Time to Snuggle...

Snow on the nest this morning... Not many little heads peaking out today. Poor Momma is getting kicked in the ribs BIG TIME, but she is committed to keeping her babies warm. Dad's duties today will not only include providing fresh fish, but shielding the little ones from the wind...he is spending much more time in the nest this morning then I've ever seen. They get my vote for "Parents of the Year"...brrrr, they look so cold.

Snuggle time in the nest... I love you, yes I love you too...

Have a good weekend,

Brenda

Finished!

Klaar!

Finito!

C'est fin!

Fertig!

However you say it...

Ann Sandles 1846 is finished! Framing is next...

Antique reproduction chart of the sampler due out soon!

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

P.S.

I've had several emails with frantic stitchers who don't have a LNS for the "Birds of a Feather Mystery Sampler". We will not be offering the club on our website. The publishing, printing, collating and packaging for this club over the next 3 months will be enough on our plate, me thinks!!!

BUT,

if you do a Google or Yahoo search engine search, typing in the following - "Birds of a Feather Mystery Club by Brenda Gervais", it will take you to shops who are willing to include you in their group via mail order. What did we do before Google??? Hurry though, the time is drawing near where your subscription to this club needs to be committed to!

Time is running out...

If you haven't signed up for the "Birds of a Feather" Mystery Sampler Club, at your local needle work shop yet, time is running out! The shops will be submitting their orders very-soon-like for the hand-dyed linen and threads, so they need your club subscriptions ASAP!

Have a good day, Brenda

So it's last evening at the

Gervais household...

it's that time of night where the husband settles into his TV trance, remote at hand.

Meanwhile, I'm over at the computer being serenaded by the hum of infra-red (yes, you eagle addicts know what I'm talking about) while updating the website with new goodies.

When I look over at the dh and he looks at me....there is an exchange of looks, if you will, as he carefully picks up my stitching mess to make room for his cute little be-hind. I'm sure he was thinkin', I wish she'd do something with this bleepidy bleepidy stuff and I'm thinkin' don't mess with my floss, I have a sophisticated floss system going there... He then nicely says, "How many things do you have going at once here, dear?" My reply, just 3....{sigh} Gosh, I love this guy and am most thankful that he puts up with this stitching addiction of mine.

Did I mention I love my kitty too? We fight over that spot... and... well...today I'll let him win!

Sorry guys, and thanks for putting up with me,

Brenda

A sneak peek at a head start...

I just could no longer stand wondering and worrying if the floss choices that I selected for the "SOAR SAMPLER" were going to look how I wanted them. Designing a piece without actually stitching it, before putting it into pattern form, is very much out of the norm for how I do things. So rather then waiting (& worrying) to join you all for the SAL, I've cheated and did a little head start on you all. It won't be long before you are all caught up with me, because, well, I have a mail order pattern & design business to run during the week and my stitching is limited to just weekends.

What I've found after stitching areas that I was concerned about (adult eagle & horse), is that the DMC floss colors are looking fabulous on the 30 count Onyx linen that I'm using for my background. Use of hand-dyed flosses would look scrumptious too! And guess what? The cute little nest of eaglets lands smack dab in the center of the pattern...don't you love it when fun stuff to stitch lands there??!! You will see I sort of jump around when I stitch, it's the ADD in me! I always start in the center and work a small area and if there is a border I then bop over to that and complete it. That way I know the border meets and everything else needs to fit within this area. It's easier to do some "fudging" on the inside area rather then on a border in most cases... But, we don't make stitching mistakes do we?? Naaahhhh....didn't think so! Remember...count twice, stitch once!

If black isn't your favorite to work on, the chosen floss colors should also work just as nice on a light tan or tea-stained background, as well.

I would also like to clarify that this IS NOT an e-pattern. So if you're sitting and anxiously waiting for an email to appear in your in box from me, it ain't gonna happen!! This is a beautifully printed, full colored pattern that is on it's very way to your mail box...

I invite you to join in on the fun of this SAL. Begin sending digital photos starting Monday, April 18th. Please limit yourself to 1 photo. I'll begin posting pictures of WIP right here on the Friday of that week. Remember to let us know what fabric color/size and flosses that you are using. If you are blogging about this on your blog, give us your blog web address and I'll share these goodies as well.

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

Sunday Morning News...

It was a nasty night of tornadoes, winds and baseball hail reported in the little rural Iowa town that the dh works in, but we survived and so did the eagle family! This mornings Sunday paper's headlines is about weather & eagles. One headline reads like this...

FAR FROM HOLLYWOOD, EAGLES ARE STARS ONLINE, IN PERSON

and the article starts out like this...

Everybody was supposed to be enthralled this month with Price William and Kate Middleton and their lavish royal wedding April 29 in London. But an Iowa couple - a pair of eagles nesting 80 feet up in a cottonwood tree in Iowa- trumped the British lovebirds...

To read the article in it's entirety, and take in some lovely photos go here. Take note that the eagle photos in the article can also be purchase there from the Des Moines Register online. I know there are lots and lots of school children & even grandmothers with grandchildren watching this...how fun to have a picture to hang upon the walls of the class room of this famous Iowa couple. Dollars raised thus far from the "Soar Sampler" pattern for the Raptor Resource Project - $635.00 & counting. For those of you who are joining us for this stitch-a-long*, the official kick off day of the SAL* is Monday April 18th. It is at that time you can begin sharing digital photos of your works-in-progress with me at order@countrystitchesonline.com and I'll post pics on consecutive Fridays through May 13th. Also, please share some info along with your photos, such as fabric choice (size & color), floss choice and blog address if you are blogging about your wip. Should be fun...I can hardly wait!

Have a good week & we are in for more bad weather today...

keeping our fingers, toes & talons crossed,

Brenda

Predicament in the Nest...

Did any of you eagle-cam followers see Momma eagle in her "branch predicament" yesterday?? No? Well she brought a "bigger-then-life" branch up to the nest and had "remodel" on her mind. She tugged, she chewed & got caught up in it several times before getting it just so... only to have Dad fly in later and do away with the tree branch. Some things never change, even in the bird world. This Mommas nest building skills have always been in question in Dad's eagle eyes, dating back to their first nest building in 2008. As a young, first-time mother he was always rearranging what she did to the nest and 3 years later he's still doing the same...so funny to watch!

Well I sort of have my own predicament in my nest. Yep, that's my nest above...this is where I spend my time most days. Today's predicament is that I sold out of the "Soar Sampler" and now I'm getting emails from very very sad eagle followers that didn't get a pattern. Well being the "softy" that I am...I've decided to make a change mid-stream, is this allowed?? Here's what I have come up with...

I will continue to sell the pattern for a limited time, rather then a limited number of patterns. I will continue to give a portion of the proceeds to the Raptor Resource Project. BUT, once the eagles fledge the pattern will be retired...sound okay with you all? I've moved the purchase tab over to the side/top of the blog, patterns can be purchased there. I will continue to keep you all up to date on dollar donations made to this wonderful project. DISCLAIMER: I am in no way affiliated with the Raptor Resource Project...I'm just a bird lover at heart, have been totally captivated by this eagle family and want to do my part in helping out those that have made this possible for us to enjoy. Have you made your donations yet? It's just a simple click of the button, paying via PayPal.

As I sit here typing this post I'm hearing what I think is thunder rumbling off in the distance on the web cam. There is nasty weather predicted for the state this weekend, with a good probability of tornadoes. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the weatherman is wrong, for the sake of everyone and the eagle family.

The first little eaglet popped his head out from momma at about 6:15 AM today. By 6:30 the whole nest was awake, with trout on the breakfast menu. (I wish Momma would "clean-the-fridge, too many leftovers...) All three little eaglets seem to be doing well, with E1 still being somewhat bossy. Rumor has it that the bossy first born is a female....YOU GO GIRL!! Really, rumor has it that the nest consists of two females and one male.

And I leave you today with the above photo of daddy eagle sitting so proudly on guard, above the nest...such a good daddy!

Have a good weekend everyone and lets hope the bad weather doesn't hit us, Brenda

P.S. I've taken some phone calls in regards to the stitch count of the sampler...it is 127 wide by 121 high. The first 100 sold sampler patterns will go out in Monday's mail, you should have them by weeks end.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

You helped us reach the $500.00 donation goal for the Raptor Resource Project in less then 24 hours...I'm overwhelmed, touched, thankful etc. etc...

Thank you so kindly for purchasing the SOAR SAMPLER pattern and making this donation possible, Brenda

Join us for a stitch a long...

Introducing "Soar Sampler" cross stitch chart!

Like so many of you, I've spent many of hours watching the eagle family via web-cam here in Iowa. It's inspired me to create a little momento to remember this event of 2011. After watching a 2008 documentary on PBS, about this daddy eagle and all of his trials and tribulations, late last evening, I knew I wanted to create a sampler in honor of this eagle family. So I arose at 5 AM this morning and started to create the below sampler on one computer screen, while watching the eagle cam on my monitor to my right....yes, call me a geek, a dork, a nerd, or whatever... By 9:30 AM the sampler was finished!

You will find things tucked throughout the sampler that are familiar to you, if you follow the web-cam. The tree is a great Cottonwood...just like the one the nest sits in. The crown symbolizes the majesty of this bird...the bird our founding fathers chose as our country's bird in the year 1782. The 13 points around the sampler represent the first 13 original colonies.

The remaining motifs represent what we see from time to time when the web cam zooms out...the horses in the pasture & the white granary. Eagles like to build their nests along moving water...you will find the river on the bottom of the sampler. Then there are the two cottontails towards the top & the fish in the river...well, we all know what they represent. While it was never fun seeing one of these in their nest, this is life!

The flag, I just added, because!

"SOAR SAMPLER PATTERN"

To purchase pattern, look to the upper right/top side of blog.

I will be offering this pattern, for purchase, exclusively here on my blog. We are limiting this pattern to a printing of 100. Five dollars of each pattern sale will be donated to the Raptor Research Organization. Pattern price includes travel fare to you. USA orders accepted only, thanks for understanding.

Let's see how much we can raise for this great organization! I will keep a running total of dollars raised over to the right side of the article. The pattern will not feature a photo of a finished piece on the cover, as I am under other stitching time constraints on another piece, currently...and I wanted to get this started.

BUT,

how's about if we have a stitch a long and I'll stitch mine along with you?

Sound like fun?!! Are you in??!!

So here's how the stitch a long will work: You purchase the pattern, you stitch the piece and please feel free to work the sampler in thread colors and linens of your choice....be brave, go outside of the box! That's what makes stitch a longs more interesting...lots of different thread and linen choices. Then send me pictures of your work in progress @ order@countrystitchesonline.com (with a subject line reading - Soar Stitch Along) and I'll post pictures of the WIP on each Friday. And most important...send us pictures of the finished piece!

Back to the PBS documentary as I mentioned above...it is very educational & entertaining! You will want to watch this 50 minute piece, on the life of our daddy eagle, who lives near a fish hatchery in rural Iowa....have a Kleenex handy, though! Bob Anderson, the "eagle guy" narrates pieces of this documentary.

Have a pleasant evening,

Brenda

So... it's quarter til seven

this evening

and

I'm running

around

like a

headless rooster...

supper still needs to be made, husbands on the phone with sonny boy and I'm trying to listen to half of that conversation, and it's American Idol night, like in just a few short fifteen minutes. I'm trying to do all of the above at the same time... Probably is going to be another Wednesday night with supper in front of the TV, I'm thinkin...darnit, I think I've reached the age where I need TV trays...I tell the dh that TV dinners are the next step after TV trays. He doesn't seem to find the same humor in the TV tray/TV dinner thing... So the burgers are on the grill, I will try my very best not to burn them...

it is now 10 minutes til seven

and I check the computer

and I see this...

(sorry about photo quality...pretty sure I was shakin with excitement)

I then yell (no, scream) up to the dh, whose still on the phone with the son, "THE EAGLES HATCHING"....husband continues his conversation. I figured he'd jump off the couch, tear down the steps, tell his son he'd have to call him back, to witness the hatching of an eagle. Not. Have I mentioned, the dh isn't as into this as I?? I'm now yelling, NOT NOW...it's almost time for American Idol! So as you can see, at approximately 6:50 PM CST the 3rd egg hatched. Let's just hope this little one can put up with that one naughty sibling....you know the one, the one that needs to spend some time in the time-out chair!

I'm exhausted...this having baby eaglets is exhausting,

Brenda

That darn cornhusk...

This post is for you who have now been consumed by the Iowa eagle cam and your laundry has piled up, the sink is full of dishes and the kids are now writing the words "dust me" on the furniture...because...well, you'd rather watch the eagle then do these mundane chores, right? Sorry, I do apologize!

While watching the parent eagles patiently waiting & waiting and tidying up there nest, I always noticed that one, big, darn, corn husk. You know what I'm talking about, right? They would work & work that corn husk, determined to get the large clumsy piece woven into their nest. I often times just wished they would do away with that darn corn husk...it just always seemed to be in the way. From time to time I go to You Tube as there are lots of clips of these eagles there (just type in Decorah, IA eagles in the search). Great, just what you needed...another place to watch the eagles...I won't tell the family, if you don't! Lots of fun stuff to see (from this year, as well as previous years).

Well yesterday, as my brats were burning on the grill, I came upon a clip that I must share with my crazy fellow eagle fans... Check it out. PLEASE NOTE - for some reason it is only showing a short clip...after viewing the short clip, a new screen will pop up, over to the right you then can click on the UP NEXT to view the full minute clip of what is known as the Decorah Shimmy...you must see the full minute clip! NOTE #2- you may want to scroll down to the very bottom of this page to turn down the volume on my background music.



Isn't that a hoot???

I'm gettin a bit concerned about that 3rd egg....do you think it is ever going to hatch? I'm thinkin that little fuzz ball better hurry up or he's going to be the weakling of the eaglets. And you know what happens to the weakling in an eagles nest? No? Well, let's just say it's not a good thing...sibling rivalry at it's worst and I don't want to witness that!

You may notice the background behind the eagles is now taking on a greenish hue...that is spring arriving in Iowa! The grass here is just starting to turn green,the tulips & daffodils are up. The trees are setting on leaf buds and in a few short weeks our trees will look like green lace...my.most.absolute.favorite.time.of.the.year!

Hoping it is sunny and warm wherever you are,
Brenda

All in a weekend of work...

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I had the urge to create something for Autumn. Here is a peek at the design, in it's very early stages. There are plans of 4 samplers in this series...

~ one for each season ~

Their release dates will be on the first day of the new season, but always working one season ahead.

Autumn Sampler - Release date June 20, 2011

Winter Sampler- Release date September 22, 2011

Spring Sampler - Release date December 21, 2011

Summer Sampler - Release date March 20, 2012

The sampler size has a stitch count of 190 wide X 196 high. All will be of similar size. I have chosen a 35 count linen by R & R Reproductions with Gentle Arts flosses used throughout. The sampler size isn't too overwhelming, making it possible to get each season's sampler done in the 3 month span between releases. How fun...a new piece to hang upon your walls, as we usher in the next new season.

Well it's bright & sunny here, but another windy day on the open prairies of Iowa. Still patiently waiting for the 3rd eaglet to emerge. Boy, lot's of meat choices at the eagle residence...anyone have any idea what yesterday's meat of choice was?? The thing that was laying stiff legged, feet straight up in the air!!

Must toodle loo folks, there are orders needing to be filled...off to work I go, Brenda

Smorgasbord...

3 choices of meat

all you can eat.

I can tell this is now to the point where it probably isn't for the weak hearted or weak stomached. Linda, have you gagged yet???? Tee heeeee...my sister Linda is a gagger, we all like trying to make her gag. Aren't we mean??

My advise to the eagle mom & pop, puleassseeeee leave the robins alone...don't you know there are bigger birds in the sky to catch??? Poor ruby red-breast was today's mid afternoon snack. :-(

I have told myself that the day I see a cat in the nest is the day I shut this off...

They wouldn't eat a cat, would they???????

If you haven't visited the eagle cam recently, there are now 2 eaglets. Both seem to be doing well. Tomorrow there should be 3! Did anyone see the one little eaglet was on the outside of the nest cavity this afternoon? OMG, I immediately went into frantic mode. It was out along the edge, near the twigs. What keeps these little varmints from falling through the cracks of those bigger twigs is what I want to know? I sat and yelled at the parent and told the dh that that this is all I need... one more thing to stress over... worrying that these little fuzz balls are going to fall out of the nest. Finally the parent eagle picked the little one with it's beak and tucked it back into the nest and I then crossed that off my "worry list"...

Have a good evening, Brenda

My weakness...

Recipe. Web. Sites.

Do you visit recipe websites? If so, share your favorites with us...I'd love to have a few more to visit! My new favorite food website is simplyscratchrecipes.com . Like I don't have any cookbooks or cooking magazines...(said with sarcasm)

I made two recipes this weekend from Simply Scratch Recipes. The dip I've made before and the chicken salad was my first try....it gets a smiley face! Oh and the dip, it already got a smiley face! Don't you love it when you try a new recipe and it's worthy of a smiley face?

Do you have a NCCA Hoop Finals party plannned or invited to one? This dip would be a nice goodie to nibble on while watching the game. The crisp triangular Triscuit is my favorite cracker for this dip.

8 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper (be sure to set your pepper mill on coarse...this is what makes this dip)

3 whole scallions (or green onions) sliced using white and green portions

3 oz. green Spanish olives, sliced

4 oz. black olives, sliced

8 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Triscuit crackers for serving

Add cream cheese, mayo and pepper into a medium bowl and mix until blended. Add in the chopped green onions, olives and grated cheese; fold in until all are incorporated. Put into a serving dish and serve with crackers. Keeps for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Makes 2 cups.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Don't you love spring & summer time cooking? It's so nice to put away the casseroles and ready up for some nice light spring time salads. Or girl food, as I call it. Saturday's lunch at the Gervais household was this wonderfully easy salad. Don't you love easy?

DRESSING:

1 cup mayo

4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

6 tsp. honey

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

salt & pepper to taste

SALAD:

1 rotisserie chicken from the super market (cut into bite sizes) Allow to cool.

2 oz. pkg lightly toasted whole pecans, then coarsely chopped

1 cup small red grapes, sliced in half

2 celery sticks (chopped)

Mix dressing ingredients and store in airtight container in your fridge to refrigerate. Upon serving, combine salad ingredients and add chilled dressing before serving. Serve on a bed of baby romaine leaves or on a croissant.

I'm so sorry that these recipes aren't low-cal in nature...hummmm....why is it that it's the bad stuff that always tastes so good??? (sigh)

Enjoy, Brenda

Hatched!

The first eaglet has hatched!

I missed it?

Did you?

I get up with the birds in the morning, therefore I usually retire with them in the evening. This eagles nest has just become my screen saver...always open...for graphic purposes I use two monitors. I told the dh before I went to bed last evening that if the egg starts to hatch to wake me up. He looked at me like I was cracked!!

Let's just say he's not as into this as I....

So I awoke this morning at 6 AM to find this little bundle of downy fluff...

oh mercy me...isn't it cute??? In just 6 short weeks it will be the size of it's parents...

Amazing.

Have a good weekend everyone,

Brenda

This & Thats...

Here's a peek at our latest addition to our note card collection...

The card features a photo that I took of one of my antique sewing vignettes....two tiny antique tomato pincushions, old scissors, crochet lace trims and old ivory buttons...some of my favorites. The photo was then digitally altered to look like an oil painting for a cool and funky look. An antique sewing tape measure neatly frames the photo. The photo lies upon a linen ground with one of my favorite verses across the bottom...

"any day spent stitching is a good day..."

You can find these cards for sale here.

Now onto the thats of the this & thats...

I received word from our Valdani distributor that more of the threads that have been out of stock for some time are on their way into the states. I am hopeful to have them by late next week, or early the following week. Out of stock colors in this shipment will be the JP12, O505 & O510. For those of you waiting for these colors, we will get them out the day our order arrives. Thanks for your patience!

We also received word that our Prairie Cloth has been shipped.....yipppeeee....we've been waiting for this since late last year. We will have both the ivory and red coming. We'll update our website, marking this item as back in stock just as soon as it arrives.

And of course I can't end this post without reminding everyone that today is the expected hatching date of the eagle eggs. I awoke this morning at 5:30 AM and found mother eagle was awake too. This is somewhat early for her to be awake. She was very vocal. I think she was telling Dad to get home, we're gonna have some babies today!! He later arrived with his talons filled with fine bedding grasses. I was able to get a peek at the eggs and it appears they all have peck holes in them. In the quietness of the dark early morning hours you could hear the little ones making peeping noises in their eggs...pretty cool! I still am wondering what their plan is for the dead rabbit on the lower left hand corner of the nest. I'm pondering the thought that perhaps they will eventually pull the fur from the rabbit and line the nest with it...or perhaps they just like their rabbit meat well-aged.....

Well we turn another page of the calendar today. Where did March go? It was complete March Madness here at Country Stitches. March is always a very busy month for us, with lots & lots of orders to fill. Everybody is ready for new and fresh spring-type patterns, I think. Country Stitches' anniversary also came and went in the month of March...she is 24 years old.

I think I'll get the sketch book out this weekend, I feel the need to create...time to move onto new patterns for Fall...I may throw in a couple patriotic ones as well...we shall see!

Have a good weekend everyone,

Brenda

Ann Sandles 1846 Update...

After another week of stitching here is an update of the Ann Sandles sampler, photo courtesy of model stitcher Suzanne. Suzanne lives in Ohio and myself in Iowa, so it is with digital photos and email that I watch the progression of the Ann Sandles sampler being reproduced...isn't technology fabulous? As you can see, Suzanne has now made her way to the larger-then-life border. Young Ann didn't mess around with small dainty borders, she loved them big! Everything in this sampler is big, relatively speaking, to the size of the overall sampler. Not much spacing between motifs on this piece. For some reason I don't picture Ann as a dainty 13 year old...

The larger then normal border was another feature of this antique sampler that grabbed and wowed me...I liked it's uniqueness. There are some leaf placement errors made by young Anne (age 13), throughout the border. In keeping true to the original sampler, the pattern will be charted with these errors as well.

The windows are waiting for their cute little white panes and there is outline stitching in red around the blue letters that will be stitched yet, before the piece is done. This outline stitching in the red really makes the letters pop.

Wait until you see the top portion of this sampler...this is where you'll find Adam & Eve, some birds, apple trees, frolicking puppies and other star-shaped motifs...and of course, a serpant hiding within the apple tree.

This is the final sneak peek, the next showing will be of the finished piece...stay tuned!

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

Oh dear...

no, oh bunny!

I'm hoping that isn't the Easter bunny in the Eagles Nest...take a look!

Me thinks I see a bunny wabbit in it's nest.... (Look up towards the top of the nest...is that a cotton tail?) Click here to see!

Do you suppose they know their due date is just a couple of days away? Perhaps the reason for the bunny....

Sorry, gotta run...lots & lots to do today,

Brenda

Baby's Real Soon!

Our pair of Iowa eagle's, featured on the web cam for the Raptor Resource Project, egg hatching due date is expected at some point between Wednesday and Friday of this week. If interested tune in here. It is also there where you may make a donation towards this project. We are seeing the eagle make a come-back here in Iowa, after spending many years on the endangered list. The eagles were featured in today's Des Moines Register. Photos are courtesy of the Des Moines Register. The article states the camera has almost four million page visits a day from over 130 countries the past month. The article also states the web cam will be turned off in July, about the time the fledgings leave the nest.The job of a Raptor Resource Project volunteer often requires them to scale great heights to reach the eagles nests. Here, a volunteer rests in the nest...gives you some idea how big that nest really is!

Also...take note of how each eagle prefers the eggs in their nest. One observer noted that the male prefers the eggs to be in a row and the female prefers them in a triangle (I may have that turned around). This rolling of the eggs keeps the embryo from sticking to the shell.

Let's hope for warmer weather this week for these little ones as they make their way into the world. Friday we awoke to a slushy/snowy mix here in NW Iowa. These conditions made for tricky travel on Friday. Road conditions were blamed for an accident that claimed the life of a local woman, a mother of 6 young children. One can only imagine, such a tragedy for this young family...our thoughts and prayers are with them.

Have a good week everyone,

Brenda

NEW cross stitch club!

"Birds of a Feather" Mystery Sampler Club

is coming to your local needlework shops

this summer!

Here is how it works...

The Birds of a Feather sampler is a 21st century sampler, with a 19th century flair, designed by Brenda Gervais/With thy Needle & Thread. The stitch count of the finished piece is 173 wide X 190.

Finished sampler size:

15/30 count - 11 1/2" wide X 12 5/8" high

18/35 count - 9 1/2" wide X 10 1/2" high

20/40 count - 8 5/8" x 9 1/2" high

This information and the little blurry photo snippet above is it, that's all we're revealing...the rest is a mystery! The sampler pattern will be revealed in 3 parts to the club member over the months of May, June & July. The 1st pattern supplied to the member will detail the border, the 2nd and 3rd patterns will consist of the alphabet and the "fun" main focal motif of the sampler. Each month more of the sampler pattern will be revealed to it's members...can you feel the anticipation already?? It should be a fun summer club, many shops are hosting stitch-ins, stitching camps & events to coincide with the Birds of a Feather Mystery Sampler Club...join the fun! Visit your local needlework shop for more information on joining the club. For shop owners interested in being a part of this stitching event, contact Norden Crafts at (800) 323-1252 - mail@nordencrafts.com (contact info for shop owners only please, thank you)

With thy Needle & Thread, Brenda