can be.  I have a quote from Ginnie Thompson on the wall by my computer.  It says, "What cross stitch does not cure it alleviates!"

Now that my shopping is finished, we have everything priced and packed so we can travel home tomorrow. The new things will be in the shop and ready to purchase on Tuesday.  If you have placed an order through our website or by phone, we will mail it on Tuesday.

The atrium of the hotel was decorated with banners from the many designers and companies that were exhibiting.  It was festive and hinted at the good things that were waiting to be purchased.  Here are a few photos from the exhibitors' rooms.

Rosewood Manor's Spring, Summer and Winter Quakers.

 

More samplers from Rosewood Manor.

"His Glory" from Lone Elm Lane, one of the new designers.

One of the samplers in the book "Sisters" from Blackbird Designs.

The sampler on the left is from "Sisters", "Away We Ride" is on the right.

 Both are from Blackbird Designs.

 

These cute Chalkboard Designs are from another new designer, Brenda Riddle Designs. Stitched with White Lightning on Gunmetal Linen (both from Weeks Dye Works), they look just like chalkboard art.

"Ann Leech" and "Evergreen Friendship" from C Street Samplerworks, a designer from our hometown!  We are proud of you Ruth Ann!

 

To see all of the other new things from market, go to our website catalog, http://www.houseofstitches.com/search.cfm, and type stchas13 in the keyword box.  I think you will have a good time planning your next projects!

 

Happy stitching,

Linda

 





Midwest Stash Exchange 2013

Last Saturday was our Midwest Stash Exchange and fundraiser for Riley Children's Hospital.  We had loads of fun and by all indications, those who attended did, too.  There was a whole lot of stash being exchanged with many happy stitchers finding special treasures!  The weather was beautiful (just look at that blue sky) and many people came to help raise money for a very worthwhile cause.  Here are a couple of pictures of the fun.  The picture above shows some of the stash tables and the one below shows the food table and prize table.  The red buckets were for the prize drawings.  We will continue to take donations until Labor Day weekend if you would like to contribute.  We also still have some bags of delicious kettle corn available. It is a perfectly blended sweet and salty snack. I cannot resist it!

                                       

I had some very exciting news today! There are 16 new colors coming from DMC! The collection features eight soft, natural shades and eight bright, vibrant hues. All 16 colors are available exclusively in a convenient, clear plastic pack. They say they will begin shipping at the beginning of October, so my guess is that we will see them in time for trick or treat! For some reason new releases always take longer than predicted. I will let you know when they arrive. Pre-orders are welcome!

Projects!

I thought you might like to see a couple of projects that we have been stitching.  First is one from our framer, Cherry.  It is from a JBW leaflet, "Needle Roll & Needle Case".  What a beautiful project!  She accessorized it with Tulip Thread Rings, Hare Threadwinders and an Acorn Needle Minder, all from Kelmscott Designs.  If sewing isn't your favorite thing, we can order the pre-made accessories for you.  Then you just stitch on the linen bands and quick as a wink youhave a finished project!  The  floss colors beautifully echo the colors in the fabrics used in the needle roll and needle case.  If you want to sew the accessories in another color, it would be easy to change the color of the flowers to match your fabric.  This would be a great gift for your stitching friends!

I have been working on some Christmas ornaments from Lizzie Kate's "Flora McSample Ornaments 2011 and 2012".  (I can't wait to see the 2013 leaflet!)  The two ornaments at the top of the photo are stitched on Lakeside Linen's 32 count Woodsmoke.  The two at the bottom are stitched on Milk Chocolate Linen from Wichelt.  My photography doesn't do the colors justice!  Once I started stitching these designs I couldn't stop;  they are fun and fast.  I am going to use them as models in an ornament class later this summer.  If you are interested in the class, just let us know and we will get you the details as soon as we have them.

Thank you for allowing me to show you just a few of the projects that we have been enjoying!  I was going to balance my checkbook tonight but this seemed like more fun!  I hope you are stitching some fun summer projects, too!

Happy stitching,
Linda

Spring happenings!

These flowers in the snow greeted me when I arrived on Saturday morning at our BYOP stitching weekend on Saturday morning.  I think it was a final farewell to winter!  It was warm inside and we had a wonderful weekend of relaxing stitching.  It was so much fun that I forgot to take any more pictures!  You will just have to join us next time and remind me to stop stitching for a few minutes and snap a few photos.  Several people finished multiple projects and we enjoyed looking at the projects that were brought for show and tell.  I had fun finding projects that had been stashed in my stitching bag for so long that I had forgotten about them.  I have a nice collection of Lizzie Kate's Flora McSample ornaments that need finishing.  Maybe they can be the motivation for a finishing class!

 

Last Saturday we had a visit from Sue Hillis.  She graciously signed charts, posed for pictures and shared her latest designs.  Fans of all ages came to visit!  The little fireman made sure that none of the hot new designs combusted!  The long "Super...Docious" pillow is so new Sue finished stuffing it at the shop.  Sue says the pillow is just the right length to fit across a twin bed.  The colors in both the picture and the pillow are yummy; they lift your spirits!

Happy stitching!

Linda

 

La-D-Da Trunk Show

We just received a wonderful trunk show from La-D-Da that we would like to share with you.  It arrived a little earlier than expected so we will have it for a couple of extra weeks.  We will be enjoying it through the end of April.  My photography skills do not do it justice so I hope you will be able to visit in person!  If you go to our website, www.houseofstitches.com, you can see all of the La-D-Da designs pictured here and many more!  Which ones are destined for your collection?! ?

Happy stitching,
Linda

Nashville 2013

I hope you are ready for some new projects!  I spent last evening and today at the Nashville Needlework Market.  Once again the designers have outdone themselves.  If you would like to see what they have designed for us, go to our website http://www.houseofstitches.com/Results.cfm, click on Catalog and type in the key word nash13.  Keep checking back often as we are adding things as we go along.  My poor husband is chained to the computer this weekend.  I do let him out of the room to have a nice dinner each evening but then it is back to work!  It is always nice to talk with the designers and see their latest creations.  I have lined up a trunk show from La-D-Da for the month of April and Sue Hillis will be visiting us on April 27 with a trunk show of her designs.  Make plans to visit us and have Sue sign your charts!

I need to get back to work.  I have bags and bags of charts and accessories to price so they are ready to sell when the shop opens on Tuesday morning. Our hotel room is a mess with crates of charts, bags of merchandise and piles of invoices and brochures. Hopefully I can get it all sorted out. I also need to go through my show book and make a plan for finishing my shopping tomorrow.  I hope you have fun shopping, too, and remember to keep checking our website as we add more things.

Happy stitching,
Linda

Happy New Year!

Well!  Here we are two months later!  I don't know where the time went but I know it was busy!  I always think things will slow down after the holidays but we go right into inventory which is no small task.  A big thank you goes to the crew here at House of Stitches; they go above and beyond the call of duty to get it done. Another big thank you goes to my husband who adds it all up.  Tedious!  We prefer to count stitches!  One of the hazards of inventory is seeing all of the great designs that we have somehow missed adding to our personal stash.  So, it's off one inventory and onto another one!

I want to share an impressive piece of needlework with you. Sharon, who is a member of the crew here at House of Stitches stitched the Nativity Story Tablerunner by Blackberry Lane Designs for her friend Michele who was visiting from Australia.  While Michele was in the US, they attended Christmas in Williamsburg where they were able to show the completed project to the designer, Marie Driskill.  The size of the project becomes apparent as Michele (left), Marie (center) and Sharon (right) hold up the completed tablerunner.  What a stunning accomplishment!  Well done, Sharon!  Rumor has it Sharon will be visiting the tablerunner in Australia later this year.

2013 is shaping up to be an exciting year.  More details and dates will be coming SOON!

Happy stitching,
Linda