12.30.2013

As the year winds down...

Taking some time to reflect on 2013,
 reviewing,
 and planning,
 as I move onto
 new designs
 for 2014...

~ 2013 ~
 A year in review...




 

















 And that concludes my design work for 2013 folks!  

  I would like to say "THANK YOU"
for supporting me & my work in 2013! 
   I've said it before, 
and I'll say it again, 
"needleworker's are some of the most honest, kind & down to earth people". 
 I feel blessed to work for such a wonderful group of people. 
THANK YOU!

Wishing each of you each
 a healthy & happy
 2014,
Brenda





12.27.2013

A Christmas Day Finish!

Our family left early Christmas morning
so it was a relatively quiet Christmas day at the Gervais'.
There were lots and lots of goodies leftover for nibbling,
no need to spend too much time in the kitchen.  Perfect.
Twas a very cold Christmas day here in Iowa...
a perfect day to SNUGGLE IN,
 light a fire,
 enjoy the house all decked out in her Christmas attire,
and 
just 
STITCH...
I had my final finish of 2013 on Christmas evening.
ELIZABETH CLARK sampler is now finished!
Elizabeth is now draped across the back of my "stitching spot".
Each time I pass her by,
I stop for a visit...
just to ADMIRE her ~
I always feel energized after the Christmas rush is over,
 and am ready for a fresh start 
on design work for 2014
 I spent yesterday looking through piles of papers filled with 
DOODLES & SKETCHES that I've drawn over the past several years. 
 It is always exciting so see line drawings come to life, in fabric and fibers.

I made my annual trip to check out the VALENTINES candy aisle yesterday,
 as well.
 The transformation from Christmas to Valentines candy 
is just starting to happen at the stores.  
 I figure in a couple of days I will go back and decide on this years box or boxes to use for my 3rd annual
  WHITMAN'S CHOCOLATES 
candy box valentines cross stitch pattern.  
  I will keep you all posted on which box will be used so you have time to locate it.

Today I am changing gears a bit,
 my punch needle is threaded!
  I have a few new pieces drawn up for punch needle and will work on them today and tomorrow on the road trip home to Minnesota for
"CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM"


With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda



12.10.2013

If I stitch just 3 flowers a day...

it will be finished in 4 days
 (or so I thought...more on that later)
 Does anyone else do this?
Count motifs, estimate how many you will stitch a day,
and then do the math to determine a finish date?

I do this,
 can't help myself...

 I've been telling myself, for some time, that
I am about done with the stitching of this sampler...

I am about done,
 but,
 when a piece has 20,000+ stitches,
the problem is,
it can look about done
and still have a few thousand stitches to go...
The "over-ones" are all done.
 That is always a sense of accomplishment!
Love the verse on this one...
The verse is a hymn penned by John Fawcett (1740 - 1817)
Elizabeth Clark has been an enjoyable stitch.
I don't get a lot of stitching time in during the holidays,
but,
 I try try try to sneak in a few stitches a day!

The antique sampler shows lots of fading.
You can see the difference in colors of floss,
 from old to new.
The piece is lovely in it's faded state,
however in charting,
 I have stayed true to the original floss colors
 used by Elizabeth.

When I purchase an antique sampler
 it often times is just one motif that speaks to me,
 and says,
"buy me"!
See those big leaves?
Look harder...do you see the big clusters of grapes?
It is those grapes and grapevine motifs
 that stole my heart...
I'll tell you a little story...
During our college living days,
 the dh & I would load up the kids in our little Dodge Omni hatchback
 and take Sunday drives
through the Des Moines river valley
in search of grapevine.
The area is beautiful in the fall
 and the kiddo's didn't seem to mind!

 It was easy to spot grapevine when the tree leaves started turning.
The crimson to almost deep amethyst colored leaves of the grapevine are very visible then.
 We pulled, tugged, and cut grapevine from the trees
and
stashed it into the back of our little Dodge Omni.
Bungee cords were used to hold the trunk shut
 and off we'd head down Lincoln Highway 30 towards Ames...
grapevine hanging from our trunk!
Quite the sight...

The vine then got soaked in the kids' blue plastic swimming pool,
to soften the vine.  (Sorry kids, no swimming today!)
 Once softened,
I would create grapevine wreaths.
The wreaths were then decorated with various little hand stitched bears
 or painted wooden geese
and
sold to local shops.
We are talking early 80's here...
when geese, bears & bunnies
were the decorating craze!


Upon shooting the below photo for today's blog posting,
I noticed another border that I didn't see while charting....ugh
Do you see it?
Look hard, over to the far right, near the frayed edges...
{sigh}
Back to charting,
more stitching,
and more "doin' the math thing".
Scratch any idea that
 this sampler will be done in 4 days...

With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda





12.05.2013

Ho Ho Ho

New items continue to arrive...
 
 
Hills of snow, skinny pines, snowman and quaint little cottages surround
Rudolph and a jolly old soul named,
Santa. 
Punch needle is finished into a ditty pocket and then filled with fresh pine and dried rosehips.
 
 
4 NEW Floss Keep designs have been added to our collection.
(Pictured are 2 of the 4)
 
"Homestead Sampler"
 
&
"Needleworker's Sampler"
 
 
Visit us online at www.countrystitchesonline.com to view these new items.
New pattern from Pineberry Lane arrived yesterday....it is darling!
Other NEW great patterns from various designers have been added to the website also,
check them out!
 
It is terribly cold here today...
stay warm,
Brenda




 

 
 


11.20.2013

It's that time of year...

the busy season
is
upon us!
The last pattern design of 2013 will be releasing on Monday.
"Merry Olde Soul"a punch needle pattern!
{showing a little glimpse} 
 
We are already into our busy holiday season here at Country Stitches
 and
 want to remind you
of some holiday deadlines.
Take note!
 
Holiday cut off date is December 11th. 
 If you want your items for Christmas gift giving,
 they must be placed by the 11th. 
 
  Country Stitches will be closed from December 23rd - January 5th, 2014.
 
 
With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda
 
 

11.06.2013

New Patterns are Here!

 

New patterns are ready
and waiting
for your stitching pleasure!

 
 " Cozy in the Pines Sampler"
 Stitch count - 157 wide x 130 high
Size - 8 5/8" x 7 1/8"
Worked on 35 count Old Town Blend linen over two threads
 
 
 
"Jingle Bells"
 Stitch count - 121 wide x 96 high
Size - 6 5/8" x 5 1/4"
Worked on 35 count Straw linen over two threads
 
 
 
"Needleworker's Sampler"
Stitch count - 146 wide x 242 high
Size - 7 1/4" wide X 12" high
Worked on 40 count Doubloon linen over two threads
 
 
 
"Harriette Elizabeth Coe, 1844"

 
 Stitch count - 163 wide x 176 high
Size - 10 3/4" x 11 5/8"
Worked on 30 count linen over 1 and 2 threads.  Specialty stitches - Eyelet
 
 
"Limited Edition Kit - Snowbird Pinkeep"
Snow Bird Pinkeep goes on sale today (Wednesday November 6th) at 10:00 AM, CST.  This item is available for online purchasing only, no phone-in or mail-in orders will be taken on this item.  There is a limit of 1 per customer, no exceptions!  There will be an inventory count on this item.  I will try  my hardest to keep ahead of inventory, however there may be a lag in time of inventory notifications to me, as it makes it's way through cyber space.  If there is no quantity listed as "in stock" below the description, this means the item is gone.  There is a time frame from when the last one sells, to when I get the item pulled, that you can still add the item to your shopping cart.    So just keep this in mind, if there is no quantity listed as "in stock" below the description, the item is gone and waiting for me to put up the sold out notice. 
 
Kit includes - tin base, full color pattern/chart, 40 count linen, 9 skeins of floss, wool batting, chipboard cardboard and vintage silk ribbon.  All you need to supply is some glue, needle and a little stitching time.

 
Have a good day,
Brenda

 
 
 
 



11.05.2013

Day 4 of Sneak Peeks!

Lastly, a sneak at a pattern for an antique reproduction sampler!
 
~ Harriette Elizabeth Coe, 1844 ~
Sampler features fun little critter motifs, flowers, urns, trees, birds and an alphabet all worked in eyelet stitches...
love samplers that have alphabets stitched in this manner!
Chart will give detailed instructions (with diagram) for how to stitch the eyelet stitch
for those who may be fearful of this stitch.
 
The sampler isn't overly large
 and is worked on 30 count linen over two threads,
except for one line that gets stitch over 1,
her name and date.
 
This completes the days of sneak peeks,
visit us online tomorrow for the releasing of:
Snow Bird Limited Edition Kit
Harriette Elizabeth Coe, 1844
Cozy in the Pines
Jingle Bells
Needleworker's Sampler
 
Have a good day,
Brenda
 

11.04.2013

Day 3 of Sneak Peeks!

Welcome to day 3 of Sneak Peeks!
 
~ NEEDLEWORKER'S SAMPLER ~
 
A sampler filled with lots of tiny motifs and various meandering borders. 
The verse reads,
All my scattering moments are taken up with my needle.
Perfect sampler for the needleworker.
 
Stop by tomorrow for sneak #4.
 
Have a good day,
Brenda

11.03.2013

Day 2 ~ Sneak Peek!

Welcome to day 2
of
 Sneak Peek
Pattern Preview days!
 
"JINGLE BELLS"
Doesn't need too much explaining...
we all know who this guy is!
A hint,
he has something in his other hand.
It's a toy and it's old fashioned.
No more hints!
 
Stop by tomorrow for
Sneak Peak #3.
 
Have a good day,
Brenda

11.02.2013

4 Days, 4 Sneak Peeks!

Stop by and visit me the next 4 days
 for daily sneak peeks
of new cross stitch designs
 that are coming soon!
 
~ Day 1 Sneak Peek ~
 
"COZY IN THE PINES"
A smaller sampler worked in mostly reds and greens. 
A piece that will look extra lovely for the holiday season,
yet it doesn't "scream Christmas"...
certainly could be left out year round.
  A rather quick-stitch,
 I worked on this piece during my morning coffee
 and a few hours each evening,
 and it was completed in a week. 
 
Stop by tomorrow for sneak peek #2.
 
With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda