All kinds of goodies - coming and going

So, have you all wondered what exactly was in the Mystery Gift Basket for Stitchers that Charlotte won on this blog last week?

Charlotte is one of those gals who has done just about every form of stitching out there (and is pretty good at all of them, too!) but she predominantly knits and spins. Yes, she spins her own yarn!! I tweaked the contents of the basket a little (just a little) to add some items very specific to Charlotte and her interests.

This is what she's getting:
Included in this pile of goodies are a baseball cap designed especially for a knitter, 2 fridge magnets (both about knitting), a 2012 pocket date book with a stitching quote on the cover, a plaque about stitching, 2 mini-counted cross stitch kits and a plaque I made specifically for Charlotte as a spinner! I hope she likes her prize!!

(I was prepared to specifically customize the contents to go along with the special interests of any stitcher when the winner was chosen.)

x . . . x . . . x . . . x . . . x . . . x

I, too love to receive gifts in the mail so I was thrilled the other day to get a package from my swap partner from a craft forum I participate in. The swap theme this time was "Fall." Here's a pic of the beautiful hand knit scarf Monica made for me:

Isn't it pretty? (Soft, too!)

I can't wait for the next swap. The theme for the next one is Christmas ornaments. We have different partners for each swap and most of us know quite a bit about our swap partners so the gifts are almost always designed to suit the recipients interests and style. I'm already giving my contribution there much thought.

I'm proud to belong to www.CraftBuddy.com and I miss chatting with my friends if I don't stop by often. We chat about our craft work, our family, friends, and life in general. Stop by and check us out there. You just might find a place you'd enjoy hanging out, too.

I have met some fantastic crafty friends online. Do you participate in any forums out there? What are your favorite sites?

Last of the BBQ ...

The winner of the Needleworker's Mystery Basket Give-Away is Charlotte. Congratulations Charlotte!! I'll be emailing you privately as to shipping. (I will post a picture of the basket contents after it is shipped. I want Charlotte to be surprised by the contents.)

Took a break from all things craft related today and went and judged at what I think will be our final BBQ competition of the 2011 season. This was a second tier contest in the Sam's Club National Barbecue Tour. Unlike the regular KCBS circuit competitions, the Sam's Club events are a special tournament-style series of competitions.

Sam's held 40 local contests around the country beginning in March. The contest today, in Laurel, Maryland, was a regional event featuring winners from a number of those local contests. Today's winners will go up against the winners of the four other regional events, in two weeks in Bentonville, Arkansas for $100,000 in prize money. The entries today were first rate, as expected. A great way to end our competition year.

Mother Nature cooperated a bit in that it didn't rain until after the event. (Remember it has rained daily for the last 8 weeks or so.) When we left, it was only a light drizzle. I only hope the competition teams were able to pack up before any heavy rain came down. The temperatures weren't helping though. We suddenly got chilly here last night and it never went above 53 during the contest today. Even prepared for it with appropriate jackets, I got cold. We spent 4 hours simply sitting in the cool, damp wind so I was completely chilled through by the end of the judging. It has taken me hours to warm up.

I know in the realm of things, the mid-50s are not all that cold. They won't be once we get used to it but it came as a shock to our systems today when we were in the 70s yesterday.

I find little things like this depressing as it just tells me winter is coming and I absolutely despise winter. On the upside, I do love the smells of Autumn and when we got home, I found it comforting to smell that someone in the neighborhood had a fire in their fireplace. Now, if I just had some mulled cider to drink this evening...

Stitch ...Stictch...Stitch,,, Get those entries in.

*** Just one more day!! Don't forget the Mystery Basket for Stitchers Drawing - Details here.

Just a quick note reminding you that I'll be selecting a winner at midnight tomorrow (Sept. 30). No time for a long post tonight as I'm off working on putting that basket together now.

* * * * * * *

Spent the day working on that Barbie Boutique. I could use something motivating to keep me going. Once I get all the walls and the floor done, I'll be more into it as the furniture pieces are small enough to hold my interest. It's just these large vast areas that get awfully boring to work!

What little tricks do you do to keep you going through the "boring" parts when you stitch?

Take 2 . . . (And don't forget the Mystery Basket drawing!)

Hey, y'all, remember the plastic needlepoint Barbie room fiasco of last Christmas? Well, I'm at it again!! (If you weren't around for that tale, check it out in this old post.)Only this time, I'm doing the Barbie Boutique which is complete with glass (fake) show cases for jewelry and such, dress forms, one of those funky little stools they use for trying on shoes, shoe boxes, and so much more. (I've made two before. the last one was for a now 22-year-old.)

I know, Christmas is still 80 some days away, so I've got plenty of time this year. (I really intended it for her birthday on the 9th - of October - but I think I'm revising that plan as it means, even with Express Mail service, I'd have less than a week to finish. (The earlier reference to last year's fiasco only takes you to Part 1, here's where you'll find Part 2 of that tale!)

I'm doing pretty well, so far. I have all of the outside walls done and I'm starting on the interior ones. I honestly enjoy making these. (Just ignore that muttering under my breath.) It's like being a mini-architect and a mini interior decorator.


I've even completed the signage on the outside of the building. This particular design does call for a lot of decorative stitched details above and beyond making the tiny furniture and such.

I also like shopping for the store's stock - sets of shoes, pieces of clothing (No, I've never allowed enough time to make the clothing. My patience does have some limits!) and I'm considering making jewelry for the showcases this time.

So, what do you think?

By the way, any brilliant ideas for a quick and easy, spectacular, birthday gift for a 6-year-old ? I need to ship it by mid-week. (Check out this old post for how the Post Office got the last laugh last year!)

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There's only a few days left to enter the drawing for the Mystery Stitcher Basket. I'll be drawing the winner's name at midnight on 9/30/11.

For more details, see this post.

Is Stitching an obsession? (Mystery Give-Away, too!)

"Such a delicate, dainty art - needlework - created with fibers twisted tight, and sharpened , highly polished steel."

Monica Ferris, Unraveled Sleeve, p.76

"Carol", Royal Doulton


Are you a stitcher? Knit? Crochet? Counted Cross Stitch? Crewel? Needlepoint? Latch Hook? Whatever. (Even tatting.) If it involves thread of some sort and a needle of any kind, it's "NEEDLEWORK."

My mother did just about any sort of needlework one can name. Her mother sewed, crocheted and did beautiful embroidery. I wish I still had some of those delicately trimmed pillowcases she made. (I think we used them until they became threadbare.) My other grandmother did needlepoint and knitted. It's in my genes.




I often say I was born with a paintbrush in one hand and a needle in the other. You might say I have a split personality - half painter - half stitcher. (It makes for a busy crafting schedule and a congested workroom!)




"Beat You to It", Royal Doulton

I believe the stitching I love most is counted cross stitch but I tend to run in cycles. For several months, I'll spend every possible moment stitching. I'll turn out 3-4 pieces (none of which I ever want to part with) and then, I'll force myself to put the cloth and DMC threads away for a while. We seem to have a shortage of space these days and nowhere to hang new pieces. I feel like a museum as I occasionally "rotate my exhibits" and change out which items I have hanging.

How about you?
Does your stitching habit outrun your wall space?
On the other hand, how many throw pillows can one house use?

"There seems to be something obsessive about needlework. I don't know it it draws the kind of person inclined to obsess, or if doing the work brings out the obsession. I have customers who seem to suffer withdrawal if they have to stop stitching for a long as a week."
Monica Ferris, Unraveled Sleeve, p. 74

So, what do you think? ARE stitchers just folks with addictive personalities? OR, Can we blame the craft itself for bringing out the all-consuming, compulsive need to stitch?

Is doing needlework a vice?
(Hmmm, maybe we can start a weekly stitch'n'chat called "The Vice Squad!")

MYSTERY GIVE-AWAY

**** Please share your thoughts on this by simply commenting on this post or posting a comment to my FB wall here. There's a surprise needlework gift basket involved! (A basket containing a number of needlework oriented goodies.) I'll do a random drawing of all comments submitted to both sites between today and 9/30/11. **Be sure I can contact you through your comment.