Many Happy Returns Tommye

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR TOMMYE
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

Hope you are having a wonderful day and being thoroughly spoilt.

Let's have a guess---do you think she picked out the last digit of the date?  That's my guess.  This is a photo of Elizabeth Sheffield's original sampler.

And... completion

I finished up The Black Gryphon last night.  Finally the main character has shown all his wonderful glory.  I love it.

So, the details.....  Stitched on Lakeside Linen's Vintage Sand Dune 40 ct.  with DMC.

What will I work on next?  Well, that depends if I can figure out where I stashed my Scarlet Letter charts.  I seem to have put them somewhere smart and now can't find them anywhere.  Argh!

Post or Wilma

I have made some progress on Jane Atkinson. She is so much fun to stitch.
Because I devoted all my stitchingtime to her, I have been neglecting Dona Dorothea. I promised to work on her during the Easter weekend.
Although a finish is not in sight, I have already made up my mind which project to start next. It is going to be Joanna Warren!!
Can't wait to make some stitches on this beautiful sampler, but I will be strong and finish Dona first.

Happy Easter Stitching!

Wilma

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Many Happy Returns to Erica

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ERICA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

Wishing you  wonderful day from all of us.

Filling in the Gryphon

I have had very little stitching time as of late.  Life keeps getting in the way!  Still, some progress has been made and sometime, hopefully soon, there will be a finish.

I just love this fellow and can't wait to see him all filled in.

SDW Week 21

Much slower progress this week.   It has been absolutely freezing here, but I cannot blame the cold on my lack of stitching, it is just life taking over.

SDW Week 21

This band covers about 2/3 of the width before it butts up to the small alphabet band.  Just hoping I have the count right, or I might be blagging it at the right side!

Dorothy

I'm still making slow progress on Dorothy.  The over one verse has been giving me fits which is odd since I stitch HAEDs without any problems at all!  I love the eyelet band and hope to get this row done soon!

Dorothy's Progress 3

Dorothy is back but progress is slow! I am stressed over the over 1 stitches ha ha! The crosses are tiny on 40ct and I am not very pleased with them. Progress is really slow and I jump over to start the next band, the eyelets, lots of them!

Can you see, only a few over 1 words?

At least, I finished all the satin stitch alphabets!

Another reason for the slow progress is because I am distracted by other projects along the way ha ha! I hope to show more in my next update!

Hugs,
Ellen

My Sampler Walls

thought I would share  my Sampler walls with you

Misc Wall

this is my Quaker Wall

the Long Dog Wall

the Vierlanden Wall

More Quakers 

plus Love Song and Rhapsody in Blue

and the wall of Little Reds

 another Vierlanden

More of the Misc Wall

These were all such pleasures to stitch .  Hope you enjoyed the tour :)

Pictures of The Scarlet Letter gallery

Unedited, the gallery as it appeared this afternoon, frozen in time (literally).  It also serves as a guest cottage and is shut down for the winter so apologies for the electric cords, plastic bags and miscellaneous garbage here and there.

Blog Two is Full!

Yes, you read that correctly, Blog Two is now full.

We currently have 198 contributors across both blogs (Nicola and I have a place on both blogs) plus 11 more Stitchers that contribute via email to Nicola and me then we post on their behalf.

Who would have thought that in under four months we would have so many enthusiastic Stitchers gathered in one place to celebrate Nicola's special birthday and our mutual love of stitching?

We want as many people as possible to be able to join in with the challenge and share their progress pictures with the group, so here is a little request to all the existing contributors -

We would like to set up a "buddy" system for any new stitchers.  The new person would be paired with an existing contributor and email their progress pictures and posts to that person rather than posting direct to the blog.  Their buddy would then make a post on their behalf, under their own sign-in but entitling it "a post on behalf of Ethel".

If you would be willing to act as a buddy to a new Stitcher then please email me, Jo, at my usual address.  We will limit it to one person per buddy so you don't spend all your time posting for other people!  Any questions about how it would work, then please email me.  It will simply be a case of receiving one or two emails a month then copying and pasting the contents into a blog post.

Thanks in advance.

The second request comes from a discussion Nicola and I were having about the international nature of the group.  We haven't kept a record of where everyone comes from and thought it would be fun to find out.  Most of us live in the USA or England but I know we have representatives of several other countries stitching with us.  So if you come from a country other than USA or England, please leave us a comment on this post.  Maybe you still live in your home country, maybe you've emigrated, we'd love to know.  Incidentally, Wales and Scotland are separate countries but Cornwall is not, you don't have home-rule yet!

Manifesto Week #7

WOW Another week of Manifesto has come and gone.. where does the time go....here is what she looks like as of Sunday 3/24/2013

I am really loving watching everyone's progress on all the Scarlet Letter Charts.... and am another one who can see my collection growing.. watching so many of them come to life is such a treat.  there certainly is a wealth of talented stitchers in this group.. Kudos to all of you!

Hope everyone has another great stitching week!!
KB

Jane Atkinson and SDW - An Update

I am so inspired by all the beautiful stitching I am seeing on the blogs. My SL charts are growing at an alarming rate. I cannot wait to stitch each day, it is such a shame that housework and other chores have to be done first.


Here is an overdue update on Jane.

Jane Atkinson

There is not too much left to do. I have some further lettering to stitch but as I have gone away from the original verse I wanted to complete the bottom flowers before finalising how much extra I can add to the top.

I would like to include our names, wedding date and place, then a further one line saying. I will also need to add some butterflies, mouse and leaves around the lettering.  

In anticipation of a finish her frame has been chosen and the wood ordered.

SDW 

SDW is progressing. I forgot to stitch the duck's bottom and did not realise until I saw the photograph. It is surprising how much detail you can notice from a photo, it is a good way for checking for waste knots too.

Manifesto

I am afraid that I missed my stitching session yesterday on Manifesto as I could not stop stitching Jane. As soon as Jane is finished I am upping the time on Manifesto to two days per week. I am amazed that no matter how many hours you put into the sampler it never seems if much progress has been made. It is so BIG.

I have to get back to the housework, Monday is always a busy day. Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead.

Plodding along on Sundays

Here is my weekly report on the progress of The Manifesto Sampler that I stitch on on Sundays only.

I am about to finish my second page!  Hopefully, next Sunday (Easter), I will have time to finish up!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Holy Week!

Happy Stitches,

-Holly

Ann Scutt progress report

At long last, I have another band on Ann Scutt stitched.  It's a smallish band, but it's done!! This is Band 11, with the beginning of another repeat of Band 8 below it.

I really love the filigree in the center of each--pomegranate? Bulb? Dearly Beloved suggests it's an onion. Whatever it is, it's a very pretty motif.

A round(ish) sampler that has been reproduced- Ann Wimp.
http://www.scarlet-letter.com/samplers/wimp.php

How well do you know your samplers ?

This week there are two giveaways, one on this post and for the other one you will need to visit blog 2. You can enter both.

I have been told that the giveaways are too easy so this is a harder one but the one on blog 2 is a word play.

How well do you know your Scarlet Letter Samplers?  Let’s find out.

Print off the grid below and fill in the answers to these nine questions. The cells highlighted  in yellow will spell out the name of a chart (the grey cells are blanks).

The first name drawn from the correct answers will win a copy of that chart which has been sponsored by Ray.

1	I am an English sampler that was stitched in 1821.  "The beautiful  Miss Mobley visited this old man’s farm. E-I-E-I-O"
2	Adapted from an English sampler. "This American poet was known for "dwell in possibility" but she picked a fine time to leave with four hungry children and crops in the field"
3	She was stitched in 1792 probably in Rhode Island.   "Did she know of the "danger" of what was practiced at Woodstock and in most of the 60’s"
4	I was stitched around 1770.  "Could Indiana Jones follow his directions to where the Beatles recorded. Beware of the spelling"
5	I was 16 years old in 1842.  "Would Miss Austen's heroine approve of what this Bush gave up in 1986"
6	A first effort by this infant's hand was stitched in England in 1838. "Little Bess would like to be “friends”  with the ex Mrs Arquette"
7	Stitched by a Quaker in 1720.  "In Greek she is a gazelle but in the bible is known for her good deeds and gifts of Mercy. Mary Poppins thought she was a jolly good sport. In 1729 she became Mrs Richard Adams"
8	My motifs are Italian.  "Daryl Hannah made quite a Splash in 1984 but did she bless us with Peace and Plenty"
9	I am associated with a queen famed for her beauty but who lost her head.  "I could be called Mia or Tom. Will you let me out of the bag".

HAVE FUN !

EMAIL YOUR ANSWERS to nicola.parkman@gmail.com and the name drawn  with the correct answers on April 1st will win a copy of the chart that is spelt out. 

You are welcome to leave a comment but not the answer.

Good Luck.

Am I really that old?  Must be, since I hand printed Sarah Dutnel in 1985.  It's going to the computer now and will be much improved (I hope).  So many of the AVAS silk dye lots have changed over the years, it needs a complete overhaul.  DMC has remained consistent.  While the silk is lovely to work with, it's not consistent and when a color is discontinued it sends all of us into a flap.  Time to toss more logs on the fire, frigid here tonight.  Over and out.

Emma Miles

Here's what I got done this past weekend.

I finished the eyelet alphabet and the motifs to the vine.  I'm not moving as fast on this one as I want, but it sure is fun!

Rebecca Cullin

 Thought that I had better post a photo of my Angry Bird who isn't so much of an Angry Bird now but a beautiful handsome fellow.

It has been a while since I posted a photo of Rebecca, but I have had a lot of things going on in my life that have been quite worrying.  My DH has serious health problems.  But they have found out what is causing him to have a "Dickie Ticker" and hopefully he will be ok.

This is Rebecca in full.  I just have to finish off the bottom section, hopefully by the weekend, do the other tree that is on the right hand side and then do some more interesting sewing with the beautiful big carnations and the flowers.

Since I last posted I was the lucky winner of the 50 pound voucher to purchase one of the beautiful Millennium Frames.  I order the 30 inch frame and it is winging it's way Downunder.  When it arrives I shall take a photo of it to show you.  Hopefully it will be next week.  I would like to thank Nicola and also Needle Needs to donating this wonderful prize.  I must say that the night that I found out that I had won this wonderful prize I was so over joyed.  My life was slightly pear shaped at the time.

Needlework journey to reproduction samplers

I read Nicola's post earlier this month, about sharing our journey to cross stitching reproduction samplers.    And, I had to think about this.

I attended an exhibit by our local EGA chapter in 1998.   I joined the chapter and in August 1998, took my first Saturday workshop - stitching on Linen.    Each of us had our own copy of Ginnie Thompson's Linen Stitches book, two colors of flower thread, needle, and a couple scraps of linen.

We learned the basics of cross stitching, eyelets, and the nun edge.    Once home, I went thru the rest of the diagrams + added stitches to my linen scrap.    I think I had the hang of linen ; )    

In November (1998) the chapter visited the Scarlet Letter in Wisconsin.    I was enchanted by the farm animals, the books, and in awe of every sampler model on the walls .... never mind I didn't have a clue how to do most of the needlework skills!   Yet, I bought kits - couldn't miss the opportunity.

I signed up for an EGA Correspondence Course on English Band Samplers.   Thru the course, I learned whitework (below), double-running (blackwork), queen stitches (samples above), spot motifs (left), a variety of specialty stitches.   I don't know if I will ever actually finish the thing, I did learn a lot.

To summarize, once I visited Scarlet Letter & saw the needlework on the walls, I was hooked!    For me, it was wonderful to have the kits in hand, and learn the different techniques to recreate them.   

Thank you Nicola, and others participating, for sharing their needlework journey on these blogs.    

WIP: Polly Miner 1822

Polly Miner 1822

The sampler is on 35-ct linen using DMC cotton floss

(4 colors:  Ecru, 372, 932, + 898).

The stitch count is 168 x 76.

I added a few numbers, and alphabet characters, too.    I think it is a little past 1/2 way completed.    It is a challenge (for me) to use the ecru floss at night - so, I try to get those done during daylight hours. 

I had quite a scare with my cat's paw on my project the other night.  As this blog is about Scarlet Letter Samplers and not cats getting in the way of our stitching .... the post is HERE.   

I have enjoyed seeing all the samplers progress & now, I'm itching to finish up this one and move along to another Scarlet Letter piece from my stash.

All of the participants continue to inspire me!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Information from the Pattern / Chart:

Polly Miner, 1822

A sampler from the Sheldon Museum in

Middlebury, Vermont

Always, Lelia

blogging at Stitches of Life

My Manifesto Sunday Progress Pic!

I am moving slowly, but steady!  I only work on this on Sunday's.  It is taking me about 4-5 weeks per page.  I am doing one page at a time!  I promised myself!

Here ya go:

I love seeing all the other Manifesto's!  They are tempting me to skip ahead...but I am holding fast to one page at a time!

Happy Stitches,

-Holly in VA

Manifesto week 6

WOW can you believe it has been 6 weeks already that I have been working on Manifesto... It has been so much fun and the time has just flown by... but now putting that in perspective.... If what I have finished has taken 6 weeks.. how long do you think it will take me to finish?

I also truly enjoy seeing the work of everyone else... there are some really beautiful samplers being stitched here... hats off to everyone for such a great body of work

Until next time... Happy Stitching

A post for Sandra Ball

I'm enjoying reading these blogs and seeing samplers I've never seen stitched. Nicola, you had a wonderful plan to do this and I hope it carries on in some form after this year.

Sandra


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Another abc done.

Hello. It's been a while. I've been clearing out my closet but I have one of the inside alphabets done all the way around.

For those of you who have done this sampler, I have a questions....did you stitch the alphabet on the top then turn your piece, then stitch and turn your piece again, stitching it in a circle motion?
Marlene

Parrot, Leopard, Lion Update

Greetings All and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Petunia is finally fully feathered!  Love the red tips on her wings.  And I actually started a bit of a flower to her lower right.  I'm loving the colours so much.  Hope to get a bit more done today, but sadly I've neglected chores all weekend and have company coming for dinner.  I need to start some cooking.

Best wishes to a fun week!