Friday, December 21, 2012

And to All a Good Night

We're birds of a feather around here (Bent Creek design).




We like to hang out together and chat (Valerie Pfeiffer "Trio").



And eat.




And laugh.


And always, always stitch.

There's nothing that we can't add a little flair to (even if it doesn't need it)(by Lantern Moon):





We understand temptation: (GigiR Designs)


And more temptation:


We like colorful history:


And simple designs:


As well as way more complex designs:





And we get to enjoy all of these things at In Stitches with (from left) Patricia and Ellen!



Merry Christmas to all! We will be open on Saturday, December 22 and will be closed for the holiday, reopening on December 27. Wear your jammies on the 27th and get a little surprise (and we don't mean the kind where the policeman asks you to step out of the car and walk a straight line after he spies you tearing along to the after-Christmas sale wearing your pjs). Did you get a four-carat diamond ring or a new Monster truck and would have preferred a needlepoint canvas or a cross stitch chart and some silks? Well, come on by and pick something out for yourself!


For questions or to order, please call us at 703-360-4600.



Happy stitching and to all a good night!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Dirty Santa

We In Stitches shop ladies had a very special day today: it was Ellen's annual staff Christmas party, which she hosts at her lovely home. We came to eat brunch, to exchange gifts, to stitch and to chat. Just to show you one of her many samplers, stitched reproductions or originals. Here's an antique original. I love coming up her stairway and looking at all her samplers.


She cooked a wonderful meal for us: here are two puffy egg bake casseroles (one is sausage, and one is bacon). There was lots of other food as well--mouthwatering smells--served on festive Christmas plates.

We broke out the show-and-tell; most of us brought one or more projects to work on, and some of us brought finished projects to show to the rest of us. Can you believe the stocking that Deborah needlepointed? Then and there, I made my New Year's resolution: not to lose weight or exercise more (although it would be helpful to do both of those), but to learn to needlepoint really well. I'll report back next year with my results.

Here Mary shows the scarf she's knitting currently, and the needlepoint purse she made many years ago.

Radonda is working on this wonderful needlepoint pumpkin. She decided that the coverage wasn't adequate with one strand of yarn, so she and Karen went out to the deck and painted the canvas so the white wouldn't show through. I didn't know you could do that! (Acrylic paint).

After brunch, we played "dirty Santa," which involves drawing a number to choose a gift from the hand-made gift we each brought to the party. Number one chooses a gift. Number two can choose a gift or steal number one's gift. This was the first gift chosen and was stolen immediately. Diane stitched this: Blackbird Design's "Crowning the Tree." I have seen the chart in the shop, and now I want to stitch it too (I stole it from someone, and then someone stole it from me--a gift can be stolen three times.)


Karen stitched a Shepherd's Bush design for this beautiful box.

I don't remember who needlepointed this gorgeous ornament. My photo is a bit blurry and doesn't do it justice.


Linda stitched the candy cane in very non-traditional colors which I absolutely love.

Ellen stitched this ornament (Homespun Elegance):


Lois needlepointed this amazing box lid: although you can't see the whole thing because I wanted to focus on the design, it's finished as a blue velvet-covered box.


Patricia made this little sheep (I think it's called a "Naked Sheep" because you create clothing for it), which has a little hand-knit shawl over her shoulders. She's a pincushion, but I don't think I'd want to stick pins in her!


Candie stitched up these very special towels--so festive and bright--practical and beautiful.


Sharon stitched this cranberry ornament. Look at the gorgeous stitching--over one! I won this and am so thrilled--as a Cape Codder, I can't get enough cranberry items (I think I own every cranberry chart ever designed with the exception of this ornament.)


I stitched these two ornaments by the Prairie Schooler over one on 28 count. The frames are from Michaels--each has a 2"x3" opening. They fit exactly--I did not have to alter the design. I had a blast stitching them--each one took about two weeks of work, stitching on and off. I am going to pick up some more frames this week--I can see a lot of potential for gifts and my own tree.


The group--all those who can needlepoint--stitched this for Ellen; we are having it finished to her taste.


After our gifts were opened, I wandered around, taking photographs of Ellen's Christmas tree, which is full of stitched ornaments. I love that--don't you? And every year it prods me to stitch a few for my own tree. I'm not sure if any of these are still in print.

How many parties have you been to lately where you can sit and comfortably stitch and chat? Karen is stitching Jenny Bean's Halloween in hand.


For questions or to order, please call us at 703-360-4600. Please come to Stitch Night if you can this week! We are having our annual Stitch Night Christmas gathering on Wednesday, December 19; there will be finger food and lots of fun. And Stitching!

The shop will be closed Sunday, December 20 through Wednesday, December 26, reopening on Thursday, December 27. Wear your pajamas on the 27th and get a special treat!

Our hours through Saturday, December 22 will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stitch night on the 19th is 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

We hope there's lots of stitching under your tree and on it! (And if there isn't, you know who to call!) Happy Stitching!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Stitching Under the Tree

Happy Sunday, all! Hopefully you're getting a little stitching time, in between the errands and the shopping and the chores!

Here are a few new projects and shop models to tempt you!

First of all, Stacy Nash's "Christmas as Hollyberry Farm" has arrived. What a beautiful stitch--and it's charted for 35 count fabric (you can stitch it in a higher or lower count, of course) and Gentle Arts Threads. We are always happy to do a silk conversion if you'd rather! I snapped one of these up!

Here's the cutest Barbara Ana design: "Sit and Knit." It uses textured fibers, which we have in abundance. The kitten and the sweater use the softest furry fibers.

When I went looking for the specialty fibers, I noticed this fun tape measure--what a great stocking stuffer.

The Scarlett House's "Adam & Eve" sampler has arrived. The alphabets look like they'll be extra fun to stitch.

Here are some great Bent Creek shop models "Gnome Place Like Home":

And "And Noah's Ark Mantle--Live by Faith" as beautifully stitched by Diane!

How about two new projects by Notforgotten Farm: Christmastide and Tinsel Towne.

Have you signed up for "Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year?" We carry Scarlet Letter designs and can kit one up for you in cotton or silk and choose an appropriate fabric. Here are just a few. Just looking at these make my fingers itch to work on one of my many Scarlet Letters.


To order or for questions, please call us at 703-360-4600. Our hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and the first Sunday of the month from 12:30-4:30. Need help with a last-minute gift? We have gift certificates!

Happy stitching!

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Some of Our Favorite Things

With Christmas around the corner, I happily spend time daydreaming about all the wonderful Christmas designs in the shop and what I'd like to finish and hang before the holiday. It isn't going to happen this year, I guess (although I'm working away on a couple of Christmas stitches), but this is the time of year I enthusiastically start some of my favorite designs--ones that aren't necessarily new, but are timeless or just extra fun. I love Notforgotten Farm's designs: "Jingle All the Way"

And "Happy Christmas."

Jardin Prive is newish in the shop, and I love this Christmas Quaker (plus it's a nice sane size):

Sandra Sullivan's 2012 Christmas ornament. You could have this stitched by this Christmas!

Two Drawn Thread designs that I have been admiring: "Little Noel," and

"Trimming the Tree."

We have "Santa's Village!" So cute and Christmas-y!

Here's the first adorable block:

Speaking of adorable--a little box that doesn't need to be stitched, and is the perfect treat for a stitchy pal.

Along with these little scissors in seasonal red (they come in other colors too).

We have these old friends in stock by Prairie Schooler: "Starry Night,"

"Cranberry Christmas" and

"Old World Santas II." Bet you could stitch one or two of these by the holiday (or while your family plunders the tree and makes a mess of the kitchen!

I've discovered Stacy Nash Primitives. Here is the "Grace Bridges Sampler,"

which, stitched on some nice overdyed Picture This Plus linen, is turning out to be a pretty Christmas-y looking sampler, even though it isn't really a Christas project.

This is just a sampler of our samplers and projects and exciting gifts (and knitting and needlepoint too!) Why not take a little time for yourself and stop by the shop instead of going to the mall? We're so much more fun and soothing than the mall!

We'll be open tomorrow, Sunday, December 2 (as we always are on the first Sunday of the month, from 12:30 to 4:30). Our hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stitch nights are the first and third Wednesdays of the month.

For questions or to order, please call us at 703-360-4600. Happy stitching!