Randje Week 17

Two easy rows. Took about an hour last night.

 

 

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Murder Solved!

What a fabulous weekend. Am so glad to have had the opportunity to take this class with Amy Mitten. Many thanks to the Mississippi River Valley Sampler Guild for hosting.

Yes, the murder was solved by a very astute Royal Canadian Mountie. Let's just say that he really knows his linen. Ha!

Our project for the weekend was a sampler named "Ten". Amy shared many details about the symbolism in this design as well as other samplers. This sampler is not for the faint of heart. I counted over 35 different specialty stitches throughout the design. There are exactly 102 steps in the instructions. Wow.

With Amy's permission, I was able to take a picture of the model...

When I finish this sampler I will feel quite a sense of accomplishment!

 

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Amy Mitten

If you have ever taken a class with Amy Mitten then you know that there is always a mystery to be solved. The sampler guild ladies in our story are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their guild and are on retreat and the vey bossy president of the guild has been murdered - with a scissors no less!

My friend Chris and I are here in Bettendorf, IA with the ladies from the Mississippi River Valley Sampler Guild for Amy Mitten's class. We are working on her sampler "Ten". What a delightful lady she is. Amy hails from Calgary, Alberta. I have enjoyed listening to her - I love how Canadians say their "o's" and every once in awhile she will slip in an "eh".

The sampler is filled with a multitude of specialty stitches. Amy takes time to explain them all in detail. Note the crime scene in the background!

There are about 20 of us taking the class; she breaks us down into smaller groups to explain the stitches.

Amy brought all of her teaching pieces along plus the models for the projects that are offered as online tutorials via her website. What a feast for the eyes!

Well, that's all for now. I need to get moving. I have a murder to solve.

 

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The Crime Scene

Yes, I am in Iowa. Bettendorf to be exact.

Here's your next clue. Our stitching event became a crime scene today.

It's cold and rainy here. I hope the weather is better tomorrow!

 

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On the Road Again

Guess where I am?

Taking a class tomorrow with.....?

 

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Sunday Morning

Typical spring day in these parts. It's cooler today and overcast; we had some rain overnight. I think it is supposed to rain on and off all day. The trees and bushes now have buds on them and the air smells fresh and clean. Finally, I think we can say farewell to winter.

I didn't get much stitching done this week, only a little bit here and there. I've got a number of projects that I "should" be working on and then there are those that I "want" to work on.

The project I would really like to finish is this one - Winter Strawberries Needleroll from Catherine Theron. This was her guild project this year. I know some guilds are still waiting for their kits due to a backup on the linen. We must have been one of the first guilds to place our order.

I've been somewhat counting challenged with this piece, but I have really enjoyed stitching it. I still have a little bit more to do on the front of the needleroll- some over one filling in around the word "needles". I also need to stitch the top and the sides for the mattress pincushion. Not too much more to go, but when it is over one it takes me twice as long!

If you are on Facebook have you seen the announcement that Cathy from The Inspired Needle is going to keep "Celebrations" going in St. Charles? Under a new name of course - Needlework Galleria. It seems like many of the opportunities are on the East coast; I think we need to support this event to ensure its success. We have a wedding to attend that weekend for a friend of my daughters. I'm trying to figure out how I can be in two places at once.

Enjoy your day.

 

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Randje Week 16

 

 

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Randje Week 15

I am having so much fun stitching this! This week's installment didn't take very long to stitch.

 

 

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Tulip Tray Finished!

Last night I took time to finish the last two smalls - the strawberry and the mattress pincushion. The strawberry proved to be a little bit of a challenge. In fact, I wasn't quite satisfied with it and so I took it apart this morning and re-did it. I am happy with it now.

Tulip needlebook, pin tower, strawberry, and mattress pincushion. Here's another picture of the backside.

And here's the entire set again. You are probably tired of seeing photos of this project. Not to worry, I'll move on to something new.

 

Great project! It feels so good to have something finished.

Heading out now for our guild's annual brunch and meeting. Hope to connect with some friends at Stitchville afterwards.

 

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Winter Strawberries

Not a great picture, but wanted you to see that I am keeping busy. This is Catherine Theron's guild project for 2015. Tonight I started putting in the Palestrina knots!

 

 

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Randje Week 14

Staying on top of Randje! Such a relaxing stitch.

 

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Updated Photo

Here's my most recent Tulip Tray photo. When I posted it yesterday, it was upside down.let's see if it is right side up now!

 

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Test

Testing out a new app for posting to my blog from my iPad. Here I thought it was my iPad that was misbehaving. It really was the application that I was using!

Let's see if this works.

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A Spring Tulip

It's a little cool and overcast here today; at least it is not snowing.  I've been cleaning house like a maniac.  We're not having company for Easter; the cleaning is just long overdue.  I thought a little break was in order.  I have so much left to tell you about my last two weekends!

On March 24, I shared with you a picture of my Tulip Tray from Patrick's Woods.  I still had three smalls that were stitched but not finished.  Last night I decided to work on the Tulip.  I didn't expect it to take me all night, but it did.  That's okay, it is done.

The tulip is made from some of the prettiest pink velvet ribbon.  Once all the pieces were mounted onto the cardboard templates I was able to then start hand sewing the pieces together.  There should be a feather stitch along the sides of the tulip, but I just wasn't happy with it.  I did a very small blanket stitch and then added some beads on the outside edges (you probably can't see them in the picture, but trust me, they are there!

The inside of the tulip pulls out to reveal a needlebook!  The ribbon is personalized with a swan on one side and my initial on the other.

The ensemble looks good, but I still have two more smalls to put together. (Dear Ann, I would love to help you assemble your tray, if only we lived about 1300 miles closer to each other!)

(Blogger is misbehaving with my pictures - sorry!)

Here's my latest fetish...old needlework tools made or bone or celluloid.  These were a recent purchase, so tiny and well used.  I can imagine a little old lady holding these tools at one time.  One of them has a very small metal crochet hook attached to it.  Another is a very small crochet hook (only about three inches in length.)  The others are awls -- you can tell they were well loved.

Well, tomorrow I will be back and will tell you about the Saturday and Sunday class (March 20 and 21).

Happy Easter!

Randje Week 13

Pictures are a little dark, but here's proof that I am keeping up with my weekly Randje assignment!

My iPad has kind of put a crimp in the regularity of my blog posts.  Hope to rectify that soon.  In the meantime, I will warm up the old beast of a desktop in the computer room and hope it hangs in there with me for awhile.  I have quite a few stories to share with you!

Before I go, I've been spending quite a bit of time this week with this beauty - the Sojourner Sampler from Heart's Ease Examplar Workes.  Our guild is working on this project as a year-long SAL.  I've been working on the alphabets this week - love stitching alphabets!

One month from today - Stitchville's Annual Spring Fling...let the countdown begin!