St Charles Needlework Market

Hello everyone!  So I say I'm going to post more regularly, and then I go about two weeks without a new post.  Well, at least I have a decent excuse (or two).  Here's the first excuse: my computer has been otherwise occupied:

She even managed to turn the computer on, access the internet, and try to print a blank Word document!  As I am typing this post, silly Princess is trying yet again to climb onto the keyboard.  I guess it is pleasantly warm on her tummy.  Sigh.

My other, even better, excuse is that I have been at the St Charles needlework market for the past 5 days or so, helping Mom with her room, and checking out all the other great releases as well.  It was a very busy show, and lots of shopping and buying was done.  I am glad that I can finally show you what most of my summer stitching time has been devoted to.  Here are the new releases from Cherished Stitches:

Autumn Whimsies is a limited edition kit that includes everything you need to make this sweet little pillow except the stuffing.  It was Mom's best-seller at the show and it is sold out!  In fact, it sold out the first night, and she ordered supplies to make another 6 dozen, and she's sold out again!  So if you like it, better get in touch with your favorite needlework shops quick and see if they have one available.

 Next up are 9 of the Fairest Flowers series.  Only the three in the center front are brand new.  There is a pattern for each month of the year (with three months still to come), and each flower is one that you would find in a 17th century English garden.  Such interesting uses they had for these plants!  Did you know that thistle can cure baldness?

There were three new Halloween releases as well: a sweetly grim little pot of flowers, a biscornu kit, and the ironwork-inspired "tis time."

And finally, the Quaker family tree, which I think is my favorite of all the new releases.  It comes with suggestions on how to modify the chart to suit your own family, as well as lots of graph paper for drawing out all the names you want to stitch.  I just love how this one looks!  There was one other new release that I don't have a picture of.  It's called "Fall Tribute" and has a cute pair of squirrels on it.  It's one of the ones on which I did the model stitching, so I'm bummed I didn't get a photo.  Of all the releases you see above, I put thread to fabric on all of them except the LE kit, the biscornu, and the smaller Halloween piece.  Now you know how busy I've been in the stitching department!

I do have some other stitch-related news to share.  I am going to try my own hand at designing!  I have already been working (in a very on again/off again style) on reproducing some of my antique samplers.  Now I'm trying to be more consistent with my efforts.  Next year, at the Nashville market, I will be joining Mom and presenting designs of my own.  At this point, I think there will be two reproduction samplers (Rachel Mauger and an Adam & Eve sampler that I don't think I've shared on this blog) and several smaller patterns of my own design that are inspired by my antique sampler collection.  February seems so far away, but really close, all at the same time!  I will share more as we get a lot closer to market.  I guess only time will tell whether this is a great idea, or a very foolish one.

Next time, I will share a little about the pit stops we took on the loooong drive from North Carolina to Missouri.  Til then, stay crafty my friends!