The Rest of February

I didn't take very many pictures in February.

I guess my nose was too close to the grindstone, getting ready for Market, to stop and document the world around me. It could also be that February is the most difficult month for me to take pictures of. Here in the Oregon foothills, it is so dark and damp and not much outside my window shows signs of life until the very last few weeks, when most of the following photos were taken.

We get excited about the smallest things in February, like a big display of hot cocoa, produced by our very own Boyd's Coffee Company, or a rare peek of sunbeams. Forced blooms, baby sheep, Valentine bouquets, and smiles hidden in the bubbles of a freshly brewed mug of coffee. It really is the simple things, that can make this life transcend ordinary, as long as we aren't too busy to notice.

Market Preview

Are you counting down the days until March 5th? I know I sure am! In just eight days I'll be boarding a plane to take me far away from my little country home. My kids aren't very happy with me for leaving them for so many days, but all of that time with their Daddy will do them good.

I've been super busy getting two new designs and one limited edition kit ready to release at the Needlework Retailer Nashville Market, and I hope you’ll be as excited about them as I am!

In addition to the new designs, I'm rolling out my new cover layout, which I am over-the-moon happy about! No more labor-intensive homespun chart covers… I will slowly begin to convert my older designs to the new look, but for now, just the recent and brand new charts will have this appearance.

If you're itching to get your hands on any or all of these new designs, be sure to let your local needlework shop owner know! Send them up to my suite (619) to stock up for you. I won't be listing them in my etsy shop for direct sale until up to a week after the show; it will depend on how long it takes me to recover from all of the excitement. 

Without further ado, I give you…

The Bird Collection, Part I
Featuring American Goldfinch, Blackheaded Grosbeak, and Mourning Dove

This is the first in a collection that will number at least 12 individual birds (released in groups of 3 or 4) by the time I'm done.

Retail: $12

Feniscowles Hall 1824
A True Story of Happily Ever After… inspired by the unconventional love story of my very own Great- (repeat a few more times) Grandparents.

Includes a full alphabet and number set so that it can be personalized.

Retail: $10

Fruit Basket Pendant Kit (Limited Edition)

Kit includes everything needed to finish the pendant: silk gauze, cotton backing fabric, threads, wooden pendant frame, and black seam binding. Silk gauze pieces measure 5x5 inches. All you will need in order to finish it is time, patience, a needle and scissors.

Please note that 4 weeks after all of the limited kits have been sold, I will be making this design available for purchase as a pattern only (without kit).

Retail: $32

Birthday Tea for My Mama

My mom was born on Valentine's Day. She therefore loves everything that is pink and heart-shaped. But most of all, she loves her family, and the gigantic crop of grandkids that is mostly growing within an hour's drive of her front door.

I'm the second of five children and we are all married with at least two kids of our own (my 10 year old being the oldest, but only by a month and a half). So when we all get together, you can imagine the chaos.

One brother and one sister are currently living too far away for more than occasional visits, so when the local siblings decided to surprise my Mama with a birthday tea party for her and her grandkids, the numbers were a little smaller than usual, but still substantial enough for good fun times.

There were tea sandwiches and finger-grabbable fruits and veggies, and even individual mini-cakes.

And I set up a photo booth complete with a few props. Here is a selection of photos from the event that I thought you might enjoy. All photos not taken in the photo booth are by my baby sister Joann (click on her name to go see her beautiful images).

*NOW AVAILABLE* Handprint on My Heart

Last year at this time, the members of Dyeing to Stitch's Ladies' Prim Society club received the kit for this design and started posting photos of their progress and finishes online. I have been getting requests from you all ever since, and now that the one-year exclusive status is past, get to offer it to you along with my other charts that are available for anyone to purchase.

Some people enter our lives for a short time, but leave a lasting impression. Others stay with us for a long time, but are taken from life too soon, and we hold onto the memory of times we shared. I imagine that the day when my babies move out of the house will be hard, and they certainly have left a handprint on my heart (as well as a few other places around the house).

With Valentine’s Day approaching, my thoughts turn to love, but not always romantic love. I wanted to create a design to fit the season, that could commemorate a lost love or be a reminder of someone still in our lives that had moved to a far away place, just as easily as it could be made to celebrate romance.

As I browsed for ideas, I came across the song “For Good” from the musical “Wicked”. It has a line that reads, “You’ll be with me like a handprint on my heart”. I added the word “always”, some simple motifs and patterns, and stitched it with red thread, the color of strength and joy.

Pattern chart includes a full Initial-in-a-Heart alphabet so that you can customize your pincushion and scissor fob, as well as a full set of capital letters and numbers for customizing the back with your own initials and date.

Stitch Count: 114 x 64 (each side)
Model stitched with one thread over two on R&R Reproductions’ 32ct. Winter Brew

Using thread from Classic Colorworks: Cherry Cobbler, English Ivy

Recommended Additional Materials:
Green Wool: 2 ½ by 3 ½
½” Hug Snug Rayon Seam Binding “Tropic Wine”: 1 ½ yards

Pincushion filling of your choice


This design is now available in my etsy shop, and will be going out to my distributors and the shops on my automatic shipments list soon. If you prefer to bypass etsy and order directly through me, you can send me an email: beth@heartstringsamplery.com