She's done - completed a few days ago, and finally photographed.
Now to find a proper frame, but that will have to wait until summer's end...




I made a few small changes such as adding the completion date and my own initials.



It was also the first time I've stitched over one thread ( Ann's name and year) - I dreaded it at first, but it was not so bad after all!
It was a lot of fun stitching this sampler, but for now I'll take a break from Quaker samplers and pick up some stitching in need of my attention, or will I start something new? Let me enjoy this finish first for a little while....

Even though I've been away for quite some time from my blog and you all, that didn't mean you weren't in my thoughts!
With the wonderfully warm and sunny weather, I've been away from the computer and spending time outdoors and with friends.
The Challenge posed be me by my friend Marni I haven't forgotten either, I've been working hard to reach it, but doubt if I will make it - I will do my very best though!

In the evenings, when we haven't had company pop in, I've sat and stitched as much as I could.
I'm still really enjoying this sampler, even with the occasional glitch caused by the faults found in the original pattern, causing me to spend precious time taking out stitches instead of making them! Not matter, it gave the brain cells a workout....lol!

Here's where I've left off.....



...and speaking of workouts, that's another thing I've picked up whilst gone from here, going back to the gym, which is where I'm headed to now!

I also want to say a big thank you to all of you who sent such kind responses and encouragements!
I'll try not to stay away too long....

cheers,
heidi

It took me a while, but here it is, a "quick" digest of my trip...

Two weekends ago I attended the Handwerkbeurs in Zwolle. Over a 140 merchants presented their wares from all sorts of crafts: quilting, spinning, knitting, cross stitch, sewing, tatting. There were stands that had the necessary tools of our crafts, merchants from not only Holland, but Belgium, Germany, France and England, to name a few. My friends Diane and Nanda (who are unfortunately still blog-less) and I got an early start Sunday morning, so we could scope out the place before the crowds arrived.


workshops


knitting tables, to chat and hang out...


First things first: out slipped the lists, with our "necessities": Daylight lamps, adaptors, threads, needles, wool, patterns, batting, scissors, fabrics for quilt classes, and other bits and bobs.


I have a standing Daylight lamp, you know the one that looks like a big glowing doughnut with the magnifying lens that allows me to do micro-surgery on torn pockets and teddy bears, next to letting me stitch for hours on end...
Finally a portable Daylight lamp to take with me on trips and visits!



Another little light I use for reading in bed when the man wants to, or is already asleep is the Mighty Bright Mini light, a handy lamp you clip onto a book or even your clothing. I bought it at my fave quilt shop, and it's even more compact than the table lamp. When I got it home at the time, I was checking out what batteries it would take, and if it could take an adapter - oh oh..it's American! At the same stand in Zwolle, we were happy to find that it had one for Europe! So I had to grab that puppy fast!

Let's see...what else....and what did it look like over there?
It was a well set up place, lots of room for everyone, even for those in wheelchairs and scooters.
Everyone was very helpful, friendly, customers and merchants alike.


fabrics for projects...


my friends picking up necessities...

|
and not so necessary necessities...

This stand got the girls buying sock wool, and me to promise to teach them how to knit socks (with pleasure!). It was tough for me to resist, but I have a full basket at home of all colors waiting to become socks. There is nothing like a hand knitted sock!


I joined Merkwaardig, a national "sampler society" as they call themselves, that focuses primarily on historical samplers and their history, bringing those with the same enthusiasm for these works together.

Now, since I've not been quilting for some time now, because of work being done to the house and my sewing room still functioning as storage room, and I've been keeping to my New Year's resolution of finishing works in progress and NOT starting new ones, I've been left with no choice but to cross stitch (Gasp!!-woe is me! lol!). Having said that, you can imagine my interest led me more to the cross stitch stand than anything else.

Picked up some patterns that caught my fancy for a while now:

Amager Panel 1799- NeedlePrint


Rebecca Blake 1809 - Needleprint

EA 1798 - The Marking Samplar

Into the Ark - Blue Ribbon Designs
I have a thing for Noah's Ark designs....

I just couldn't resist picking up a book or two....


Simple Quilt by Yoshiko Jinzenji (French Translation)
Les Editions Saxes
ISBN:978-2-7565-0220-5


and a signed copy of -
Geschiedenis van de Nederlanse Quilt by An Moonen (Dutch)
Uitgeverij Van Gruting
ISBN: 97890-75879-414


What else? hmm..some bits of marbled and dyed linen, now tucked away (and I'm too lazy to pull it out to photograh) and a few teeny weeny patterns that will undoubtedly show up in this blog one of these days as little weekend projects...

All in all, a great day with friends, lots of ideas, lots of itchy fingers ready to get into the next project, so many new things, gadgets and goodies, so many tips and tricks learned from merchants and fellow enthusiasts. We were completely recharged, and have lots of plans to do lots of things together and individually, all of which I will share with you as they present themselves.

So there you go! I haven't figured out how to put photos next to each other to save a bit of space, so forgive the length of this blog - hope you enjoyed reading, and if any of you went to Zwolle, I'd love to hear what you thought of it!

Now back to my regularly scheduled stitching......
heidi out.

"Now Miss Heidi, we have a race- me across the US from San Diego to St. Augustine, and you to finish Anne. You have until May 1. at a stitch per mile that's only 3200 stitches give or take."

On your mark, get set, go.


Ok Marni, I accept the challenge!

..and this time it's Ann Grimshaw 1818, an Ackworth School Quaker Sampler.



progress so far....





a close up....

It's going to be short and sweet for a while here, still busy with the house, and have other priorities to attend to. I will however, be going to the Handwerk Beurs in Zwolle this weekend. There will be all sorts of crafts featured, including knitting, spinning, cross stich, and quilting. Hope to be able to take some photos and report back to you all about that.
In the meantime, I'll try to catch up on blogs, and see what everyone has been up to - I do miss seeing all that wonderful stuff!

Happy Day!
My first finish for 2009....



I'm very pleased with how this sampler came out, and how much fun it was to stitch.
This is the first sampler I've ever completed! I've used the word "completed" but actually it's not really done yet, is it? Now the question is: Do I frame it myself or have it done? Do I display it with glass, or without?
In France, at shows and in shops, I've noticed that the works are framed, but no glass is used. Many I've asked prefer it that way because they feel it brings out the relief in the stitching. I found it very pretty as well.
So, any advice, comments and experiences with this would be greatly appreciated!

In the meantime, since we're still in the middle of re-doing our attic, and my sewing room is being used as a temporary storage room, I'll be "forced" to stick to stitching until the work upstairs is done. All current quilting projects are machine sewn ones, and there's no way a mouse can squeeze through the stacks of boxes , let alone quilt in peace!

So for today, I'll be going through some works in progress and see which one will get some attention...perhaps Ann Grimshaw?

Hoi! (as we say here in Holland)

The weekend has begun!  I started to write this post yesterday, but completely got side-tracked and forgot about it until now.  The reason for the distraction?  I've been playing with a DSLR (digital reflex camera) that I'm thinking of buying.  I get to test run it this weekend, so want to take every opportunity to do so.
But even though I'll be playing with a camera for most of the weekend, I did manage to make some progress on Hannah!



I'm so very pleased with how this is turning out - I'm just about done with the little pyramid, and will be starting the last two motifs this evening or tomorrow - stitch up the letters, and who knows, next week I may present my first finish of the year 2009!

Have a creative weekend!

Happy Friday!

Want to share some more progress on Hannah Beeby - had less time to work on this sampler, as I've been making a dent in clearing and cleaning out the attic, box by box.
Priority being my stash and making sure that nothing gets tossed out "by accident"! Bags and boxes of wool fleece, yarns, old fabrics, crafty "things" and gadgets, etc. Some of you may have done this and know what a task it is!
Next are books, magazines, CD's, vidoes, clothes and coats....pffft!

It probably looks much worse than it seems, and one always seems to create more mess while going through the process, but I just keep telling myself, it's all for a good cause: having a really nice attic to relax in, lounge, host friends and guests.

But here's a picture of Hannah's progress....


The three large hexagons are now done!
My only grumble about this pattern is that it's broken up into sections, and it's a bit of a fiddle to make sure you continue properly from one page to the next. I managed upon advice from a friend to tape some together, but not all of the pages line up ( I made copies for myself - I didn't tear up the pattern book) making it tricky to follow. Other than that, it's basically smooth sailing.

Since the beginning of this year I haven't touched anything quilty - just focused on Hannah, but tomorrow that will change. Together with some friends, old and new, we'll be spending the day together, visiting quilt shops, lunching and quilting at my house.
I've made a new year's resolution that finishing existing projects would be the priority, leaving myself only one gift quilt to make (promised months ago), and one new quilt project for which I'll be picking up the fabrics for tomorrow.

So there you have it! I'm heading back up into the attic, and wish you all very good and creative weekend!

heidi

Hi Ho!
Hope you all had safe and happy Holiday celebrations! We enjoyed being with friends and family, are slowly recovering from all that eating and socializing and getting back into the normal rhythm of life. School starts on Monday again, the house will be quiet, and it'll be good to pick up quilting projects lain aside for a few weeks, as the sewing room became the place to wrap and store presents temporarily...lol!

I'm surprised myself, but did manage, between all those social commitments to get (for my doing) quite a bit of stitching done and share it with you now:



I'm telling you, this sampler is practically stitching itself!
It's really become one of those projects you stay up later for to work on, or get up in the morning for to do a few stitches before breakfast. It's still a mystery why, but hey - I'm not not complaining!

Well, it's another short post, but it's time to walk Darwin, and watch the ice skaters on our now frozen lake in the park. And upon my return, before I can sit down to work on Hannah, I've just got to have a go on our new WaterRower. It was the family Christmas gift. Better for your health than a new flatscreen tv, no?

take care,
heidi

I don't know what it is about this sampler, or perhaps it's just the state of my mind lately. I've been tired, trying to get through a mountain of back-logged things that need to get done around the house, the holidays are coming, and the very thing that is supposed to relax me has gotten my head in my hands.

Hi Ho!
Finally managed to make a little time to quickly post some things. It's been very busy here lately and time has been scarce to be behind the computer. So without further ado, here's what I've been up to:

Didn't expect this to come so quickly from Gitta's, but here it is: the Hannah Beeby  1816 Sampler by Timeless Designs.  I've seen Carol working on it, and thought a lovely sampler to add to my little growing collection.  Now to study it a bit, and decide on linen and color....

Drema from Needlecraft Corner just sent me this ( in three days it arrived, I might add! ):

It's a cold, grey and rainy day here in Holland.  Normally these are good days to do some stitching, but alas, not as much as I had hoped.  Here's my progress so far.....

not in the mood for sorting through attic boxes....



...but after completing two more motives, it's seems like the right thing to do...

Hello!
It's a glorious afternoon here, after a very dark and rainy day.
What a better thing to do while it's raining cats and dogs than to start a new project?
Here's the start of the Ann Grimshaw sampler:



It doesn't look like much now, but hopefully it'll look like a sampler soon.
I would like to mark my progress on my blog, and have seen several on the blogs that I read: does anyone know how to do that? and if so, would you please tell me how?


Materials used:

S & S Linen - 14 count per cm/35 count per inch
DMC # 3010
golden #28 needles

Just landed in my mailbox -  three Ackworth Quaker Samplers!

Edit: Jennifer asked me where I purchased these patterns. These were bought at Kunst en Vliegwerk an online shop that specializes in classic samplers and is based in The Netherlands. Lonneke delivers great service and advice, and I love our chats!