Nashville 2008 News!! Sunday evening, pretty tired, but excited about what I purchased and will be bringing to the shop tomorrow. I am sitting on my hotel bed, typing on the laptop…I know, get to the important stuff…thought I would start with the fabric types, counts and colors that I got. Actually, I needed another excuse to go through the two huge bags full! Such fun, fabric, don’t you think? From the R&R ladies, I acquired the following: in 28 ct, Creek Bed Brown, primarily for that wonderful kit from LHN and Crescent Colours titled Hearts of America. In 32 ct, Sheep’s Straw, Lt Espresso, Dk Capp, Apple Brown Bindy. In 40 ct, Sheep’s Straw, Lt Espresso, Park City Blend and Café Kona. From the Picture This Plus ladies, in 32 ct, Relic, Okay, from little Miss Ellen, the lady with the mighty talent and of With My Needle fame, the first news shared, was the birth of her first grandson! Tom and Ellen were beyond excited, and anticipated seeing the little one, on Tuesday for the first time. A great big congrats, again, to you Ellen. Last but not least, were the designs that she showcased at Market. I believe that her Quaker Turtles were the hit of the market, primarily because I heard talk of them, outside of her suite, in other areas, and also they sold out quite quickly of the patterns they had brought to market with them. They are adorable, and I did get some of the Weeks Dye Works wool, to finish them with. Also her wonderful and delightful needle and scissor case, A Hornbook Examplar and of course I have the wool to finish it as well. Both projects are so very well done, Ellen prides herself on the very best finishing instructions for her smalls, and she has yet to not deliver that excellence. A sampler that is most precious, is titled A Child’s Prayer and is just the right thing for babies, children of many ages! Had a wonderful visit with Karen of Rosewood Manor. This lady has a lot of talent, spends hours creating beautiful one of a kind projects for us to stitch. A few years ago, she released a most popular design, titled And A Forest Grew. Last year, she released a companion piece, or definitely a pretty enough piece to stand alone, titled Four Seasons, once again, with trees, in a riot of color depicting each season. Another wonderful band-type sampler titled Good Night, is an Irish Blessing and can be finished in a frame of your choice, or another wonderful option is a bellpull. Last but not least, a simply adorable leaflet with so many project options, you will be delighted. It is titled Read, Learn, Dream Bookmarks. But don’t be deceived, this project book, has so many wonderful designs that can be used for other projects, not just bookmarks. Always great to see Kathy of Carriage House Samplings, and of course, I brought home a few of those new Shores patterns, to add to your Hawk Run Collections! I am ordering the cuts of Lakeside Vintage Autumn Gold in 36 and 40 ct, just special for this project, so do be sure and let me know if you are interested in getting the fabric as well. If you are wanting a larger count, such as 28 or 32 ct, you will need to get something other then the Lakeside Linen, since it would take much more then their minimum ½ yard cuts. Of course there is always those of you, that enjoy stitching over 1 thread, so with that said, you could use (probably) less then the ½ yard cuts. Please email with any questions, on this special project. Will do all I can to help answer them. Erica Michaels is such a special person, really enjoys designing and helping people. One of her releases is titled Share Faith, and the simplicity of it was so special. It has a simple phrase ‘share faith, offer prayer, gather hope.’ Erica had them presented singly or as a trio together, the letter styles are also outstanding. A Stitcher’s Blessing takes an 18th Century quote about reading as a favorite pastime and changes it up to read: “That I can stitch and be happy while I am stitching is a great blessing.” Something we all can identify with…stitching brings all of us, so much happiness, don’t you think? I think I mentioned to you all last night, about the frame that Sharon of Crescent Colours/Family Tree Frames, created exclusively for Tracey of Hands To Work for a special Repro sampler. Well, I saw, and I purchased several of these, as well as the frame, so let me know! It is very neat, and who can resist a reproduction sampler. Not a huge piece, more on the medium size and titled Ellen Myerscough. Another reproduction, a beautiful smaller alphabet piece titled Ann Eliza Hastings. Also releasing Blooms of Spring, which is the Spring design to go along with her previous Autumn and Winter Blooms. It is beautiful and I plan to stitch it at a date in the near future! Also Love Me, a great piece for those lovers and AlphaBat for you Halloween fans. Really neat jackolantern with a bat in front of him, with the newest colorful alphabet on his body! Enjoyed a nice visit with Darlene of The Marking Sampler. She has been busy, with a wonderful design, titled ‘EA 1798 Ackworth School’. It is a quaker sampler, and an exact reproduction. The pattern includes the history of the design, clear instructions for stitching and even has a color picture of the original sampler! From the Marking Sampler’s Christmas Collection, OOE purchased the following: A Pur-fect Christmas ~ Hear & Home ~ Sweet Liberty ~ Four Calling Birds. There are others in the series, and hope to attain them for the shop in the near future. These are wonderful designs, and will be lovely addition to your Christmas décor, but also many of them, can be displayed year round, as they are ones that can displayed anyway you choose, without an reference to Christmas. Linda from Chessie & Me has been busy designing some wonderful things. Had a nice chat with her, as well, she travels a lot to teach special classes. The designs that are now gracing the OOE shop come complete with a cut of linen. This is great, because it is half the battle in kitting up your projects, all you need to add to these beauties are the fibers, your needle and your time! Sweet Land of Libery ~ Liberty Star Sampler ~Stone City Sampler. Soon to be seen on the What’s New page. I know I was so excited, to tell you of the visit with Kathy of Carriage House Samplings and her wonderful addition to the Hawk Run Collection with ‘Shores’, I forgot to mention another wonderful design of her’s, just released ‘Baking & Roasting & Frying & Boiling’. Also Kathy is distributing a wonderful new ‘Book of Designs’ from the Goode Huswife!! Of course she had sold out, by the time I got there, but I have some on order. It contains, I believe at least 7 patterns from The Goode Huswife, and all of them are no longer in print! It also has Volume #1 in the title…hmmm…will there be a Volume #2???? Interesting concept, don’t you think? Paula from Kelmscott Designs was in attendance with her wonderful new releases, can I say WOW? She had a gorgeous Mother of Pearl 3” Ruler, Mother of Pearl Baroque Threadwinder, Mother of Pearl Heart ThreadKeep, and Mother of Pearl Bluebell Threadwinders. Oh and also the most darling pair of black scissors with hearts for the finger holes, called Love Scissors!! At this point, I have caught up with the extra sleep, lost, so I will be working at getting the rest of the items on the website. That is, if interruptions are at a minimum and I can stay focused. I think I have shared with you, all that I remember at this point, and I do appreciate you visiting Market with me, via the reading of my Nashville Report. There were several designers missing from this year’s show, not all due to illness, but some were, others had places they had to be, other then the Market. Just know you were all missed, and praying for all that couldn’t attend because of illness. You were missed a great deal. Thank You and happy shopping for those wonderful new items for your stash! Jan @ Only One Ewe
Saturday evening in Nashville.Oh what a whirlwind day, managed to cover all six floors, although several designers were not visited with as much as I would have liked, but the good thing, there is tomorrow. I came away with some lovely fabrics, a few 28 cts, but the majority 32, 36 and 40 cts. I purchased some tried and faithful R&R Reproductions and if I hadn't been the second shop owner in line, I wouldn't have gotten any of their 40 cts. But I was and I was SO happy to be able to bring some home for you to order. Also some lovelies from Picture This Plus, Marilyn is such a cut-up and fun person to be around, and I was delighted that she had ten new colors to add to her line, many of them neutrals for those lovely samplers that so many of us love to love and stitch! Last stop on the quest to bring home some lovely fabrics was a stop in Lakeside Linens suite. Unfortunately, Pat has been ill and was unable to attend the Market. I was so sorry to hear that she wasn't doing well, and really missed seeing and visiting with her, she is such a dear. Good news on that front, is I had placed an order, before I left for Market, and hopefully some of their crew will be able to get that on it's way soon.
Before you tire of all of this fabric talk, I must tell you about Weeks Dye Works Miranda and her new dyed fabrics! I was a little leary about these, having not seen them, and knowing they were on 30 ct.....to make a long story short, they are wonderful, not at all like the 30 ct dyed fabrics we have been used to in the past, these are lovely colors and the fabric is oh so soft, with just enough body! Wow, I am so impressed with these, and I am sure you will be too! I purchased two yards, but seriously thinking of visiting again tomorrow and possibly getting more. I did get Straw and Cappucino, both of them gorgeous!!!!!!
Special team of Mom and Daughter were manning the suite for Crescent Colours! What a beautiful new aray of silks for the Belle Soie Collection and I brought several sets home, there are ten in all: Bahama Breeze ~ Tortoise Shell~ Angel Blush ~ Petticoat Blue ~ Peacock ~ Purple Paradise ~ Enchanted Forest ~ Spring Violets ~ Blue Heaven ~ Lilypad.
Also a new set of 5 cottons: Blacksmith Blue, Bean Sprout, Peanut Brittle, Snowball and Peapod. And oh so many lovely frames from The Family Tree division of Crescent Colours, each one more special then the next. She had created a special frame for the new LHN design which is also kitted with Crescent Colours fibers and JABCO buttons and is just such an eye-popping fun design! It is called Hearts of America and can be viewed on Little House Needleworks website in all of it's glory. It is a large piece, but with the design elements, it could easily be divided into sections, or just stitch which sections you like the best, and create your own one of a kind piece! It is stitched on 30 ct Creek Bed Brown linen from R&R. I did purchase a yard of 28 ct Creek Bed Brown linen, which would be great for this design, OR picture it done on a higher count linen, such as 36 or 40 ct, with one strand of the overdyed leaving off the buttons, if you prefer. The sky is the limit with the options this piece offers! I was able to bring home some of the kits, but had to order more, since she was already sold out of them. They should arrive next week, Sharon is one of the best, when it comes to shipping product quickly. She also had a special frame there created for a reproduction sampler that Tracey from 'Hands To Work' showcased. I have forgotten the name right now, not on the tip of my tongue or anywhere near, but I will be a little more thorough with what I have seen tomorrow, taking copious notes, so this will be a little better reading for you.
It is now Tuesday evening, and I have been working all afternoon, trying to get as many pictures and information uploaded for you. It is always so much better to see a picture, so have been doing my best to get that area covered. Sure glad the trip home was yesterday, since today we have had nothing but inclimate weather, with freezing rain/sleet/snow, you name it, we have had it in Indiana!
Enough of that for now, let's get back to what was released at Nashville! The Gentle Art Sampler people, released 5 New colors in their overdyed line: Sweete Petunia ~ Jasmine ~ Daisy ~ Bluebell ~ Mint Jubilee. For their Limited Editions: Stormy Skies ~ Rustic Cottage ~ Summer Fields ~ Camouflage. We do carry the regular line in the 10 yard skeins, which sell for $3.00 a skein. If you are needing only the 5 yard skeins, these will have to be special ordered. Of course, the LE colors are only offered in the 5 yard skeins, for $2.00 each.
Prairie Moon had some really neat designs offered with a wooden ornament to attach to the finished stitching to embellish and boy do they embellish! American Cat, American Flag and Friends. I will be sharing pictures of these soon, to the What's New Page. Wildflower is offering two really cute snowman pieces: Sparky and Friends and Snow Sisters, which again, I will get pictures posted. SamSarah had such a neat chart titled Twelve Days, and there is a button pack from JABCO from this, as well. Also an adorable addition to their Doubles patterns, Hip Hop Hare, love him, and really want to stitch him!
Cecila Turner, from Heart In Hand, was one of the missing designers this year, but I heard via the grapevine, it wasn't due to illness, but because of their daughter's involvement in something special. She was missed though. Anyway, auto is on it's way, and some of the things that it is including is the 2008 Collector's Heart Kit, which includes the linen and heart button, Snow Day, and Mr. Byrd.
The Workbasket never fails to disappoint with what they release! Love their Quaker Pig and Rooster, they look quite proud to be charted for your needle!:) Also 4 Corner Houses, Rabbit Roundel and Seasonal Houses...the latter is exceptional! Have had to order these through Hoffman, but they will be arriving within the week, so email if you are interested!
Of course, Lizzie Kate's Auto arrived at OOE, before I left. Lots of neat things, a new Boxer Jr. series, which includes the fabric and button embellishment, titled Sweet Tooth Cupcake, LK Tea Crazy charts, three different designs for you Tea Lovers (and the Tea for Two pattern, is framed in a Family Tree frame...too cute), A-B-C-razy chart is so neat, to create your own designs with, each letter of the alphabet is charted, you can have lots of fun with this one, Peace, Love & a Cure, the perfect project to stitch for someone that has been affected by breast cancer, or any life-threatening illness, for that matter, and Hop Squared, way cute!:)
Blackbird Designs ladies, Barb and Alma, are not only creative, but oh so sweet and accomodating. There new releases, comprise, a special book with at least seven projects called Thank You Sarah Tobias. They sold out of this special book, but I have some on order, you won't be disappointed with this one. Also two designs for their Remember Me series, I Thee Wed and Mildred's Garden House. I have chosen some wonderful fabrics for these, so let me know if you are interested in kitting either of these patterns up. I did post a picture of the Thank You Sarah Tobias on the Home Page, and of course, have scans of the two releases for the Remember Me series, on the what's new page. Be sure and have a look.
Tomorrow, I should be able to finish this report, I could say it is done now, but there is more news, and I want to make sure to be as thorough as I can. Thanks for your patience!
Cynthia Bradford from Little by Little, I really loved her new additions, as well as some other ones that had missed my notice before. We brought back newly released designs: Quaker Bellflower ~ Humble Spirits ~ Pocket Full of Posies ~ Hot Cup of Cider. Some of her earlier releases: Hot Chocolate ~ Quaker Medallion ~Quaker Blackbird also found there way to the OOE Shop. Will be posting pics of these soon.