Happy Halloween! Treats included!

This star was created by Cindy Howland for The Needle Works here in Austin, TX.  Colleen, the owner, has graciously agreed to let me publish it  here.  You can see it on Betsy Ross below the diagram.

Howland Star

This star can be adapted to fit any shape star.  Start at the lower left hand point of the star at 1and go to the point and sink at 2 and so on.  See below on the flag.  It makes great starfish, too.  Happy Halloween from The Needle Works!

Starting point on Monday night

Finished one sleeve

Started another

Bedtime on Monday

My constant companion.

Joanne's canvas

If you have any doubts at all about Betsy, this should erase them.  Joanne has stitched quite a bit more than I have and you can see the beautiful results.  Betsy Ross is from Melissa Shirley's Wild Women series.  The stitch guide is by Amy Bunger of Amy's Golden Strand in Memphis, TN.

Even more of Betsy Ross

Stitch for her dress

Added the red

I was unsure about this stitch until I saw a photo.  My new stitching friend, Joanne, sent me a picture of her progress on Betsy.  She has done a lot of the dress and it reassured me that this is indeed the perfect stitch.  Working on the stars on the left hand side of the border.

More of Betsy Ross

Close-up of the border

Overview

Star area of flag

Close-up

Almost finished

I love Betsy Ross.  I can not stop  stitching on her.  More tomorrow.

Betsy Ross

Of course I put Betsy on the stretcher bars.  I could not resist.  She is part of a series called Wild Women by Melissa Shirley.  I got the stitch guide from Amy Bunger.

Gold border by Amy

Stars by Stephanie

 I didn't like the star stitch so I used one that my friend, Cindy, created.  They look a little like starfish, but I like the way they come up off the canvas.

One more from Amy's

My tablemate and dear friend was working on this colorful canvas.  I believe she said it was part of a set of four canvases.   

Buttonhole stitch on the purple flowers

Open stitch with ruched Sparkly Rays on top

Laid stitch for the sunflower centers 

Afternoon snacks

Back to the belt for the flight home

I hope you all get the chance to go to Amy's in Memphis.  It is wonderful and so relaxing.

Sneak Peek at the Thanksgiving House

One of the many benefits of going to Memphis is sneak peeks.  Enjoy the Thanksgiving House show.

      

Plans for the tablecloth

Stash Enhancement in Memphis

There was a little bit of stash enhancement while in Memphis.  Before you start yelling Foul on The Challenge, I will remind you of a couple of stipulations that I made at the start.  One,  that I got to spend my  20% off coupon that I won for playing the post TNNA market game that Amy had.  Two, that gifts don't count.  With that in mind, we shall proceed. 

Betsy Ross of Melissa Shirley's Wild Women series

I have a dream to some day have a stitching room decorated with Wild Women.  With a 20% off coupon and a generous gift from my friend, Diane, I started with Betsy to make my dream come true.  My dear friend, Julie, has started stitching Betsy and you will not believe how cute the stitches are.  Show and Tell ASAP.

Patchwork Pear from Heartstrings

 This is a gift for someone special who shall remain nameless at this point.  I had a great time starting on  it one night while watching Police Women of Memphis.  This was after dinner at Corky's with Jill, Elizabeth, and Jamie Celmer who drove in just to meet us.  She is an absolute delight and it was great to meet her.  What an evening!

Close-up

There are other patchwork vegetables and fruits in this series that are so cute.  My next one will be the cabbage.  They are from Heartstrings and come with stitch guides.  Too easy and too fun.

My very very fun visit to Memphis

I started out in the airport stitching on my daughter's belt while waiting for the flight.

Coming Home by Ewe and Eye

Here is my piece for the class.  I could not wait to see what Amy had come up with for it. 

Grass by the house

Green field behind house

Green field behind that

Large tree tops

In perspective

Blue ridge mountains

In perspective

Sky stitch

Sky and black mountain

Do you love all the stitches?  I do.  More on the visit tomorrow.

Red Magi from Heartstrings-the sleeve

Sleeve in solid gray floss

Overview 

I like the sleeve done my way.  I am going, going, gone to Memphis.  See you when I get back.

Red Magi from Heartstrings

Friday night after dinner I picked up the Red Magi.  I got the border done across the bottom.

Overview

Close-up

Once the border was finished I started the sleeve with some cross stitches done in Kreinik. I didn't like the overdyed gray thread for the sleeve so out it came.  I will use a solid gray.

Sleeve

What I have been doing...

while you have been looking at all my canvases that have Amy stitch guides?  Walls, walls, and more walls.  A very quick clever stitch the Amy Bunger came up with for the walls of my Thanksgiving House.  Goes fast, but lots of wall.

 For a change of pace, I did the downspout on the far right and started the window frames in a luscious color called Mulberry.

Wall spout and window frame

And while waiting for any thing, I stitched on this belt for my daughter.  I bought it for her to stitch, but somehow it got left here. Hmmm....