Interview with Teresa

The June small over on the 2012 Year of Smalls blog (Liberty Sewing Pouch by Stacy Nash) was selected and stitched by the lovely and talented Teresa Whisson.  Every month we do an interview with the stitcher who selected the featured small.  I know how I love listening to and reading stitch talk; so I thought I would post this month's interview for you all to see. 

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Q:  What made you choose this month's design?

A: Laura told me to pick  it.  (Editor's note:  Really?  Am I that bossy?  Probably.)

Q:  Could you give us your "craft history?"  For example; when  did you start stitching?  What other crafts do you enjoy?

A:  I  started sewing when I was 8 and I just loved it. My dad would buy my  fabric only after I finished the previous garment. I wish I still had  that discipline!  And I wish my dad would still buy my stash. LOL.

I couldn't wait until I was 16 so I could work at the fabric store.  I  applied on my 16th birthday and was hired on the spot.  I worked there  through high school and college.  

I started cross stitching in about 1980  after I took a class with my sister. I cross-stitched off and on throughout  the years but have been stitching non-stop since about 2000.  I also picked up quilting  along the way and have made over 100 quilts. 

Q:  Would you tell us  some of your favorite stitching designers?

A:  Blackbird Designs and  Prairie schooler are my favorites.

Q:  Tell us about your idea of the  perfect stitching day?
 

A:  I LOVE shopping with my stitching buddies.  Road trips and retreats are the best. Stitching is great, but the  friendships I have made are beyond measure. I adore my stitching buddies
 

Q:   Do you have a stash?  And if so, how do you organize it?

A:  I have  taken over the hall closet (walk-in) for my stash. I have the kits and  charts organized alphabetically!  I also have an Excel spreadsheet  listing every chart and the fabric I have for it (if kitted). There are  over 1000 entries on the chart so I guess I have a pretty nice stash!  

Q:  What is your favorite part of being a stitcher?

A:  See #4 above! (Editor's note:  ME TOO!!!)

It all started with......

It all started with this chart.  Actually, it wasn't the chart, rather it was the finish.  My friend Brenda graciously invited us over to see her stitching room (which is pure heaven!) and an added attraction was seeing her finished pieces all over the house.  Brenda is a long time stitcher and she actually finishes projects, frames them and hangs them up!  (I want to be like her when I grow up!!!)    Anyway, she did the above three charts on 25 count Lugana over one and they stole my heart!  I am serious!  I was having heart palpitations just looking at her wee darling little samplers.  I was hooked and had to try this myself!  Stat!

 

I have been on a Prairie Schooler bandwagon of late (well, always, but recently I have been highly enthusiastic about PS).  I did not have the Garden Sampler chart in my stash, so I thought I would try the 25 over one with this darling Christmas Day chart.

Here is my start!  Isn't it so dear???  I really love stitching over one on evenweave.  Dare I say it?  It is kind of easy (with the right magnification!)

Some of my friends have quite an extensive collection of the PS charts.  Why, oh why did I not just buy every one of them that came out?  Why did I stop stitching for ten years?  What was I thinking??  So, now when I see OOP PS charts I am snapping them up.  Above and below are some new finds.

Moving right along, I saw this darling chart on The Sampler Girl's site......Love it!  I am really hepped up about this summer with the Olympics in London and the Queen's Jubilee.  I hope to see extensive television coverage of both!  I will definitely be stitching The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Sampler this summer.

I had to get this chart to as it features a lovely line from Jane Austen's Emma.  I saw the most recent BBC version recently and it was divine!!!!

Okay, back to the over one stitching!  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  Mike and I are running away down to the Indy 500 this weekend! I can't wait as it is one of my passions........stitching, reading, music and Indy car racing....those are my love.  I have the feeling we are the only race fans who are planning stops at bookstores all the way down to Indianapolis! 

June 2012 Small

Here is what is going on over at the Year of Smalls blog.....

 Happy Mother's Day!  I thought it would be fun to get this month's small up early on a day that everyone feels celebratory.  


This month's small is Liberty Sewing Pouch by Stacy Nash Primitives!!!!!!  Isn't it wonderful???  Just gorgeous and totally cool!


This small was picked by Teresa and all the pictures on this entry of the finished piece are from her.  She did a great job stitching and fabulous job finishing this piece!  I think all of us will be lined up outside her door to request her services!

 Look how cute the kitting is!!!!

The kit will contain Weeks Dye Works linen in Confederate Grey, plus 7  skeins of DMC floss, plus the pattern.  There are two sizes of linen  available, both 30 and 35 count. Both kits are $25.  If you need Aida, please call or email Cathy at Inspired Needle and she can set you up.

Here is the link to Inspired Needle:  CLICK HERE!

 I love, love, love the designs by Stacy Nash!  You could give me any one of her charts and I would be happy!

 Here are some close-ups of Teresa's fine stitch work!

This is a great project to start the summer with don't you think???

Top of the Bag

Here are the projects that are at the top of my bag......I just received the second of the Prim Sisters project in the mail.  It is adorable and I can't wait to start stitching it!!  As you can see it is by Primitive Betty.  The Prim Sisters club is run by The Country Sampler shop in Wisconsin. 

I recently discovered this amazing bargain and totally great book by La-D-Da!!!  Eight projects in this book that costs about ten dollars!  And every project in the book is great.  Especially the one pictured below.  It is now on my short list.

I started the small project in Rain, Rain, Go Away!  I love her!!

Here is one of the projects I forgot to show you when I was having my Prairie Schooler inventory.  Love it!  I know I have more PS projects started upstairs too.....will have to get them all in one bag.....hmmmmm, one new Vera Bradley bag just to hold PS projects!  Great idea!!!

The Frenzy Takes Hold

You will recall from the last post that Summer Jubilee by BBD was a group obsession.   Brenda showed us her fiber and fabric for the project and then we were all jumping on the bandwagon.  Many of us had the book that the chart is in (the most glorious Souvenirs of Summer) and some of us went home that night and scoured the internet for it.  Lucky for me....it was in my stash.  

I started the project on 32 count Black Sheep Black by R&R and immediately had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.  It was hard to stitch on.  Hard to see.  It was work.  I was not going to stand for it!  Stitching is supposed to be relaxing.

So I started it over on 32 count Belfast Cream.  But my sinking feeling continued.  I imagined all my friends stitching along on the darker fabric.  I looked at the picture of the finished design.  The dark color fabric really makes the design pop.  It is integral to the design.  So, I decided that I would not let that dark fabric get the best of me.  I figuratively hitched up my pants and put on my determination cap and tried it again.

With my newfound vigor and support from my buddies, I went at it again and by golly, I can do it!  It was a little harder at first, but then it became kind of intuitive as to where my needle should land on the fabric.  Here is where I am now.

And the whole project is housed in this new stitching wallet from Natalia at Stitch 4 Joy.  The minute I saw this on her website I knew it had to come live with me. 

 Isn't it just adorable and so totally cool!!!!!

Do you have any stories of projects that you thought were too hard to do but that you conquered? 

Okay, back to Summer Jubilee!!!!