Queen City Sampler Guild's 15th Anniversary

The Queen City Sampler Guild recently celebrated their 15th year in existence. We had a nice party with a buffet lunch, favors and a raffle. Stitched pieces were brought in to share. I took pictures of a few of them for you to enjoy.

One of our guild members is programs chair for another guild and designed all these smalls to fit in the basket of the second picture. Aren't they fabulous. I believe she said she has one or two more designs then she's DONE. What a lucky guild they are.

Here is a Betsy Morgan smalls set from 'Inspirations' magazine. Betsy taught a 'Toy chest etui' class for us. She is a really good teacher.

This next piece was designed by Catherine Theron as the guild's 15th anniversary piece. It is gorgeous and done in all specialty stitches. Quite a few members signed up to take the class. It will be nice to see their samplers come alive.

As you can see, our members are a very talented group of stitchers. This is a very small sampling of what they stitch. We meet to stitch together once a month in the morning and once a month in the evening. It is fun to walk around the room each month and see what everyone is working on at the moment. I am so glad I joined the QCSG. They are fun to be with and an inspiration.

Marsha

Last weekend, the Queen City Sampler Guild hosted Jeannette Douglas of Jeannette Douglas Designs and Pam Reed of Olde Colonial Designs. Jeannette designed a scroll piece for our guild. The design is 2.25 " wide by 21.75 " long. It is filled with wonderful stitches and designs. It is stitched on Zweigart 32 count Light Mocha. It uses Rainbow Gallery Splendor, Needlepoint Silk, Gloriana Thread, Soie d'Alger and Bijoux silks. Once completed, it can be framed or backed with silk duponi and turned into a scroll which is where Pam Reed came in. She designed a box for the scroll to fit in. Her class gave us everything to complete the scroll, the mattress pin cushion, the design and items for the box opening and the box itself. It was a fun two days and even better was meeting Pam and Jeannette who is a delightful lady and an awesome teacher. I love these pieces. I bought a few of her other designs because her instructions are so clear and large and just beautiful.

This is my progress so far. It is a really fun stitch. Every row is a different stitch or stitches and they are short so you don't get tired of doing a stitch.

Here is my box so far. The pin cushion isn't tufted as much as I would like but, I pulled as hard as could to get the bead's thread through the mat board. The cushion is silk duponi. I started the needlework for the other side of pin cushion which will show on top but I'm rethinking the design. The box is gorgeous. Look for these classes at Celebration of Needlework.

I bought this chart at the stitcher's retreat I went to. Barb had a trunk show of The Primitive Needle. It was great to see most everything stitched. As you know, things look better stitched up in person than by seeing just the photo. I fell in love with this chart and will have it stitched in time for our Anniversary, May 1st. Hopefully it will be framed too.

I am a little further along than this picture shows. I have the flower and vase completed on the right hand side and the line under the lady's feet. I've started the man's face and will travel down to be sure I have the correct number of crosses under their feet (even though I counted them twice). It's a fun quick stitch.

Next time, I will show you the other kind of sewing I've been doing.

Marsha

QCSG Christmas Party

The Queen City Sampler Guild had a delightful Christmas party on the 12th of December. The Christmas party committee did a great job organizing the day. The lunch was warm and satisfying. The setting was festive and the company of stitchers made a great afternoon. There were small gifts at the table for everyone - chocolate, a handmade button needle minder, etc. A raffle ticket was given to all and everyone won a door prize. I myself won a handmade scissor fob done in red and gold beads - I hung it on my tree for now and you can see it in the sidebar pictures. I was in charge of the silent auction. I'm happy to say a good amount of money was brought into the guild through the generosity of donated charts and kits that I put together into lots for the auction. I bid on and won a pink Whitman tin with all the items needed to make it into a lined sampler box (fabric, threads, batting, magnets etc.). Long tables were covered in stitched items our members brought in to share. It was an incredible sight. Lots of oohhing and aahhing. So come take a look:

We had two small trees filled with ornaments. One tree for the secret stitchers and one for the regular ornament exchange. Here are a few of those ornaments.

These are pictures of some of stitched pieces the members brought to the Christmas party. Our members are amazing. This is only a small part of what was brought in to share.

Hope you enjoyed the Queen City Sampler Guild's Christmas party.

Queen City Sampler Guild II

Marsha

This is the latest picture of Joyeux Noel from BBD. I have the A done on the next line down. I also decided to quit holding in hand and have it on my lap stand now. The row I'm stitching on now is in Algerian Eye stitch. Very fun to stitch. I really, REALLY have to quit stitching on it and start putting together ornaments and sew an apron for a friend. But it's too much fun and colorful.

I just really like this picture. What can I say. These are my Mill Hill beads. You use a few beads for a cross stitch project and are left with a couple hundred beads. (You know what I mean.) I found this great tin at the Flower Factory. I thought I was buying a set with larger tins but ended up with the smaller tins. But, these are perfect for a pack of beads.

Here is the basket of swap items I received in the Ohio Soapmakers midyear swap. We sent in 14 items we had made, the swap hostess got all the boxes, divided everything up and sent them back to us. So far, I've opened the soap on the upper left. It's a shea butter base soap with green tea and raspberry. It is yummy with creamy bubbles. They all smell great.

Marsha

Christmas in July Swap & Birthday Presents

Today is CHRISTMAS IN JULY! What a fun way to start the day, opening presents. My partner was Sharon over at Quilting With A Marmalade Cat. These are my Christmas in July presents from Sharon. Starting with my card on top

From there we move on to the delightful quilted bag that held all my goodies. The pockets held more surprises.

We have patterns, doll and quilt, tiny Claus note cards, coffee from a NY coffee shop, buttons (I love buttons), a recipe for pear salad, a flag rubber stamp, tapestry patch, Mary Engelbreit journal, notepad and Kleenex, a fat quarter in turquoise blue (my favorite color), a fabric panel with Christmas labels, Christmas Kleenex and a delightful hand stitched Christmas ornament. I have a small tree in my sewing room and the ornament will reside there until the big tree comes out in December. The bag is nice and large and will hold traveling stitching very well.

Everything is great! It was a fun swap to prepare for and just as much fun to receive. Thank you Sharon!

Monday was my birthday. I received a box from my secret stitcher. Another fun surprise.

A piece of 28 ct. linen, a fat quarter with cute sheep, an awesome thread winder - I don't have any of these so I can't wait to use it, a cute note pad, stitcher's lotion, a Kit & Bixby 'Thankful Wool' pattern and the cutest pin cushion fit into a silicon cupcake liner with over one stitching of my initials with tiny flowers and an even tinier bee. Thank you secret stitcher.



Here we are celebrating my birthday. It was a gorgeous day with perfect weather, good food and the wonderful company of family.




.........and there goes Evan, off to collect lightening bugs

What a great birthday week.

(Hint: click on the small pictures if you want to see them larger)
Marsha