2020 Preview!

Happy January! 

It's a busy month for us as we chart the direction for the year-- there's more ideas than time as usual, and so many we're not sure which to write about so we'll just hit them all!

First up, the Cloud Club.

This is where we stood at about this time last year...

The finished design was looking, shall we say, a little too "squarish" and everyone was clamoring for more birds anyway.

We figured out that five more birds would be doable,
and now we have this!

As pleased as we are, keep in mind these are photoshopped images!

There's still work to be done.

We're still missing one last bird for the bottom corner--

it will be Cedar Waxwings and it's at the top of our list in 2020.

As soon as that block is complete we can finally decide on our layout. We love to order things in terms of the seasons, so to do that, the last five birds would have to be interspersed, not just at the bottom. Or we can order them by color-- right now, you can see there's a cluster of oranges in the upper right hand corner-- that's less than ideal. Or we can just put our favorites in the middle and go from there! You are welcome to do your own layout or follow along with us-- we will keep you posted this spring.

Speaking of favorites, we did get the Mockingbird out this week-- but our favorite is always the current bird anyway! LOL

 I mean, who could say no to that sewing machine.

Our first "Stitches of the Sea" block was a hit--

THANK YOU FOR LOVING IT. <3

It's always so encouraging for us. 

For those of you who already asking when the next one is coming out, we're planning on one a month just like the birds. So-- February-- and we're thinking "Sea Horse."

And now for the cross stitch fans-- yes, 2020 will be another year of cross stitch! Originally, we were thinking teacups-- but now we're thinking cottages. We'd like this to be a monthly set, too.

 The working name of this is "The Peaceful Cottage," no surprise there. But what is it? A mug rug, a postcard, a quilt block? All of the above? Comment below and find out next week because this needs to get launched!

Next up-- it's time for another alphabet!

Most of you will remember our "Lovely Letters" series from a couple of years ago-- well, it was one of our all-time top earners!

Then we did this pillow for Christmas!

Some of you LOVED the alphabet...

and so, we're going to complete it with a winter spin--

just by changing the colors, you can get a different look.

Or pick a beautiful border fabric and match it.

You can just stitch your initial, or make a word-- 

we'll be offering singles or the entire set.

Most of the alpha is digitzed already, but there's a ton of testing to do. But we may just upload them, singly, as we finish them. 

Also expect L-O-V-E in red tones by Valentine's Day!

And finally-- we're almost to a finish on Kris Kringle!

Another proud moment for us!

If you've stitched with us before, you'll know the finishing kits are usually a border treatment... this time we're going to WOW you with a gorgeous center medallion.

We posted them on Instagram-- it was a real honor when some of our hand stitching sisters asked where they could get the "charts!"

Are charts in the future? We have to admit, it would be a thrill to see this worked traditionally. 

So that's everything in our crazy, busy world!

We hope you have managed to stick to a resolution to stitch more in 2020! And so we leave you with this great thought-- gleaned from our Quilter's Planner 2020 (by Stephanie Palmer)--

xox

Carol