DESTINATION DALLAS 2019 WAS QUITE A HIT!

Well there were lots of wonderful new items at the Dallas market - as usual.  So much to try to soak in.  I do not see how shops make the decisions of which to choose and which to leave behind.  Of course the major trick is to know your customers but with all the temptations the designers throw at them it makes for very tough decisions.

We gave a sneak peek last time of two new designs that we will be hosting as an Online Mystery Class for 2020.  A tentative date has been set so get onboard!

First up will be the Fall Wreath with Scarecrow available through PLD Designs, Inc. (This was formerly JuliMar).

Fall Wreath with Scarecrow

This wonderful fellow is on 18ct canvas with a design area of 12" x 12". The canvas is cut to approximately 17.5 x 17.5.    The first scheduled class is tentatively set for mid-February 2020. Because there is so much involved on this one there will be 8 sessions.  The price of the 8-lesson packet is $175.  To join in this fun group email me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com.  The interest is wonderful and we are going to have a great class!  We will be working 'out of the box' so to speak on this one.  Some unusual embellishments, maybe not-so-familiar threads and who knows what else. Can't wait to start - well actually I have already started!

The other design that has been added to the class list is the very cute kissmas eve also from PLD Designs.

kissmas eve

This is such a sweet design.  It is painted on 18ct canvas and the design area is approximately 9" x 10".  It is on a cut canvas of approximately 14.5 x 15.5.  The first lesson is scheduled to start May 2020. There will be 6 sessions for this design.  The 6-lesson packet will be $150.  If you would like to play with this group email me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com so I can add you to the notification list.

Both these classes are being well received and I am excited to start sharing my thoughts and ideas with you!

Also, we will be working with a shop to provide canvas and/or thread kits for those who need assistance.

There is a third new class for 2020 that has already been introduced that is At the Seashore from Sandra Gilmore.

At the Seashore

The first lesson for this class will be mid-January 2020.  It is a 6-lesson packet for $150.

It has been a while since I explained the Online Mystery Classes and we have had a good number of new people join in following the blog so I'll briefly explain what's happening. When a new Online Mystery Class is announced there is already a good number of interested participants - this makes it worthwhile to spend the time to create the lessons, etc.  

About 2 months before the scheduled class those who have asked to be on the list will receive an email stating that a PayPal invoice for the lessons is being emailed.  If the invoice is paid you are part of the class.  If the invoice is not paid you will receive one reminder.  If still not paid you are dropped from the interest list.  There is no obligation to be on the notification list.  Also at this time, there will be a call out asking for those who need assistance obtaining their canvas and/or threads.  I will ask permission to share your contact information with a shop that will be kitting the class using the exact materials that I have used stitching the design.  All transactions are between you and the shop.  I do not get any kickback from the shop(s).  This is merely a service for those who do not have a LNS.

Once invoices are processed the participants receive and invitation to join the secret Facebook Group which they must accept to get in.  This is where you meet other participants, where materials are listed, where lessons are posted and where corrections are made when needed.  The participants may ask any questions they like for clarification, etc., as we go along. I do ask that students not provide instructions as there needs to be only one chief and that will be me in these classes.

So - - we would love to have you join us for any of our upcoming classes.  Just email us at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com and we will place your name on the notification list.

SOOOOOOOOO Excited!  Mediterranean here we come!

We have contracted for an exclusive class in Sardinia, Italy!  We will be taught an Italian technique (filet embroidery), by an Italian teacher in Italy!  Won't that be fabulous!  How often can one have an opportunity like this!  The space is small so the class will be very limited!  Registration was on a first-come/first-served basis.

We will be spending the first part of the morning touring the Casa Saddi museum and tasting some of the local products.  

If I understand correctly we will be able to purchase some of the wonderful items we were tasting.

Then for the next 3 hours we will be so fortunate to have Mariangela Porcu and an assistant teach her technique for creating this wonderful pendant!

I feel so blessed to have been able to pull this together.  It has been quite a journey - especially since I don't speak Italian and the excursion is outside the cruise lines and our travel agent agendas.  I could not have done it without the help of wonderful generous friends who assisted with the contacts and arranged to have the contracts translated (back and forth - back and forth - back and forth), and continue to assist with bank transfers for prepayments,  reasonable transportation arrangements to the museum, etc.   What a wonderful group we are fortunate to be a part of!  I have some big favors to repay that is for sure!

That's it for this week - enjoy these beautiful days while you can (at least it is beautiful here in Central Kentucky).

NAN HAS POSTED THEIR CATALOG FOR THE NAN ASSEMBLY 2020!

                                                       https://needleart.org/assembly/

Registration opens October 1, 2019.   Would love to see you in my classes.  My first 2-day class is Conventional Techniques using Unconventional Resources.  It is taught on Saturday March 21 and Sunday Marach 22.

The second class is Winter Cardinal from Maggie.  This is taught on ________-

Some exciting new Online Mystery Classes for 2020!  Be sure to email me if you want to sign up!  These are from an artist that I have not featured before and they are distributed through Juli Mar Needlepoint.

First up will be the longer class - Fall Welcome Wreath.  

This guy will involve 8 lessons instead of the normal 6.  The 8-lesson packet will be $175.  The design is listed as 12x12.  Look at all that stuff!  Be sure to email me if you want to join in.  First lesson will be February or March 2020. Email at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com  

The second new class is Kissmas Eve!  This is also from JuliMar Needlepoint!

The design is listed as 8 x 10.  This whimsical kiss under the mistletoe will be covered in 6 lessons.  The 6-lesson packet will be $150.  The first class will probably start in May 2020.  Email me if you would like to join the group at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com.  It is going to be loads of fun too!

Needles 'N Fins Stitching Adventures

As we have told you before the Mediterranean Stitching Cruise has been sold out.  So excited but sad for those who did not get in.  I am busily preparing goody bags and lots of fun surprises for my participants.  But . . .

Don't miss out on the next one.  Tulip Time on the Rhine Stitching Adventures will be sailing on April 16 through 26, 2020.  Email me  - duodesignsinc@yahoo.com - or may agent Liz - lwolak@vikingtvl.com - for details and a brochure.  You can also find a brochure in the files section of the group Needles 'N Fins Stitching Adventures.  If you don't belong be sure to sign up now to follow out upcoming events.

Gotta go - have a great week!

NEXT!

As I shared last week, ANG national Seminar is over.  This week I moved on to Napierville area to teach at the Stitchers Garden.

The classes are all full so I'm not going to be able to slack off any with this bunch. We began our adventures with What to do with Ribbons and Such.  This techniques class has been around for awhile but still remains popular.

Friday we did the Beading on Needlework techniques class.

                                     

We included a few little surprises in this class of making a star and a daisy edging trim.

Then we tackled the colorful, happy canvas from JP Needlepoint - What's That?  For me "That' is Succulents.

Here is photo of all 28 of 'em!  Yep!  28! We are plowing through them - one at a time. It is a 3 day class and after this is over it may need to be a 4 day class.  We shall see!  Such fun!

NEEDLES 'N FINS STITCHING ADVENTURES

While in town I was able to have dinner with our great travel assistant Liz! She took me on a private tour of their fabulous offices.  Beautiful building, great location and very nice offices.  I met lots of smiling faces.  Looks like a happy place to work.  I also met Gwyn who will be joining us on our Tulips on the Rhine Stitching Adventure.

Registration for this adventure in going great guns but I have some news.  The price of the trip will increase the end of the month from UniWorld!  If you are sitting on the fence about coming with us you might wast to consider making a decision right away in order to save a few dollars.

Our route

Our beautiful ship!

I was most excited to meet one of our trip participants for the first time in class also.  Patty is from Paducah and is a very active volunteer at the fantastic National Quilt Museum right in our state of Kentucky.

I will warn you ahead of time that Patty is passionate about her quilting and rightly so!  We are going to have a great time.

Connie and Ellen were in classes as well.  Connie will be on the sold out Mediterranean cruise and Ellen will be on both.

Gotta go and prepare for class.  This bunch is serious about their stitching!

Later . . .

Another ANG seminar has come and gone!

Seems like it was just yesterday that I was getting on a plane to teach 5 days at the ANG Seminar in Houston TX!  The time just flew by.  First was my class on the Texas Boot.  This 2-day class barely got started until it was over.

Next was a half-day on the Personalized Plaid tray insert.  I wish it could have been a full day but I think everyone was okay by the time we were through. We used a method different than Chottie's Plaid but I would have liked to have been able to share that method as well.

Then last but not least was the Winter Cardinal by Maggie.  Lots and lots of things to cover in this class.  We have a few glitches in the painted canvas but it was a wonderful surprise.  This gave us the opportunity to learn to relax and learn to improvise and correct the issue.  Everyone was great.

Next year we will be heading to Tucson, AZ for seminar.  I am fortunate to be teaching 2 classes there.

First will be the Crazy Needles Journey box top insert.  This is a 2-day class with prework.

This piece was named for its use of stitches that have geographical inferences - Hungarian, Romanian, French knots, etc.We use ribbon and beads as well as some other interesting embellishments.

A second class is the Flags of Glory.  

Who doesn't like red-white-blue designs?  Again we will play with ribbons, straw silks, Neon Rays, sequins and beads.

This coming week I will heading to Naperville - just outside Chicago - to teach several classes.  There will be two techniques classes - one on Beading on Needlework and one on Ribbons and Such. A third class is the What's That from JP Needlepoint.  I chose to refer to this as Succulents as it is made up of 28 plants.  You can't even imagine the number of stitches, techniques and threads we'll share as we go along.

Such fun!

NEEDLES 'N FINS STITCHING ADVENTURES

Wow!  We will be leaving for the Mediterranean before we know it.  We are all looking forward to sharing our time on the Azamara ship Pursuit!  It sounds lovely!  Can't wait.  We'll have lots of stitching time in between excursions, eating, drinking, excursions, drinking, eating - oh and napping of course.  I have some wonderful surprises I can't wait to share with everyone.

The kits for the the optional class have been shipped and being prepared for their journey by the individuals as they see fit.  I suggest mounting on stretcher bars but I realize that not all like to use them.

There is still time to get yours if you would like to join us.

I have the unique pleasure of meeting some of our participants face-to-face at the national Seminar.  I was unable to get a picture of all of us but I did manage to get Ginger and Joanne to hold still long enough for a quick snap.

Others are deciding just what they want to bring along to stitch on and possibly seek assistance or suggestions.  Some have shared their project with me so I could be thinking about possibilities.  We are going to have a great time.

Reservations are in progress for the Tulip Time on the Rhine stitching cruise in April 2020.  The design is being painted, tweaked, repainted, etc.  So exciting.

Be sure to email if want more details at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com.  

Gotta get my act together for Naperville!  Until next time . . . 

Seminar in full swing and almost over.

I just have not had time to post a blog this weekend as I have been teaching every day!  Please check back next Saturday for an update.

Thanks for your interest and remember to stitch with a smile!

Sandy

SEMINAR ON THE HORIZON!

I am leaving in a couple days for Houston where I will be teaching at the ANG Seminar.  I will be engaged for 5 days - needless to say I will probably be tired near the end - lol.

I am so fortunate to be teaching pieces that I really enjoy and loved stitching.  Heck I feel that way about 99.9% of my class pieces.  It is very rare that I will agree to teach something that I just cannot put my heart into.

One of my classes will be on the Birthday Plaid.  This concept has become very popular lately for some reason.  Here it is shown in a Lee rectangular leather snap tray that is part of the class kit for Seminar.

I chuckle, however, as I first taught this class 15 years ago.  I found some old stitch guides from a class where they were copyrighted in 2004!  But the technique is the same today as it was before when Chottie taught it and many of us put our own personal twist to it.  Here is the version I taught back then.

I was particularly fond of the diagonal design.  These were made into a checkbook cover and eyeglass case.  Didn't have as many fancy possibilities then that we do today.

Upon my return from ANG Seminar I have 3 days at home and then I am off to teach at Stitchers Garden in Naperville (outside Chicago).  The 'What's That' from JP Needlepoint is a very colorful representation of beautiful cacti.

This class is sold out!

There are two techniques classes - one-day each - one on Beading on Needlework and What to Do With Ribbons and Such.  I understand there may be one or two spots still available for these classes but when they are gone they are gone.  There is no extra room.

BUTTERFLY QUICKIE CLASSES

Just a side note to announce that all ornament stands that were ordered and paid for have been shipped! Now to finish the classes - wooooo hooooo.

Next weekend I hope to share with you sneak peeks from this month's Online Mystery Classes. These are all so much fun and I don't know that I have a favorite.  As I finish each lesson I have a little difficulty putting one aside so that I can get the current lesson done for the next.  I just want to keep stitching!  But it all seems to work out and I love it.

We announced last week that the Mediterranean Stitching Memories Cruise for 2019 was sold out.  People are still trying to join us but there is just no room at the inn - literally.

Needles 'N Fins Stitching Adventures   (Secret Facebook Page - come join us)

This may have sparked interest in getting those registrations in for the Tulip Time on the Rhine riverboat stitching cruise for April 2020.  The thoughts of the Netherlands is so exciting for me.  Visions of fields and fields of  beautiful colors of flowers just flood my mind!  I watch the various tourist clips over and over and never tire of the beauty!  Can't wait to be there in person.

We would love to have you join us!  Just hop over to Needles 'N Fins Stitching Adventures FB page and look at the brochure in the files section.  If you can't find it just drop us an email at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com and we'll get one off to you. Direct all travel related questions to our agent Liz at lwolak@vikingtvl.com and stitching questions to me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com.

The S.S. Antionette!  Isn't she beautiful.  She holds 152 maximum so don't delay if you would like to come play on the Rhine.  We love these small, intimate ships that cruise the European Rivers to share a unique beauty with us.  All this and stitching with wonderful people of like minds!  Add to that fantastic food and drink - what more could one ask for.

Have a great week - me I'm going to pack!

BUSY, BUSY BUSY AROUND HERE.

Heads up!
The next Butterfly Quickie has flown its wings!

If your invoice has been processed this beauty will be in the mail this coming week! Now this gal has plenty of bling - which with my expert photography does not show!

Finally finished the Succulents piece (official name What's That?) from JPNeedlepoint Designs.

This is going to be a very busy class at Stitchers Garden in Naperville (outside Chicago). As I stated before there are 28 plants!  Several have more than one stitch or technique incorporated into the design. Over 37 diagrams are shared in this stitch guide! And the threads!  Phew!  Tried to multi use as many as I could but there were spots I just had to add another to the thread list.  Hope you can join us!

The Cruisin' Stitchers optional class kits were mailed out.  I believe all that ordered them have now received them and are double checking supplies.  Don't want to get stranded without a thread or embellishment now do we?

Still time to get your kit before the cruise if you are having second thoughts!  Just email me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com. Can you believe we are sold out! ! !  We have 35 stitchers in our group! Poor husbands!  Oh well there is plenty of food to keep them happy!  Are we going to have a grand time or what!  I'm loving it!  

Never too early to plan!

Did you ever hear the saying that a rolling stone gathers no moss - well this gal does not need to worry about being moss covered!  This week I began painting the canvas for the upcoming Tulip Time on the Rhine riverboat stitching cruise that we will be doing in April! We had a beautiful ad in the recent issue of Needlepoint Now magazine.  They do a lovely job

This will be a totally new area for us.  We have never visited this part of the world and I know it is going to be exciting! We've been in parts of Germany and over most of Switzerland but the Netherlands is going to be very exciting for us.  !

We would love to have you join us!  There is a brochure in the files section or email me directly at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com and I'll email one to you.  Reservations are starting to come in and it is very delightful!

Also if you would like to keep in touch with what we plan for our adventures be sure to join the closed Facebook Group Needles 'N Fins Stitching Adventures. Be the first to find out what is on the agenda.

Packing is on my mind.  Gotta get ready for ANG Seminar in Houston - little early for me to think packing but I will be in TN next week and get home late night before I fly out next morning!

In the meantime there are lessons to be prepared for the Online Mystery Classes.  These guys are due during the Seminar.  That will present a challenge for me.  But I feel I am up to the task!  Hope I don't have to eat crow!

It is a beautiful day here and I hope you have a lovely weekend wherever you are.