#MondayswithMary !

Hello there! I hope you are all enjoying your Summer! and for those down under... Winter! We are coming around the corner to #SamplerSeptember very soon! My Miss Mary Barker 1830 model is on display at Attic Needleworks in Mesa, AZ so if you visit be sure to take a look-see! The model was stitched using dmc thread but I have now created a silk NPI conversion which can be found on my instagram @juststitchingalong ! Here is a look at the pretty colors and my start from Monday night. I thought it would be great fun to have #MondayswithMary heading into #SamplerSeptember so come along and join me if you like! On Miss Mary Barker, or perhaps another sweet 'Mary' sampler!

In the meantime, I have been busy working on a few of my favorite Wips! Here is my August update on the Martha Dawson Sampler which is being done as a stitch a long following a month-to-month schedule. If interested in more info please find the Our Sampler Years group on Facebook. I have monthly Stitch with Me videos as we make progress along the year!  I am using 100/3 au ver a soie silk on 40 count Old Sheep linen from XJudesign.  

Next up is pic with me! holding my progress on Those Who Sing by the Drawn Thread.  Such a fun stitch, I love all the birds and the pretty flowers done in satin stitch.  I am doing this also as a stitch a long as a birthday SAL with Colette (Highway stitcher on Flosstube) as we both share the same birthday!  This is the second year we have had a dedicated stitch a long for our birthday year.  I am using the silk package from the Drawn Thread which was mostly Dinky Dyes silk - which I absolutely loved!  On 40 count zweigart Summer Khaki linen.  

I did have a finish in July!  - I was so surprised at how quickly this sampler stitched up!  This is Ann Gott from NeedleWorkPress which is a dedicated stitch a long from Attic Needleworks this year.  I chose to change the verse and add my initials, and also changed the Bandana color to dmc 816 for a brighter pop of red.  I stitched this on 40 count Abecedarian linen from R and R Reproductions.  

And last night I wasn't sure what WiP to pull out next but settled on one I haven't seen in quite some time.... Elizabeth Furniss from Hands Across the Sea Samplers.  I fell in love all over again with her.  I am doing my sampler in dmc thread on 40 count vintage country mocha linen.  I have some ideas to change things up but we will see how it goes.  I love my bling-y needleminder!

Some other beautiful Hands Across the Sea Sampler charts have made their way across the ocean to me too!  So many samplers so little time.  I have gotten the silks to do Harriett Godhard so maybe soon there will be a start!  And, that Jane Hopkins with those flowers!  I have the dmc all ready to go on that one too!  

So aside from stitching I have been getting out more and more lately.  I went in to NYC for the first time since beginning of 2020.  I went to one of the Van Gogh experiences and it sure was! Such an amazing visualization in combination of sound and reflection.  Highly recommend!  

I also visited one of my favorite, happy places near my home... Candlewood Lake in Connecticut!  Always so relaxing to sit by the lake!  

The colors have been fantastic this Summer, the flowers have been really soaking up the sunshine!  

And I was surprised to find this display at my local Michael's store!  A whole rack of Anchor threads!  I am looking forward to trying some.  It even provides the dmc coordinating color so if the dmc thread is out there is another option!  

I think that catches things up for now!  Some things to look forward to.... I have a new release planned for next month.... something very RED!  

You can also find me @juststitchingalong on Instagram.   Hope you will join me on #MondayswithMary !  

Take care and Be well!