I thought I'd show whoever may read this some of the little things I didn't include in my first two Attic posts. 🙂

Here are a couple of "smalls" I made from the upcoming Brother's Keeper chart (to be released at Nashville)…

I won't be putting instructions in the chart for these, as they're really very simple. The top small is simply a stitched portion of the chart, cut in a circle and stretched over the top of a pimento jar lid (with a small piece of thin batting underneath the stitched piece). Then I added some trim I found in a scrapbook store and put some of Kelmscott's mother-of-pearl hex buttons inside.

This is another small I brought to The Attic. It's called A Symposium Keepsake, and I've got a packet of needles in the pocket…

Here are some of my purchases from the shop…

I figured this would go in Bre's bedroom; it's the Token of Love kit by The Essamplaire, and I fell in love with the Colonial-looking couple on it.

I had to have these two charts: Elizabeth Savilles and Hannah Tingey…

And the odd birds on this sampler by Scarlet Letter charmed me into buying it… (Tanya Brockmeyer convinced me to give 45 ct. a try, so I chose Lakeside's Vintage Pearled Barley, which is some of the most beautiful fabric I've ever seen. The mottling is so beautiful, I could just swim in it! I'd tried 45 ct. one other time – on Jane Rees – but I wasn't using the correct needle, and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Jean told me that although I was using a beading needle, which is recommended, I needed a tapestry-point beading needle, which I didn't even know existed until I visited her shop. It truly has made all the difference!)

Each letter so far has been stitched by a different dear friend of mine. Jen came up with the idea, and I loved it. It makes the sampler so much more meaningful to me!

(Btw, I'm using my own conversion of Dinky Dyes, Belle Soie, and Gloriana silks.)

And of course, after seeing Darlene's finished sampler in person, I had to have Scarlet Letter's Vierlande Sampler. The only parts of this gorgeous Adam & Eve sampler that aren't stitched in red are their hair-do's and the serpent…

I chose 40 ct. Fern Gully by Stitches & Spice for the linen, and Gloriana's Schoolhouse Red…

Lastly, I want to show you the gorgeous party-favors that Jean's husband, John, made for each of the attendees at the Symposium.

Here is the coolest tape-measure I've ever seen! It's made of ebony wood, and John joked that it was his very first sampler, stitched over one on zero count. 😉

Each of the attendees also received one of these personalized wooden needlecases – filled with Bohin needles – that John made as well!

(If you like either or both of these, they can be ordered directly from The Attic for $40 each.)

I suppose I should get off of here and go wallow in my new stash. I intend to set aside time for stitching as well, but for now I'm content to wallow. 🙂 See you soon!

I was recently contacted by Dawn, a Pennsylvania-based stitcher who has extra copies of the Just Cross Stitch 2011 Ornament Preview issue and the Just Cross Stitch 2011 Halloween issue. She has graciously offered to pass them along to a fellow stitcher, if anyone is interested.

For those interested, her email address is  medspell1970@comcast.net

Thank you so much, Dawn! What a sweet offer!

Speaking of stitching, it's been ages since I picked up my beloved Elizabeth Sheffield (from The Scarlet Letter). Mom and I started this as a stitch-along in the latter part of the summer, but then things got in the way and I had to put it on hold. I thought I'd be put off by all the over-one stitching in this piece, but it turns out that I'm addicted to doing it! I'm so excited to get back to it, but that won't be until some time in 2012, most likely.

Here was the last progress picture I took, although I actually am a bit farther along than this…

I started the over-one stitching with the bright blue bird up at the top. I had intended to do full crosses since I was working on 36 ct linen, but I noticed that the farther along I got, the more cramped for space the threads were. I couldn't figure out why the stitching was so laborious for me, and that's when I realized that the stitches looked awfully small… so I took out my ruler and did some measuring, and it turns out I had been stitching on 40 ct the whole time.

I finished the bird in full crosses (which is a normal thing for many stitchers, but not for me!), but as for the remainder of over-one stitching on this sampler, it will be completed in tent stitches. Phew!

I've stitched down to the row of Colonial couples so far, and the first lady is finished. I left off with most of the man stitched, and am very excited to pick this lovely project back up again. It has truly been one of the most enjoyable things I've ever stitched!

When it's finished, it will go in Bre's room, which you may remember is being re-decorated in a Colonial Couples theme. And when Bre comes home, she'll just have to put on a lace bonnet and do her homework with a quill and inkwell, by candlelight. 😉