A shout out from Sherri Jones!

As you'll recall this little floss tag is one of my recent finishes I posted about here.  We'll today I noticed I got a shout out from Sherri Jones of Patrick's Woods on her blog The Dandy Hare.  Go check it out!

I'm so thrilled and honored that Sherri liked my finish and that I've inspired her to make one of her own!  I just had to share this little bit of fun with you all today.


More later,

The Inspired Stitcher

Weekend Finishes x 2!

A long weekend can really do a person good!  I got a bunch of stitching done.  I also caught the finishing bug and ran with it.  I finished three things but I can only show you two of them.  The third will have to wait a bit longer as it's for an exchange!  So here we go...

Remember this from my one woman retreat? 

Design:  What a Cut Up!  freebie

Designer:  Patrick's Woods aka Sherri Jones

Fabric:  32 ct. antique white

Floss: DMC (my conversion) 1over 1

Started:  10/12/11

Finished:  5/11/12

Completed:  5/28/12

Here it is all finished!  I decided to do a floss tag.  It's just the right size since I stitched this one over one.  The fabric in the background is the fabric I used on the back.  It matches the floss colors just perfectly!  I started this project way before I even knew this fabric existed.  How's that for cool?!   I love when that happens.

As an aside, I can tell you that the exchange finish is also a floss tag.  I was in the mood to make floss tags, what can I say?!

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My second finish I can show is one of those "I must stitch this right this minute" things!  I saw Amy's start over at Thread in Hand and fell in love with it!  I was so inspired I found the chart, pulled the floss, found some leftover scraps of parchment linen and got crackin'!

Design:  Fob from Stitching Chair Necessaire

Designer:  Hillside Samplings

Fabric:  35ct. Parchment scraps

Floss:  DMC as charted

Started:  5/24/12

Finished:  5/25/12

Completed:  5/28/12

I chose to do the finishing as it was recommended in the chart.  I really like how it turned out.  As you can tell from the picture, this is one tiny fob!  It's just a tad over one inch square!

I love the way my new pink polka dot scissors look with this fob too.  I really enjoy doing tiny things like this one!  It whipped up super fast and I couldn't be happier with it!

***

Yesterday the mailman brought me a really cool package from my friend Lucy.  I can't wait to show you what was in it!  I'm saving that for it's own post.  Stay tuned!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you are having a good week so far.  We are already half way through it already!


More later,

The Inspired Stitcher

A One Woman Retreat

You know what they say about the best laid plans...well that's how my Friday went.  My honey and I were supposed to go south for a weekend getaway and our plans fell through.  Since I'd worked through my lunches, came in early and stayed late several days last week I ended up having enough time built up to take the day off.  Since I really wasn't planning on being in town anyway, I made the best of it.

Does this place look familiar?  It should!  It's where the LNS holds it's annual retreat.  The difference is there's no snow on the ground in this picture!  I decided to escape to the local state park's lodge and stitch the afternoon away!

Here's the view of the lake this time of year.  Isn't it just so pretty!

I can't show you the front of what I'm working on here because one of my readers will see it and it's a surprise.  However, I don't mind showing you a bit of the back and the "nest" I made sitting there by the fireplace.

What a Cut Up! freebie from The Dandy Hare blog

I did get another project moving along again while I was there too.  Remember this one from the WIP list at the beginning of the year?  What got me to thinking about this one was Carol's post over at Stitching Dreams. She stitched hers over 2 and made it into a super cute pincushion. This made me remember mine in my WIP bag. So out it came and off to the woods it went with me.

I decided since the light was nice and bright I'd frog the border where I was off count.  Now I can't decide if I want to put it back in or do something else.  I'm also percolating on how I'm going to finish this little sweetie.  What do you all think?

I have to say it really felt good to just escape for a while and stitch uninterrupted.  I could have stayed home and worked on house chores but I'm really glad I didn't.

When I did go home I took Miss Shelby for a good long walk in town.  Here's a recent picture of her.  She's getting to be a big girl now.  I read that Dalmatians grow up the first year and out the second and third year.  I can tell you for sure she's all legs at this point!  She's also loosing her milk teeth.  She lost three of her fangs just this past weekend.  My furbaby is growing up!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today and if you get the chance, I highly encourage you to take yourself a one woman (or man) retreat somewhere.  You don't have to go far to reap the benefits!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Mailbox Surprises!

Don't you just love it when you go to the mailbox and you find surprises there?  I do!  Today was a really great mail day at my house.  First let's start with this one.  I want to save the best for last!

My latest find from the "bay of evil" as Edgar puts it.

So true Edgar, so true!

I'm a fan of Eileen Bennett's designs aka The Sampler House so I'm always on the look out for them.  I also happen to love acorns!  Imagine how happy I was when I spotted this one.  So I bid on it and won!  It came in the mail this afternoon.

Well, I was actually more surprised than ever when I pulled it out of the envelope.  I thought I was bidding on just a chart.  It turns out it is a complete unopened kit!  The best part is I paid under $5.00 and that included the shipping!  I can't believe my luck.  How about that?!  Squeals!

***

The best thing the mailman brought today needs some back story first...it's what really made my day.

When I went to Sherri Jones' class a couple weekends ago I made some project bags to take as thank you gifts and as a souvenir to remember the weekend.  I really enjoy making them and giving them.

 

 My project bag...one of four I made.

I always have the recipient in mind when I go shopping for fabric.  So when I found this fabric I knew it was perfect.  It just screamed Sherri when I saw it.  It has Sherri's favorite colors and it has rabbits on it.  I just HAD to get it.  I also fell in love with the companion polka dot fabric I used for the lining.

Last weekend I got the sweetest email ever from Sherri telling me she already had a traveling project in her bag.  She also said she wanted to share something with me.

This is what she sent!  Isn't that the cutest little bag?!  I love the vintage print on it and the card is just wonderful too with a sweet hand written message.  But that's not all!

Look at the sweetness tucked inside the bag!  Beautiful little cards with ribbons.  Sherri said in her note that she punches holes in them to hold her threads.  Isn't that just the neatest idea?!  I just love this kind of thing.  They are just so me!

Thank you so much Sherri!  You are truly a kindred spirit. Your thoughtfulness really touched me today...so much that I just had to share.  This truly made my day!

***

I hope you all have a great weekend and get some stitching done.  I plan to go to the Tiara Club's all day stitch-in tomorrow.  It's always a good time spent with my peeps.  Happy weekend everyone!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Blue Ribbon Sewing Box DONE!!!!!!

I am so excited to share my latest finish with you all!  I got the Blue Ribbon Sewing Box done a lot sooner than I thought I would.  I'm just so pleased!

Here's the outside of the box!  I've decided not to attach the scrim I bought for the front yet.  I want the cherry wood to age a little first.  I really love the look of aged cherry and I am patient enough to wait for it!

Here is the inside!

Here's another view of the inside so you can see underneath the mattress pin pillow.  I love these pink scissors and just knew they were the perfect ones for my box!  They are from DMC's special Breast Cancer edition set that came out last year.  I also splurged and bought all the special scrims that were available.  What tiny works of art!

Here are the smalls that go inside my box! I just love the pin keep. It's my very favorite piece from this set. I will say that putting together the mattress pin cushion was first for me. I can see myself making more of these!

Design:  Blue Ribbon Sewing Box

Designer:  Patrick's Woods (Sherri Jones)

Fabric:  32 ct. as kitted

Floss:  Silk as kitted

Started: 12/29/11

Finished: 3/16/12

Thank you to Sherri for designing a joy to stitch and for a wonderful class.  Time spent with you is always most enjoyable and now a fond memory!

Thanks also to our Hostess who opened her home for our class.  You couldn't have made me feel any more welcomed.  You really know how to spoil a person.  You are so appreciated!

I'm so pleased with how this turned out. It is sitting in a place of honor in my home and it makes me smile everytime I look at it.  Thanks for visiting and sharing my joy today!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Blue Ribbon Sewing Box

Design:  Blue Ribbon Sewing Box

Designer:  Patrick's Woods (Sherri Jones)

Fabric:  32 ct.

Floss:  Silk as kitted

Started:  12/29/11

Finished:   2/12/12

I finally got the Blue Ribbon Sewing Box pre-stitching done!  That's saying a lot considering I've been chasing a little fur ball around for the past three weeks.  Lets just say, my stitching time has become extremely limited these days!  I have the teeth marks on my hands from a certain someone to prove it too!  We've also had some family stuff going on again too that's kept me from stitching.

Thankfully last Sunday my honey took over the chasing and gave me the chance to get this one done.  I've waited to post about it until we had a good sunny day to take pictures.

Now all I have to do is pull some threads (which I'm a little nervous about) and cut the pieces out!  I really enjoyed this one a lot.  I love the colors.  They are just so springy!

Here's a close up of one of the pocket slips (top piece) minus the pulled threads and the top of the mattress style pincushion (bottom piece).  I really enjoyed those blue overlap stitch flowers on the pocket slips!  I can now say I'm much better at tent stitch too!

Here is a close up of the smalls.  I think I may have posted about these earlier but I couldn't resist showing them again.  My favorite piece of this whole project is that bouquet of flowers tied with that blue ribbon. I am getting so excited about finally getting to put this all together!  Soon...very soon!

***

Of course I can't resist sharing the latest picture of my alligator sweet puppy!  She's really enjoying that chicken and the raw hides gifted to her by Aunt Marsha.  Thanks again, Marsha!  Those raw hides have saved my sanity and my hands this week.  LOL!

Well, it's a quick post today since someone is napping right now!  Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you all have a great stitchy weekend!

Until next time (and hopefully with fingers still intact),

The Inspired Stitcher

Progress is being made

Carre d'Abeilles - Jardin Prive

as of 1/20/12

Carre d'Abeilles - Jardin Prive

as of 1/25/12

Here's my progress on my bees.  I've been stitching on this during my lunch hour only this week.  This week it's been my sanity saver.  Nuff' said!  I actually finished the second side strip today at lunch but was too lazy to take its picture.

Blue Ribbon Sewing Box - Patrick's Woods

as of 1/5/12

Blue Ribbon Sewing Box - Patrick's Woods

as of 1/25/12

This one I worked on quite a bit last weekend and have stitched a couple nights this week on it.  I think I'll finish it up pretty soon.  I really seem to get speeding along on this one when I pick it up.  I can't wait to see this one all put together!

I Sigh Not for Beauty - C Street Samplerworks

as of 1/20/12

I Sigh Not for Beauty - C Street Samplerworks

as of 1/25/12

Last but not least is Beauty.  The house is almost done!  I worked on her last Wednesday night at the guild's stitch-in and again last night at my monthly Stitch n'Bitch night at my house.

Funny thing about Stitch n'Bitch, we started out as a UFO (UnFinished Objects)group that was a splinter group from the local quilt guild.  Well, one thing then another happened and the four of us that have continued to meet broke away from the group.  We decided we enjoyed our nights together too much to stop meeting so now we just take turns hosting in each other's houses.

Some nights everyone is quilting and some nights it's a grab bag.  Last night there was one who finished the binding on a quilt she's been working on for four years.  Another finished her lunchtime cross stitch project (no it wasn't me) and the other was ripping apart some quilt blocks she'd gotten in an exchange because none of them were the same size.  Me, I worked on building a house!

Oh and we solved the problems of the world while eating M's too!  You just gotta love your girlfriends.  Laughter is so very good for the soul!  I hope you've laughed today even if it's at yourself.  Thanks for visiting with me today!

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Patrick's Woods has a website now!

Hi everybody!  It's going to be a quick one tonight.  I just got word that Sherri Jones of Patrick's Woods now has a new website and a blog called The Dandy Hare!

It is neat to see all her designs in one place on the website.  You can check out her teaching schedule there too.  She's even going to offer an online class next year.

She has a really cute freebie chart on the blog.  It has a bunny holding a threaded needle with a pair of scissors.   She made it into a name tag pouch!  It's really cute.

You simply must "hop" (couldn't resist) on over there and check it out.  Sherri in no way coerced me to say any of this.  I'm just an adoring fan of her designs sharing the love with my peeps.

Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher

Lucet Class

 Sherri's lucet collection

 
I wanted to tell you about last weekend's lucet class with Sherri Jones of Patrick's Woods.  It was awesome!  I have to say that if you ever have the opportunity to take class with Sherri you will have a ball and learn a ton.  She is so friendly and welcoming.  I instantly felt like I'd known Sherri for a long time.

Sherri with her super size lucet!  Isn' that just too dang cute?

We started out learning the history of the lucet.  As you know, I love history so this was right up my alley.  We learned the lucet can be found made of wood, bone, horn, and even silver.  We also learned it came from the Vikings and is enjoying a resurgence at historical reenactments.

We spent the morning learning how to make square braid on the lucet and then the afternoon was spent learning flat braid.  We also tried adding beads and inlaying threads too.

We learned the size of the cord produced is determined by the fiber size not the size of the lucet.  Thank goodness, look at the one Sherri was teaching with!

Cord examples

I have to tell you that it's all about the tension on your fiber.  Seriously!  I'm thinking I'm going to have to do some more practicing before I can get good enough to make the many yards need to finish our project.  However, it will be worth it!

My lucet collection

I surprised myself by how quickly I took to using the lucet.  I am happy to report I am officially hooked.  I now have my own collection of lucets!  Yep, that's how hooked I am.

The one on the top left is the one that came with our kit.  The one on the upper right and lower left are made of walnut and the one on the lower right is made of cow horn.  I bought these from Sherri after "road testing" them in class.

She also had one just like the one in the center.  It's made from a silver dollar!  Yes, it actually does make cord.  I tried it out on Sherri's.  She told us she got it from Etsy.  I went over there and had one made for me too.  I couldn't live without one.  It's just too dang cool.

Jenny and I with our lucets

It was a real treat to have Jenny spend the weekend at my house.  We had a ball exploring the basket o'joy and the box o'fun on Friday night.  As well as the other random piles of stash that litter my studio.  It was fun having someone to hang out with.  You'll have to pop over to Jenny's blog to see her Hare Pyns finish.  She took that class on Sunday.

Speaking of blogs, I met a new-to-me blogger at the Lucet class.  Her name is Amy and her blog is called Thread in Hand.  Go check her out.  We had fun sitting together in class.  She and her friend, Kathy (no blog)  sat across the table from Jenny and I.  They were a hoot.

***

After class we several of us went to our hostess, Paula's house to check out all her awesome stitching.

 

Paula's entry hall

I stitched the piece in the back on the left  for Paula!

(Jenny has a good pic of the box top on her blog.)

Check it out, Paula collects Shaker boxes too!

It was so fun to visit another stitcher's house and admire all her pretties.  Someday I hope my house is filled with as much stitchy goodness as Paula's.

***

After we left Paula's house we all went to a steak house for dinner.  It was fun getting to know Sherri, Amy, Paula and even Jenny a bit better.  We shared stories about how we each got into stitching and just generally had a great time.  I sure wish we all lived closer together.  It would be so fun to get together for a Saturday stitch day once in a while.  I had a great time in class and a great evening spent with friends old and new.  I can't wait to take class with Sherri again.

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend.  I hear we are due for some sunny 80 degree weather in my neck of the woods!  I can't wait.  I foresee a certain motorcycle coming out of the garage this weekend.  It's going to be a good one!

The Inspired Stitcher