Wednesday, January 23, 2013

"Bluebird Sewing Box"

Today I am excited to share some details with you for the Elegant Stitch Workshop I am teaching in April...I should have had this information and photos to you (and Lois) a couple months ago, but the Mystery Sampler and the flu got in my way (I am not allowed to get sick ever again!). So better late than never...here are all sorts of details and photos of the workshop project....

I have had the concept for "Bluebird Sewing Box" in my head for months - in fact, Lois and I started talking about the design in February of 2012 at the Nashville Needlework Market - and although the design shifted and expanded over the last few months, it is exactly what I envisioned!

This cheerful sewing box comes complete with three needlework smalls. The project includes: stitching/mounting a piece for the top of the box, stitching/mounting a piece for inside the lid of the box, stitching/mounting a piece for the inside base of the box and a fun felt flower closure....then there are three adorable needlework smalls - a tiny bird shaped pincushion, a wool felt scissor fob, and a bitty button bag.


The Walnut Hollow Basswood Box measures  8.21" L x 5.44" W x 3.33" D...and will easily hold the three needle work smalls along with your stitching treasures. The stitched design for the lid is embellished with both posy and round mother of pearl buttons (from Kelmscott Designs) and is framed with red rick rack...and there is a wool felt posy faux box latch. Inside the box you will find two stitched inserts...the stitched insert on the inside of the lid has a wool felt heart for holding project needles and three Kelmscott Designs mother of pearl thread rings and rick rack to hold project threads - the stitched insert in the base of the box has an attached ribbon to tie your scissors in place (scissors not included).


This project is stitched on 30-count Sanguine hand-dyed linen from Weeks Dye Works with Weeks Dye Works cotton floss...and, as always, your class kit includes all the supplies needed (including the Kelmscott Designs buttons and thread rings, ribbon, rick rack, mounting materials, pre-cut wool felt shapes, and even acrylic paint for the box - the color is Dark Chocolate!). The project stitches include: Cross Stitch over two linen threads, Cross Stitch over four linen threads, Smyrna Cross Stitch over two linen threads, Back Stitch, Long Straight Stitch, Satin Stitch, French or Colonial Knots, Whip Stitch, and Blanket Stitch....and in class we will discuss: preparing/painting the wooden box for needlework, stitching instructions, all specialty stitches, finishing tips and techniques for the box and needlework smalls, and personalizing your piece(s).

I am so THRILLED to be headed back to California and can't wait to see all my needlework friends (and hopefully make some new ones!)...there are still a few seats available for this workshop taking place on April 19-20...my last class at Elegant Stitch sold out, so if you are interested, please don't delay! You can find all the details on the Elegant Stitch website...there is a link of the front page that will get you all the information and registration form - or click here: http://www.elegantstitch.com/es_workshops.htm

Please join us - I would LOVE to meet you!

...and one last thing - before I get a million questions - this special project has been designed specifically for this workshop and will not be available to the general public until approximately one year after the event...so if you are not attending and are excited about this design, you will have to be very patient....

5 comments:

  1. What a fabulous project you have created for the Elegant Stitch retreat! You have done it again, Belinda! Thank you for providing links!

    Robin

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  2. Love this project BUT I think it is really unfortunate that it will not be available for a year - your fans are not all on the west coast and able to attend the workshop. I really want to get this as a kitted project and really don't want to wait for a full year.

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    1. I hope you see my reply here, as you didn't give me any way to contact you.

      I am thrilled you like the design and are anxious to get started! I truly appreciate ALL my fans - regardless of their geographic location. I am teaching on the west coast because I was hired to teach there - I go where I am contracted - so if you have a favorite shop or retreat you visit, let them know you would like to have me as a teacher - I love to travel and teach and meet fellow needleworkers. Special events are contracted and it is customary in the needlework industry when designing an exclusive workshop/retreat project that it is not released for a predetermined amount of time. These events are designed to be special and exclusive...and they are expensive to put on and/or attend. Many attendees pay to travel extensive miles, pay for hotel/lodging, meals, the class, etc. - it is only fair to those attending that the project is exclusive for some time. How would you feel if you put out the expense to attend an exclusive retreat/workshop, only to have the project released to the general public at the same time?? - you probably would not be too thrilled. I do my best to accommodate all my fans/followers and event coordinators - it is a fine line. A year will pass quickly and then the project will be available to all. Thank you for your comment, your patience, and your excitement about this project...

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    2. Thank you for your comments Belinda - I feel compelled to respond as I am a West Coaster...There was a Halloween project you did that was designed for a retreat you did in another part of the country. I was so excited to see this project and wished that I could do it but I understand the idea of keeping the projects exclusive to those doing it at a retreat at that time. Although I want to stitch it right away, I am happy for those who were able to attend and get special attention at the time of the retreat. Thank you for creating beautiful pieces that make me happy both seeing a completing them.

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  3. Adorable project! I'm sad I can't grab it now at the class and will have to (im)patiently wait for it to be released, goodness knows I have enough to keep me busy stitching until that date :)

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