Important Message

Our Fall catalog is just about ready to be mailed. If you have a new or different address, or if you haven't ordered in the past several months, and would like to continue receiving catalogs, you will need to either place an order, or send us a note to ensure you are included in the September mailing. Just send us an email with your name, customer number (if it's handy), old address and new address so we can get our records correct.

Click here to e-mail us!

We want our catalog to arrive in your mailbox as quickly as possible! Thank you. Now, on to our featured stitcher this week.

"Needlework has been a very calming factor in my life! It has been my stress reliever, my tensions 'unwinder' and has even helped me survive four major surgeries that my husband had to have and two surgeries for me - one for breast cancer and one for a broken hip!!!" Today I will tell you about another one of our customer/newsletter subscribers, Sally Dotson of Spokane, Washington, USA. Sally has been stitching for almost 30 years and here is her stitching story.

Photo shows Sally holding one of her stitched pieces which is a Jean Hilton canvaswork design.

"I stitched my first piece in about 1980. A neighbor was a stitcher and she was the one who sparked my interest. I took a class at a local needlework shop (no longer in business) and it was counted cross stitch. I can't even remember what the project was. Over the years I have done counted cross stitch, Brazilian embroidery, Rozashi, huck weaving, Hardanger, silk gauze, petite point, crewel and Needlepoint. Needlepoint (canvaswork) is my favorite!!! Two hours devoted to stitching a day is about average, but more than that is BONUS TIME!!

Right now, my favorite designer is Laura J. Perin, however, I'm also working on a piece by From Nancy's Needle that I am enjoying. Geometrics are a current favorite!

My favorite stitching tool is my Dazor and Ott Lights. My Dazor lights are in my home and I use my Ott light when I am in stitching classes or at my twice yearly stitching retreats!

My favorite fabric is either 18 count mono canvas or 24 count congress canvas. I love working with almost any fiber but some of the overdyed fibers are SO exciting to see stitched up!

Besides needlework, I ALWAYS have a book going. I also belong to two Project Circles at my church (community oriented projects). For one right now we are knitting lap robes and afghans for shut-ins, elderly, etc. I also enjoy knitting and jigsaw puzzles. I love travelling and visiting new places. I did work outside of the home for many years as a secretary and computer operator (when computers were the size of office desks!) I am still involved in community activities, especially with the 64th annual Musicfest Northwest Group, a festival for young artists (over 1000 participants each year) in the Pacific Northwest.

I have many projects waiting in my 'stash', most of which already have the fibers to stitch them! I would love to do more Rozashi - a Japanese technique that I've had on the 'back burner' for far too many years. I have given away many pieces over the years.

Most of my friends who have received pieces of my stitchery have been most appreciative and have admired my work. I think the largest piece I have ever stitched was Genny Morrow's 'Serenity' and another friend of mine's design called 'Meet the Family'. This was a wonderful sampler of stitches that could either be worked on linen or Congress cloth. I stitched mine on Congress cloth.

In closing, my little bit of wisdom is; Enjoy what time is being given you with things you like to do! Life will have no reruns - and the present is not a 'dress rehearsal'."

Thank you for sharing, Sally. Your work is beautiful and I believe you have inspired many today to try canvaswork.

I'm always looking for more people to feature in my newsletter. If you would like to be featured, please write to me and I will send you the questionnaire.

I receive comments from readers frequently after a newsletter has arrived. Here are some letters from the mailbag I want to share with you as some may be helpful to you:

"I always use a green pen to mark off as I work a pattern as it is easier to see at night. Here we in New Zealand are into early spring. Ernestina"

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"I thoroughly enjoy receiving your news letters. I look forward to reading them and can totally see myself in all the stories I read. Thank You. Janis"

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"I've made a quite a few hankie quilts. I stabilize the hankies with a lightweight stabilizer (Pellon's bi-stretch) and then do a border around each printed cotton hankie. I'll make a 12-15" hankie into a 24" block and then sew 6 of them together for a twin bed quilt. They'll have a common theme -- flowers or animals, or a color theme and that will tie everything together. The floral hankie quilt used the same border for each hankie in colors to make the flowers; the color themed quilts use different borders for each hankie all with a common color. The sashing ties everything together. Renee Fields Astoria, NY"

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"Thank you for getting back to me - appreciate it - I am so enjoying the web site and the newsletter and I loved Doris's article - I no longer feel bad about my stash - I haven't been stitching for awhile and am trying to get motivated - the web site is surely an inspiration - thanks again Laura Wetterau"

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"Just a quick note to say how proud and happy I am that you have adopted an older kitty from the nearby shelter. Bless you! Little gold stars were put by your name on Santa's "good" list. I know I sound over-the-top on this but I volunteer at a no-kill animal shelter here in Richmond, Virginia and we have a number of the sweetest, most loving kitties that are, well, "adults" (maybe in age but not attitude, LOL). Its kitten season and we are packed with kittens which people are drawn to and it's hard to beat a kennel full of adorable kittens. Fortunately, the word is getting out and we are seeing our older residents going to their "forever homes." So, thank you for taking a chance on Gabby. I know you miss Harley so much but you're right. A house isn't a home without a kitty. Just hope she can adjust quickly to the dogs. You're right. A good sign to see her snoozing on the bed.

Also, have loved the helpful hints from everyone about reusing old handworked/embroidered linens. I have some that I treasure myself. I love the idea of the shadow box with the picture of stitcher and crochet hook!

Thank you again for a wonderful and fun newsletter and good luck with Gabby.

Kathy Louthan"

The above comment about making a Hanky Quilt has to do with this feature interactive topic,

What are we going to do with all of our vintage and antique embroidery pieces and hankies?

Here are a few more comments from our newsletter readers:

26. Dear Roz,

    In your news letter you asked if anyone had any ideas as to what to do with old hankies. I have a collection of about 30 and didn't know what to do with them until I found a book from Leisure Arts called "Memory Quilts In the Making" (no longer in print). The hankies belonged to my husband's Grandmother and are wonderful keepsakes.

    The book shows several very good ideas as to how to use them. The idea I chose was to appliqué them onto one large piece of fabric along with some lace and different trims. The book suggested that you could shape them into butterflies and embroider the antenna also. Another idea was to mount each hankie or "butterfly" on individual squares which is more customary. I have also appliqued some photos and some cross stitch. I have used my sewing machine for appliquéing most of the butterflies but, have also hand stitched the lace and trim.

    The pictures I am attaching show what I have done so far to my quilt top. It is a project I am really enjoying. It is my first attempt at quilting. It will be queen size so I have lots of empty space to fill up between the hankies.

    

    I hope this gives your readers an idea as to what to do with those beautiful old hankies.

    I also want to tell you how much I look forward every Monday to reading your news letter.

    Thanks, Jeanne T. Wylie, Texas

27. My suggestion for using up old hankies - especially if they are still "new" would be to use them as table napkins.

    I have some Christmas hankies which are just ideal for the festive Christmas table. And when we were in Australia a few years back, I picked up some hankies in my home town of Perth They have beautiful pictures of wildflowers, animals, scenes and other attractions and make perfect napkins. There are so many memories attached to the pictures.

    May be if they are used as napkins, they would also trigger some long forgotten friend or family member. I think it could lend itself to all kinds of interesting table settings and meals.

    Barbara H. Salmon Arm, B.C. Canada

28. One idea for some of your smaller pieces of needlework may be to use them in a crazy quilt or just a regular quilt.

    Nancy New Mexico

29. I have seen old hankies made into dolls, similar to pillowcase dolls. This would make a really neat gift. I know there are patterns out there.

    As for the old linens, what about displaying several on the old drying racks, that fold like an accordion. My mom used to have one, and you see them in the old movies. Just an idea.

    Lorna, Sioux City, Iowa

30. Hi Roz, After my mom died, I found I had many old hankies, between hers and my own. I sent them to my mom's sister and she made them into butterfly appliques and then combined them into quilts. My Aunt Vivian made three of these quilts, one for me and one for each of my brothers. They are nine squares large, so are about the size of a baby quilt. She made them with a pocket and mine hangs on the wall as a wall hanging. She got the idea from a quilt she saw on display at the Denver Museum of Art when they had a quilt display.

    They are decorated with additional surface embroidery and beading. The hanky butterflies remind us of our mom and also serve as a reminder of our dear aunt who spent many an hour creating this remembrance of our mom for us. She's a sweetie!

    I have included a photo of a portion of my quilt.

    

    Susan Reyes Lancaster, California

If you have questions or comments on this topic, please write to me.

My second interactive topic is:

My favorite place to stitch in the summertime and what I plan to stitch this summer are:

41. Hi Roz, My favorite summer stitching spot is on an island off the coast of Maine. Our family house faces south with about 200 yards of huge rocks between us and the ocean. I hunker down into those rocks with the waves crashing about, gulls calling from above and the best light in the entire world - sunlight! For the past few years, the Beatrix Potter sampler has been my companion, as she will be again this year. Since we have no electricity, stitching with the sun is the only way to go! And if I am lucky, some children, grandchildren and my beloved husband are with me. No cars, no stores, no phones(!) but lots of stars at night and stitching in the day. Perfect!

    Ellen, Massachusetts

42. Hi Roz, I love to take my stitching camping with me and work on it outside during the day to get all that wonderful sunlight. At night, I have a wonderful Ott-Lite that I use inside the trailer while everyone else is reading, playing cards or other games. When we're not camping, I love to sit out on my porch and listen to the bird while I stitch. I ALWAYS have more than one project going at a time (just like my mother and grandmother with their quilts!), but I'm really going to try to finish a bunch this summer. some of them are "Winter Rose" by Lavender and Lace, and Stephanie Hedgepath's "Sword Gate," "Navarre Cottage," and "Magnolia Bridge" from the "Journeys with Jimanie" series. I have absolutely fallen in love with her designs. Wish me luck on finishing something!

    Patty D Marlborough, MA

43. Hi Roz, My favorite place to stitch in the summer is actually one of 2 places - depending on the weather - either on our deck my husband built which is full of bright shade, sitting in the loveseat. Or - as is usually the case - when it is too windy (which it almost always is here in Nebraska) - I sit in our sun porch with windows on 3 sides, looking out on our back pasture and the adjoining farm fields. I can stitch until nearly 8 pm before I have to turn on a light. My project for the summer is to complete Christmas stockings for all of our combined family - 6 grown kids in all plus the two of us. I am utilizing the Shepherd's Bush patterns and have finished the 3rd one since Christmas. My goal is to finish all of them before Christmas - while attending grad school full time and completing my internship. My stitching keeps my sanity within reach - especially during times of stress. Our kids have all left the nest, my husband (age 65) had a total knee replacement last week, and our 13 year old Golden Retriever passed on that same week. Both my husband and I have returned to school (I'm 50) and are "re-firing" for church work/mission work. Needless to say, my needle has been flying very quickly these past few weeks.

    Vicki in Nebraska

44. Actually, I don't have a favorite place, because anywhere I am, where ever I go, there is my absolute favorite place to stitch. When we travel, the first things packed are the needlework and the lights. I have stitched on river boats in China, on barges in Russia, in castles in England and Germany. I have stitched at Cinderella's castle (or at least the guide said it was). I have stitched in grand hotels and in small motels. I have stitched at home, in my son's house, in my daughter's house, on my deck, and in the backyard. I have stitched at friends' homes, and in doctor's offices. And have loved stitching in all of them.

    Joan

45. Dear Roz: Just had to take you up on the request for letters on this subject. My husband and I spend most of the summer camping in the mountains of Washington state. He spends his time metal detecting or fishing and I have time to do whatever I want and that is STITCH. Have a few designs in mind for this year. I want to do the "Desiderata", the cross stitch "Peacock Cipher", and the "Abalone". Just wonder how far along I will get before we have to leave on a trip to California after Labor Day. Of course, the stitching will go along. LOL.

    Annice T. Yakima, WA

46. I changed careers in Feb. 2009. I retired from teaching and became a lamb producer when 8 of my ewes presented me with 15 lambs.

    These days I take my stitching or knitting or... out to the pasture and sit in my lawn chair while supervising the sheep. We have a coyote problem so I sit, stitch and watch. My faithful Border Collie one side and a big stick on the other.

    I live in Southern Ontario Canada. I bought the sheep so I could train my Border collies but I really enjoy breeding and raising the sheep.

    Of course once you have sheep you have fleece so now I will have to learn to spin. My sheep do not have soft fleece for sweaters but the fleece is good for weaving rugs and locker hooking. I have started doing a locker hooked rug. It will be done in sections so that I can make it whatever size I have ambition for.

    I do all sorts of needle craft. Cross stitch, bargello, crotchet, tatting etc. Always have my hands in something. My last year of teaching I was allowed to teach a group of developmentally delayed students different crafts. We did plastic canvas, beading, sewing, painting T-shirts. Lots of things and the students were so proud to show off what they had made. I even took in one of my fleeces to school and one of my classes washed and dyed it. We stunk up the whole school and these were downtown city kids but everyone was coming into the class to see what we were doing. I used an antique drum carder to make bats and the students did some

    locker hooking and some small quilts. What fun.

    Always busy!! Lene

47. My favorite stitching place is anywhere my stitching friends and I get together. Usually we get together twice a month at either Martin's grocery store in the cafe area or Borders bookstore in their cafe area. We laugh and talk and share what we are stitching and encourage each other. It's just a great time to be with friends that have the same needlework passion as I do.

    I'm hoping to find a beaded towel that has all kinds of Mill Hill buttons and beads on it - dragonflies, ladybugs and butterflies - that I started and then put down - that's what I would like to work on this summer and finish.

    Karen C. Harpers Ferry, WV

48. Hi, I live in Craftsman home that is almost 100 years old. It has a wonderful tiny sun porch that I only use in the summer. It has 11 windows and from it, I can see my deck and garden and oh yes, a busy street. (I live in a college neighborhood.) I close it off from the rest of the house in the winter, and I really long to be out there when Spring comes. It's the greatest place to be when it rains. It's like being in the rain without getting wet. As for what I'm stitching, I recently discovered cross stitch designs based on actual paintings. I have prints by JW Waterhouse and Gustav Klimt, and I found designs of those paintings. Right now I'm working on Soul of the Rose by Waterhouse. It's a project from The Gold Collection of Dimensions. I do believe it will be an all summer project. I think it will be fun to have the print and the stitching.

    Lynn T. Oshkosh WI

49. Roz -- I will stitch pretty much anywhere that I can tote my projects, but mostly I'm sitting on my couch watching TV while I stitch or while I'm riding in the car. My guy does all the out-of-town driving, so I can accomplish a lot when we travel.

    I started a tradition about 25 years ago of stitching Christmas ornaments for very close family members and friends (about 10 people). Some people have a theme (bears, bunnies, snowmen) while others have a wide variety of subjects among their ornaments. These people are very appreciative of their ornaments and look forward to getting them every year. In fact, if I even hint that I might not make them, there are loud objections! I made my son-in-law a wonderful fishing Santa stocking (Fishing Buddies from StitchWorld, Inc.) and have plans to make stockings for my daughter and granddaughters eventually. I also have some large projects that may have to wait until retirement (!) such as Van Gogh's "Starry Night" and some of the "Lavender and Lace" angels. In the meantime I'm working on an advent calendar (The Cricket Collection from The Cross-Eyed Cricket) and my third ornament for this year's batch.

    I have a question that someone out there may be able to answer. There are some cross-stitch patterns and designers (Suzy's Zoo comes to mind) whose patterns have outlining that does not match the stitching. For example, to create a less blocky appearance, the outline goes either just inside the stitching or outlines an area slightly outside where there is no stitching. I find this look quite messy when you look at it up close, although it looks fine from a distance. My question is: is there a name for this type of pattern or outlining? When I'm ordering a kit or pattern book by mail, I don't have the luxury of examining it for this pattern and I prefer not to stitch these pieces. I ended up with three kits through the mail that all employ this type of stitching and I have no interest in stitching them. If there's a name for this type of designing, I could explain that when I order something and maybe avoid being stuck again with items I don't want. Thanks for any help you can give me with this dilemma.

    Kay J. Helena, MT

If you have an answer for Kay or just want to add your comments to this topic that is now:

My favorite place to stitch in the Fall and Winter and what I plan to stitch are:

Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 T fresh basil or one-half teaspoon dried basil
• 4 slices smoked or regular mozzarella cheese, each one-fourth inch thick
• 2 T EVOO - extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large green and/or red bell pepper cut into thin strips
• 1 medium onion cut into thin strips
• 1 cup sliced portabella mushrooms
• One-third cup white wine or chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cut a three inch long slit in each chicken piece from one end to the other. Sprinkle the basil over the cheese slices and slip a cheese slice into each pocket, folding it as needed to fit. Close the edges and secure with toothpicks if necessary. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the peppers, onions and mushrooms and cook until browned and slightly soft. Move this mixture to the outside of the skillet and ad the chicken. Cook until lightly browned. Turn and place the peppers, onions and mushrooms around the chicken. Add the wine or broth and bake uncovered in a 350° oven for 20 minutes, turning once during the baking. Remove from the oven and place chicken on serving plate with the vegetables placed around the chicken. Add a bit of water to the drippings in the pan to get all the juices released. Pour over the dish and serve. Rice is an excellent side dish.

You only have 1 WEEK until the spring sale ends! Don't delay, order today:

Catalog Sale!

Summertime brings many visitors to Nordic Needle. We enjoyed a visit from Mary and Steve Swartz who live in Pennsylvania and were traveling back across country from the west coast. Mary is the designer and author of the book, "Mary's Hardanger Fancies".

We always enjoy getting to know our customers as they travel through. Please stop by anytime!

Several of you wrote to me about my new cat that we adopted from the Humane Society. She is working out beautifully! However, her name just didn't seem to fit. To be honest, she came from the Humane Society with the name of Bertha. Then we changed it to Gabby. Well, that didn't really fit so we have started calling her Lussi, and this is sticking! Lussi is the Norwegian version of Lucy and the name of a distant relative in Norway that my mom just met while visiting there this summer. Lussi was just sitting on my lap while I was writing this newsletter so she is getting more adjusted daily. She has her playful times and mostly, loves sleeping in her little cat cube or on our bed. She still avoids the dogs but is getting more comfortable around them. I highly recommend adopting a pet from your local Humane Society or other pet adoption organization.

I'm itching to get back to stitching, now that the catalog is finished. I have many projects planned in my mind so am excited to get them on fabric and want to share them with you! With summer coming to an end (already!), I'm looking forward to spending more time stitching and hope you are too. Let us know how we can help you plan your next project. We are here for you!

Thank you for your time,

www.NordicNeedle.com
1-800-433-4321