Needle Delights Originals

is the name of the last design I'm releasing this weekend. I'm really happy with the way it turned out (this is the piece I had to rip out & redesign the black and white border). This design uses most of the threads from Rio with the addition of a dozen or so solid Vineyard silks - with one skein of each color, you can stitch both designs! I'm packing up the car and leaving today. Market is always such fun. We get to see old friends and it's like a family reunion! I'm taking my camera and will try to remember to take pictures!

Here's the third design being released this weekend. It joins my "Jewels & Gemstones" series. I keep a notebook with a list of the order & date I release designs and was surprised to see that it has been two years since I did a J&G - the last one was Aquamarine! This one is called Sugilite, which is fairly uncommon and not well known. I wanted to do a design with a bunch of the purple Watercolours and a great friend (thanks Jayne!) suggested Sugilite. I wasn't familiar with it but googled it and was happy to see it was just what I was looking for! I'll post the last release tomorrow! Think Brilliant!!

Taking a break from stuffing patterns to show you another new pattern being released this weekend. Rio is the latest in my Destination collection and is stitched with Overdyed Vineyard Silks from Threadworx along with solid black and white Vineyard silks (for the border). If you haven't used this thread it's fabulous, yummy, and wonderful to work with! 

I'm exhibiting at the TNNA trade show in Nashville this weekend and have been working like crazy to get everything done. I'm releasing 4 new designs! The new patterns are at the printer (I'm picking them up tomorrow!) and then I have to put them in their plastic bags. I'm fortunate to have a great friend who has the day off tomorrow and is coming over to help - it'll be much more fun than doing it by myself! I'll be introducing a new series of designs called "Double Delights" - here's the first one and it's called "Turple". Double Delights is a series that will focus on  combinations of two colors - this combo is Turquoise and Purple. You can find more info and signup details at Double Delights  on my website.   Check back often this week as I'll post pictures of the rest of my new releases! And just because...here's the latest photo of my boy cat Boots!

Here's a photo of what I did last night - two and a half hours of ripping out, reverse stitching, frogging, cursing, whatever you want to call it...the day before, I had finished a big design I'll be releasing in a few weeks only to discover what I thought would be a perfect border wasn't right at all. I made the mistake of not stepping away from it to take a look before I plowed through hours & hours of stitching to get it done . On a positive note, I finally came up with a name for this piece and it will be called Brilliant Color (thanks Dad!). I had agonized over many many names and a brief conversation with my father produced the happy result. What a relief! Several of my friends are probably even happier than I am at having a name as now they don't have to listen to my stressful conversations! Sometimes naming a design is the hardest part! Back to stitching the black & white border on Brilliant Color...I can't wait to show you all the new pie...