Hello...guess who's back.  Sorry it's been so long...seems folks are into Flosstube now instead of blogs. I just don't seem to find the time to post...too many hobbies I guess...stitching, designing, reading, quilting and gardening 😬

I've updated the pictures along the side with my designs from '22 & '23. Most should be available from your favorite retail outlet. Some of the older ones are no long being distributed but, with living close by, can be obtained at Cross Stitch & Crafts in Johnson City (423) 610-0441.

Keep on stitching!

Bonny  ~*

OOPS! Correction to "I Live In The Garden"

 It was brought to my attention by a stitcher that there are a few errors on the alphabet (A, D, E & F) of "I Live In The Garden". Here is a picture of the correct stitch placement of this part of the chart. 

So sorry for the errors...I need a proofreader!!!!  

😬

I Really Do Live In The Garden

 Weather permitting...I am a gardenholic. From March to November I spend most of my daylight hours outside...digging in the dirt! Rainy days, I get some housework done and evenings, after dinner until bed, I stitch. It's a rainy day today so, here I am, avoiding housework!

My garden has expanded each year. I tried to grow some tomatoes and squash in the backyard several years ago with some success. We had a deer problem.

Expanded that and fenced it in...

Amended the soil...but still not getting the results I wanted. 

Then I found these fabulous raised beds. Starting with this large one in the corner of the front yard...yes I put it together myself...

I built it around our arbor with the bushes blocking it nicely from our road. Sun ALL day and everything planted in rich compost...

Okay...that worked well...just not enough room! So...

let's put another raised bed in and grow MORE...

still not enough space. So this year...

we rented a tiller and the hubs got started on the expansion. Well, as long as we had the tiller, why not expand even more. You know I'm going to want to next year...so go for it!

Guess what I'm going to be doing as soon as the rain stops....looks like Thursday. I've already planted some cool weather crops: broccoli, spinach, radishes (almost ready), carrots, peas, squash and beans. My tomato seedlings I started in the house are ready to plant as well as more direct sow seeds. I'm going to try corn and edible sunflower (seeds) this year in the expansion!

Fortunately or unfortunately (I do love them) our deer have moved on down the road. Someone has bought the 7 acres of woods behind us and are going to build two houses back there. Our herd of at least 15 deer have not been seen since they started clearing the land. So, I feel confident that they won't be a problem with the garden...now, the crows on the other hand...?

So how much longer before I plow up the entire front yard? What do you think? 

~*

 Finishing Instructions: God Shed His Grace

I cut a sturdy piece of cardboard slightly larger than the stitched piece. I used a piece of batting sandwiched between the stitched piece and the carboard, wrapping the stitched piece around both and securing in the back with acid free Stitchery Tape. (If you prefer, you can lace your piece.)

Fold the corner in and bring the sides in to miter the corner.

Lay your stitched piece on some potential fabrics you may have or at a fabric shop to choose your finish fabrics.

I then covered two pieces of foam core with my chosen fabrics, again securing the fabric on the back with Stitchery Tape. I centered each piece and used E6000 glue to secure them. 

You may have a supply of trims that might work as well. I used a gold trim from Simplicity that I thought looked good with the America lettering. 

After gluing all three pieces together, I used a toothpick to apply glue to the joint of the stitched piece and red fabric covered piece and pressed the Simplicity gold trim around the edge of the stitched piece a little at a time. I started and finished at the bottom center.

I always love to see your finished pieces whether you finish them as I do or change them up as I so often do with other people's designs. You are welcome to share them here or on The Nebby Needle facebook page. Let your creativity flow!

Bonny  ~*

 

Finishing Instructions for "A Stitcher's Wallet"

 
To finish your stitched piece into a usable "wallet" to hold your stitching supplies, trim your stitched piece with about 3/4" border around the stitched area.  You may want to stabilize your stitched piece by backing it with a fusible interfacing. Cut your interfacing slightly larger than the stitched area. This will help protect the stitching from coming apart with repeated use of the wallet and help it hold it's shape when stitching the lining to it.  

I lined my wallet with a coordinating piece of flannel fabric cut a foot longer than the stitched piece in order to fold a 3" deep pocket on each end. 

You may want to sew a decorative trim on each pocket before sewing your pieces together. I used a twill "ruler" ribbon I bought some time ago at JoAnn Fabrics (I see it's available online at Walmart now). On the other pocket I used a piece of cotton lace.

After stitching your trim on the pockets, fold them back as pockets and with right sides together, pin your stitched piece and lining together. Tuck your ribbons for tying into the center of each end securing the end of the ribbon centered on the outside edge with a pin.

Stitch your pieces together leaving an opening on one side to turn your piece right side out.

Before turning, clip your edges 1/4" inch from your seams and clip each corner.

Turn your piece right side out and use a chopstick or corner tool to gently square your corners. Blind stitch the side opening closed.

The thread rings I got in the jewelry section of JoAnn Fabrics. The silk ribbon I used for my closure was purchased from Shepherd's Bush in Ogden, UT.

Hand sew thread rings on the edge of one of the pockets. Gather your tools...counting pins, needles, needle threaders, frogging needles, scissors, etc. and store them within or on the outside of the pockets. The thread in your threaded needles will cling to the flannel and stay threaded! 

You can tuck your threads and thread rings into a pocket and your scissors into the other.

Fold and tie your wallet closed and slip into your project bag. 

Everything you need in one place!

ENJOY!

 2021 Let's Go!

Since the 2021 Nashville Needlework Market was cancelled, Janis of Noteworthy Needle decided that a virtual Needlework Expo would do the trick! Wow...what a lot of work she put into it and what a success it was/is. Designers signed up and began creating their "booths" with their new designs, best sellers and sale items. We "manned" our booths with the ability to chat on camera with the shop buyers. Shops could browse the booths, chat live or message and place their orders in real time. Although the "virtual" part is over, the booths remain open to registered shops for message orders for the remainder of the month.

So...busy, busy, busy...printing, folding, bagging charts and filling orders. Several lengthy trips to the Post Office with boxes and envelopes! 

Here are my new designs that premiered at Needlework Expo:

A Stitcher's Wallet

Store your stitching tools and threads for your project in one place. Create two pockets: one to hold your scissors and one to tuck your threads into. Pre-thread several needles...the thread will cling to the flannel lining. I sewed a cotton "ruler" ribbon on one of the pockets and a decorative piece of lace trim on the other. General finishing instructions are on the pattern. More detailed finishing instructions along with pictures will be on this blog shortly.

                    

Tuck into the pockets what you need, fold over and tie shut with your ribbon and put in your project bag...everything in one place!

~

                                            God Shed His Grace

I finished this patriotic piece covering foam core boards with fabric. (Truth be told, I didn't have time before Needlework Expo to have it framed.) General finishing instructions are on the pattern. More detailed finishing instructions along with pictures will be on this blog shortly. I like the finish and think it sets the piece off better than a frame might have...so...happy I ran out of time! The little George Washington ornament I purchased during my last visit to Mt. Vernon. I've become a collector of George since finding out that I'm distantly related (my 7 times great grandmother was his grandmother's sister...cousin George!) 

                                                *Hope Blooms

Hope Blooms is this year's *Ripple Effect Pattern. These patterns sprang from an idea of Meg Ripple's. An avid stitcher, Meg asked if I would design cross stitch patterns of inspiration for her fellow cancer patients.  Although Meg lost her battle with cancer, I carry on her vision with a Ripple Effect Pattern each year.  The Nebby Needle's profits from these patterns are donated to the American Cancer Society each year in Meg's memory. As an almost 15 year breast cancer survivor myself, I chose to stitch the flowers in this design in pink.

                                                Into The Garden

Gardening is a very close second to stitching for me (as reflected heavily in this year's designs). I love being outdoors and digging in the dirt! I've put in several raised beds (tall ones) for growing veggies and am expanding the garden again this year to plant even more. Nothing like fresh from the garden veggies!!! There are flowers and herbs surrounding the raised beds as well...to deter the deer, rabbits and other critters...and to make it look pretty. It is, after all, in the sunny front yard. Our backyard is too shaded to grow much to eat.

                                            I Live In The Garden

Yes...from Spring until Fall I pretty much do...except for after dinner when I stitch until bedtime!

If you see anything here that you would like to stitch, contact your favorite shop and get your request in. If shops participated as a buyer at the Needlework Expo, they can order now. If your shop did not participate, they will have to wait until the beginning of April to order from the distributors.

Thanks for stopping by!

~*

Wow...It's been too long! Got busy gardening, designing and family issues and just got out of the habit of keeping this up. Other media outlets: Facebook & Instagram are quicker. Somehow the Pandemic sapped my motivation for so many things. Communication and socializing are probably the things I miss the most...so...let's get back to it! 

We just got in the 2020 Nashville Needlework Market in March last year right before everything got shut down. All went well and to my knowledge no one who attended got sick. In case you missed last year's designs:

                                                          Alphabet de Fleurs

This sweet alphabet was inspired by my Forget-Me-Not flowers that bloom in my garden in the spring. Anxiously awaiting their arrival this year!!!

Folly of Envy

This is my interpretation of Margaret Matilda Baron's sampler stitched in 1834 at the age of 11.  She was my great-great-grandmother's sister-in-law. The original sampler is not in the best of shape and was just impossible to recreate the flowers...so I created my own. The verse is from The English Reader, published in 1813, and called Folly of Envy:

                                                                Folly of Envy

                                    Can you discern another's mind?

                                    Why is't you envy? Envy's blind.

                                    Tell envy, when she would annoy,

                                    That thousands want what you enjoy.

                                                        The Bees of Summer

This is a set of nesting boxes I purchased from Hobby Lobby and the cute picket fence from Walmart. What can I say...I'm a sucker for craft supplies. My love for gardening and the bees that pollinate the plants inspired these pieces. Complete finishing instructions are inclueded in the pattern.

                                                            Votes For Women

2020 marked the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. I felt it needed to be celebrated in a "stitchy" way as well as with my vote!

                                                                You Got This

This is the 2020 Ripple Effect Pattern. These patterns sprang from an idea of Meg Ripple's. An avid stitcher, Meg asked if I would design cross stitch patterns of inspiration for her fellow cancer patients.  Although Meg lost her battle with cancer, I carry on her vision each year with a pattern. My profits from these patterns are donated to the American Cancer Society in Meg's memory.

Later in the year I released two more patterns. First up:

                                                        2020 ~ Sew Over It

This sampler is fraught with many representations of the Pandemic Culture of 2020: the border represents the virus with masks in-between; the letters are 6 stitches apart; between the rows of letters there are directional arrows; the 5 star rating for 2020 is just half a star; Pandemic buzz words (covid 19, quarantine, homeschool, social distancing, work at home, was your hands, shelter in place, sanitize, mask up) are subtly stitched in "medical mask aqua" (Island Breeze); we endured the Pandemic "one stitch at a time" and are now "sew over it".  Even the thread colors are significant: "Island Breeze" not only medical mask aqua but, an island breeze we'd all like to be feeling; "Brick" the virus smashing the idea of an island breeze.

The last design released in 2020 was originally published in Punch Needle & Primitive Stitcher Magazine in the 2019 Christmas ~ Winter Issue.

                                                            Santa's Ride

Santa's Ride includes the finishing instruction as shown. The wood house wall hanging and snowflake ornaments were purchased from Hobby Lobby.

There you have my 2020 offerings!

Empowered!

So very sorry for my absence . . . not one who likes to complain . . . and creativity has taken a hit of late. BUT . . . today, I feel empowered!

As things of late have been . . . sucky to say the least . . . culminating in a dentist appointment today after a (hate to admit it) 8 year absence, I expected it to be another "sucky" day. I'm a dental-phobic. Yes, after a childhood of horrid dental experiences with the dentist from hell (I'm sure he's languishing there after dying from cancer years ago . . . karma's a bitch.) I was a nervous wreck!  It's like REALLY low on my priority list . . . but, I do have two cavities that needed attending to. Dreading this like the plague, it turned out to be not so bad. They were impressed with how clean my teeth were and what little work needs to be done . . . whew! I left there feeling . . . empowered! YES . . . I SURVIVED! ! !

So, I came home ready to tackle the world!

My mother has been the main focus lately as she's had some medical issues. She's 92 and living with dementia in an assisted living facility not far from me. She still knows me but her memory capacity is about 5 minutes long. She developed shingles a week ago on her forehead and I had to take her to the ER for confirmation and treatment. Two days later she had a relapse of cellulitis in her right leg and refused to stand/walk . . . back to the ER. This time, they admitted her. It was suggested, after 5 days that she go to a nursing home/rehab facility. They needed her new Medicare number to admit her . . . I've never received her new card. That began the saga of government bureaucracy. To make a long story short . . . a Power of Attorney means nothing to the government. After visits to Social Security and calls to SS and Medicare, I was able to create an account online and print out her new Medicare card . . . no way to change her address with them at this time. She is finally settled into the Nursing Home and not too interested in working on her physical therapy . . . this is not good. So that consumed my week. I will be going out of town tomorrow for the weekend but, come next week she WILL get a "kick in the pants" to get on with her therapy!

During this time dealing with my mother I got a letter from the Missouri Department of Revenue . . . a 10 day Demand Notice threatening to revoke my business license for their state . . . for a late fee ($18.70) for my Sales Tax submission for an event I vended at last September. I dealt with this "late fee"  in May and remitted the amount although the woman I talked to on the phone could not confirm what the late fee was for. The event was held in August of 2017 and then changed to September in 2018 . . . was it a late fee because the date changed or was a late fee because I was a day or two late mailing my payment because their website is a nightmare! Who knows. I called them and told them I sent the payment in May and the bank has cleared the check. He said they are behind in posting and suggested that I send the payment in again and when they get around to posting both payments I can ask for a refund . . . seriously??? I said NO and told him to go ahead and revoke the license and I'll just vend and not collect the sales tax this September . . . come to TN and arrest me! Sent them an email and have heard NOTHING!

Next irritant, we had our house painted in June . . . or that was the plan. The color we picked was not the shade the painter used . . . but, we liked it. He ran out of paint and went to get some more . . . hmmm, not the same color . . . don't like this shade as well. Rain delayed the painting and also the inspection of the painting.  Once the weather cleared and we were able to actually walk around the house, we saw that the paint color didn't match . . . multiple colors on several walls . . . we asked for Satin and it's clearly Flat paint. He swears he's going to make it right and yet has not shown up for two weeks. I bought a can of the paint this week that we chose and today I started painting the house myself! I also called the painter . . . got his answer machine . . . and left this message:  "We have started painting the house ourselves because it is obvious you're not interested in coming back. If you do not come and get your ladders, buckets and supplies, by next Friday, we will donate them to Habitat For Humanity . . . just to let you know" No call back . . . not a peep.

So . . . today . . . painted for two hours and then cut the grass! Great sense of accomplishment ! ! ! My framing is ready for a piece I designed for next year . . . will pick that up next week. Have a magazine deadline that's due by August that I haven't stared on yet . . . YIKES!

Meanwhile, the hubs is out of town having the time of his life at the Oshkosh Air Show . . . probably shouldn't post this . . .  he'll expect me take care of business like this all the time!

So . . . the message here is:  DON'T MESS WITH ME . . . I'M NOT IN THE MOOD . . . I SURVIVED THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND THE DENTIST TODAY . . . LOOK OUT WORLD!

Have yourself a Margarita (like I just did) and enjoy an evening of stitching . . . that's where I'm heading!

~*

Final Reveal for the 2019 Nashville Needlework Market!

The final reveal for Market! These two will be available to Market attendees and released to all In May.

"Never Tell Sampler" was stitched on Weeks Dye Works 36 ct. Beige using The Gentle Art threads: Endive & Garden Gate; Weeks Dye Works threads: Blue Jeans & Palomino.The quote was shared with me by my friend and fellow stitcher Janet . . . too cute! It was shared with her by a, now deceased, shop owner.

"Tea And The Bee" is a 7 1/2" wooden box purchased at JoAnns. Design was stitched on Picture This Plus 36 ct Sand (32 ct. will fit also) using WDW threads: Kohl & Bee's Knees. Mill Hill glass seed beads 02019 were stitched as "jewels" in the crown.

Now . . . must go back to printing, folding and stuffiing!

~*

More Nashville Needlework Market Reveals!

Let's continue with the Market reveals . . . sorry for the delay . . . framing wasn't quite ready.

 Available to shops at Market as early releases (formal release will be in April) are "Cherished Friends" (the framed one) and "Feathered Friends" (the 4 1/2" box).

"Cherished Friends" is stitched on Newcastle 40 ct. Natural using The Gentle Art threads: Summer Meadow; Freedom; Dungarees; and Green With Envy. My friend Kathie received this quote from a friend of hers and thought it would make a nice cross-stitch piece . . . I think she's right!

"Feathered Friends" is stitched on Picture This Plus 32 ct. Barnwood using Weeks Dye Works Bashful. The box is actually a painted and Briwaxed brie cheese box . . . yes, from the grocery store! I love these little boxes . . . and brie cheese! I strung 4mm faux pearl beads and glued the strand around the stitched piece to "frame" it. Painted the inside lavender and glued some scrapbook paper in the bottom.

Stay tuned for one more reveal of the last two pieces. Should I do it tomorrow or make you wait until Friday . . . hmmm.

~*

Nashville Needlework Market 2019 Reveals

Wow! Where have I been??? Sorry . . . it was not a boring year . . . just busy I guess. I'll get you caught up later . . . but now:

It's almost time for the Nashville Needlework Market! I have 6 new designs to offer at this year's Market. The first two I'll show you will be released to Market participants and will be available to all shops at the close of Market.

First up is "How Great Thou Art". It's always been my favorite Hymn and thought it might be a good reminder of God's greatness in this crazy world we live in. It's stitched on 40 ct. Picture This Plus - Mello (other counts are available) using GA Endive, WDW Plum & WDW Curry threads. It's framed by my wonderful framer and friend Terri at "Carriage House" in Kingsport, TN.

Next is "There's No Place Like Hope" also stitched on 40 ct. PTP - Mello using WDW Brick, GA Grecian Gold, GA Endive & WDW Palomino threads. This one is this year's "Ripple Effect Pattern" in which I donate the profits to the American Cancer Society in my fellow stitcher Meg Ripple's memory.

Can't wait to show you the rest of them this week!  Stay tuned! ! !

~*

Sew What

A week after the Nashville Needlework Market it was off to the Blue Ridge Quilt Guild retreat. It's held at the Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center in Abingdon Virginia. It's a rural setting of rolling hills and camp-like accommodations . . . adequate, not luxury. I love it there!

We work downstairs in this building with our sleeping rooms upstairs. For those who prefer not to do stairs, you can drive around and up the hill to the upper parking lot on the sleeping level. Breakfast and dinner is included in a building up the hill (also driveable) . . . sitting and sewing all day, the hike up the hill is welcome exercise for me!  We have favorite restaurants in and around Abingdon that we like to go to for lunch . . . it's good to take a break from sewing and get out of there for a bit.

It was nice, as one of the planners of the retreat, to have "helpers" that made our name tags and cute "mug rugs". . . a big thanks to those fellow members! I put together the "first aid" kits with Hugs, Kisses, Ricola cough drops, stitcher's band aids and a thread waxer.

We take one day and go to Wytheville to the quilt store there and have lunch. It's a little over an hour's drive . . . well worth the trip! They always have a fantastic sale room, a few retreat exclusives and put together gift bags for us . . . so nice!

 
We have lunch up the street at the Log House.

This is such a cute place with delicious food! It meanders around from room to room . . . an enclosed area even has 3 doves in it! We were in a room by ourselves . . . they were very busy and only one waitress.  We helped her out by handing her our menus with our orders written down.

There are two quilts shops in Abingdon we had to visit as well . . . one can never have too much fabric!

Then it was back to work! So many talented ladies ! ! !

Good thing neatness doesn't count!














My friend Kathie made the Bionic Bag. I had thought about making one, but after watching the intense work . . . think I'll try to resist. They are really cool though . . . we'll see if I weaken!

 There was a major frenzy when we handed out the gift bags from Batiks Etc. All the bags contained something different. Lots of trading going on!

I worked on several things. First I finished my charity quilt. The guild makes quilts for charities that service children that have been taken out of their homes for various reasons. Our member Anne gives us the design each year and many of us finish them on retreat.  It's a good way to use up scraps. There are always different ways to put the blocks together. I struggled to get my points to match up with this layout only to discover that they didn't have to.

I then moved on to putting borders on a lap quilt I made for my daughter's birthday. It will be late as it still needs to be quilted and her birthday is Thursday. We will be visiting her in May and I will hand deliver it to her then. She has my 2000 Yellow Beetle (although it may be traded in soon) . . . this will be a good memory of it.

I then put a small border on a quilt I've been working on for several years.  Didn't bring the measurements to be able to put the larger border on it . . . so, it still didn't get finished.

So . . . lets work on something new . . . the Bee quilt that I had unrealistic expectations of having it finished by the Nashville Needlework Market to use in my Bee display. Like that was going to happen ! ! !

I did get almost all the smaller squares put together and one large block put together just to see what they will look like. I think I'm going to love this quilt! Maybe it will be ready to use for my display at the Merchant Mall at the Prim Stitchers Society Retreat in June . . . get off the Blog girl and get busy ! ! !

~*