Hey, Stitchers! Thanks for participating in our Christmas in July week. Now it's back to the regular day in day out stuff. I've been stitching up several of Blackbird's monthly stockings - I've done the July house and the star quilt pattern stockings and the stork. I got creative and stitched the start quilt pattern stocking on a 12 count Jute in a wheat color. I used red and green perle cotton and it stitched up really nice. It's about 12 inches long and it will make a nice Christmas decoration or even a really nice stocking for a family member. I stitched their Loose Feathers It's Berry Time without the alphabet across the top and I love it. It's waiting to be framed. And I just can't wait till the Halloween stocking book comes out.

We've ordered in some new publications and they should be in on Wednesday. Soon as they arrive, I'll try and get some pictures up so you know what's new. Check us out later in the week. Until then, keep stitching.

Carolyn

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Hey, Stitchers! Long time no talk. Been busy doing a little of this and a little of that and stitching. Time once again has gotten away from me.

We are having CHRISTMAS IN JULY in the shoppe. It starts TODAY and runs through SATURDAY AUGUST 1. You do realize how fast this holiday is approaching, don't you? I always heard how time passes faster when you get older, but I'm beginning to think it's utterly ridiculous how fast time is passing.


CHRISTMAS IN JULY offers good savings -- you'll get 25% off all Christmas charts in stock and 15% off fabric purchased to do any of the Christmas charts you buy. You'll receive a 15% discount on all Fall and Halloween charts as that season is also fast approaching.

Blackbird Designs has their monthly stocking charts out up to July. The August chart should be arriving in a couple of weeks along with a newly announced release - a Halloween Stocking Book with 13 Halloween stocking charts. They use 3 R&R fabrics and Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Crescent Colours to stitch the designs. We've contacted our distributors to get automatic delivery of the chart and supplies so we don't miss out on anything that's needed.
We are accepting pre-orders for the chart and any or all of the supplies. I have a feeling that once my initial order is gone, it may take time to get restocks that may be needed. Their last Halloween book was a big success and I think this one will be, too.

JBW has new ornament charts out and we have them. She also has a hat shopping chart to accompany her previously released shoe shopping chart. This would also work for anyone who's a Red Hat member, just change some colors.

Well, gotta go. Some charts need pricing and threads need twisting . There's always something to do in the shop and unfortunately it's not stitching. Don't forget to check out www.hoffmandis.com and www.nordencrafts.com for new releases. (We can order anything you see on these websites.)

Carolyn

Hi, Stitchers! Just want to wish you a happy and safe 4th of July holiday! The shop will be closed on Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th. We will honor Sunday hours on Sunday July 12 from 11-2 this month, so mark your calendar. Don't forget Tuesday July 14th - the yearly special day honoring our 14th year in business. There will be a special that day.

New charts have arrived, including the Loose Feathers It's A Berry Time. Two new stocking charts are due out this coming week for June and July, also from Blackbird. Lizzie Kate's new charts have arrived and new ones from JBW Designs are due soon.

Give us a call and reserve a copy of the annual Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue for 2009. Tried to give you a peek at the cover, but my picture would not load, so, for now, you'll have to stop in and check out my 'photo' of the cover. That's all for now. Keep stitching and enjoy your holiday.

Dreary weather makes good stitching time! Don't you agree? But I'm here at the shop, doing 'work' things while my stitching sits at home, waiting for me. Oh well! But, we'll be getting new charts in at the end of the week. More to stitch for samples. The Columbus Market is this weekend, so we'll be seeing lots of new charts over the next couple of weeks. Lizzie Kate emailed us info on here new Double Flip project for Christmas. She's taken the words 'Merry Christmas' and created phrases for each letter and charted it vertically. Blackbird Designs has the May Stockings out. As you can see, they've done a May Basket and Lily of the Valley on two of the stockings. I can remember as a kid, picking lots of lilies of the valley and putting them in water, tinted with food coloring and watching the white flowers become tinged with color.

Lizzie Kate is also coming out with a Quick to Stitch line - the first being a Halloween design. It is supposed to be a very quick stitch. It should travel very easily and may be a great project for your vacation or watching those little league games. Lizzie Kate's new items should ship the middle of next week.

Country Cottage Needleworks is releasing a new chart, in installments - Winter Wonderland, with Belle Soie Silks, included. This will be a special order for those who sign up for the entire series. So sign up now, as we will be ordering next week, when the designers return from market.

For those of you who like Quaker designs, check out www.needleprint.com - this is the group who printed the Ackworth samplers. They have a new sampler chart available, free. It is Mary Wigham, from 1790. Yes, it is free. It's available in nine installments. All they ask for is a donation. I think this is a great idea. It's not costing them printing fees so all the money they receive as a donation for the chart will go directly into the Ackworth School Sampler Fund to preserve these valuable samplers for years to come.

Gotta go - work is calling. Keep checking back to see new charts or check out www.hoffmandis.com or www.nordencrafts to see new charts as they get them from the designers.

Hi, Again! I've got too much on the old brain and the one thing I wanted to say in today's post - I FORGOT! I APOLOGIZE! I wanted to THANK all those who gave stash donations to my porch sale and all those who came and made cash donations for some of that stash. Again, THANKS to all who helped me and were there to help St Jude's!

Hey everyone! Hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend. The weather held and we had our porch sale. We collected a little over $100 for St Jude's Childrens Hospital. We still have the 'donated stash' in the shop, at least through this week, if you want to check it out. Cash donations will still be acccepted.

June is the month for another Market. We will not be going to Columbus to attend, but we will be getting in new things from the designers. Lizzie Kate and JBW will send us their new charts. Once other designers release their new designs, we'll get them in, ASAP. New overdyed threads will be released. Gentle Arts is releasing 4 new colors: Sunflower, Raspberry Frost, Autumn Leaves and Chives. Weeks Dye Works is releasing Kris' Bon Bon and Watermelon Punch. Crescent Colours will release 3 new cottons: Mauvelous, Sea Shelley and Mint Julep. They will also release 3 new Belle Soie Silk colors.

Keep in mind the date of Tuesday June 23. WE WILL BE CLOSED! I've been called for Jury Duty and I won't know for sure until late Monday. So keep this in mind and call before you come. Just in case.

We have 2 new releases from Glendon Place: Web of Stash ( to celebrate our stitcher's stash) and A Bloom of Hope ( for Breast Cancer).

Little House Needleworks has released Fresh Watermelons and Colonial Women.

Enjoy and Keep Stitching.

Hey Stitchers! It's a lovely day out there. Hope with this beautiful weather, you've still been finding time to cross stitch. The designers are still designing great charts and we are still getting in new ones every week or two. Wanted to remind you to check your stash and donate the unwanted items to our porch sale on the 23rd of May and that is just a little over one week away. Does it seem possible that Memorial Day is here so fast? I can't believe it. But our Sale is Saturday May 23 from 10-4 and items in the shop will be on sale so check us out. Don't forget to stop is the shop on the 14th of the month for our 'anniversary' specials.

Remember, we carry all types of flosses: DMC, Weeks Dye Works, Crescent Colours, Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Threadworx. We carry fabrics from Charles Craft, Zweigart, Graziano and Wichelt Permin; overdyes from Lakeside Linen, Picture this Plus, Weeks Dye Works and R&R.

Here's some pictures of charts due in this week! Enjoy!!!

Homespun Elegance

Mirabilia Midsummer Nights Dream La D Da