Goodbye July!

If anyone is looking for Terri's old blog (Dixiesamplardesigns.blogspot.com), she lost it but has a new one!  You can find her at Dixiesamplar.blogspot.com.  Her new one is beautiful and I wish her success!

I am so glad to be done with July.  I am so tired of the hot, humid temperatures we've had here but unfortunately it is going to be pretty much the same for the first week in August.  Well, we are getting that much closer to Fall.

I have a few photos to show you of some projects I've been working on.  This is the Grand Marquoir that was given as a freebie in 2009 by Isabelle Vautier.  I really need to finish this one.  It's been dragging on too long! 

Winter Wonderland is a nice cool stitch for a hot summer's day! 

My progress on Melicent Turner by LHN.  This is a wonderful project for summer!

Look at the birthday gift I got from my stitching buddy, Erin.  She made the strawberry from the BBD book, It's Berry Time.  It is just adorable!  She did a beautiful job with the finishing.

 And my friend, Shelley, sent me these scissors for my birthday.  My birthday is on Flag Day - is this the perfect gift, or what?!!  Shelley is also the owner of Covered Bridge Needle Arts in Bridgewater, Pa.  If you are ever in the Pittsburgh area, it is worth your time to go visit her shop!  You won't be sorry!

That's about all I have for today.  I hope you are staying cool and comfortable so you are able to stitch up a storm (and then maybe it would cool off for a moment or two).

Sick in the Summer

I have been sick with bronchitis for almost 4 weeks and just didn't have the energy to do much of anything except drag myself to work and back.  After 2 rounds of antibiotic, I think I just might live!  Who gets sick in the summer anyway? 

So, I got my camera out yesterday and took a few shots of finishes and progress on my reproduction. 
I finished Betsy by Sheepish Designs that I had started last year for my Flag Day birthday.  It was stitched with DMC on 36 ct. fabric scrap.  I love the large flower.                                                        

A Stitch in time by The Workbasket was a fun stitch.  The verse on the chart actually reads, "A Stitch in time saves my mind"  but I love the old saying "A Stitch in time saves nine", so I changed it.  I usually make some changes with designs that I stitch unless it is a reproduction.

Merrilly Beams was one of my favorite designers from the80's and 90's.  I have always wanted to stitch Prize Your Liberty so I started it on Memorial Day and finished it a few weeks ago.  I changed all the DMC colors to GAST.  I love how this one turned out and will have Terri frame it for me soon.

My home is the Home of a Needleworker.  Surprise, huh?  A LHN chart finished sometime this spring with the called-for threads stitched on 32 ct. Cream linen. 

 Another sweet little sampler by Merrilly Beams.  I stitched this one with the DMC threads called for on 36 ct. flax linen.

 My progress on Amelia Newark.  Almost finished but the over one is slowing me down. 

 I stitched this sweet little piece for my daughter to remember her sailing trip around St. Thomas.  I changed it from "stitch with me" to "sail with me".  From the Black Bird Designs book, A Stitcher's Journey.  I stitched it with silk threads on 36 ct. fabric, both of which have escaped me right now.  

Well, that has totally zapped all my strength for today.  I need to get into something a little easier, something I don't have to think much about - like stitching! 

 I hope you are having a good summer, staying out of the heat and enjoying a few stitches!

 Joanne and Maggie

Baby, it's hot outside!

Wow.  We sure hit the hot one here in central Maryland this week!  The temps yesterday got up to 102 degrees and this morning it is Hot, Hot, Hot already.  Just makes you want to stay in the air conditioning and stitch to your heart's content!  Which is exactly what I did last night when I got home from work!

I took a picture of my Beatrix Potter and Companion Piece that I stitched a few years ago.  I have them hanging in my dining room and the frames look so nice next to my china closet.  Sorry for the glare.  A photographer I am NOT! 

I was so happy with these quakers that I bought all of the Ackworth Quaker designs that were released by Needleprint but haven't stitched any of them.  Yet.  I am going to have to live to be 590 years old to stitch everything in my "to stitch" pile!

I have been really enjoying stitching an older piece called Prize Your Liberty by Merrilly Beams.  I loved her designs but I think she quit designing somewhere way back in the 90's.   I changed the threads from the DMC that the original was stitched with and chose GA Sampler Threads.  And the fabric is 36ct Flax linen.

Next up is my framed Mary Hannah Gipson sampler.  I am very happy with the end result.  Terri is such a talented framer and she even makes house calls!  When she delivers my framing, it is like Christmas morning.  She knows my tastes and keeps track of everything I have had framed.  Thank you, Terri.  You are the best!

 







And finally, my progress on Amelia.  Not much progress - the algerian eyelet stitches were getting slightly boring.  But I will probably pick it up soon and stitch away until it is complete.  I have a long weekend coming up this weekend and plan to stitch a lot with Maggie by my side.

Well, I should get back to work.  Oh, yes, that is why I am here!  I hope you are staying cool in your part of the world and enjoying some needlework!

Joanne and Maggie


 

Amelia and Maggie

What a long, busy weekend!  Then I had to play catch up at work when I came back on Wednesday.

My friend, Bertha, was visiting from West Virginia and we were able to do some stitching - and talking and talking!  It was such a fun weekend but it passed too quickly!  I took a picture of Bertha stitching in my living room but the picture is on my old phone.  I am going to transfer my pictures to my new phone sometime today with my daughter's help.

Here is my progress on Amelia.  I brought the chart to work to enlarge and that has helped a lot.  This "getting old" thing is really getting old!  I am hoping to finish her up this week - this was a very enjoyable stitching project.

 

I started another old design on Memorial Day called Liberty by Merrilly Beams - a favorite designer from way back in the 80's.  I have stitched quite a few of her designs.  She designed a sweet Wedding/Anniversary Heart Sampler that I have stitched for 9 different people!  I stitched it recently for my stepson and his fiance - they are getting married on June 11th!  I will try to get a picture posted on my blog this weekend.


Mary Hannah Gipson has been framed and absolutely adorable.  I will try to share that one with you sometime this weekend, also.  I have a new phone/camera and learning this new technology is VERY challenging for me!

Here is my little sweetie, Maggie.  She is almost 9 months old and growing like a little pugweed!

I hope everyone is off to a good start with their summer plans.  The weather here in Maryland was very hot on Monday - 102 degrees but a little milder now and low humidity.  Last night the temps got down to 48 degrees - great sleeping weather but it's not going to last!

Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to read my blog.  Hope you have some great stitching time!

Joanne and Maggie

Small amount of Progress

 I made a small amount of progress on Amelia Newark.  The sun actually came out for about an hour yesterday and I was able to work on the over one motif under the star on the bottom.  The over one has been slow going but this little girl was only 8 years old when she stitched this sampler.  I wonder if she got as discouraged as I get sometimes with over one stitching. But overall this has been such a pleasure to stitch.  I don't know why I waited 15 years to stitch it.

My sister has a room in an antique/consignment shop and I went with her a few weeks ago to put some things in her little shop.  I scouted around looking at other booths and found an old pair of embroidery scissors.  And they were only $5!!  They look old but probably were made within the past century.  They are no longer sharp and won't cut anything at all but I brought them home to add to my collection.  And the best part of all - stamped on the blade is USA!    I have a few other needlework treasures which I will have to share someday.  Some of them were family items which were given to me by my Mom.

 Rumor has it that the sun is finally going to come out this weekend and stay out.  I hope to be able to take some pictures of samplers to put on my blog.  I need to clean my house, also, as my dear friends are coming to visit for Memorial Day Weekend.  This is the friend that introduced me to counted cross stitch 37 years ago.  We usually get together for Memorial Day weekend and stitch and talk and talk and stitch.  She brings her husband along, too, but he doesn't stitch.  LOL!

I hope everyone has a good weekend and you are able to stitch and talk with a friend!

Joanne and Maggie

Monochrome Samplers!

Good Morning Everyone!

 I love monochrome samplers, especially in red!  I always have one started that I carry around in my purse in case I have a spare 5 minutes.  I don't have to think about the colors - just grab the needle, thread and stitch away.

This is an English Schoolgirl Sampler stitched by Amelia Newark in 1840.  The chart was published in The NeedleWorker Magazine in the Autumn 1996 issue.  I am stitching this one on another unknown scrap of 36 ct. linen with SNC In the Burgundy silk.  It is turning out to be a fun stitch but I am saving the "over one" stitching for a sunny day.  And we haven't had too many of them lately.

My daughter has returned from her Virgin Island sailing trip so Sadie had to go home with her.  We had a great two weeks with Sadie and Maggie enjoying their time together but it was also constant motion!  Every day my husband would ask me when Mary was coming home.  I think he is rather used to a quiet house!  I took this picture of the two of them at work one day when they were actually worn out from the Pug 500.  Sadie is the one in front and Maggie is behind her fighting sleep.

  I really appreciate everyone's wonderful comments and I wish you all some spare time to stitch - even if it is only for five minutes!

Joanne and Maggie

Meet Maggie

Here is the newest love of my life, Maggie.  She is only 8 months old but she stays right by my side on the sofa while I am stitching away. 

I take Maggie to work with me everyday.  I work with my oldest daughter, Mary, and she brings her pug, Sadie, to work.  It is so much fun to see the two of them playing - when they chase each other around the office, we call it the Pug 500.  

I am going to keep Sadie for two weeks while Mary is going sailing around the Virgin Islands.  I think I will actually be the one having the most fun!

I finished the Mary Hannah Gipson Sampler recently that was in the Winter 2010 issue of Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly.  I stitched it on an unknown scrap of 40 ct. linen with Needlepoint Silks.  I was happy how it turned out - very delicate.
It is now at the framer's and when I get it back it will be joining the rest of my reproductions if I can find room on the wall. 

I have been quite excited to start this blog and really appreciate everyone that has commented on my last post.  I will get this figured out eventually - I feel like I did when I first learned how to ride a bicycle!  

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to stop by and hope you have the opportunity to stitch a ton today (as my daughter says!).

Starting a new blog!

Hello there!  My name is Joanne and I have been a cross stitcher since 1974.  That almost tells you my age but we won't go into that today. I live in the beautiful city of Frederick in the heart of Maryland. 

A neighbor showed me this wonderful form of needlework, called counted cross stitch.  The moment I saw it I was hooked.  My very first piece was a sampler and they have been my passion ever since.  I have stitched for needlework shows, needlework shops, needlework designers as well as gifting family and friends with many pieces over the years.  And you should see my house - not a lot of wall space left.  But does that stop me?  Nooooo!!!!

Permin 1852 Blue Sampler

I also collect embroidery scissors.  Not much of a surprise there, huh?  My husband brought home a bottle of wine for me one day which I just had to save.  Nice, huh?

I am also the owner of a 7 month-old pug named Maggie May (after the Rod Stewart song).  My day would not be complete without pug kisses and stitching. 

My pictures aren't the greatest so I will work on that eventually.  Until then have a great day and hope you enjoy lots of stitching.

Joanne and Maggie