Fun Superbowl Weekend.....

Stitchers began arriving Thursday night and by Friday we were in full swing in the shops.  Stasi Buhrman was busy cutting fabrics for stitchers, I was in charge of getting the tickets done for incoming merchandise and Sara and Debbie kept busy locating different charts stitchers were trying to locate.  The sun was shining, however, the wind and cold were blistering.  As each person blew in the door it just seemed to get colder out.  And then Friday night Sara hosted her welcoming reception at her house while I went home and finished doing whatever I do at home (usually stitch and watch TV).    Debbie Shiowaza brought in 2 large boxes of models she had finished, class pieces from the many classes she takes and the models were exquisite.  Debbie is such an incredible stitcher and finisher...(a role model for me), and Jayne Donchez brought over her over 1 piece (she only stitches over 1) Thea Gouverneur's America....unbelievable.  The color changes were dazzling on this piece.  I also got to see many of the projects the stitchers were currently working on.  It is always inspiring to see what others are working on.  I love it and always come away with a new idea for finishing or a new piece I want to stitch.  I did finish a few things for the weekend, I once again (I can't believe I stitched another tote) stitched Lizzie Kate's latest Winter Smalls and used one of the wooden totes to make a winter sewing set.  Winter Smalls actually consists of 4 designs, obviously I only used three of them as the 4th design was a Valentine design which I didn't want to use on the winter tote.  I finished the tote using Deep Sea Wool to back the design and then trimmed it with Snow white Lady Dot mini pom pom trim  Easy stitch, and an easy finish.  Then I took the Snow design and finished it as a mattress pin cushion.  On the side panels of the pin cushion I stitched snowflakes copied from the top design.   

The third and final piece is the Snuggle design which I made into a needle and pin book.  I used the Deep Sea Wool as the lining, forgot to put the white ribbon ties between the wool and linen so the ends weren't seen,  so had to hid the ribbon ends.  On the left side the needle page hides the ribbon end and I used a Just Nan snowflake charm to hid the other end.   I'm  actually going to add a couple more pieces to this set but this was all I could do before Super Bowl.  Obviously I love stitching for these totes.  Debbie Liming changes all her stitching totes and fobs and everything else she carries to match the seasons.  It is really a good way to clean out your stitching totes and saves on wear and tear as you rotate them out.  That's almost too organized for me.  I do seem to manage to do that every fall, but once I go back to a winter tote I don't seem to change until the next halloween.  However, in my house I have seasonal things beside my stitching chair and I do swap them out for the different seasons.  So once I take this home, it will be beside my stitching chair to hold my scissors, needles, pins, threads, etc., all the stuff I need for the project at hand.   These are the only stitched pieces I will actually use.  Everything else is just for display in the display cupboard or in my stitching room.

Then Sara wanted me to stitch "Valentine  you are cute as a button." by Needle Bling.  So I stitched that on a random piece of linen I had at home.  Since it was just the lettering it worked up really quickly and then it was on to finishing.  At first I was going to make a small pillow, but I saw long pin cushions in dough bowls on the internet and thought I'd like one of those.  So  that's what I did.  Easy to finish and I filled it with lizard litter and Valentine pin cushion complete.  Of course then I had to made 3 valentine red pins to put in the pin cushion.   Stasi Buhrman arrives with the exact same design  for show and tell and she finished hers as a small pillow...so cute, so I took a picture of hers as well to show different ways to finish the same design.  Stasi went the extra mile and stitched hers over 1 which makes it extra special and so cute.  Love the over ones.  It's fun to see the differences between my vision and Stasi's.  We both used colored buttons as opposed to the white ones shown on the model.  

  While I finished stitching the oversize Whittaker (Stacy Nash-Animal Cracker snowman) I didn't get it finished.  So we will have to wait to show that.    

But I did finish Brenda Gervais Snowbirds.  Brenda shows this as a cute little pin cushion done on 36 ct linen.  But I love to show hers on 36 as well as 18 ct. linen over 2 which makes it a 9 count so I can get a big pillow for my sofa or chairs.  Finish size is approx 13 1/2" 9.5" when stitched on 18 ct. linen over 2.  I stitch them using pearl cotton, both Weeks and DMC, and this time when I was mixed on  which trim to use I asked Sara to pick.  Sara said she liked the large pom pom trim, which worried me as I could see a problem for me and my sewing machine.  So I put it off as long as possible and then just sat down and sewed it and it really wasn't that hard.  Next time I'll do even better but for a first time job done and I'm pleased.  Not too much embellishment, I used faceted black beads for the coal buttons and eyes and I did turkey work on the scarf ends to represent fringe and on the vine I used beads to represent berries.  I always supply my stitching room with purchased pillow forms so I knew I'd find something to put inside.  And of course I had one that fit so I popped it in and zipped the pillow up and it is now in the shop.  And I've moved on to a couple of new projects.  I'm obsessed with the Jim Shore Chicks for Easter  which just came in and started one of those the minute the arrived in the shop and then Sara asked me to do another Valentines piece, "V is for Valentine", by Heartstring Samplery, so I'm starting that tonight.  Can't wait!    

Nashville Update #2

Hands Across the Sea will be presenting 5 new gorgeous charts in Nashville:

Sarah Daws circa 1840

Sarah's sampler was stitched on 40 ct. Lakeside Linen Vintage Meadow Rue.  She stitched her sampler with cross stitch mainly over 2 threads.  The lowercase letters of the verse are stitched with cross stitch over 1 thread.  Backstitch has been used to outline the two ladies' eyebrows and lips.  It is suitable for all levels of ability.  The design is approx. 15" x 26" and the chart retails for $32.00

Hannah Gaskell  1823

Hannah's sampler was stitched on 40 ct. Lakeside Linen Examplar with Au Ver a Soie silks.  There are a variety of stitches used including cross stitch over 1 and 2 threads, satin stitch, back stitch and French knots.  While this is a large project, it is suitable for all levels.  Within the booklet are detailed stitching notes and stitch diagrams.  The booklet is printed in full color throughout.   The design area ia approx  24" (w) x 26" (h).  The cost is $32.00

Eliza Bell Cox 1832

Eliza Bell Cox was stitched on 46 Lakeside Linen Vintage Buttercream.  The sampler is stitched in cross stitch over 2 threads with the verse, the bird's eye and butterfly's legs stitched over 1 thread.  There are some straight stitches that form the stamens on the pansies.  This sampler is rated as suitable for a confident  beginner.  The design size is approx. 13 1/2" x 19".  The chart retails for $32.00

Sarah Mary Larkworthy 1727

Sarah's sampler  was stitched on 40 ct. Lakeside Linen Examplar.  Sarah stitched her sampler with cross stitch over 2 threads, Algerian eyelets, stem stitch and satin stitch, using Au Ver a Soie Silk. The design has been counted out for you within the graph, no tracing is required.  Please refer to the graph not the model as the undulating berried border was drawn onto the fabric for the model and will vary slightly to the counted version within the graph.  The sampler has been rated as suitable for intermediate and advanced stitchers.   The design is approx. 12 "(w) x 17"(h).  Cost is $32.00 

Amy Cann  1831

  Amy Cann was stitched on 40 ct. Lakeside Linen Vintage Meadow Rue using Needlepoint, Inc. silks.  The sampler is stitched in cross stitch over 1 and 2 threads, satin stitch, four sided stitch, double running stitch, and Algerian eyelets.   Amy's sampler has been rated as suitable for all levels.  Within the booklet is a comprehensive stitching guide which includes stitch diagrams.  The design is approx. 18.5" x 14".  The chart retails for $30.00

Super Bowl Weekend coming up.....sale will be on!

The weather here is gorgeous, sunny, hovering near 50 degrees, seas are calm and people and dogs are out walking the boardwalk.  However, Sara and I are busy getting ready for next weekend's Super Bowl sale activities.  I've been stitching away getting new models done for the event....and while the stitching is completed, I've yet to do the finishing.  UGH!  But the next few days will be dedicated to getting everything finished....YEAH!!! So stitchers get your lists together and call us (410)289-4667, e-mail the shop (saltyyarns@aol.com) or stop in anytime next Friday through Monday.  Hope to hear from you.  Class schedules are on the web site except for Jackie's (we don't have her info yet) so check that out.  We are also gearing up for our annual Nashville trip....can't wait...have seen a few of the charts coming out in Nashville so that's exciting.  There is so much to look forward to....

And now it begins...............Nashville Market #1

Yes, we are now turning our sights to Nashville Market coming up in March.  And this week we began getting e-mails about some of the projects we will be seeing...so we're going to keep a running list of them for you on the blog... From Glendon Place
#1...

Stand for Freedom-a limited edition kit-- it will never be published after market and we will be unable to get more once market is over.  We are taking orders now and must have final order numbers by 1/31/2018.  So if you think this is something you'd like to have, please send us an e-mail (saltyyarns@aol.com) or call the shop (410) 289-4667 before that date.  Kit includes the chart, 13"x18" cut of either 28 ct. Bramble Linen or 14 ct. Bramble aida by Picture This Plus, 6 colors (full 20 yard spools) of Sulky 12 Weight Cotton Petites, 2 colors (1 yd. cuts) of Sullivan floss for attaching buttons and 3 colors/sizes of JABCO star buttons (total of 16).   Ciost for the 28 ct. Linen is $40.00 and the 14 ct. Aida kit is $37.00


#2 

Spook Town Square will be a 4-part Halloween series with Part 1 (the center gazebo) released at the Nashville Market (March).  Each part will retail for $12.00.  Part #2  (4 designs to the left and right of the gazebo) will be released May 1st., the 4 designs above the gazebo will be released July 9th, and the final release of the 4 designs below the gazebo will be released September 1st.   The model is stitched on a 1/2 yard cut of 28 ct. Tarnish (Picture This Plus). You will need 26" x 26" for the design.  A specialty thread pack will also be available that contains 3 skeins (2 different colors) of the DMC Color Variations (4080-Daffodil Fields (1) and 4122 Fall Harvest (2).  The remainder of the design is stitched with a total of 81 colors of DMC/Anchor floss.  We do not have a price yet on the specialty thread packs.

Whew....made it through Christmas, but I'm exhausted.from sitting on the sofa stitching...

And I didn't stitch for about a week, (before Christmas and a couple of days after) I mean not once, not one cross, I didn't even pick up a needle and I think of all the wasted hours where I could have been creating something fabulous and I'm mad at myself, but honestly, my house hasn't been this straightened up since last December and I'm loving it.  I didn't think I'd care about a new dishwasher, not having used one for the last 11 years, but I've been getting clean up done a lot faster so my kitchen is cleaned up most of the time now...win win, with no dishes in the sink.   And this year I was really organized and had a schedule which I kept for 3 days of prep for the  Christmas dinner.  I was on it and it showed.  But we opened the shop Friday after Christmas and tried to get back to our normal routine, however,  with wind chill factor of 8 it was hard to even sit in the shop.  My feet were frozen even though Sara had little heaters put in for our feet and I put heat packs in my shoes on Friday but on Saturday I just wore my Ugg slippers and frankly I was fine.  By Monday I was bored stiff and due to the extreme cold there weren't many walking on the boardwalk so at 3 p.m. Monday we said the hell with it and closed.  Then the following Thursday was the big snow so we were closed all last weekend and it was still cold so I stay bundled up in p.j.'s and quilts and ran the heat like it was free.  I'm not proud of this but I actually never got out of P.J.'s for 9 days I never left the house.  But no  one was coming in so I just enjoyed myself sitting on the sofa, stitching, watching t.v. and living life.  Michael came over Wednesday night and asked how I was doing and I had to admit even I had enough of sitting on the sofa and staying home.  I needed out....which of course would require a shower and a change of clothes.  But it took me 2 more days  before I took the corrective steps and Friday got up at 5:00 a.m., showered and got dressed.  The good thing was I had done all the laundry while I was at home so I have no problem finding something to wear.  And that brings you up to date on me.  I did finish the ABC de la Brodeuse, which I love, love, love.  It was such a fabulous stitch and the amazing finish to this is...I had my banding cut extra long just in case and when I was done I really wanted to back it so the backside of the stitching wouldn't be visible.  I had started and stopped threads carefully so I could leave it and it would be fine, but I just wanted the back to be finished as well.  While I was going through piles of fabric for that perfect piece, I unrolled the banding and discovered we had cut it long enough that I could just use it to cover the back just doubling the banding over and backstitching it to the front banding...you can't even see where it is backstitched together.  Perfect.  Then I was searching through my boxes for little hangers which I thought I had run across and found a bag of 4 and one of them fit this bellpull, but it was just a small gold hanger..  While I was walking up the hall to the living room I happened to see the Just Nan Lady Scarlet bellpull I did years ago and it's hanger was designed for that bellpull, however, it was perfect for my ABC bellpull.  Just the right colors in the flowers used as a header on the metal piece.  So I undid the banding, took that bellpull finding off my Lady Scarlet and put it on my ABC...perfection I tell you.  OMG, I loved it before but now I want to do another one. 

 But since I think of January as my snowman month I thought I should do at least one new snowman piece and of course I picked out Brenda Gervais Snow Birds.  I picked 18 count linen and used Weeks Dye Works Pearl Cottons and a DMC.  It was a race to get it done by Friday since Camp Wannastitch is here this weekend.  By Wednesday I informed Sara that I was out of the Whitewash, so she sent Michael over with 4 skeins and I moved on.  By Thursday I had everything done except I ran out of Oscar before finishing 3 leaves.  So I brought it in today minus the 3 leaves...darn it.  (It's now Sunday and the leaves are done, but I had already taken the picture.  I hope to have the finishing done by next weekend so I'll post another picture at that time. 

 It was a fun stitch, except I was in a race against time and that's never that much fun for me.  I'm also a little stuck on finishing.  I am thinking pillow but if we have a table banner hanger that goes with it I might use it.  And with that done, and a Hoffman order here with Whittaker, well the new project just showed up.  Of course then it's fabric selection which has taken me all weekend as I went back and forth.  And..add to the confusion I've decided to stitch it not only on 36 ct, but to do an oversized larger Whittaker on 18 ct. using pearl cottom.  I am leary with only 2 colors that I have the  patience to do this twice, but here's hoping.  I've driven Stasi Buhrman nuts pulling fabrics which she then takes pity on me and puts them away for me.  Thank God for Stasi...she offered to come down to cut fabric for the Camp Wannastitch weekend and needless to say Sara and I both screamed with joy.  OMG, she has spent 3 days on her feet helping stitchers pick their fabrics and cutting the fabrics for them.  Thank you Stasi so much.  We couldn't have done this without you, and I really mean that.  This is an exhausting weekend, in a good, way,  and it's a wonderful weekend.  This year the Camp had 175 stitchers attend.  You can just imagine what it was like at times in the shop.  But we see several of the stitchers other times of the year so some have become friends and it's always good to see returning stitchers, see what everyone is working on, hear their stories about their pieces, etc.  But I sure am ready for a nap by the end of the day.  Anyway, we are about to wrap it up

Holiday Hours

We have decided to close for the Holidays on the 18th of December and will reopen December 28th.  We will also be closed January 1st.  and then will reopen on the 5th of January.  So hopefully you are all set for the holidays.  I'm certainly not.  I'm done stitching for the holidays and as usual I didn't get anything major stitched for Sara.  I was  working on the special Blue Ribbon Tree Etui, but like everything else it just fell by the wayside yet again.  However, I'm keeping it right beside my stitching chair and hopefully will finish it after Christmas so I'll be early for Christmas 2018...wouldn't that be a nice surprise.  It's been a busy week this past week.  Monday I had my surgery and did very well so now it's been wound care all week.  Of course when I got out of the shower at 5:30 a.m. today, didn't feel it was appropriate to call Mary to ask her to come take care of the wound, which has been her daily regimen since Monday so I decided I would handle it myself.  The wound is in the middle of my back, from about 2" down from my neck and is about 3-4 inches.  I didn't realize until 5:35 a.m. today that there was no way on God' s green earth I could possible put gauze pads and a huge surgical bandage on my myself and part of the wound is still seeping a bit so I do need something over it.    So after trying and failing miserably, I had to come up with a solution to get to church.  If this was any other month it would be simple, I wouldn't go to church I'd wait for Mary to get up and then let her do it, and skip church.  But with altar duty in December I had no choice.  So I took a maxi pad (didn't have any smaller) and taped that sucker to my back and put on a long sleeve shirt over it and I went on to church.  I didn't take my coat off so you wouldn't be able to see it, but when I got to the shop I asked Sara to change to the surgical bandage, since it created a real hump back there.  When I lifted my shirt so she could do it she starting laughing and asked if she could take a picture, but don't start searching for it because I wouldn't let her.  I mean I had to cover it and the only thing I had was the pad.  A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.  I thought it was a great hack.    Anyway, that was this mornings little drama.  On Friday Home Depot was suppose to deliver my new dishwasher and on Tuesday the plumber was coming to hook it up.  So when the plumber arrived on Friday I thought oh, oh...but when I opened the door and said, you guys weren't suppose to be here until Tuesday, I don't even have the dishwasher yet, he said, we have it with us and we're installing it now.  YEAH!!! They did a fabulous job and even swept out the space where the old dishwasher was (apparently I was on the phone at the time).  So Sara can stop bitching about having to wash the pots and pans (she made me go to plastic everything so she wouldn't have to wash dishes or pans.  I'm even thinking about going back to my Dickens china....oh, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas to me.  Wanted to show you a couple model finishes I had this month.  I know I talked about the Jingle All The Way box by Brenda Gervais.  She used the Antique Lace mini pom pom but I wanted to go more Christmas so I used Dames of the Needle "TexArkana" to match the green garland.  Then I had a Christmas plaid scrapbooking paper to line the inside, lined the top edge with green silk ribbon which I antiqued to match the rest of the box which had trees and Happy Holidays on it.    I also used red petite beads for the berries.  Fun stitch and fun finish.  

Getting prepared for summer I stitched "Take it E-Sea" by Silver Creek Samplers.  Then I finished it in a white frame and added shells and a white starfish to the frame to carry on the beach theme.  Another fun stitch.  

I guess that's it for today....got to get some stuff done before we leave the shop for the day.  So I doubt I'll be talking to you before Christmas so let me say Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to you all.  May you find the peace, joy and love we all need over the holidays.  While I'm sure there will be drama if you are celebrating with family, just keep your head down and reach for the goal...December 26th.

I swear it's the last sled I'm doing in 2017...can't say what I'll be doing in 2018

I'm sitting in the shop looking out at the Atlantic Ocean, people walking dogs on the boardwalk, others sitting on the benches just taking in the view, the suns shining and the weather is perfect for a fabulous day outside.  It just doesn't get any better than this.  I pray that your Thanksgiving was as peaceful, calm, drama free and filled with food and family as mine was.  While on Thursday it was a small gathering, but the day after Thanksgiving my sister and niece came down and treated everyone to dinner at Ruth Chris where we had another wonderful dinner, all 11 of us including my sister and niece so it wasn't very quiet but the food was excellent).  And the next night we did "Thanksgiving do-over to get rid of all the food from Thursday.  Three nights of eating...yes a dream come true.  But now I'm back to working 4 days a week as we start the race to Christmas Day.  And as the children get older it gets harder to find the gifts that they may like, except for Michael who asked me to get him new rims for his truck.  .  Honestly it has me wishing for the years of Fisher Price toys.  But at least he had a list even though only one thing was on it.  I'm also working on Christmas Gifts every night.  I was sifting through bags of stuff trying to locate all Christmas and I can't believe some of the items I've started then abandoned.  Remember the tree shaped etui from Blue Ribbon Designs? Heck Blue Ribbon isn't even doing counted cross stitch anymore, which is a shame because her designs were fabulous.  I remember Debbie Liming and I both made plans to stitch it.  I even got the smalls done for it the same year it came out.  I had 3/4 of the  top lid done, but that's all I had done, before I stuck it back in a tote.  I found the finishing daunting and I think that's what made me stop, but after locating it again I decided to drag it out and work on it again.  Again I'm finding all the pieces daunting.  The stitching is easy so I'm going to at least get more stitching done before I again put it in a bag and abandon the whole thing.  At that point I'll just leave it for Sara to find after I'm gone.  Perhaps she will finish it for me.   And of course I had to stitch a few more sleds for a wreath for Salty Yarns.   How appropriate is this with designs from Sue Hillis' "Christmas for the Stitcher" leaflet.  I made very few changes in color....stitched on 32 ct. white Lugana, using DMC fibers.  Where there were pins shown, I did change to a silver metallic thread (Krenick #4 or #8 works well-color 01 Silver) and then used a petite bead for the head of the bead.  Then with the stacked spools of thread I used a real needle in place of a stitched one.  On the bird clamp I used red and green to make it more Christmas so it would match the other sleds more.  I think Sue had used a yellowish or gold color for the bird.  I also used a dark grey for the clamp and made that pin cushion green.  Other than that I used the called for colors.  Then purchased a $4 wreath from Michaels and the wreath you see here was born.  Oh, I did purchase some holly berry sprigs to add in.  But then that is it.   Easy peasy.  And as I've said before the directions Sue Hillis gives in the chart are spot on, can't go wrong (well, in theory at least)...but I've had no problems doing the finishing so I'm sure you will be fine.   

Of course there were 2 designs I was anxiously waiting to arrive and they both have so I've moved on to those.  Of course I just had to stitch the new Brenda Gervais papier mache box top design, "Jingle all the Way".   It's a perfect box to slip some favorite candies in for someone or a special pair of scissors, well just anything really.  If you did the one she designed for Halloween you will definitely want this one for Christmas.   The size of the box is  approx. 3" x 5".   I've stitched two of these and basically used the colors she recommends, except I did use just one of the reds, Cherry Cobbler,  for the santa as our Chili Pepper dot lot looked a little too orange to me.  Then in place of the stitched berries I used petite beads.  I don't like to ever stitch anything more than once normally, but as I said I've already stitched this one twice and I'm thinking I might do it a third time.   It is an easy 2 day stitch which is why I don't mind repeating the stitch too much.   I haven't shown it yet because I have to get the paint for the box, oyster white and knaki...hope to get it today and get these finished.

Then the 2nd Brenda Gervais I'm working on is her devided tray design,  "Oh Tannenbaum"...love it.  I feel like I haven't stitched something to be framed in forever, but I love these different ways of finishing and have been drawn to those designs.    I started with the lower left design and should finish it tonight...more of a 3 day stitch for me because I didn't stitch one night at all (don't know why, just didn't) and then last night I was helping Judy with her project so I didn't stitch then either.  But I figure no more than 3 nights on 4 of the designs and the center should take 1 night.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it turns out that way and by then perhaps we will have the trays in.  Fingers crossed.  While I may not ever stitch this more than once, each of the designs here can be used individually and I may do that.  The ideas are spinning around in my head.  Perhaps on one of the little wooden totes I love so much.  It could be used as a holiday card holder...oh, so cute.  Well, I have to finish the tray first.  So how is your Christmas stitching coming?  FYI-we are now on Winter Hours, open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10-4