I'm looking forward to all the goodies coming out at the the online needlework show on April 14th! I'll have a couple of things, and Breanna will be releasing a new pattern too. She's really been working hard on getting some models going, and I'm so proud of her. :) 

Speaking of models, we had a bit of a model fiasco here recently. Breanna had asked on her Facebook page if anyone was willing to stitch a model for her, and a very sweet lady by the name of Jessica signed up. Since Bre was away at school – and all of her supplies were here – she asked me to please kit up her model and send it to Jessie. I said I would, and Bre trusted me to do just that…

I pulled her colors she chose and grabbed the right color of linen.

I wrote out a note on behalf of Bre and tucked everything in an envelope.

I took it to the post office and away it went, off to Miss Jessie's house.

A little while later, Bre checked in on Jessie to see if everything had arrived and was working out okay. According to the email response Bre received, Jessie seemed to be finding the experience a bit challenging…

My phone rang.

BRE: "What, exactly, did you send to Jessie?"

ME: "What, exactly, do you mean?"

BRE: "What did you kit up?"

ME: "What you told me to, ya goofball. Linen and threads and your chart!"

BRE: "What kind of linen?"

ME: "36 count. Why?"

BRE: "I told her I was sending 32 count!"

ME: "Ohhhhh….ummm….oh gosh…. I didn't see any 32 count. But it's only 4 more threads? I mean.. umm…. isn't it okay that it's only 4 more threads?"

BRE: (silence)

It was the uncomfortable silence that made me remember the time I thought 45 count would be a breeze bc it was only 5 threads more than 40 count. That 45-count sampler is still sitting in my closet, and my eyes go cross when I look at it.

A few more days passed, and Jessie explained to Bre that she was sorry the model was taking longer than expected, so Bre assured her that it was no big deal, and she could certainly send the model back.

When the model came back to the house, I opened it up to see how far Jessie had gotten…

Oh no. Oh no no no.

I called Bre…

ME: "Umm.. Bre?"

BRE: "What's up?"

ME: "I got the model back from Jessie.:

BRE: "Cool! How far was she able to get?"

ME: "Welll… she certainly did a lot of work, and her stitching is impeccable, but it has to be stitched over."

BRE: "Why?"

ME: (silence)

It grieved me to have to explain to Bre that when I looked at the note I'd included in the kit, I about messed my knickers. Glaring back at me in black ink were these words, in my own handwriting:

"Hi Jessie! Just use one strand of floss over one linen thread…"

36 ct…. one linen thread. Poor Jessie! (Laurie Arp still hasn't forgiven me for this same task when she stitched the Joshua model!)

Jessie, if you're reading, your work is absolutely perfect! And I'd like to once again apologize for my blunder. Oh my… Please don't run for the hills if you ever see Bre in your inbox again! I'm pretty sure she's fired me by now!

Shared with me, shared with you!

First we have Vaida from Lithuania's "Olga" and "Boris" finishes. She used Antique White Belfast with DMC and Crescent Colours… I love how they turned out on the lighter fabric. (And nice job on those photo backgrounds, Vaida! I looove how you photographed Boris.)

Here is Naty from Italy's "Hares' Fathers Day" finish… this was stitched using 32 ct. Graziano and DMC in slightly lighter colors than what the chart called for. I love it when I get to see how stitchers change a pattern's colors to something that suits their tastes better, and I love the changes you made, Naty!

Here's another finish from Lynn in Park City. (Remember her version of "A Sweeter Love"? ) This is her "Paradise Lost," which is on display at The Craft Center of Fine Stitchery… she changed the colors of the peacocks to her mother's favorite colors. Beautiful stitching again, Lynn!

Love this frame!

And here is Michele from Washington's finish of the St. Patrick's Day freebie (located a few posts back)… she stitched hers on 28-ct. coffee-dyed fabric using Crescent Colours (in Four-Leaf Clover, Erin-Go-Emerald, and Khaki Mocha) – and her husband helped pick out the backing fabric! Good job, Mr. Michele!

Thank you so much to everyone for sharing your finishes with me! Of all the patterns to choose from out there, what an honor it is that you chose to spend some time stitching one of mine. You make my day!

I just have to show you these fun photos that were sent to me… First up is from Bobbie at Stitching Bits and Bobs. She finished Olga on a fabric called Ancient by Picture This Plus. I love love love it!

Next is A Sweeter Love (one of my very first designs), finished by Lynn of Salt Lake City. She adapted it for her 40th wedding anniversary, and not only included the initials of all 5 of her children, but also of her 7 grandchildren as well. Number-eight is on the way, represented by a pink heart next to the lady. 🙂 I love all the changes she made to it!

Thank you so very much for sharing your lovely finishes with me, Bobbie and Lynn! I'm so very honored. 🙂