'Tis a Small Gift

I just completed Erica Michaels' 'tis a small gift scissor fob! It has put me in the mood for the holidays! This little gem is going to Gentle Pursuits EGA Ornament Exchange this coming Saturday. We are having a nice holiday luncheon and ornament exchange. It is always a great time! I can't wait to see what ornament I get in the exchange!

This ornament is stitched on 30 count silk gauze using Gentle Arts Simply Wool! I love how it turned out!

Ho, Ho, Ho,! Happy "Holly"days,

-Holly

I just discovered.....

....this blog and on-line shop:

http://anitalittlestitches.blogspot.com/

Wow, she has some awesome scissors! I have just purchased some Christmas Scissors from her! I can't wait to get them!

If you know me, you know that I collect embroidery scissors! I have antique ones, vintage ones, Gingher Designer scissors, dovo scissors, petite scissors, etc! In a future post, I will give you a glimpse of my collection!

I love scissors!!!!!

-Holly

My Progress on Elizabeth J. M. Mears Sampler

I've enjoyed stitching on Elizabeth. I haven't made too much progress, but at least I can see how all the colors are melding together!

I'm stitching on 36 count, rather than 32 count that is called for on the pattern. I'm stitching on Lakeside Linen Vintage Examplar with the called for Needlepoint Inc. Silks:) Just lovely.

I understand Ellen Chester of With My Needle is doing this sampler as one of her Stitch-a-Longs for 2011. Great choice, Ellen!

Happy Stitches,

Holly

TGIF! It's finally feels like fall in the mid-atlantic!

Well, here in the mid-atlantic region it hasn't been feeling much like fall! We have been in the 80's all week! It has finally cooled off a bit and we have a frost warning for tonight! Alleluia!

Queenstown Samplers have come out with a new reproduction sampler - the Elizabeth J. M. Mears 1833 Sampler! What a looker! The sampler hails from Virginia, Accomack County on the Eastern Shore to be precise! I just recently purchased the sampler and the needlepoint silks needed to stitch it from Attic Needlework! I LOVE that store!

I plan to have a wall in my house dedicated to Virginia Samplers....I'm currently working on two, have finished one and I am about to start Miss Elizabeth Mears! The two I am working on are the Sarah McPhail and Anna Maria Clarke (the Richmond Sampler). The one I have completed is the Mary Pierce Sampler that hangs in Wilton House.

I about to start a pre-stitch on Sherri Jones' The Blue Ribbon Box and in about a month I will be doing a pre-stitch on her Long Pocket! I love her projects!!!!! She is an awesome designer...so very talented!

I just took a class from Betsy Morgan in September - The Mermaid Stitching Bag!

Do you think I am over projected? I do!

I just can't help myself! Do you ever feel that way?

The picture posted is the Elizabeth Mears Sampler.....

Until next time......

-Holly

Can you guess what I'm stitching?

I am stitching up a President's Mystery Project for my guild...the Virginia Guild of Needlewoman. It's based on an antique stitching small....can you guess what it is going to be?

....trying again

I did a little Goggle Search on how to move pictures within a blog post...let's see if this works...I have my doubts!

Here are some pics of recent framings...

Blackbird Designs Summer Jubilee:

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Prairie Schooler's Halloween Sampler (I can't remember the official name of it):

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Here is M. M. 1938 Little Red Sampler:

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Drawn Thread's Sanctuary:


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Lastly, I am working on a Bargello piece for my mom...I'm going to place it on a Sudberry Footstool:



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And one more thing...Here is an update on Plum Street's Olga:

I think I have the technique now for putting the pictures where I want them...For anyone that is interested, drop me a comment on my site and I tell you how I did it...

-Holly

Back from the Framer (Picture Heavy).....

I have been a busy girl! Last weekend I ran down to Virginia Beach to pick up some items I had framed! It's nice to have them home. I'll be sharing some of the pictures with you in a moment. I also, started my Quaker Wall. It's in my TV Room at home. We have 10 foot ceilings in that room and I have plenty of space to add some more....On the right hand side of the wall, I am saving space for Needleprint's Beatrix Potter and Ann Trump....These are in verious stages of completeness!

These pictures never show up where I place them....can someone give me a hand on that?

Here is another angle of the wall: I thought the picture would land here, but it's up top....I don't get it!

Anyways, here are some more pictures of some items I have stitched over the years that have just been framed:

Let's try the picture posting thing again.......Now, this was to be Blackbird Designs Summer Jubilee...it's up top, go figure!

Before I post anymore pictures...I need to figure this out...I'll be back!

-Holly

It's time for a New Stitch!

I have just completed my model stitching and it is now time to start a new "quick" stitch before I get back to Essamplaire's Richmond Sampler. Do you want to know what my quick stitch is going to be? It's Plum Street's Olga! I'm in the mood for a fall/fun design and this fits the bill!

I will be back on here later this week to post some pictures of some framed items I just got back from my framer!

-Holly

A Small Post....

No pictures today...I've been busy doing a little model stitching.

I have almost completed my Pam Darney Quaker from a class I took in February...The colors are wonderful!

I have completed the stitching on my Catherine Theron Quaker Scissor's Pocket....it's finishing time!

I have put a few stitches in my Richmond Sampler from Essamplaire. I took the class at Jeannine's Sampler Seminar in February and haven't had much time to devote to this!

I am going to design a Mystery Stitching Small for one of my guilds, the Virginia Guild of Needlewomen. I'm president this year and wanted to do something special. Each month I will release a part of the small and by the end of the year, everyone will be able to have a little trinket to show for it! It will include a pattern and the finishing instructions.....I hope everyone in the guild will participate!

I'm going on vacation next week....I'll be doing my model stitching...Hopefully, I will get lots done. My target for completion is August 15th. I'm getting there!

Until next time (I will post pictures then),

-Holly

Working on my Craft Room

For my birthday, my son painted my new craft room! What a sweet guy! I went away for a weekend with a bunch of my college friends and I came home to a newly painted room! I chose a warm color from the Pottery Barn Palette (Benjamin Moore Paint) called Jicama! I love it!

My parents and sister gave me this lovely cubbie organizer. Also, from Pottery Barn. I have filled it with many of my sewing smalls, antique sewing tools and pin dolls! What do you think?

My craft room is under construction...I am not sure how I am going to proceed. I have a large hall closet that will store many of my items, but I will need to have some stored in my craft room. I love buying the "Where Women Create" magazine. I love to see how folks organize their stash. If you haven't purchased that magazine before, I strongly encourage you to take a look at it!

Until next time..........

Sorry to be away so long......

.....but I have been a very busy girl! I have finished the Mary Pierce 1770 Sampler by The Essamplaire...I need to get her to the framers A.s.a.p.

I presented a class to my guild, Gentle Pursuits EGA in Richmond, VA last week on the Mary Pierce Sampler. I did an overview of Virginia Samplers. I created a scissor/pinkeep for the class. It contained all the stitches that were in the Mary Pierce Sampler.

I can never get these pictures to come out in the right place! Please forgive the misplacement. If you have any suggestions on how this works, let me know!

I will be finishing up Catherine Therons Quaker scissors pocket soon! I'm just about done with the stitching. I took a class from Catherine on May 8th at a luncheon for my other guild, the Virginia Guild of Needlewomen. I'll post a picture when I'm finished-finished!

Then it's back to the Richmond Sampler for me! I have looking forward to this for a while. I took a class from Margriet Hogue of The Essamplaire at Jeannine's in February! I believe Margriets is having an online class for this sampler in November! Hopefully, I can finish it by then! Please watch me progress here!

I Have Been a Busy Girl!

Here is my progress on Essamplaire's Mary Pierce Sampler. I have done most everything but Eve's head and all the lettering! I have to finish this soon. I'm teaching a class on this sampler in May to my Guild (Gentle Pursuits EGA - Richmond, VA). I am going to make a pinkeep/scissors case from motifs of this sampler. I will be using all the different stitches in it. Once I finish the pinkeep, I will post a picture.

This has been a fun sampler to stitch! I just love-love Adam and Eve Samplers! I have a few in the hopper all kitted up and ready to go! I just need more time to get to them.

I am stitching the Prairie School ABC SAL..I stated that I would do two blocks a month. Well, I was able to do 2 in January, 2 in February, but only 1 in March! I need to get back to that. I am really enjoying stitching over one on 25 count! It's easy on the eyes and it looks great!

I have also posted a picture of my french tie-up basket and some scrims I've recently done! I will be teaching the tie-up basket to my other guild (The Virginia Guild of Needlewomen - Richmond) this month!

Now you know why I didn't get to finish my second PS ABC block this month!

Spring is here and I am THRILLED! What a winter!

Happy Easter!

-Holly

Scrimshaw Pieces.....

I'm back from teaching my scrimshaw class! I had 14 students at Jeannine's Stitching Seminar in Williamsburg! We had a great time! Above are a couple of pieces I demonstrated in class! Hopefully, my students will continue on and make their own scrimshaw pieces for their stitching smalls!

While I was in Williamsburg I visited my son who is a William & Mary sophomore! He ran his first half marathon on Sunday! He finished 14th with a time of 1 hour 19 minutes! That's over 13 miles!

I also took a class from Sherri Jones last week. The Tale of Two Mermaids! It's going to be a fun project. I first have to finish the Hare Pyns Project I took from her last year! I fhave inished the stitching and am in the process of putting it together!

Well, it's back to my other two teaching projects (Mary Pierce Sampler and French Tie Up Basket). I also need to get started on my two Prairie Schooler Letters for the month of March!

Until next time,

-Holly

My Class at Jeannine's Stitching Seminar

On Friday, I attended Margriet Hogue's (The Essamplaire) Class on the Richmond Sampler at Jeannine's Stitching Seminar in Williamsburg. It was a full day class. We had a wonderful time! I have to put this sampler on the back burner for now, but will revisit it after I complete Margriet's Mary Pierce Sampler!

I will be taking another class at Jeannine's on Tuesday....Sheri Jones' (Patricks Woods) Mermaid Etui! I'm really looking forward to that!

Then, on Friday evening, I'll be teaching my scrimshaw class at Jeannine's. Wish me luck!

-Holly

B is for Blackbirds!

I have finished my stitching for the month of February on my Prairie Schooler ABC Stitching Bee SAL! I finished the letter "B" today! March will bring the letter "K" and "T"! I like how this is turning out! Hopefully, I can maintain the two letter a month for the whole year!

Now I need to focus on a few other projects! I am going to finish up my french tie-up tray for a class I am teaching on April. I have completed the stitching....I just need to "finish" it off! That is this weekend's assignment!

I also need to start back, in earnest, on the Mary Pierce Sampler! I'm looking forward to that! She has been calling me of late! I will be teaching that class in May....I best get hopping!

I received a huge order from Boone Trading Company today for my scrimshaw class that I will be doing at Jeannine's Seminar in a couple weeks! I got most of the kit items for my students! Now I have to figure out how I'm going to kit these up~ I want to do something "fun"! I'll let you know when I figure that out...I may even post a picture!

I have had enough of this snow business! It's been nice to have some extra stitching time, but it's time for spring....bring it on! Unfortunately, more snow is in the forecast for Saturday and Monday! Yuck!

Oh well....until next time!

-H.

It's a Wonderful Day for Stitching!

Well, it's been snowing all day today! What's a needleworker to do? STITCH! I have been working on my second letter of the month on the Prairie Schooler ABC Stitching Bee SAL! I've gotten a good bit done today! If I can finish this block this weekend...I will be done with this project until March! I have so many other projects calling me....I just had to get this out of the way!

I've just eaten a wonderful cassoulet that has been in the crock-pot since about 8 am. It was great! It had chicken, shrimp and polska kielbasa in it.....Yum! My stitching buddy, Merry Susan gave me the recipe and I thought it would be perfect for a day like today!

Well, I need to get back to the letter B and the Bud Shoot Out! It's NASCAR Time! I'm not sure if I'm liking Dale, Jr's beard, though! What do you think of it?

Go #31! That's Jeff Burton for those of you who don't follow NASCAR...

-Holly

S is for Sewing, but it is really for "snowing" here in Virginia!

Well, here is my first of two letters for the month of February! If you remember I am participating in the Prairie Schooler ABC Stitching Bee! I commiteed to two letters a month! My second letter for February will be "B"! Stay tuned for that one later in the month!

I have a busy month! I am teaching a scrimshaw class at "A Gathering of Embroiderers" in Williamsburg at the end of the month! I have a class I will be teaching in April for one of my guilds (Virginia Guild of Needlewomen) and I have to finish up the stitching on that. It's a french tie-up tray! It has a embroidery theme!

And, of course, I'm still stitching Essamplaire's Mary Pierce Sampler for a class I'm teaching in May for my other guild, Gentle Pursuits EGA of Richmond.

Once all of these projects are done, I will be back to stitching for me! That is an exciting thought! Look out reproduction samplers, here I come!

In Stitches,

-Holly

Bonjour!

I just finished embroidering this hand done wool coat for my Bleuette Doll named Marie Simone! Doesn't she look beautiful in her new wool frock?

I still need to make the beret that goes with it, but I just had to show you the latest in Paris Fashion!

-Holly and Marie Simone

J is for Jack'O Lantern

Well, it's been a busy week! I have things going on in the evening every night this past week and I didn't finish the letter "J" up until last night at the end of the Saints-Vikings Game! Go, Saints!

I also started two new projects this past week and they have been calling me! My guild, Gentle Pursuits EGA (see link on side tool bar) is recreating an Elizabethan Coif for the living enterpretors at Agecroft Hall. I'm working on a sample motif. When I get a little further, I will post a picture.

The other project I started was an embroidered capelet coat for my Bleuette Doll. I want to finish that by Thursday to show my weekly stitching group.

I need to get back to Mary Pierce, as well. Sometimes I wish I didn't work fulltime!

Well, I hope everyone has a productive stitching week!

-Holly

I'm taking a short break from Mary Pierce....

.....to start my second letter of the month on my Prairie Schooler ABC Stitch-a-long. It's the letter "J" for Jack-o-lantern. I started on Sunday and this is my progress through last night (Monday). It's coming along. I'm stitching on 25 count cream Jobelan over one thread with the specified DMC threads. I hope to have it done by week's end. At that point, it's back to the Mary Pierce Sampler!

-Holly

A Mary Pierce Update Pic!

Okay, here is the latest on my Mary Piece Sampler! I've finished Adam and have worked on the bottom part of the sampler. I am about half way there! I'm enjoying myself on this sampler! Wait until you see Eve...she's a real treat!

On the 15th, I will switch over to the PS ABC Stitching Bee and do my letter "J"....Stay tuned for updates...............

In Stitches,

-Holly

Back to the Mary Pierce Sampler and One Wacky Adam!

Now that I have finished my first letter on the PS ABC Project, I have a little time before I start the next one (January 15th). So, I picked up my Mary Pierce 1770 Sampler again and started stitching! I stitched up Adam....Isn't he the wackiest! Don't you just love those eyebrows and fig-leafy thing! He looks a little knobby-kneed, too! I always get a kick out of the Adam and Eves on old samplers, don't you?

-Holly

My New Year's Start!

I signed up for the Prairie Schooler ABC Stitch-a-Long back in December. I gathered all my floss (DMC) and fiber (25 count cream evenweave) and started on New Year's Day. I have finished the letter "A"! I plan to do 2 letters a month. I won't start the next letter "J" until January 15th. I need to get some other things done in the meantime!

I am stitching over one thread! I like how it's turning out....even though I have only done one letter so far!

Happy 2010!