Stitch Night, Framing and Some New Designs

Hello, All! When I arrived--a little late--for stitch night last time, Jan's gorgeous project was complete in all its glory and attached to the board with magnets. Everyone had been invited to help choose a frame and opinions abounded. No one could decide. Here are a couple of options. The project, by the way, is a Chatelaine design called "Celtic Garden." Jan is an amazing stitcher who whips through project after project with incredible focus that puts me to shame.


Another frame choice. I think framing is magical, and I love to watch customers mull their choices over when they come into the shop, and I enjoy watching Karen as she patiently and painstakingly pins each precious design (I will have to take a photo the next time I see her doing it--I think what goes on underneath the part we see is fascinating). We have lots and lots of frames, so there's no shortage of choices to consider. What did Jan choose? When it's done, we'll send you to Jan's blog to take a good look.


And here's a closeup of Jan's work. Love the bling.


Helen is working on this little duck:


Look at Sherry's little guy: this comes as a needlepoint kit with the little stuffed animal ready to go. Just stitch the stocking, finish it (or have it finished) and insert the toy. Too cute, and I'm totally admiring Sherry's stitching. I've only mastered two simple stitches, so I love to see what the more accomplished needlepointers come up with.


March is stitching a Just Nan Noah's Ark design:


In case you're hankering for a new project, we have lots of new projects in the shop, including two new Scarlet Letters. This is Ruthy Rogers, which I've started. Lots of specialty stitches, but they're not hard to do. This is charted for AVAS or for DMC.


And Jane Burnet:


Something new from Ink Circles.


And from Midnight Stitching.


And you already know that Halloween is nearly here, but if you don't have time to stitch something, there are Halloween scissors or these adorable pins. Or...it's not too late to buy a cute project to start for next year!


Stitch night is the first and third Wednesday of each month (that means tomorrow, the 19th). Join us from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

If you have questions or want to place an order, please call us at 703-360-4600. We are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 12:30-4:30 on the first Sunday of the month.

Happy stitching!

Socks and Stockings

Greetings, all!

We were admiring Simply Fabulous Cari's blog the other night and were freshly intrigued by the whole pile of Blackbird Designs stockings and inspired to look through the basket that holds them at the shop, selecting some favorites. Here are some of my choices, along with some small fabric cuts and the GAST and Crescent Colours fibers:



A close-up of some of my favorites: "Thankful November"


"Patriotic July."


We have lots of small, colorful fabric cuts in different counts and fabric types (Lakeside, Picture This Plus, Weeks Dye Works, R&R Reproductions, etc.) If you want to order one of these little stockings, we'll be glad to choose a fabric for you to go with the design. These are cost-effective little projects. You get three designs to a leaflet, which includes the charts, finishing directions and a template for cutting out the stocking. It doesn't take much fabric, and the floss is cotton variegated. Best of all, there isn't a dud pattern in the bunch!


I roamed around the shop, remembering all the wonderful stocking designs we have: These two stunners by Carriage House Samplings: Noa's Stockingh; and


Sampler Stocking. By the way, if you hate to finish, we have a wonderful service that we send your designs out to, so that instead of wrestling with fabric and interfacing and turning hems, you can just stitch and turn your finished products over to an expert.


Prairie Moon did a series for Christmas.


Sam Sarah did stockings with huge ornaments on them, or this one: Hot Chocolate, dressed up with buttons that look like candy canes and marshmallows.


Of course, you can knit a Christmas stocking if you'd rather--from this book.


And if you're feeling ambitious, start one of these now! Shepherd's Bush, of course.


And one last project to stitch for Christmas. This Churchmouse Classics design--a ruffled scarf. We're showing some yarn you might want to use. We have lots of different colorways.


Wednesday (tonight, as you're reading this) is Stitch Night, and we hope to see you here! Don't be shy--everyone is very friendly and welcoming.

We are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 12:30 - 4:30 on the first Sunday of the month. The first and third Wednesdays of the month are Stitch night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Watch this space for notes about hours around the holidays.

Happy Stitching!