Now Available!

My two newest designs, Morning Star and Forget Me Not are now available for purchase in my etsy shop! Thank you for your patience, and for taking part in the online wholesale show through your needlework shops. By all accounts, it sounds like it was a success. This industry can take all the boosts of energy it can get, and you all came through. Thank you!

New Designs Coming Soon!

Norden's Fall Needlework Show is starting up on Monday! It is a wholesale only show that hopefully your favorite needlework shop has signed up for. All designs released during the show dates of August 10th - 19th are exclusive to Norden Crafts. That means you won't be able to order them from me or anyone else except a registered needlework shop until after the show closes. I have two designs that they'll be releasing for me.

They are... (drumroll please)...

"Forget Me Not"

This is a re-release of sorts. It was originally designed for The Gift of Stitching magazine back in the Spring of 2012. Anyone that subscribed to the magazine had access to the design, but it has never been officially distributed or available to my direct customers until now.

Stitch Count: 100 x 57
Model stitched with one thread over two on Weeks Dye Works’ 40ct. Tin Roof

Using threads from Weeks Dye Works: 1193 Guacamole, 1230 Havana, 2104 Deep Sea, 2201 Moss, 2219 Whiskey, 3960 Teal Frost

Additional Materials: Cotton fabric for backing, Cluny Lace Ric Rac in “Antique Caramel” from the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe, and Crushed Walnut shells for filler.


"Morning Star"

I once saw an antique sampler with a portion of a Christmas hymn that piqued my interest, having never heard the words before. After a little searching I found the lyrics and used some favorite parts of them to set the structure of this sampler.

The words were written by Reginald Heber (1783-1826), who was an English clergyman, traveler, and poet. He is best known today for his hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty”.

The words are set to the tune “Morning Star”, composed by James Proctor Harding (1850-1911), who was an English organist and choir master.

Stitch Count: 301 x 129

Model stitched on Lakeside 32ct. Vintage Sand Dune
Mostly cross-stitched with one thread over two, also including eyelet stitch and French knots.

Using flosses from Classic Colorworks: Barn Door, Honeycomb
And from The Gentle Art: 0350 Mulberry, 7041 Apple Cider, 7080 Endive, 7082 Piney Woods

Frame by Valley House Primitives.


I'll put another announcement on my blog when these designs are available in my etsy shop. But for now, I encourage you to contact your favorite needlework shop and request it through them! This online show is a new experiment and I'm hoping it does well for Norden Crafts and for the shops that invest their time in shopping this sale. We are a hard-working industry and have to be supportive of each other if we want to continue to grow and have great new designs and materials available regularly.

For a list of retailers signed up to purchase from the show, click HERE.

My Happy News

I don't know if its a HUGE deal, or a BIG deal, or a normal deal, but I am very excited to tell you that I will be the featured designer in the upcoming issue of The Gift of Stitching magazine. Doesn't feel very normal to me!

I was so taken aback and honored when the editor asked if I would consider doing the interview. Would I? As if saying no to such an opportunity was an option!

I can't show you any pictures of the design that will be released along with my interview, but if you are reading my blog, the chances are high that you love to stitch, and that you like my designs, and that means you are going to love what I have submitted to the magazine. I hinted at my big news back in this post, and also gave a glimpse of the design in progress. Which one is it? You'll have to wait and see!

It is a digital-subscription magazine which I had only heard about but never read until recently. And I have to say that it is chock-full of great articles and charts and interesting tidbits about new items available to stitchers. Most definitely worth the $20 subscription, in my opinion. So, if you are yet to jump on board, now is a good time. The new issue will be available on March 1st.

Seven Glimpses

Waiting for fabric, needing to be stitched, framed, or finished.

My workbasket is full.

Two antique reproductions, and five born of my imagination.

Seven new designs being prepared for you for the first half of 2012.

Just when I think I may run out of ideas, a perfect storm arrives and I have enough to last another year.

Please don't get tired of stitching my dears, because I doubt I will ever get tired of designing.