Can it really be May already?

I am so sorry that I have been out of touch lately -  this is the beginning of a new phase here at Pinks Barn, CSG HQ. We have certainly had rather a torrid time of it but not all of it has been so bad -  Biggles is growing in to a wonderful dog and is full of mischief and affection in equal parts. I think, perhaps, he plans to go mining when he grows up or perhaps he is digging an escape tunnel. There are big holes in the garden! Bumble is not setting a very good example as he just watches with an enormous smile on his face and then hides when the balloon goes up!

Breaking through to the sunshine -that really is the dust in the air

Talking of large holes, I thought you would like to see the one in the front of Pinks Barn - you will be able to see the end result very shortly. It has made such a difference to the main sitting room here – I am now able to stitch in the sunlight – not possible before, but the dust -Oh dear-  it was simply everywhere, both upstairs and down. Roger and Phil made a marvellous job – not an easy one as the wall was nearly 2.5 feet thick in places and our bedroom had to be supported on props until the oak beams were in position.

Issue 75 of Stitch That has been posted and I know that many of you have already received your copies – I can tell by the post in our letter box and by email -I am hopeful that we will have caught up with our backlog soon and Issue 76 will be out in the middle of June and September will be on time!

Happy Stitching

Jane

The Goodhart Samplers – an extraordinary book

The Goodhart Samplers

How good it is to have broadband again! This would have been impossible with a dial up connection! I have taken delivery of my copies of The Goodhart Samplers published by Needleprint and it is such a lovely book I have taken delivery of lots more copies as I know that you will just love it. I am happy to supply by post but the book weighs 1700grams so it is not an impulse buy!

Please go to Books and Media and scroll down the page.

It a wonderful book with the best needlework photography I have ever seen. I saw Douglas’s exhibition of samplers in London many years ago and bought the little catalogue at the time, which was almost all in black & white. Douglas Goodhart collected samplers, particularly band samplers and motif samplers as a hobby and  left his collection to the nation. It is now housed at Montecute House, Somerset, England (You need to visit the house three years in sucession to see them all)

As you can see from the picture above, the dust jacket includes a detailed chart of one of the samplers illustrated in the book – a lovely touch.

The picture above shows one of the contents pages, with the band samplers illustrated with the stitchers name

Demonstrating the remarkable colour photography used throughout the book

I could go on and on but I think you must see the book for yourself!

Back to normal, whatever that might be!

Our growing Beautiful Band from Issue 74

I must admit that the first quarter of this year has been difficult to say the least. As many of you know, we were terribly late with both our Design and Pattern Book and the last issue of Stitch That because our graphic and computer clever person was away for a month. I have explained to him that he is indispensible and not to do it again! In the middle of all this, my broadband was cut off because we found ourselves in the the middle of a row between Tiscali and 186K – we don’t even get our service from them. The Phone Coop and I have had some very frank and meaningful discussions! Bill rang them at the beginning of Lent and reminded them that I had been in the wilderness longer than Christ and he would be driving to Chipping Norton to see them!

We are still awaiting the compensation offer which is being discussed. I do not think I will ever forgive them for leaving me without my broadband connection for three months- I know that you all read the updates and keep an eye on the shop and it looks so bad when date sensitive things are left on the site and the shop is not updated. Now we are attempting to catch up on the web site and Issue 75 of Stitch That. Photography was done yesterday and the completed issue will be sent out to Members very soon. I will make sure that whenever your Membership ends, you will still receive the correct number of magazines. I am calling Issue 75 my Anniversary Issue – It is 25 years ago this month that I discovered cross stitch and our lives were never the same again. Even our children refer to BC as Before Cross Stitch!

About Issue 74 – without the use of broadband I could not add pictures to the web site so I am including a few images now and will add the pictures from Issue 75 shortly.The picture below shows the latest addition (Hardanger section) to the long thin linen band sampler we are working- and have been doing so for what seems like years! You can buy the linen band for this project from the shop if you want to start your own version.

Berlin Chart Pack

Issue 74 of Stitch That included a strong Berlin pattern theme throughout so I have added a Berlin Chart Pack to the shop in our Charted Originals section.

We have also added a new set of Bell Pull Ends. Our Tulip ends have been hand crafted from Art Deco curtain filials and are on a larger scale to our pineapples and acorns. As before, you can trim the 12inch wooden rod to fit or add a longer rod if you so wish. These will hold a large project as they are more robust. You will find them in Bits and Bobs

William Morris Project Cases

We have added our linen union project cases to Lovely Linen Stuff - please allow ten days for these to arrive as they are made in batches and we can hardly keep up with them! You can select the fabric of your choice when you go to the page in the shop. Each one is slightly different but all have three small packets, one large pocket, ten brass rings. needle band and scissors attached to a tape. It closes with a goya button.

Broadband is back!

At last!

I have broadband again!

I will be updating my web site over the weekend and adding to the shop…..

This feels much better

Biggles, Bumble, Broadband and a video

I am so pretty I can do anything I like……….

I don’t know who stole the threads!

First game of tug o war

So much for my knitting……….

I will not bore you with the continuing saga about our broadband – 48 days and counting. Bill did make the point when talking to the Phone-Coop that I had been in the wilderness longer than Christ! I am so sorry the web site is so out of date – I could weep with frustration! Still perhaps this week all will be put right………

Watch our first web site video-If you look at our home page you will see we have added a video from my Stitch Perfect Series  - it is a 10 minute programme demonstrating my Cross Stitch Designer Gold – it will give you a good idea how to use the design programme and just how simple it is. I must make the point that Ben at Iconnet sorted out the video for me. I cannot even watch it, let alone work on the site! Ho Hum!!

Happy Stitching…….