Know Your Needleworker Tag

I have seen many do this tag on flosstube but since I haven't ventured into doing my own flosstube videos, I thought I would post here on my blog.

Where do I live?
I live in a small town in Kentucky. I am located about an hour south of Louisville and about two hours north of Nashville.

What kind of work do you do?
I work as a financial counselor at a hospital. I am currently taking a medical coding course so that I can further my career in the medical field.

Do you have kids?
I do not have any children as I am not able to. However, I do have a four legged child-a boxer named Patch.

What hobbies do you have besides stitching?
I love to read. I would love to be a quilter. I have taken a beginning quilt and I know the basics but not confident enough yet to do more than basic squares.

What is your favorite movie?
My husband and I love to watch movies so this is a hard question. I could watch Son in Law over and over and I have. It is just a fun, quirky movie with Paulie Shore and I know all of your 80's people will know all about him! My answer to this really changes often as we watch new movies all the time.

What is your favorite television show?
I have several that I really like. Friends, Grey's Anatomy, and Sons of Anarchy are what come to mind right now.

What is your favorite book?
This is the hardest question for me to answer as I have been a book lover since before I could read so I am going to give a short list of book and authors.
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
The Mayfair Witch trilogy by Anne Rice
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
John Grisham
Elin Hilderbrand
Jen Lancaster


What is your favorite music?
I really listen to a little bit of everything from country to rap to classical but tend to learn more towards rock. Some of my favorites:
Eminem
Jason Aldean
Lindsey Stirling
Blackstone Cherry
Motley Crue
Eagles
Journey

What is one word to describe me?
I think this is the hardest question of all. I am not sure of how to answer this one with one word. I had a friend describe me as a sweet friend so I am just going to steal that for now.

Joan Elliott New Releases

I really like Joan Elliott's patterns and she has two new ones that were just released. I wanted to post here just in case you had not had a chance to see them yet.

A Visit From Santa-Cross Stitch Gold Issue 132 The design is stitched on Snow Cap, a 28 count Jobelan by Polstitches.

Christmas Victorian Lady-Cross Stitch Crazy Issue 222

Stitching George Washington

I am sure most of you are familiar with the painting of George Washington Crossing the Delaware, but if not, here it is.

A cross stitcher came up with the idea that this should be stitched in panels by a group of cross stitchers and so the journey began. She was able to acquire sponsors to help with the supplies to create such a large project. Wichelt has provided the fabric and Sullivans has provided the thread. While I have said it is a large project, it should really be classified as massive as there are 112 stitchers that will each stitch a panel over a five year period, and once finished, the panels will be sewn together to create the largest cross stitch project that has been produced, which will allow it to be put into the Guinness Book of World Records. Once completed, the piece is set to hang in a museum.

I first heard about this project when reading the blog of a new stitch friend about a year ago. So, I followed the link to the site for the project and while they had already signed up all the stitchers, you could sign up to be an alternate just in case someone dropped out. Within a few weeks, I was chosen as an alternate and I am thrilled to be able to be a small part of this project. Currently the individual panels are all kitted up and the mail out process has begun. I am waiting for mine but will post an update once I receive it. You can go check out the site for the project for more information.

The Year of WIPS

Melanie Watkins, the admin of the Soulful Stitching Sisters group on Facebook, has set up a challenge called The Year of WIPS. The challenge will start on October 1, 2016 and end on December 31, 2017. I joined immediately as I have many wips that need to be finished. However, not only are all the participants working on getting wips finished, we are each paired up with another stitcher where we will send each other a postcard at least once a month. I love this idea as it is a great way to get to know another stitcher and to offer encouragement to each other.

We were all required to make a video or photo album with our wips and to show where we are at this time and then we will update them throughout the year to show progress. I am posting my photos below with the projects I intend to finish during this challenge. I have posted a pic of what the finish will look like with most of the selections. I am really close on a couple of them and have quite a bit to stitch on most of them but I am up for the challenge and can't wait to get started. I have decided on 20 projects to include but may add a couple before October 1. If I do, I will add to this post. Also, it isn't too late to join-go to the facebook page before October 1 and get all set up.


Pumpkin Passport by The Frosted Pumpkin This is the 2016 SAL. I can't post a picture of what the finish will look like as it is a digital pattern. I am behind and I will be trying hard to get caught up so this will be finished at the end of the year.

Faith by My Big Toe

Postcards Around the World by CloudsFactory This is the 2016 SAL. I can't post a picture of what the finish will look like as it is a digital pattern. I have barely started this one and would love to have it finished by the end of the year but not sure that is possible.

America The Beautiful by Sue Hillis

Join Your Hands by Lila's Studio

Old Glory by Rosewood Manor I should have this finished within a few hours of stitching.

Joy by AuryTM

Baroque by Ink Circles

Midnight Frost by Summer House

Quiet Evening Stocking by Dimensions Gold

North Wind Stocking by Dimensions Gold

The Gettysburg Address by Erica Michaels

Moon Shadow by StitchWorld This project is one of my oldest wips.

Faded Glory by Jeannette Crews I have a small section that needs to be ripped out and fixed but this can be finished pretty quickly.

Cassieopeia by Mirabilia

Once Upon A Time by Passione Ricamo This project is one of my oldest wips.

Fishing Buddies by Stitch World

Feather Fairy by Mirabilia

Gettysburg

Celtic Banner by Lavender and Lace This project is one of my oldest wips.

Flosstube Feature: Stitcherista

I just discovered Danielle on flosstube a couple of weeks ago and love her! I wait very impatiently for the next installment to be posted. Her videos are a good variety of haul, wips, finishes, and great humor. Oh, the humor! From her explanation of the 7th ring of hell to her "No, people, just no" on things she thinks are just plain crazy for people to do. I have to say that I laughed out loud throughout her flosstube #9 video. Danielle's personality shows through and I think she would be great fun to hang out with. Go check out her videos and subscribe! I have posted her first video below. Enjoy!

Weekly Stitching

I have been working hard to get caught up on the Pumpkin Passport so that I am on track to finish it by the end of the year. I still have quite a bit to go but I am moving right along this week as I finished two months selections.

I also started a new piece yesterday. I am going to give this as a gift for Christmas. It doesn't look like much yet but hopefully it will turn out like the picture. This is the first piece I have done that is mostly blackwork. You can see what the finished piece will look like below my start picture.

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Salem Remembered Finished

I put the final stitches in last night and so excited to have a finish. I loved stitching on this piece and as a history lover, it made it even more fun.
I have been thinking of how I want to frame it and would love your ideas. I would like to have it framed in a way to look like it was a banner that was hung on the town square back in the day of this historical event. I would like the ends of the fabric to look burned or worn as I used a variegated thread that gives a faded look to some of the letters and the stars on the piece. A friend also suggested that maybe I could find a frame that looked like a scroll. Please tell me what you think.

Weekend Stitching

I worked quite a bit on Salem Remembered this weekend and I am almost finished! I am hoping to finish today but I wanted to show an update as to where I got on it.

Haul

I love to see the haul that stitchers share on their blogs and flosstube and I hope you like seeing mine. I haven't had much for a few weeks and then I have gotten in two orders this past week and I have a couple more on the way that should come in this week. Enjoy!

The Blossom Queen by Mirabilia was the August release and I received it with the embellishments.

I am currently working on Joy by AuryTM and I am using Autumn in 18 count aida by Under the Sea Fabrics. I am going to start Faith and will do the third one in the series as well, once it is released. I have decided to do them on all the same fabric so they will match.

I currently do the Fabric of the Month with Under the Sea Fabrics and I am doing the wish list option so I can kit up for patterns that I already own. This month I received Enchanted Forest and I plan to use it for Spring Queen by Mirabilia.

Blog and Flosstube Feature

I love to read stitch blogs and watch flosstube videos. Not only do I get to see what everyone is working on but the personalities and stories that are shared are fantastic. I feel like I know so many of you from the words you write or speak and I am so thankful for all that put themselves out there and share their lives and work. I have decided that I want to do a feature on my blog where I share someone that blogs and/or on flosstube.

The first person that I am going to feature is a very good friend of mine. I would love everyone to meet Denita. I met her in August 2015 at a stitch retreat in Nashville. We just hit it off and have attended several other retreats together and we often get together just us for a stitch weekend or a shopping day. I have to say that her stitching is some of the prettiest I have seen, the stitches look so perfect and I regularly get jealous because I just can't seem to get mine to look that good. On her blog she posted "Stitching-I consider it part of my life's work." I love that quote and I think as stitchers we are should all hold that to be true as we are putting so much work and love into the pieces that it should be considered as part of our life's work.

Please go check out her blog. You can learn about her, see great pics of her stitching and haul, and get information about a stitching charity that she started.

I wanted to share one of her pieces here as the stitching is so great and I can't wait to see this project all finished.

Denita also has a flosstube channel. I am sharing her most recent video but be sure to check them all out and subscribe.





Comment below with your favorite blog/flosstube stitcher as I love to see new ones and if you have one of your own, let me know so I can check it out.

Fall Harvest Market

The Fall Harvest Market started yesterday! There are many new releases of patterns, kits, and needleminders for the fall and winter season. Check out Crossed Threads Needlework on facebook to place your order. Katrina is fantastic and is posting all the new items, you simply comment on the items that you wish to purchase. She is giving 15% off on all products ordered from this Market through September 13.
I am posting pictures of a few items that I liked but be sure and go look at them all.

Haul

Yesterday, I walked in the door and there were packages! I ordered a project bag and qsnap cover last week and was shocked that I got it so quickly. The bag and cover are for 17 x 17 qsnap size and the fabric is just great. I love the yellow brick road fabric that lines the inside. I purchased this from a cool chic on Facebook named Deanna. Be sure and check out her page, place an order and tell her Laura sent you!

I love Little House Needleworks and I signed up for autoship to receive their Presenting ABC Samplers series. I am purchasing these from the Silver Needle. I chose to have the fabric sent with each pattern and I received the third installment in the series.

I have a couple of more items on the way and I should have those by the first of next week. Share your haul with me in the comments!

Sale!! Needleminders, Froggers, and More!!!

I was just a normal stitcher, or at least I thought I was, until....I went to my first retreat. I had no idea of all the gadgets and cute supplies that I needed. I owned one needleminder a year ago. ONE! NEEDLEMINDER! People-that is horrible. I now own many. I have not counted but I am going to soon and will post a picture of the ones that I own. Even though I have more than enough for all my wips, I need more. I can't seem to stop buying them. So when I see that someone has a sale, I have to go look and make a purchase..or two.

I just saw a post on facebook about a great sale by Cherise of Stitchingly Along. She has great products-I have purchased needleminders, scissor fobs, froggers, counting pins, and a couple of the sets from her. The products are awesome, well made, and she has great customer service. Not to mention the cute way she packages them for shipping. So head on over to her facebook page by clicking on the link below and check out her great sale. The sale ends on September 15 and many items for only $5!! Below are only two of the items but there are so many great ones, I couldn't post them all here.


Stitchingly Along

Weekend Stitching

I hope that you all had a great Labor Day weekend. My husband and I worked on the house a little and then we were very lazy and I stitched quite a bit. I wanted to show you what I accomplished.

I purchased the Pumpkin Passport year long stitching project when it first went on sale but I had never started it. I did start this past Friday night and I was able to get London finished. The picture isn't great but I think you can see fairly well of what was done.

I started Salem Remembered quite awhile ago and had not worked on it for a few months. Yesterday, I stitched two more names, the motifs and the border on the left. I love this project and not sure why I ever lay it aside to work on something else. I think there are 4 names left to do so it is my plan to work on this one until it is finished.

What did you do this weekend? I would love to hear and see pictures.