THE ATTIC. Sandy Orton s American Sampler February s Sampler of the Month

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1 Where Samplers Rule Just 15 minutes from the Airport at the NE CORNER OF CENTER & MCKELLIPS 106 E. McKellips Rd, Suite 111 Mesa, AZ TELEPHONE (480) FACSIMILE (480) THE ATTIC 2011 Nashville Market Report Issue No Sandy Orton s American Sampler February s Sampler of the Month We are privileged to have on display two beautiful models of this classic sampler design. The one on the left is on 28c, and the one on the right on 40c. We taught this as a class in the late 90s, I think it was, and several students finished theirs and have kindly loaned us their models for display. The chart suggests 25c Natural linen with 3 strands of DMC. NOT!! We suggest a smaller-count linen with silk. With the variety of specialty stitches and techniques, you will be spending many hours with this sampler. Why not enjoy it to the fullest extent with the best embroidery supplies available?! The gorgeous flowers in the border, as well as the strawberries and blossoms, are all stitched with the queen stitch! None of the queen stitch directions that I ve seen suggest that it is a pulled stitch. However, that is how I learned to do it from the master, Darlene O Steen. The trick is to ensure that the holes created by the pulling are the same size. Look how beautifully Evie has executed her queens. The photo on the right also shows the stitch that covers the background of the entire border. Above, You can see the subtle color change of the ground fabric in the cartouche section containing the words, created with the alternating running stitch. Left, Evie s beautiful queen/rococo stitches, perfectly executed. In the 2011 publication there are some changes in the AVAS silks listed in the Thread Legend due to discontinued colors as well as new additions to the Au Ver A Soie line. As our February Sampler of the Month, you will save 15% on your purchase of the following: hand-dyed linen (36c with 2-inch margins is $17) AVAS silk + Florimell $ (I wish this beautiful AVAS overdye had been available when I started mine in 1999???)

2 THE ATTIC! PAGE 2 February June As a member of our Attic Addicts Club, during February you may save 15% on your purchase of any of the following: Weeks, Colorscapes & Zweigart Hand-Dyed Linen Custom Cuts All Overdyed Cotton Floss One Nashville Market Day Item Tomorrow, February 26, Nashville Market Day It s finally here! This is our biggest event of the year, and some of you travel from neighboring states to be with us as we take off the wraps on all of the best that s new in our needlework world. Doors open at 9 AM for our Attic Addict members and 10 AM for the general public. You won t want to miss it! March March 3-6, 11 AM Thursday - Sunday 11 AM, Our Annual Junipine Retreat in Sedona. FULL for this year. Saturday, March 5, 10:30-12:30, Beginning Linen with Linda s Tulip needlebook design as the class project. The $30 fee includes Linda s expert instruction as well as the chart + materials for this very useful learning project. Sampler Sunday, June 20. Although as the third Sunday in June this is Father s Day, you will want to carve out a 3-hour time in the afternoon to join us for a very special Sampler Sunday with Barbara Hutson/Queenstown Sampler Designs with a very special presentation. Barbara is a renowned sampler expert, and we are honored to have her at The Attic. November Friday, November 4-6, A Weekend of Workshops with Jackie du Plessis. The projects (Pinks and Pearls and Lily of the Valley) details and pricing will be published in a few months. There will be some pre-stitching. November 19, 6-8 PM, Our 14th Annual BCRF Benefit, with all proceeds to benefit breast cancer research. We received our first donation this past week: Susan s exquisite afghan. (And I still haven t remembered to photograph the afghan, which was to fit in the space below :~( ) Saturday, March 12, March s Stitch-In & Potluck. We haven t had one of these since last year so it s time! Fee $10. Please call to register. Saturday, March 19, 10:30-12:30, Giant Stitch-Along There are too many projects to hold separate sessions, so if you re stitching on any of these, please join us: American Sampler, I Sigh Not for Beauty, Spanish Mystery Sampler, any Hawk Run Hollow, or Time Well Spent. Fee $10. Please call to register. March 20, Sampler Sunday, 1-4 PM The 3rd Sunday of the month means it s time for this almost-monthly time together to do some sampler stitching and show and share your in-progress or finished pieces. Refreshments served. Fee $10. Please call to register. Saturday, March 26, 10:00-12:00, Stitching on Silk Gauze With the release of more beautiful Erica Michaels designs, it reminds me that it s time once again to schedule this perennially popular class, and maybe you and I will be fortunate enough to have Rhonda available as my teaching assistant. That s my euphemism for the real teacher, who s actually stitched dozens of beautiful silk gauze designs, which she brings to inspire you. Choose your favorite design, and in class we will help you select your fibers. Fee $10. As always, you will receive a 10% discount on all class supplies, including lights and magnification. We still have some BCRF cookbooks left. Support a great cause (all net proceeds go to breast cancer research) by buying a copy(s) of the Recipes for a Cure cookbook for a donation of $14.95 (or more) with fabulous time-tested recipes as well as complimentary designs from the following giants in our industry: Blackberry Lane Designs, Blackbird Designs, Blue Ribbon Designs, Homespun Elegance, JBW Designs, Little House Needleworks, Lizzie Kate, Mary Garry s Sewing Cabin, Plum Street Samplers, Priscilla s Pocket, and The Sampler House (Eileen Bennett).

3 THE ATTIC! PAGE 3 Just Back from Nashville Clockwise from the left: Just a few of the finds waiting to be packed in the suitcases ~ Maegan (read more about her below) and me arriving in Phoenix with the take ~ the goods all priced and waiting under the covers to be ooh d and ah d over starting tomorrow morning at 9 AM! Meet Maegan Jennett our newest employee! Vickie s daughter-in-law, whom many of you already met if you attended our January Primitive Gathering, will be joining The Attic s staff in early March, and I am very excited to have her join us. She attended Nashville along with others in Vickie s family to help her, but she also helped me tremendously. AND she had an opportunity to meet many of our needlework heroes and see and be inspired by the efforts of their creativity. So she has already learned so much, in addition to what she s learned from being a part of Vickie s family for 18 months. I know you will love her enthusiasm, earnestness, courtesy, and intelligence as much as I do, so when you meet her either in the shop or over the phone, make her feel welcome while she learns the myriad things that make up our fabulous needlework world.

4 THE ATTIC! PAGE 4 From Little House Needleworks Above, 2 views of Fresh From The Garden, a threadpack that combines Little House Needleworks designs + Crescent Colours hand-dyed cotton for $23 AND the Impie, Hattie & Bea Needlebook & Matching Pincushion $28 ~ Below left, a new seasonal monochromatic four-part series threadpack $14, aptly called Seasons, with a skein of Belle Soie in each; Spring is here now ~ and Bringing Home the Tree $6, Ornament 2 in the 2011 series ~ next week after all of the many Nashville shipments are unpacked and priced, we will ready the kits for you. Thanks for your patience.

5 THE ATTIC! PAGE 5 Here from Blackbird Designs Above, this 52-page book, A Stitcher s Journey $27, of samplers, sewing boxes, pincushions and more is a collector s item for sure. Right, the 6 Rewards of Merit just released, each $8. Two models I loved in Norden s booth were, left, Heartstring Samplery s Permit Me Not to Stray $10 ~ and, right, next in the Kris s Stitches Series, All Things Great and Small $7 ~ I ll try next time to show this one not quite so small. Each vignette is ADORABLE!

6 THE ATTIC! PAGE 6 From Erica Michaels Here are the newest in her fabulous Petites Collection. I want to stitch them all! All charts come with the 40c silk gauze and clearly illustrated instructions/diagrams on this very easy technique: the continental stitch on silk gauze, creating these masterpieces. Clockwise from the upper left: Welcome Grace $15 ~ Hope (is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul) $15 ~ Home in the Summer $15 ~ Woman of Valor $18, dedicated to her mother and her battle with breast cancer (see the Pink Ribbon?) ~ and Friendship $15. Thank you, Linda, for adding such loveliness to our world, and best wishes to you for continued inspiration in this perfect niche` that you have found! Watch for our perennial techniques class on silk gauze and see how easy this is!

7 THE ATTIC! PAGE 7 From All Through the Night I know you recognize these earlier designs from Bonnie Sullivan, shown in the upper left, Merry Christmas $4 and A Sheltering Tree $8, but we were thrilled to find ALL of these new designs from Bonnie in Nashville. Clockwise from above: Smitten $4 ~ In The Berry Patch $4 ~ Holly And The Ivy $8 ~ Use What Talents $8 ~ Halloween Is In The Air $8 ~ May I $8

8 THE ATTIC! PAGE 8 From Kathy Schmitz Here is one of the many things that makes going to Nashville so special: meeting new designers with fresh, new designs that add greatly to our needlework passion and enjoyment. Welcome, Kathy, to our world! We are so grateful you are here! Clockwise from above are her fabulous designs, each $8: Seasons ~ Kringle Keepers ~ Nesting ~ Ruby Notes ~ Bird Songs Pillow ~ Pin Skep

9 THE ATTIC! PAGE 9 From Blue Ribbon Designs Two new charts, each $14, above, Turn the Page, A Bookmark Sampler and, left and below, Holiday Helpings, a Stitch Starter Ruler with sleeve designs for six holidays, Valentine s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. A wonderful gift for your BSF or for yourself! The back view of each is also shown below. Attic, Mesa, AZ Toll-Free: ATTIC ( )

10 THE ATTIC! PAGE 10 From Rovaris of Italy Above, twin sisters Paola and Livia, the design team behind these wonderful European-style designs all stitched on natural linen with RED, a favorite of many, including Tamami and me! Just Released from Needlemade Designs In addition to several of their charming designs for all seasons, we are very excited and await our shipment of these charming pendant necklaces. I LOVED them, with their adorable charms and a tassel adding additional decoration to the lovely frame and quick-to-stitch monogram, another perfect gift for your BSF or yourself! I expect these to be arriving within the next several weeks, and their retail price should be somewhere between $ Left, 1860 Floral Box, a beautiful box design based on an antique and originally published in the Summer 2009 issue of Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly and, right, Black Cat Hornbook $9, which includes charted designs for 28-, 32-, 36-, and 40-count fabrics to fit on the Priscilla s Pocket hornbook/threadboard $24.

11 THE ATTIC! PAGE 11 From JBW Designs Clockwise from left above: Heirloom Baby Sampler $13 w/buttons (we ve ordered the pillows as well, not sure of the price, don t have that info at my fingertips this morning) ~ A Winter Collection $10 ~ French Country Teddy Bear $5 ~ French Country Wedding Bells $7 ~ Sweet Baby Gifts $5 (also ordered these little pillows, and I also don t remember the price on these) ~ Scottie Dog $5. Please call or if you re interested in the pre-made pillows and that information can be provided.

12 THE ATTIC! PAGE 12 From Jeannette Douglas Some of the most exquisite models showing in Nashville! Clockwise from above: Royalty ABC Accessories $15 ~ Royalty ABC Sampler $20 ~ Royalty ABC Sampler Embellishment Pack $60 ~ Olde Colonial burl wood box $80 (See how nicely the rolled sampler fits inside the box) ~ Quaker Stitches $15 and the Embellishment Pack $26 for the multi-color version ~ Thistle Lavender Bag and Accessories $15 ~ and the Thistle Lavender Bag Embellishment Pack $44

13 THE ATTIC! PAGE 13 More From Jeannette Douglas Left, Two Tulips and, right, One Key, each $7 From SamSarah Left, Fresh Mesh-Spring Flower Tote & Hearts Clutch $8 ~ What a FRESH idea: Stitch on MESH! I LOVED these and, unfortunately, was too late in Patti s suite to get the mesh products, BUT they are on order! The tote is $48 and the clutch is $17. Counterclockwise from the left below: Harried Hare $8, and those carrots are TOO adorable for words ~ Farmer s Market-Melon $8 begins a series of wonderful fruits, with directions to complete either the 3-dimensional fruits or the to-be-framed-or-pillowed flat designs ~ Sadie Stuart Spring Flower Sampler $8

14 THE ATTIC! PAGE 14 From Just*Nan Clockwise from the left: Needle Flutters $12.50 are a fun little place to keep needles or a special pin. Each kit includes embellishments, fusible interfacing, overdyed wool, wired cord for the antennae, and a snap to keep it closed. The Purple Butterfly Pin $10 is being shipped. The Needle Flutter Perch $15 is available in assorted styles ~ we ve brought home a selection! Violets Humbug $12.50, includes the beads and ribbon as well as complete finishing instructions ~ an extra is the Violet Pin $10.50 ~ Bluebird Alphabet $11 has two happy bluebirds tucked among the letters, as well as their nest perched on the Y and tiny glass flowers scattered throughout ~ the next 3 items are very limited: the Hot Tomato Pin $10.50, an adorable pincushion on the head of a pin! ~ Whirlibirds, a Nashville Show Special, $21.50 ~ and the Stardust Dragon Pin $15.50

15 THE ATTIC! PAGE 15 Coming March 1 From Just*Nan Left to right above: The very French Feathered Fashion $13 needle slide in pink and black colors also includes the overdyed wool, fusible interfacing, and complete finishing instructions ~ the Bird Cage Pin is extra ($10) ~ Minerva s Mouse Limited Edition kit $65 includes the owl box, limestone Belfast linen, crystal beads, wired cording for the mouse s tail, and antique brass button for the mouse s bottom ~ Miss Mousie hides inside the box. New From Chessie & Me From the left: With My Hand $20 w/36c Lakeside linen ~ Hillside Sheep Needlebook $10 stitched on Lakeside s 32c Sienna Night ~ Scarlet s Pincushion $10 stitched on Lakeside s 36c Examplar ~ and Birds of a Feather kit $20 Right, here s the sheepie (and one goat) needlebook that we watched being created during Linda s visit in January. It is very adorable!

16 THE ATTIC! PAGE 16 Our Customers Share Clockwise from above: Kathleen s Gingerbread House from The Victoria Sampler, inside and out ~ Ardeth s Country Life finished as a pillow, a wall-space alternative. In addition to being very busy at the shop, we ve been busy with family and friends. My brother Jer and his wife Nancy just left to go back to Wisconsin, and now we re left with wonderful memories. Below, a special Valentine s Day dinner ~ Right, Jer and John, who was honored by his peers at the Arizona Woodturners banquet last Saturday night. Thank you, Nancy, for texting me this photo while I was away. I ve never seen a bigger smile on John s face, and I was sad to have missed the very special occasion. And our special grandchildren, now so grown up, on a weekend in Sedona a few weeks ago. How did they grow up so fast? Christy s new pincushion model from JABCO, Stuck on You $39