Happy Birthday, Lizzie!

Happy First Birthday, Lizzie! We’re going to play lots of catch today!

Final Farewell

We said our final farewell today. Judy, I hope you are stitching with a golden needle in heaven. You will be deeply missed.

For Judy

One of my stitching friends died last month. This was the doily she had taken with her to work on while she was recovering in the hospital. She had most of the foundation stitching done. I did the cutting and wrapping. It’s finished now. I will return it to the family at the funeral on Saturday.

I decided to give my blog an update. I renamed it “Alphabet Stitcher” to mirror my Instagram name. The blog address will remain the same.

Putzing around tonight. No stitching. Sometimes putzing is okay though.

Road Trip! A Visit to Blue Earth, MN

My PIC (Partner in Crime) and I went on a road trip today. We traveled to Blue Earth, MN to visit Welcome Stitchery; today was their grand opening. Cathy Habermann and Carolyn Manning were special guests.

We both are big Cathy Habermann fans. If you know Cathy Habermann of Hands on Design well, you know she likes flamingos. So we thought it was fitting for her “flamin-gals” to make an appearance!

Cathy had a great trunk show on display and had brought the charts for her new designs.

It was a great morning, we saw many friends, old and new. After our visit at the needlework shop we went to the quilt shop in town and then to lunch.

On our way out of town we stopped to take some pictures of this handsome guy.

Since it was on the way home, we made a quick pitstop at the Calico Hutch in Hayward, MN.

Great day! It was so much fun to be out and about and to spend it with friends!

Rubbing Elbows With Rock Stars

Not much stitching to share, but I do have a couple photos to share.

When I was at the Attic, I had my picture taken with Jean. She puts on such wonderful events. She’s an industry legend!

I also had my picture taken with Merry Cox. Another rock star in our industry. I’ve enjoyed taking some online classes with her recently. She was a participant at the Bristol weekend event.

I visited the Mad Tatter this past weekend. She just finished stitching and blocking this doily. Isn’t it lovely. The thread color appears kind of yellow because of the lighting, but it is actually white as snow. The Mad Tatter is a rock star too!

Hope your week is going well.

Remembering Barb Adams (cont.)

My last class with Blackbird Designs was held at the Attic in Mesa, AZ in November, 2019. Little did any of us know that this  would be our last retreat before the pandemic. And it was the last time I would see Barb Adams. It was a great weekend, no painting or waxing, but wonderful projects all the same. I’ve finished all of them.

On Friday night, our project was this sweet sampler called “My Heart Can Rest.” When I stitched it, I dedicated it to my paternal grandmother.

On Saturday, we received the kits to make the top for this box (pattern can be found in the Sewing Club book. We also received the kit to make this stitched tomato; I finished mine into a drum.

This is the top of the tomato pincushion (the model).

My drum finish is in the back on the left.

And in the back, on the right in this photo.

Thanks for sticking with me over these last few posts. Such great memories. I’m grateful to have had so many opportunities to connect with Barb and Alma over the years. Barb will be truly missed.

Remembering Barb Adams (cont.)

My ode to Barb Adams and Blackbird Designs continues. We were fortunate to have Barb and Alma for two more Stitchville Spring Flings, in 2017 and 2019.

In 2017, our projects were the designs featured in their book “And Blossoms as the Rose.”  And yes, they had us painting and waxing again. Always fun!

In 2019, our projects were designs that would later be included in the “Sewing Club” book. We painted and waxed again!

I am so fortunate to have had so many opportunities to take classes over the years with this dynamic duo!