Woodlawn!

Greetings, All! We are thrilled to see so many new faces in the shop. Carloads of eager stitchers, having just visited the Woodlawn needlework show, which we believe is extra compelling this year. Everyone who sees the show gets jazzed up to stitch their fingers to bloody stumps. I know I did; I came away with literally dozens of projects I want to stitch.

Here are two notable exhibits (we are not allowed to photograph the actual exhibits, so we'll show you the charts instead), stitched by one of our customers, John K. John stitched each on very high count linen, and they are jaw-droppingly gorgeous:

We have a La-D-Da trunk show in the shop. These were high above my head, so I couldn't get the best angle on them. I particularly like the little yellow salt box house on the top right and will go back to buy that chart ("Harvest House"). The chart packages have modest, low-key photos that don't do the projects justice. Seeing them stitched brings them to life and makes me want to go on a La-D-Da binge.

I get a little overwhelmed by the size of some of the projects, and it's a relief to see some of the smaller stitches. Here, Pineberry Lane's "Tokens of Affection."

"In Seasons" by With thy Needle and Thread (Brenda Gervais).

A sweet new chart from Little House Needleworks:  "First Corinthians."

I love these three quick stitches from Samplers Revisted's "Coastal Collection."

Also by Samplers Revisited, "Sarah Green 1849" and

"Hay Cairns 1840"  We have these in a trunk show also.  The are wonderful:  warm and colorful, intense but not enormously large.

Another beautiful reproduction sampler by Scarlett House: "Susan Wasband"; I love the two birds that look like eagles/gulls.

Last but not least, a peek at a springy project: a kit by Elizabeth Bradley. It looks like needlepoint, but it's full cross.

Speaking of spring, next time we'll take a look at some spring and Easter projects!

To order or for questions, please call the shop at 703-360-4600. We are located at 8800 F Pear Tree Court, in the Mount Vernon section of Alexandria. We are just a couple of miles (north, toward DC) of the Woodlawn show. Our hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and throughout the month of March during Woodlawn, from 12:30 to 4:30 on Sunday. Normally we are open the first Sunday of each month from 12:30-4:30. Come join us on Stitch Night, from 6 to 9 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month.

Happy stitching!