Take A Walk With Me...

The weather (until today) has just been beautiful in Iowa and I have been getting in a Komen 3-Day training walk with Miss Schatzi every single morning. Schatzi, our all-black German Shepherd, is already doing 6+ miles with me every day. We are blessed to be very close to some fabulous Central Iowa Trails...we are exactly one mile from a Jordan Creek Trail entrance, and from there, an abundance of walking choices await us each daybreak. Today, I thought I would take you along on a 6.3 mile journey with us and show you the scenery on one of our favorite walks...

At the entrance to the Jordan Creek Trail...

Along the trail, we come to my very favorite tree...full of life and character...

Then, off to the left, we often see deer in the tall grass...

The trail then leads out to the sidewalk on Mills Civic Parkway, where
we pass Valley Stadium (this is a great incline for training)...then we turn
on Fuller Road and pass the Bennett School. Built in
1926/1927, the Bennett School was one of the last one room schools
 to be built in West Des Moines and was in use until at least 1941.

From there, we come back down the hill and take the path around
the West Des Moines City/School Campus pond and fountain...the
building in the background next to the weeping willow tree is the
West Des Moines Public Library...

Cattails on the edge of the campus pond...

Next, we continue on the path across the street to Southwoods Park,
and you will be amazed at what is coming up on the path...

...a HUGE field of incredible native wild flowers...it is breathtaking...and so
very peaceful...it is one of my favorite places on earth...

...more native wild flowers...

...wild flowers as far as the eye can see...

Here is Schatzi, VERY intrigued by a dragonfly in the flowers...

After viewing all the gorgeous scenery, I am completely inspired and ready to start my day. We continue back on the trail, past the field where we saw the deer and my favorite tree...back to the trail entrance...and then make the mile walk back to our house...it truly is the perfect way to begin any day!

So I am feeling good - training is going great - and I am feeling prepared for Dallas in November...yes, I am ready for my Komen 3-Day 60-mile journey...and I can't wait to see my AMAZING Twinkle Toes teammates!

If you would like to see my daily 3-Day training photos, simply follow me on Instagram...or check out my Instagram profile page...I have been posting the beautiful images I see on my walks. And, if you have a fitbit, please send me a friend request (e-mail is in my profile)...an angel surprised me with one about a week ago and I have been having fun keeping track of my daily steps...and being cheered on and taunted by my fitbit friends!

Finally, I am so close to posting my special Komen 3-Day needlework design...it is in the final finishing stages and I will be sharing it within the next few days...I can't wait...look for details very soon!!

More Needlework Book Offerings...

As I mentioned in my previous post - my studio bookshelves are overflowing and I have been needing to simplify and narrow them down for months...and although I adore my book collection, it is time to start letting a few of them move on to new homes where they will continue to be loved and cherished. If you collect books about needlework or antique samplers or have a love for historical needlework, then you just may find a treasure you have been searching for...

Over the coming weeks, I will be posting photos (scans of front and back cover) and details of the actual books in my collection, along with pricing information in US dollars. If you are interested in any of the listings, simply send me an e-mail. E-mail messages will be honored in the order received. I will provide you with shipping options (please tell me where you are located or your mailing address in your e-mail message, so I can give you an exact quote), then I will send a PayPal invoice. I ship world-wide, package items very promptly and carefully, and I will combine shipping if you are interested in multiple books. Once a book is spoken for, I will remove it or mark it as sold as quickly as possible. I have treasured these books and taken extremely good care of them - they come from a smoke-free home - and I will try to provide you with as many details as possible. My hope is to find new, loving homes where these special books will continue to be enjoyed...

Many of the books listed are rare and/or out of print (OOP) - they are priced in-line with the current market value. Serious inquiries/e-mails/comments only - thank you! Please click on photos for larger images.

A Winterthur Quide to American Needlework by Susan Burrows Swan
Good - $5.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 1976 - 5.5" x 8" - 144 pages - black and white images
ISBN: 0-517-521776  Publisher: Crown Publishers, Inc.
Cover wear and sticker residue - all pages intact - no markings inside.

"Behold the Labour of My Tender Age" Children and Their Samplers, 1780-1850
by Gayle A. Rettew, William H. Siener, and Janice Tauer Wass
Very Good - extremely rare/hard to find - $200.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 1983 - 8.5" x 11" - 60 pages - black and white images
ISBN: None  Publisher: Rochester Museum and Science Center
Great condition - very light cover wear.

British Samplers: A Concise History by Jane Toller
Very Good (like new) - $24.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 1980 - 5.5" x 8.5" - 63 pages - color and black/white images
ISBN: 0-85033-383-0  Publisher: Phillimore & Co., Ltd.
New condition - small original price sticker inside front cover.

British Samplers by Mary Eirwen Jones
Good - $8.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 1988 - 7.5" x 9.75" - 96 pages - color and black/white images
ISBN: 0-7134-5634-5  Publisher: B. T. Batsford Ltd.
Slight cover wear, sticker residue on front cover, and minimal
writing inside front cover.

The Connecticut Historical Society Bulletin Volume 24, Number 2 April 1959
Includes: New England Crewel Embroideries
AND
The Connecticut Historical Society Bulletin - Volume 52 - Summer/Fall 1987
(Includes:  A Middletown Cameo: Mary Wirght Alsop and her Needlework by Glee Krueger)
Both Very Good (like new) - $25.00 plus shipping for 2 book set
Softcover - 6" x 9" (both) - 1st listing 64 pages, 2nd listing 230 pages,
black/white images
Both in great condition.

Discovering Embroidery of the 19th Century by Santina M. Levey
Very Good - $5.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 1983 - 4.5" x 7" (pocket size) - 64 pages - black/white images
ISBN: 085263398X  Publisher: Shire Publications Ltd.
Very light cover wear - original owner wrote name in pencil
inside front cover, then erased.

Embroidery Motifs from Old Dutch Samplers by Albarta Meulenbelt-Nieuwburg
Good - $40.00 plus shipping
Hardcover - 1974 - 6.5" x 9.75" - 192 pages - black/white images
ISBN: 0 684 13678 3  Publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons
Dust jacket is worn, but cloth book is in excellent condition - original
owner's name written inside front cover.

English Embroideries of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
in the Collection of the Ashmolean Museum by Mary M. Brooks
Very Good (like new) - $16.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2004 - 5.85" x 8.25" - 96 pages - color images
ISBN: 1-85444-192-2  Publisher: Jonathan Horne Publications London

Guide to English Embroidery (Victoria and Albert Museum) by Patricia Wardle
Good - $22.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 1970 - 9.5" x 7.25" - 93 pages - black/white images
ISBN: 11 290030 5  Publisher: Victoria and Albert Museum
Slight cover/corner wear - original price in pencil inside front cover.

The Fourth of Joan Edwards' Small Books on the History of Embroidery
Gertrude Jekyll - Embroiderer, Gardener and Craftsman (1981)
Good - Rough spot on cover, slight bend lower right corner cover,
sticker residue on back.
AND
The Fifth of Joan Edwards' Small Books on the History of Embroidery
Sampler Making 1540-1940 (1983)
Very Good - light cover wear, pricing marks on cover
$25.00 (two book set) plus shipping
Softcover (both) - 5.85" x 8.25" - 1st listing is 24 pages, 2nd listing is 20 pages, black/white images
ISBN: 0-907287-03-4 and 0-907287-04-2 Publisher: Bayford Books

Old-Time Tools & Toys of Needlework by Gertrude Whiting
Very Good (like new) - $14.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 1971 - 6.5" x 9.25" - 357 pages - black/white images
ISBN: 0-486-22517-8  Publisher: Dover Publications, Inc.

Patterns of Childhood: Samplers from Glasgow Museums by Rebecca Quinton
Very Good (like new) - $20.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2005 - 5.85" x 8.25" - 96 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-7136-7476-8  Publisher: Herbert Press

Pioneer Memorial Museum Samplers - Daughters of Utah Pioneers
Very good (like new) - $16.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2004 - 9" x 7.5" - 67 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-9749100-0-7  Publisher: Wasatch Marketing

Samplers by Pamela Clabburn
Very Good (like new) - $9.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2002 - 5.85" x 8.25" - 40 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-7478-0365-X  Publisher: Shire Books

Samplers from A to Z by Pamela A. Parmal
Very Good (like new) - $16.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2000 - 8.75" x 9.5" - 64 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-87846-481-6  Publisher: MFA Publications

The Theodore H. Kapnek Collection of American Samplers (Sotheby's Exhibition/Auction Guide)
Good/Very Good - $63.95 plus shipping
Softcover - 1981 - 8.75" x 9.25" -172 pages color and black/white images
ISBN: None  Publisher: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc.
Slight cover/corner wear.
This is a sale catalog for an auction held at Sotheby's York Avenue
showroom on January 31, 1981. Sale # 4531Y. The sale consisted of the remarkable
 collection of American samplers assembled by Theodore Kapnek. 

This Have I Done: Samplers and Embroideries from Charleston and The Lowcountry
by Jan Hiester and Kathleen Staples
Very Good (like new) - $35.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2001 - 8.25" x 8.25" - 46 pages - color images
ISBN: 1-928584-03-9  Publisher: Curious Works Press and The Charleston Museum

For additional available titles, please see yesterday's post...

If you are looking to add to your needlework book collection, please check back over the coming weeks, I still have a large list to add. If you are looking for a specific title, please e-mail me and I will let you know if I have it available....and you are welcome to send me a message with any questions you may have...

Thank you so much for all the inquiries and purchases - I am so glad my collectible books are finding good homes!

Handwork and Historical Samplers

My studio bookshelves are overflowing and I have been needing to simplify and narrow them down for months. For some reason, my collection keeps growing - could it be my obsession for all things done with a needle/thread and my endless quest for knowledge?? - I'm guessing so - in all honesty, I just love curling up with a beautiful and inspiring book...but when the book collection is starting to get stacked on the nearby table and on the floor, it is time to do a little house cleaning. Years ago, I began a large collection of books about handwork and historical samplers - quite a few of these books are out of print (OOP) or very rare....but it is time to start letting a few of them move on to new homes where they will continue to be loved and cherished. If you collect books about needlework or antique samplers or have a love for historical needlework, then you just may find a treasure you have been searching for...

Over the coming weeks, I will be posting photos (scans of front and back cover) and details of the actual books in my collection, along with pricing information in US dollars. If you are interested in any of the listings, simply send me an e-mail. E-mail messages will be honored in the order received. I will provide you with shipping options (please tell me where you are located or your mailing address in your e-mail message, so I can give you an exact quote), then I will send a PayPal invoice. I ship world-wide, package items very promptly and carefully, and will combine shipping if you are interested in multiple books. Once a book is spoken for, I will remove it or mark it as sold as quickly as possible. I have treasured these books and taken extremely good care of them - they come from a smoke-free home - and I will try to provide you with as many details as possible. My hope is to find new, loving homes where these special books will continue to be enjoyed...

Please click on photos for larger images.

Blue Ribbon Sampler: A Prize Winning Cross Stitch and Counted
Thread Sampler by Olwyn Horwood
SOLD Very Good (like new) - $190.00 plus shipping SOLD
Softcover - 2000 - 8.5" x 11" - 88 pages - color images
ISBN: 09-582105-3-5 Publisher: Georgeson Publishing Limited

Olwyn's Treasured Samplers by Olwyn Horwood
SOLD  Very Good (like new) - $47.50 plus shipping SOLD
Softcover - 2002 - 8.25" x 10.75" - 88 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-958-21058-6 Publisher: Georgeson Publishing Limited

Samplers by Rebecca Scott
Very Good (like new) - $22.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 2009 - 7.5" x 10" - 128 pages - color images
ISBN: 978-0-74780-706-3 Publisher: Shire Books

Emblems for a Queen: The Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots by Michael Bath
Very Good (like new) - $65.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 2008 - 8" x 10.5" - 172 pages - color images
ISBN: 978-1-904982-36-4 Publisher: Archetype Publications

Youth is the Time For Progress: The Importance of American
 Schoolgirl Art 1780-1860 by Olive Blair Graffam
SOLD - Very Good (like new) - $50.00 plus shipping - SOLD
Softcover - 1998 - 8.5" x 11" - 76 pages - color images
Publisher: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution - DAR Museum
 Catalog of the exhibit of samplers Dec 5, 1997 - May 4, 1998 at the
National Society of the DAR, Washington DC

A Gallery of American Samplers: The Theodore H. Kapnek Collection
by Glee Krueger
SOLD Good - $13.50 plus shipping SOLD
Softcover  - First Edition (1978) - 8.5" x 11" - 96 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-525-47515-X  Publisher: E. P. Dutton
Originally purchased used - cover corners/edge wear.

New England Samplers to 1840 by Glee Krueger
SOLD - Good - $62.50 plus shipping - SOLD
Softcover - 1978 - 7" x 8.5" - 227 pages
Illustrated with black and white photographs.
Publisher: Old Sturbridge Village - Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Originally purchased used - cover wear, edge wear
- all pages present - see scanned images.

Needlework: An Historical Survey by Betty Ring
 (Antiques Magazine Library)
SOLD - Good - $55.00 plus shipping - SOLD
First Edition (1975) - Softcover - 8.5" x 11" - 17 pages
Illustrated with black and white photographs.
ISBN: 0-87663-922-8 Publisher: Main Street/Universe Books
Originally purchased used - small tear in lower left front cover,
original price blacked out on back cover - all pages present
 - see scanned images.

Samplers by Carol Humphrey (Fitzwilliam Museum Handbooks)
Very Good (like new) - $20.95 plus shipping
Softcover - 1997 - 7" x 9.5 "- 140 pages - 64 color plates.
ISBN: 0-521-57592-3 Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This is just my very first offering - if you are looking to add to your needlework book collection, please check back over the coming weeks, I have a large list to add. If you are looking for a specific title, please e-mail me and I will let you know if I have it available. You are welcome to send me a message with any questions...

For now, I am back to stitching on my 2014 Komen 3-Day special design - it is nearing completion and I can't wait to share it with you...

Scrap Basket Bouquet

Lately, I have been sewing/quilting daily...and I always save my fabric scraps...big or small...I just know that one day I will find the perfect use for each and every one of them (wishful thinking?). I have two large bins under my cutting table -  one for fabric scraps and one for batting/interfacing/fusibles...and they have finally both reached full (well, actually, overflowing) status. Over the weekend, I decided to dive into the scrap bin and pull out some fun bright colors for a flower bouquet wall hanging.

I had been itching to use two new AccuQuilt dies (both exclusive to JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores)...GO! Flower Bunch and GO! Bow-2 1/2", 3 1/2", 4 1/2". I knew I wanted to make a bouquet of flowers...and the bow seemed perfect to tie them all together! I started by cutting an assortment of flowers and stems (I also utilized the GO! Simple Shapes by Edyta Sitar die for circles and stems) and laying them out on my cutting table. I decided I would use an 18" x 18" square of white fabric for my background and after fusing the bouquet in place, I found the 4 1/2" bow was the best size for my flower bunch. Once everything was machine appliquéd in place, I added several borders cut with my AccuQuilt GO! Strip Cutter dies (1", 1 1/2", 2 1/2"). I added a hanging sleeve and  my label to the back when binding. This cheerful wall hanging measures 25" x 25"...and I actually sold it before it was even completed (yay!). I am excited to experiment with more flower bouquet wall hangings and quilts - and, of course, I will share them here as my work progresses...

I also *have to* share the samples I made for AccuQuilt several months ago using the bow and flower bunch test dies....
Here is GO! Flower Ribbon Wall Hanging - the free pattern that comes with the GO! Flower Bunch die. This wall hanging is 42" x 42" and also uses the GO! Round Flower and GO! Rose of Sharon dies. We all know how much I love to do appliqué, so it was a real treat to make this sample quilt for them...

....and here is the GO! Festive Bow Table Runner (this is the free pattern that accompanies the GO! Bow-2 1/2", 3 1/2", 4 1/2" die) . GO! 4 1/2" Squares  were used for the packages and the GO! Bow-4 1/2" was used to top the presents. I can see these made up in different colors for assorted special occasions...I also think the bow would be fun to use in a ribbon border for a quilt. This table runner works up quickly and easily and measures 15" x 36"...a very fun afternoon project!

I hope my flower bouquet brightened your day...and that you enjoyed seeing more of my sample work for AccuQuilt. My sewing machine has been keeping me busy...and of course, that keeps me happy!

"Learn Counted Cross Stitch" Class Coupon

My "Learn Counted Cross Stitch" online video class and DVD are now both available (I'm so excited)....and to celebrate, Annie's has sent me a special coupon code to share with my friends and fans (keep reading to find out how you can save $5.00 on your purchase)! If you are (or if you know someone who is) interested in learning to Cross Stitch or would like a refresher course on essential Cross Stitching skills, then this video class is perfect for you.

It is a beginner class and covers all the basics - materials, tools, and notions - preparing for a project - how to read a chart - step-by-step Cross Stitch techniques - creative finishing ideas - pretty much all the fundamental information you can imagine. We cover Cross Stitch, Back Stitch, Partial Stitches, and pesky French Knots....and there are five exclusive projects that accompany the class.

Annie's online classes include downloadable and printable class projects in PDF format in addition to the online video content. The five exclusive projects that accompany my video class work through the seasons...starting with a very simple spring project (Cross Stitch in one or two colors)..."Springtime Magnets"...

The second project introduces Back Stitches and multiple colors -"Summertime Treasure Boxes"...

Project number three is "Autumn Greeting Card" and it introduces Partial Cross Stitches...

The fourth project revolves around French Knots...it is a set of "Winter Hoop Ornaments"...if you struggle with French Knots this class has an entire segment (with up-close video footage) that will help you master these pesky knots...

The final project combines all of the previous skills into one project...a "Seasonal Sampler"...you may choose to stitch the entire design or your favorite segment(s)....

Needlework is truly my passion and obsession and I worked hard to write a comprehensive video script that showcases the time-honored tradition of Cross Stitch. I did my best to cover all the essentials and give the viewer as many details and examples as possible...my goal is to have the viewer/student feel comfortable and at ease learning...I want you to enjoy every stitch!

This 1 hour and 53 minute video class is broken down into 13 segments...and was professionally filmed in Annie's studio with top notch production, high quality cameras, and a full set.

If you know someone who can benefit from this Learn to Cross Stitch video or if you would like to brush up on the basics, here are the details:

• You can see a Class Overview and the Introduction video for free by visiting: 

http://www.anniescatalog.com/onlineclasses/detail.html?code=NCV22
Click on the links in the "Lesson Description" box (lower right corner).
You can also see me in a short question and answer video session
 by clicking on the "Meet the Instructor" tab.

• You can purchase the online video class here:

http://www.anniescatalog.com/onlineclasses/detail.html?code=NCV22

• You can purchase the DVD here:

http://www.anniescatalog.com/detail.html?code=NCV22D

For those interested in purchasing the online class or DVD (or have a friend that could benefit from this class), Annie's has provided me with a coupon code good for $5.00 off your purchase:

Simply use the following special keycode at checkout: EZHLCS

This coupon code is good for $5.00 off of the online video class or the class DVD...and it is good for one week: from 12:01 AM, Friday, August 1, 2014 - through 11:59 PM on August 7th. 

Finally, I thought you might enjoy seeing a behind-the-scenes image from the video shoot - it is me, along with some of my friends at Annie's...that's Laura, the Producer of the video, on the left...and Christy, the Editor of Just Cross Stitch Magazine, on the right...

I hope you will join me on this cross stitch journey...I would love to share my passion with you!