Tuesday, March 1, 2016

New Releases at the Nashville Needlework Market.

Hello Needlework Friends,

I am on the road to the Nashville Market and thought I would post about the upcoming new releases.  You still have time to contact your favorite shop to order these if you wish.  Shops now come to markets with lists of what their customers want.  You might want to contact them so they will have what you want on market day.  I have already seen quite a few new designs from many designers who will be at the show.  I am excited to see the models in person.  It looks like there a lot of wonderful new designs. 

I will be rooming next to Niky of Niky's Creations who is such a sweet person.  We always have a lot of fun along with Candy and Mary of Workbasket whose suite is on the other side of mine.  I am looking forward to seeing all of them again as they are all very special ladies.  Niky has been posting about her new releases so be sure to go to her blog.  I guess Mary and Candy will be surprising all of us with their new releases as I haven't yet seen pictures of their new things.  I like surprises too.  I always have to bring something home from both of these designers as I really like their designs. 

As for designs from Milady's Needle...I have been working hard to come up with some new designs that I hope will tempt you.  I have five new releases for Nashville.

The first new release is a reproduction sampler called Mary Ann Lynn 1855.  The border is unique and the verse "Procrastination" is also unique.  It's one that I can relate to a lot. How about you?  I haven't seen either verse or border on an antique sampler before.  I am sure there is an sampler out there that might have used one of them, but I just haven't seen it yet.  If you know where to direct me for a sampler that has either the verse or the border, I would love to see it.      


                                                                Mary Ann Lynn 1855

The second new release is a small original sampler in memory of two friends who live in another state.  I miss seeing them, but we do stay in touch and go to a retreat together every May.  I designed the sampler so that you can add your friend's names by simply adding or subtracting the number of flowers in the border. 

 
To Friends Far Away
 
The third new release is a small pin cushion stitched in some of my favorite colors.  The spelling of pins as "Pyns" is from the archaic English spelling of the past.  I like old fashioned. 
 
 
Spring Pyn Pillow
 
The 4th and 5th new releases are something I have been working on for awhile.  Then a few weeks ago another friend posted her finishing of an ornament that is similar to these two designs.  It always seems to happen that way.  As the saying goes...."There is nothing new under the sun".  Both of these come as kits and are a Nashville Needlework Show Special.  The kits come with the linen, Needle point Inc Silks ( 10 or 11 colors), one 3" tall wooden spool, coordinating fabric and either a scissors fob or two butterfly pins.  Both the scissors fob and the butterfly pins are made by Kim Lewis of Kim's Needle Needfuls.  The kits are packaged in a reusable vinyl pouch.  I have used the pouches for carrying small kits, needlework tools or fibers.
 

        Rabbit Run Pin Cushion                                                  Garden Visit Scissors Keep
 
I hope you are excited about the new releases.  Let me know what you think.  I am looking forward to seeing how these go at the market. 
 
We will be in Nashville tomorrow night and it will be wonderful to see old friends.  Sadly we will miss those who have come in the past, but are no longer with us.  Each new market seems to bring news of another of our needlework friends gone too soon.  I think they will be with us in spirit.
 
That's about all for now.  Support your favorite needlework shop and attend their market days after they return from Nashville.  I know you are going to love all the new things that needlework designers have been working hard on for the last few months.
 
See you after Nashville.
 
Gloria
                                                       

A New Sampler Book, Market and Teaching

Hello Sampler Friends,

Looks like I wrote this a few weeks ago and never posted it.  So...I will post it now and follow it up with another post about the market releases. 

I recently received my copy of a new book called "Threads of Useful Learning" by Mary Uhl Brooks.  I have already read several chapters and I really like the writing style.  Easy to read and keeps you engaged.  The photos are excellent and show samplers, globes and a few sewing smalls up close.  It's an enjoyable read.  You might want to check this book out on the Westtown School website.

On another note...the Nashville Market is approaching in about 5 weeks and I am sure that all of you are really anxious to see what all of your favorite designers are releasing at market.  Several shops already have pictures of the new releases on their websites or in their newsletters.  My new releases will be pictured  here in a few weeks.

 
Looks like my last post was in May of 2015.  So...I could probably catch you up on what I have been doing. 

               Home Spun Pin Drum

I taught at the Attic Summer School in August last year and the project was well-received.  This piece is a reproduction of an antique pin drum in my collection of needlework tools.  I gave a short educational talk on the history of pin cushions and then taught a few specialty stitches and the assembly of the pin drum and mat.  I made up the poem to reflect some of the historical names for pin cushions.  I am available to teach this class after August 2016.  I do have openings for classes this year and next year.  I have heard from a few guilds already, so I hope to have an idea of my schedule in the near future.


I also taught in Buffalo at the Examplary Needle Guild in September.  I had a wonderful time with all those lovely women in New York. They were excellent hostesses and put up with a few hiccups as this was my first out of town teaching engagement.

I followed that up in November with teaching in Dallas / Fort Worth at the Tudor Rose Sampler Guild.  This is a guild that I helped to start in 2000, so I knew a lot of the women who came to the class.  It was fun to see familiar faces that I hadn't see in a very long time.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself and had a wonderful time with old friends.

This is a very busy time of year, so I best be off to continue with work for the upcoming market. 

Keep those needles busy,

Gloria