May 12, 2012 blog follow up

I have been wanting to post this follow up to my "I wish an Angel for you!" blog, originally posted on May 12, 2012 for quite some time.

Debbie of  Fletchers Lake, N.S. had sent me this photo last year.  She had cross stitched 37 of my Angels and inserted them into ornament tucks.

She crafted these ornaments with love and then gifted one to each family that had lost a loved one in The Bluebird/Wagon Wheel fire, in Montreal Quebec 40 years ago.   The fire was deliberately set by 3 men who were thrown out of the club.  They poured gasoline into the stairwell and 37 souls perished, one of these was her husband's  21 year old sister.  His sister's best friend was another.

The city of Montreal, with  committee members made up of Family members made a permanent memorial at Phillips Square downtown Montreal.  You can read about the families' battle to have the city recognize this incident on facebook or google.

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As per Debbie - Life is not a dress rehearsal. Live it with all you've got! Go for it, Everyday.

Success !!!!

I did it !!  My 15 sided Pulled Thread biscornu is finally finished.  I love the way it turned out. Yeah, a project from 2012 is complete.

This past week was fabulous.  It was very successful from a stitching perspective; I also managed to complete my canvas work project, "Treasured Beginnings" by Carolyn Mitchell,  but I also had a lot of other fun.  Thursday I spent shopping with my sister, we spent the afternoon visiting antique and consignment shops both in Oakville and in Hamilton, and last night I spent  at the Boat Show with my husband.  We didn't buy the 1.9 million dollar yacht that everyone had to view, but who goes to a show & doesn't get carried away?  We did find some nice hanging Air chairs.  It's a recliner that hangs from a tree or joist.  I can't wait 'til summer.  It will be fabulous to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon reading (or snoozing) in one of these.

This is Carolyn's "Treasured Beginnings" in my colours.  Carolyn Mitchell will be our "Designer of the Month" in the shop for February & March 2013.  This and many of her models will be on display and for sale (discounted during these two months).  This particular design I will also run as a beginner canvas workshop on either February 16th or March 2nd (if interested let me know which day would be best).  The class will cover reading a canvas work chart, padded gobelin stitch, rice stitch, two-way flat stitch, four way mosaic stitch, double straight cross stitch, hungarian stitch, and basketweave.  I will also cover laying multiple strands, and working with perle cotton and metallic threads. 

Designer of the Month

To make up for not holding a NeedleWorkers MarketPlace this year, Gitta's will feature a different Canadian Designer each month this year.  We will have many of their designs on display, have a shop discount on their designs, hold workshops, have "Meet the Designer" days, and have their free contribution to a Designer Collaboration Sampler available.   The border for the Sampler will be available in the shop starting in February.  Here is a sneak peak of the border.   Our first featured designer will be
 

Carolyn Mitchell. 

Her designs will be on display for the month of February & March.

14 more designers will follow, so drop by the shop every month to see their fabulous designs.

For those of you too far away to visit the shop I'll post photos and update each designer's page on Gitta's website.

It will be a fabulous year!!!!

Happy New Year !!!

We're only 6 days into the new year, and I already feel like I'm running out of time.  The new year is a new beginning; a time to reflect on all we have accomplished, and to look forward to all the new and exciting possibilities that lay ahead.  I did accomplish so much last year, both in the shop and at home, but there was also so much more I wanted to do.  So my year will be filled with a little "old year" baggage, and many plans for new projects.  Time will tell, what I manage to accomplish this year.  Someone once told me "Never forget to breathe", and it is under times of stress that I truly take  this advise to heart;  to sit back, calm down, reflect, take a break and have a little bit of fun. 

As I sit here this Sunday morning in my kitchen looking out my bay window and enjoying the last few days of my Christmas decorations, I have started a new canvas work project.

The design is titled "Treasured Beginnings" designed by Carolyn Mitchell.  Since last night I have managed to complete the Padded Satin stitch and Rice stitch border.   I will be teaching this design as a beginner Canvas Work workshop at the end of February.

As some of you are already aware, this year at Gitta's we are featuring a specific Canadian Designer each month.  For February & March Carolyn Mitchell is our "Designer of the Month".  During this time, we will host her trunk show displaying her designs, holding workshops related to her style of needlework, offering a 10% discount on her designs, and having her free contribution to a Designer Collaboration Sampler available to all those dropping by the shop or placing an order through our website during these months.

This afternoon we have been invited for a BBQ at my parents' house.  So I have another few hours of stitching before I  start making my German potato salad, my contribution to the BBQ.  A summer meal in the dead of winter; promises of pleasures that lay ahead.

 It's already shaping up to be a fabulous year!!!

Merry Christmas

December 1st was our annual Christmas Open House at the shop.  It was a wonderful day geared to appreciating our customers.  The shop was decorated for Christmas, the snack table well stocked, plenty of specials throughout, and a gift of christmas stitching free bees.

One of the Christmas suprises at this year's Open House was a kit of a singing reindeer I designed just for this occasion.  All were quite taken with him, and Margaret even named him "Felix". 
I realize many of you were unable to drop by on this day, so I would like to share Felix with all of you. 
Click here for Felix, the Singing Reindeer.

Gitta's team this year at the Open House, from left to right, consisted of Clare, Margaret, Mary, Gitta, Me, Helen, and Ietje.  To see our Christmas Open House photo album on facebook  click here.   At the shop we appreciate your support throughout the year and look forward to helping you with your stitching projects in 2013.

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, 

a season filled with love, family, and good friends,

 and a New Year filled with good health and happiness.

 

A Surprise for Kathrin

I recieved an email Tuesday entitled "A Surprise for Kathrin"  It was like opening an early Christmas present.  The surprise was from Kim Beamish, she had already completed her 15 Sided Pulled Thread Biscornu and so much more.  Kim is designer herself and has had many of her designs published in A Needle Pulling Thread Magazine.  (issues available through Gitta's)
Here are some photos of Kim's finished project.

Her Biscornu

Her box is way beyond the box I plan on completing sometime (when I find some time)

She had the box almost all finished before I even posted the last square. 

What's a treasured stitching box without tools to tuck inside.

Absolutely Awesome; great job Kim.

However, Kim's was not the first photo I received.  2 weeks ago, I had received a photo from Susan H., she had completed hers before I even posted the last square (using one of the pattens twice).  She had to have it finished for her (Toronto) Guild's annual Christmas luncheon and gift exchange.  The recipient was totally thrilled (I was told).

Great job ladies!!!  If I'm lucky I'll manage to stitch mine together over the holidays.

Square #15 - Chessboard Filling Stitch

15. Chessboard Filling Stitch
It has taken me a while to post this last and final square, and for that I do apologize.  It was a hectic week before our Christmas Open House, and this past week I was desparately catching up on finishing seven Christmas Stockings.

Well here is the last square.  Although it is called Chessboard, when I look at the finished stitch I see interwoven ribbons.  No matter the name, what is in a name any way, I love the finished look.

Click here for the stitch instructions and stitch diagrams.


As for the finishing.  Please follow the finishing instructions from my last 15 Sided Biscornu.  I first posted these instructions on my March 18, 2011 blog post, but you can also click here. 
The only differnece between that and this 15 sided biscornu is that this one has open areas.  So before following the finishing instructions, you will first need to sew a backing fabric behind each square.  Sew this backing fabric to the square just along the outside of the backstitched border.

I will not get to finishing mine until after Christmas.  Sorry, to leave you on your own, but many of yours' will probably be finished before I get a chance to finish mine.  Lots of luck, and I'd love to see them all done !!