The Party's Over

Well, that was a wonderful blog party.  I got to visit and meet lots of new blogs and blogging friends. Thanks to Vicki at Two Bags Full who hosted the party and had everything neatly organized.  She will leave up this year's blog party list and I urge you to go take a look if you would like to find a blog with your interests.  Also, if you have a blog, join in next year because it really does help everyone out with visits to their blogs and yours.

The winner of the Giveaway.......Lisa Dunn of Wyrd Needles.  Send me an email Lisa, I want to send your Margaret Cottam charts and floss tag.

Speaking of Margaret Cottam, I picked her up from the framers.  Here she is.

With the new year I started two SAL's.  A couple of my stitching buddies and I decided we really loved Speak to the Earth by Sandy Orton available at Kooler Design.  We picked our own linen and the threads we wanted to use.  I'm using the same linen I used for John Foster 36 count antique ivory with DMC one thread over two.  It's a fun stitch with pretty colors.  I can't wait to see it grow.

                         

I joined a FB SAL His Eye is on the Sparrow.  Way way behind, but that wasn't my point in starting it.  I just want to eventually finish it and enjoy the stitch along the way.  I just love all the animals. Slowly but surely, it will grow too.  I am stitching this on 40 count Dubloon with the overdyed threads called for.  Margaret of Days of a Sampler Lover was a big inspiration for this one.  It was awesome to see it grow and grow in her capable hands. It is a big sampler by Heartstring Samplery.

I had the last issue of Sampler and Antique Needlework but didn't have a chance to look at it for quite a while.  So, I did.  OOOOO  I'm in trouble now.  The Collared Stag.  Love it.  Another biggie.  32 count natural linen.  Madeira threads.  Hmmm, for sure didn't have those.  Tracked them down, got them in and started in a big way.  Now it has to take it's turn while I finish Speak to the Earth's February assignment.

I do have another 'sort of'' finish to show but I'll share that another time.  Go check out some more blogs.  I know I'm going to.

Happy Stitching!

Marsha

Harikuyo

Harikuyo, The Festival of Broken Needles, is today.  Celebrated in Japan where broken needles are honored for all their hard work.  They are taken to a shrine and pushed into soft tofu and then buried to rest from their labors.  To learn more about this festival go to Sue's blog, Plays with Needles.  She has previous blog posts that explain it better and in more detail with beautiful pictures.  She is one of my favorite bloggers.  I always learn something, her work is amazing, and photos inspiring.  One year, she had an online class to make a needle book for our needles.  She is offering it again and I encourage you to try your hand.  It was fun.  Here is my first attempt.

She guides you step by step.  I need more practice with my ribbon embroidery.  Other participants embroidered and embellished with all kinds of designs.

The back.

Inside wool pages.  Each page for a different kind of needle.  She is selling the labels in her Etsy shop.

The back of the book where broken needles and pins for the year can be stored.  My back page is a little offset.

This is where I keep most of my broken pins and needles, safe in an old medicine bottle.  One day I will bury them in some soft tofu.  Thank you for all your hard work in helping me sew quilts and bags and many other fun or necessary sewing.

At one of the International Quilt Shows I attended, a vendor was selling lots of cool fabric that would be difficult to find in Cincinnati.  I bought fabric to make another needle book in my favorite blue colors.  Sue has inspired me to try my hand once again.

These are the wool fabrics I found for the pages.

I hope you visit Susan's blog and maybe you'll make a needle book to honor your needles also.

Marsha