You've been busy

I've had some wonderful photographs of finishes show up in my inbox over the last few weeks!

Tammy used Old Maid of the Abyss from Vikki Clayton's Hand-Dyed Fibers to stitch up Cirque des Cercles. I LOVE that thread color. Vikki sure makes some beautiful silks.

Tammy's Cirque des Cercles

And Pam personalized this Cirque des Cercles to make it into a birth sampler for her new granddaughter Stella.  Beautiful frame and mat job to really set off the embroidery!!!  Pam used Gloriana's Fallen Leaves silk on Legacy's Oaten Scone 34 ct. linen.

Cirque de Stella

Lois, the owner of Nedlewerkes in Copperas Cove, TX, sent this photo of a Blackstone Fantasy Garden hat trick. She had been working on it using Carrie's Silks when I last saw her and it was just beautiful. They were having a stitch along at the shop.  It's nice to see the different framing options chosen.

BFG Stitch Along

Linda shares this picture of Peregrination. Very cool. That is a fun Celtic chart that I always liked, and we don't get to see too many of them. Peregrination means wanderings, which is precisely what those Celtic paths do.

Linda's Peregrination

 Lovely work, Ladies! Congratulations on the finishes - we're all Happy Dancing with you.

I Do Like Them Sam I Am

Dr. Seuss never names the grumpy guy that doesn't like the Green Eggs and Ham. We just know that Sam I Am is the one able to knock some sense into him.

For those folks who hadn't been fans, I share with you pictures from a stitcher named Sam who is doing her best to convince you to try an Ink Circles stitch. She stitched Blackstone Fantasy Garden with metallic thread outlining the knot, variegated within, and DMC colors for the blackwork.

And this is Cirque des Carreaux.  Again, metallics and variegated threads give this such sparkle and motion. What a great combination.

Thanks for sharing these photos, Sam!  What lovely work. I think we can all say we DO like them.

Disclaimer: although stitching on a train is highly recommended, the counter part, "stitching in the rain" is ill advised, particularly when using non-colorfast threads.

Bonnie's Trifecta

Bonnie was gathering up her recent finishes to take to an open house at her LNS, when she realized that all three pieces were Ink Circles charts.   Blackstone Fantasy Garden, Kaleidoscope, and Growth Rings (which just happens to be available for purchase as a stand-alone chart now - it was previously only available in the magazine issue.)  What an awesome collection of finishes, Bonnie!

 So my final question: Was this Win/Place/Show ticket a coincidence or proof positive of the efficacy of the subliminal messages that are imprinted on every chart?

Jill Rensel-ified

Here is another one you are going to love shared by Lori A. (as opposed to Lori D. who just wowed us with that Whiskey colored Quaker Floral Puzzle.)  Lori completed Blackstone Fantasy Garden on 28 count Lugana Opal Sahara Flair by Enchanted Fabrics. She used the Carrie's colors called for everything except she put in a little Fall Splendour in place of the Elk Snout.

As you can see, that would have been beautiful just to have stopped there, but Lori hooked up with Jill Rensel for the finishing.  Hers is a name and a style that is instantly recognizable to anyone who has seen the Shepherd's Bush kits.  Jill's trademarks are wonderfully artistically-cut mats and hand-painted details.  As you can see, Jill helped Lori hit this one out of the park. 

Thanks for sharing this one Lori! Y'all can put your jaws back in their regular positions now.