Christmas 2020

At the beginning of the year, we all thought that by keeping our distance and following health Canada guide lines, we would emerge from the spring lock down with some form of normalcy.  Although restrictions did loosen over the summer, we all quickly realized that this will not be as simple as we all hoped.  Over the summer I worked on my Reindeer design for the Christmas Open House with the hopes that we may go ahead with the Open House although downplayed.  I did not realize just how downplayed it was going to be.

 

 

 

 

Our annual Christmas Open House has become a tradition for the shop and for me.  So, we were hoping to salvage the festivities with limited access, and no munchies .  But the second lockdown "Grinched" Christmas for all of us.  In keeping with the spirit of the Whos of Whoville, Christmas would not be stopped, although different.

 

Every Stitcher in Stitchville liked Gitta's Christmas Open House a lot.
But Covid certainly did not!

Covid hated Christmas! The whole year of 2020 infact!
No one really knows why, but we all felt the impact!

It could be, perhaps, being airborn it spread uncontrollably.
It could be, it thrived on everyone meeting socially.

But I think that the most likely reason of all!
May be that the virus is heartless and hung out at the mall.

But, whatever the reason, social gatherings or droplets disbursed.
It spread and it waited for Christmas, to do it's worst

For over 20 years Gitta's Christmas Open House ran
And this year would be no different, it just needed a plan

We thought and we thought,  wondering what could be done

To bring back some joy and holiday fun 

Then we got an idea, a brilliant idea!
Gitta's gang got a wonderful, brilliant idea!

We knew just what to do! We smiled ear to ear

In this age of technology the solution was clear 

The Christmas Open House would be online!

By staying  at home, we would all be just fine.

Browsing the website late into the night
Stitchers finding  a new project would certainly delight

They'd fill up their baskets with all they would need

Gathering patterns, and fabric, and threads with lightening speed 

Just after the shopping, Gitta's gang sprang into action

Curbside or mail order, they processed each transaction

They wrapped and they packed all the orders with cheer
Included in each, Kathrin's 2020 Reindeer

 

As in years past, we prepared 100 kits, as gifts to the first 100 orders.

Click here for your copy of "Snow Dancer", this year's reindeer.

Merry Christmas

 

 

 

 

This has been a hard year for everyone, and we would like to thank all of you for your support throughout the year.

This year especially I am filled with gratitude for  our customers of many years, and to those having discovered Gitta's due to this new virtual world we find ourselves in.  I am grateful to Gitta's gang; even though filled with COVID fatique (like so many others) they maintained an upbeat spirit in the shop and continued helping and inspiring stitchers.

So as we say farewell to 2020, we wish your and your family a brighter and healthier 2021!

What we do with our time

As I re-read my Easter Post, I am amazed with how our lives have changed in only 7 weeks.   The shop has been closed; open only to on-line orders and curb-side pickups.  As I chat with stitchers over the phone and through email, I always say that, other than being crazy busy with mailorders, my life has not changed too much.  But the more I think about it, it has changed.  I miss the camaraderie in the shop with my ladies, I miss our chats and banter with our customers, I miss getting together with my family, I miss going out and not constantly worrying whether I may be getting too close to another person.  Although I am spending more hours in the shop than before, I am also stitching more as well.

As some of you may have seen on Instagram, I have pulled out a partly-done older project, "Garden Fair" by Courtney Collections.

Not sure when I started it, but I figure it must have been at least 10 years ago.  I had been thinking about pulling this piece out of my UFO bin for a while, and so I did 4 weeks ago.  I sit in the evenings for about 2 hours and stitch with my feet up.

And here is my progress.  I only have 2 more rows and a repeat of the floral row at the top. 

Although I have always found solace in single (OK there's 2 in this case) coloured projects, I find myself growing tired and wanting a bit more colour; a bit more of a challenge.

I have had my eye on a Luca-S petit point kit (also available in cross stitch), The Winter, for many years now .  There is something calming about this piece, the still of winter;  a time to pause, a time to reflect.  With the feelings this piece instills in me, I have been wanting to start it for many years, but realistically there is always so much going on in the shop that I wouldn't have much time to dedicate to yet another project.  But the heart wants what the heart wants, and so this Saturday after the busiest and most tiring week (and unable to get to all the orders) I decided to take home a new project.  My version of retail therapy.

Having said all that, over the weekend my brain won out over my heart, and I will finish my "Garden Fair" before starting "The Winter".  I am so close to finishing, and I am curious which will finish first - the Lockdown or my sampler.

Hoping you are all safe, I KNOW you're all busy stitching!!

Stay strong, and this (Covid-19) too shall end!!

Easter 2020

I always look forward to Easter.  It fills me with Springful thoughts; that brighter warmer days will soon be upon us.  It is our first holiday after Christmas, to once again decorate the house and gather with friends and family.
So what better time to share another design.  It has been awhile since I designed my last Easter Egg pattern, and with a fabric delivery from Zweigart of new Spring colours, I was inspired.  They are bright and reminded me of  Easter egg dyes.  It was the "Hot Pink" that especially caught my eye.  The deep pink in the Easter packet of dyes, is always my favourite, it is the one that grips the egg shell the best and always the most vivid.  So, it was only fitting that I had to use this for my Easter design.

There is still plenty of time to finish these cute little bunnies before Easter.  The pattern is a freebie that can be picked up on your next visit to the shop, or tucked into your mail orders.

If you are unable to drop by, you can also
CLICK HERE for a copy.

We have prepared 24 kits with all needed to complete this design.  It includes the fabric, threads and Stoney Creek buttons. These are available in the shop or on the Gitta's website.  Click here if you would like to order it on-line.

Happy Easter