The Sunday Stitch-In at Martha's

Please let me entertain you with lots of pictures of our very fun and funny stitch-in at Martha's, who is seated here at the left below. She is so delightful, I just love her. She tells everyone that she "picked me up while surfing the net." And, actually, it's kinda true! LOL She found my blog one day, emailed me...told me I could "check her references" through a LNS we both went to so I would know she wasn't a blogging hatchet killer!! Ha!! We met to talk about our love of stitching.... and the rest is history...we were fast friends. Martha is always laughing. I love that about her.

I'm holding up the Neighborhood RR of Wendy's I'm working on. The one with the Rose Cottage. Wendy, everybody loves your Neighborhood!

On the right side of me at the top: is my good friend, Julia, who is happily the former President of ANG...our Naples, Gulf Coast Chapter. I'm the current Newsletter Editor. She says I'm the Queen of Newsletters!! LOL I'm just "wordy."

This colorful needlepoint below is Julia's from the recent ANG Seminar in Baltimore. I just love the colors. She says the crab will be beaded and will have pearl eyes. Julia is stitching the green in balger metallic. It is so stunning! She loves color, and I do, too.

Florida is very good about accommodating us in this....

Julia also has a darling gekko needlepoint bag she's stitching that is to die for. So gaudy and colorful with different threads and embellishments!

Here below is our friend, Patti, who is of German descent and whose claim to fame is that she was crowned Miss Oktoberfest in the German community festivities last year. She says it is a short-lived honor, and means you have to work the next year! LOL Her love of needlepoint takes preference over all, but she also enjoys beading. Patti doesn't blog, but she spends alot of time looking at beading sites online. Here, she's making an eyeglass case. She also loves colors in her stitching. And, Patti likes to experiment with color and change things in the designs. Are you getting the picture about me and my friends, yet??? :)

Then, I thought I would give you a peek at some of the other stitching going on in the group. The "Santa" is Ruby's, seated below, who is our ruby in the crown of the Evening EGA, Ft. Myers group; it's possible she's over 70....nobody knows for sure, she's sassy and tells us what's what and how high to jump! She's a great stitcher. She's the best friend you want with you on any adventure! She has a gravely voice, a contageous laugh and a quirky sense of humor. We love Ruby! And, I believe her piece here is a Homespun Elegance Design?? Ruby also likes to do a little beading. I think she hates needlepoint and has told me so in no uncertain terms!!

Close-up of Ruby's Santa. I was going to ask her if this was an afghan she was stitching it on...but I got side-tracked because she got me laughing. Martha was taking a picture of me taking a picture of Ruby!! :p

I cannot remember whose design this is below that Elenor was stitching. It's an oldie, but such a pretty one of Christmas. Makes one want to rifle through the oldie but goodie stash to find out what we're missing, doesn't it? She's a real perfectionist stitcher. It looks like it could almost work like a Drawn Thread Christmas Box! This is stitched with all DMCs.

Here are Julia and Elenor sitting together for a picture. They look so harmless, don't they!? ;) Actually, Elenor is known for her finishing skills. She also knows how to make great stitching bags. She keeps rather quiet so we won't all ask her to make one for us!! :) They both have those stitching frames that we used to call "fanny frames" but which are now called "lap frames," I think. Julia swears by hers. It's so adjustable. At any rate, Julia's can be sat on for stability, and Elenor's can either be sat on, or held in your lap. I am a devoted frame user ordinarily. I have a wide collection of them, as my bf Deb in CT can attest to. Stitching is made perfect by the right scroll and frame!!

Another of our stitching group was working on this familiar bear by Just Nan! I can't believe how beautiful he is irl! Just adorable! I think he would make a darling fob stitched 1 over 1 on 40 ct. with a pretty gold pr. of scissors, as a Christmas gift. Would have to be a very special friend, though, wouldn't it??!

And, what stitching get together is complete without food? Here is just a half of the spread. I was running out of discs and stitching time! See my mostly eaten quiche (spinach) and (the somewhat eaten just artichoke heart, etc.) lorraines; then others brought: 3 grape salad, fruit and cheeses kabobs, tartlets, artichoke dips (it was a serendipitous artichoke day, who knew!!??), other hot and spicy dips, baked chicken, and that yummy dessert you see on the side. We didn't starve!

Finally, below are those three of my favorite friends again, holding up a pillow I stitched a looonnngggg time ago that I just brought in as my back pillow. I keep it in my car and think nothing of it. They got tickled because they couldn't tell which side was 'up' on it. And, then Patti called it a "panties" instead of "pansies" pillow. So, I officially dubbed it my friendship "Brittany Spears" pillow!! Say goodnight, Girls!

And, I nearly forgot to show you these gorgeous tassels that Martha made. They are giant sized. They're heavy with yarn/thread and beaded tops. I can't tell you how yummy they are irl. She's teaching a class on them at our LNS in October. Something to hang on your best stitching bag or a larger pair of scissors delegated only for cutting linens and fabrics. They are like treasures! Julia also brought a beaded King Tut which I hope Martha took a picture of for her blog.

So, for more pictures of the stitching party, see Martha's blog. The link is above! :) I hope you enjoyed seeing our Steamy Sunday Stitching Party!

Hugs, Deb