INSIDE BLACKBIRD DESIGNS' SISTERS

I've been waiting, anxiously, for this chart to arrive.  Been seeing and hearing 'gossip' about the charts included and, with some investigation, I've finally found pics of  the 3 other charts in  Sisters. Here they are!

Well, all 3 are being added to my TO-DO  LIST and they are being pushed to the top of the pile.  I love them all!

BLACKBIRD DESIGNS NEW RELEASES

Sisters, Away We Ride and Midnight Ride are new releases from the girls at Blackbird Designs and will be released this weekend at market.  I won't be there to pick them up but I will be getting them in as soon as my distributor gets them and ships them to me.  They are already ordered.  You can preorder by just giving me a call or shoot me an email.  Here are some pics:

Sisters contains two reproduction samplers, stitched by sisters, in England.  Some of the design motifs are similar, but colors are quite different.

Away We Ride....a Halloween pattern, features a witch's house full of windows and a tree of poison apples.  I know, I said I shouldn't buy any more Halloween charts, but.....I like this and just, absolutely, love the next one.

Midnight Ride fits a 6 inch sewing box.  Barb and Alma have decided to use this box as a basis for a seasonal series.  This one, of course, starts out with Halloween.  A Thanksgiving one is stitched and should go to the printers, shortly.

MORE NEW CHARTS...

Every time I see new charts, there are more Halloween charts.  It is becoming a very popular holiday.
Next weekend we have a small trade show, so there will probably be a small amount of charts coming out this week.  But here are 5 new ones:

Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks brings us another Christmas 'ornament' with Happy Holidays.  Stitched on a colored fabric with a winter white and silver braid accents, the stitch count is 122w x 173h.  Why not try this design using just an overdyed thread on more of a neutral background?

The Scarlett House is becoming a favorite designer of mine.  I stitched her Coverlet House piece and now I want to stitch this one...and I love the verse.  If you can't make it out, it says: "Inch by inch, Row by row, X's make my sampler grow".  Stitch count is 119w x 64h.  It's stitched on 40ct  for the small pin cushion but there's no reason you couldn't stitch it on a larger count and frame the piece.  Be aware that this piece must be stitched on a linen or evenweave fabric as there are some petite stitches and a Rice stitch, which is not difficult at all.

We have two more by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks.  Halloween Hat is 237 x 236 and Halloween Atmosphere is 262wx 189h.  Both are using  DMC floss.

Last, but not least, comes Pumpkin Brew from Country Stitches - With thy Needle & Thread...a witch with her broom and cat and blooming cauldrons.  The design is 188w x 135h and calls for a 35ct fabric, but can be done on a larger count.  It uses Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Arts Sampler threads.

Stop by and check out these and other new charts in the shop.  There's always another project to add to the pile.


Just Cross Stitch Annual Christmas Issue should be arriving shortly.  After all, Labor Day and September are just 2 weeks away.  So I guess that means that the kids will be going back to school in about a week. Where did the summer go?

Speaking of Labor Day, WE WILL BE OPEN ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 1 FROM 11-2.  Stop by and make sure you have the supplies you need to finish that project you're starting when the kids go back to school.

BEGGAR'S NIGHT

Hot off the Press!  Just printed and now available is Threadwork Primitives new piece Beggar's Night.  The design is stitched on 35ct Abecedarian linen from R&R using DMC flosses.  Finished stitched design size is 4.25x6.25.  Stitched on a 28 ct fabric, the design would finish at 5.5x7.5...still a nice size for a pillow or frame.

WHAT'S NEW AND WHAT'S COMING

Here's some new additions to the shoppe....

Blackbird Designs'  second in the 2013 Loose Feathers is My Heart's Design.

Dames of the Needle presents Moon Light Witch.

Mary Ann Farmer, very colorful florals, comes from The Scarlett House and is on my 'to do' pile.

The Quaker Pear is done by Amaryllis Artworks.  Last year she came out with the Quaker Balls chart.

Blue Ribbon Designs is entitled Feathers, Flowers and Fruit.

Kathy Barrick is back designing under her own name, this time.  Here are 2 of her new charts.  The first is Riley Harbor and the second is Bee Study.

LITTLEHOUSE NEEDLEWORKS MYSTERY SAMPLER

They've just released a pic of part 3, the final installation of the Mystery Sampler and here it is...It is scheduled to be released August 6 (can you believe it's August already?)  If you want to join this Mystery Sampler, parts 1 and 2 are still available.  Just give us a call.

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

The Stitching Contest is over and the winners are:  Sandy Reese for her sepia toned grandparents and Barbara Montowski for her Christmas Garden from Blackbird Designs.

Thanks to all seven of my customers and stitching friends who entered the contest.

Here are a few pics of recent new additions to the shoppe - Come check them out:

O Christmas Tree designed by From the Heart

French Country Pineapple from JBW Designs.  She has also  designed  French Country Wedding Cake that's ideal for a quick to stitch personalized wedding gift.

Little House Needleworks brings us two designs:  The Farmer's Daughter and Bessie.  These 2 designs remind me of when I was growing up.  My Mother was an avid gardener and I played on a small dairy farm where we called  all the cows  Bessie and  fresh eggs were sorted  at the kitchen table.

The Nebby Needle designed True Friend.  I framed it for a customer as a gift for her friend  and it really looked nice.  One day I will stitch this.