Willow Tree Sampler Guild

As you might expect, I have lots of stitching to share! Last year, my PIC and I joined the Willow Tree Sampler Guild in Texas. They were doing a project from Betsy Morgan. The pattern was complimentary to the guild members. We love Betsy Morgan designs! The stitch-a-long started in March. Each month we received the pattern for a new block. The designs represented different countries or regions of the world. I did a pretty good job of keeping up. Two of my posts from last year explained more about this project (October 11 and April 30). Here are all 12 blocks:

The last block was dedicated to the state of Texas since that is where their guild is located. We will be having a zoom call in July to cover the finishing instructions. All of these pages will be assembled into a book.

This year, the guild is doing another project from Betsy. It was originally posted in Inspirations magazine a few years ago. It’s a band sampler called “Favourite Things.” We started last month, and each month will be stitching a band, for a total of eight bands. I have the first and second band stitched, but only the first band is included in the picture below. The open space on the far left is for a stumpwork flower. I’m not sure that I will do the stumpwork, but I kept the space open and will make that decision when we cross that bridge.

If you are interested in joining the Willow Tree Sampler Guild, you can find them on Facebook. Membership dues are $35 per year.

This weekend, I’m at the Needle Bling “Get Your Stitch On” retreat in Bloomington, MN. Getting a lot of stitching done so will have more to report soon!

Trip to Florida, Christmas Treasures

Last December, a small group of us (6), traveled to Florida. We stayed in the Daytona Beach area and did the usual things like watching the ocean waves and eating delicious seafood.

The most important thing we did though was to visit a couple of the local needlework stores! One day we went to The Common Thread in Ocala, and to Gary Sligh’s Fabric Arts in Leesburg. Purchases were made in both shops!

Another day we traveled to the Inspired Needle in Palm Coast. We used to visit Cathy’s shop when it was located in Lemont, IL.

The Inspired Needle was loaded with all kinds of needlework goodies. (The shop is now closed.) We had a great time shopping and each of us found treasures to buy. On my way out of the shop, my PIC (who always has my best interest in mind) pointed to a box on a bottom shelf and said, “Did you know there is a Whitman Tin in that box?” Enough said. We stopped in our tracks. Had to look at it and more importantly, had to buy it! 

When we got in the car and shared our find with the others, three of them had this tin and the accompanying kit in their stash. After sharing with friends who were not with us in Florida, we were up to seven! Another group project! The stitchers in this group gather every year in November at the Ranch in Wisconsin. Our GOAL is to have the pieces all stitched so we can finish the project together.

Without further ado, here is the tin. The accompanying smalls were designed by Louise Henderson of Cherished Stitches. The project is called “Christmas Treasures.”

And my pre-stitching is all finished. I’m ready for November!

Check back often. There are additional group projects Inwill share with you. Have a great stitchy day!

Mary Beale’s Days of Advent

If you’ve been a stitcher for a while you will probably recognize the name “Mary Beale.” She hasn’t designed anything new for several years, but her designs from many years ago are what I would call “timeless.” You can still purchase her patterns on her website.

https://www.marybeale.com/shop

I’ve always loved her Christmas stockings (and someday, I hope to stitch one!) Some of my stitching friends have lusted over her “Days of Advent” pattern. It’s not for the faint of heart when stitched as a sampler. There are 25 blocks and when stitched four across in five rows, the entire piece measures about 19 inches by 34 inches. The group was not interested in stitching it as a sampler though. 

My Partner in Crime (PIC) had the bright idea to stitch the pages horizontally and make the finished piece into a book. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) set in and I had to join the group. We are stitching it on 32 count Vintage Country Mocha with DMC. Our linen is four yards wide (that’s not a typo!) and nine inches high. We decided to start in the middle and work to the right, toward the birth of Jesus. When those blocks are finished we’ll go back to the middle and work to the left.The pattern is challenging in places because it is hand-charted. There are also pages of notes that have to be closely followed since large blocks of color are not charted!

When the stitching is finished, we will fold the piece accordion style and stitch everything together. Between now and then, we need to come up with a front and back cover. Quite an undertaking! I expect it will be at least a two year project (I have other things I want to stitch!)

Here’s a picture of the first two blocks. The one on the left depicts the story of Ruth. The one on the right depicts the story of David and Goliath.

I will start working on the next block in May.

Quilter’s Station Cross Stitch Extravaganza Retreat

Our first road trip of 2026! The Quilter’s Station Retreat is one of our favorites. We hit the road last Wednesday morning and traveled south on I-35. Our first stop is always the Red Barn in Iowa, just across the border from Minnesota. Clean restrooms and a cute gift shop. We then proceeded to Ames, IA for our lunch stop. We love the food and the great service at Hickory Park. Next, Lamoni, IA is also a favorite stop for gas, restrooms and the Amish General Store. We’ve gotten into the habit of always taking a picture with these cows.

Thursday is our shopping day. Our routine is almost always the same. First stop, C.C. And Company, a needlework shop in Blue Springs, MO. Then we travel 20 minutes further to Greenwood, MO., where there is a plethora of antique shops, but the main draw for us is the Greenwood Tea Room for a delectable lunch. Check out those desserts. You don’t skip the dessert when you are at the tea room! We round out the day with a visit to Quilter’s Station in Lee’s Summit, MO, later that afternoon.

The retreat begins on Friday morning. Up first was Lori Markovic from La D Da. We always enjoy seeing Lori and we love her designs. Her project for us was called “For the Birds.” Each designer brings a trunk show with them. I’ll include some picture’s of Lori’s here,

In the afternoon we met another “Lori” - Lori Wilson from Thread Milk Designs. Her project for us was inspired by a larger sampler that she found in an antique/thrift store in a small town in Illinois. She loved the verse and used it and some of the motifs in the sampler to create this sweet little sampler for us. Including pictures of Lori’s trunk show too.

Saturday morning, day two of the retreat, started with Jennifer Richardson of Violets and Verses. She shared information with us about “The Foundlings” - babies who were abandoned by their mothers in London during the 18th and 19th centuries. In some cases they were illegitimate, and in other cases, the mother’s could not afford to raise them. The mothers always left a “token” with their child. The children always received new names when they were surrendered, so in the event the mother were to ever come back to claim their child, they were identified by that token. Jennifer’s project for us was based on a note that one mother had left for her child, “You have my heart, though we must part.” The finished design is intended to be a wall pocket. Several smalls to fill the pocket.

Finally, the last designer to present was Annie from Annie Beez. She designed this sampler called “Calico House” (a nod to Quilter’s Station), it included a verse from Anne of Green Gables, “Dear old world, you are lovely and I am glad to be alive in you!”

So, another Quilter’s Station has come and gone. We plan to return in September for their fall retreat.

I hope to revive this old blog. I’ve been away for a long time and have much to catch you up on. It took me awhile to regain access to it. I couldn’t remember my password and was having trouble recovering it.  I took time today to get that all straightened out. So if you are an old friend, thanks for coming back. If you are a new friend, welcome. Happy Stitching.