Wow. The internet can be a pretty incredible place. On Wednesday I asked if anyone knew who had stitched the Stars that was entered in Woodlawn last year.
And just now I got my answer.
From the comments on my Feb. 24th post:
My name is Arlene and I live in New Jersey. It is absolutely amazing that I have stumbled onto your blog by chance at the right time, just a few days after you wrote this post. I am the anonymous stitcher who had my version of Stars hanging at Woodlawn last year.
I just pulled out my box of Woodlawn papers and such (I have entered pieces for 12 years; alas, though, not this year) and found the comment sheets sent to me last year. And there it is, SaraLeigh Merrey, Scarlet Thread. I know I emailed all those who asked about the pattern and she was one of them. I am a little thrown off (and humbled) that seeing my piece at Woodlawn last year started some others on their own Stars journey. I've followed Jane at Chilly Hollow as she has been writing about Stars recently, liking very much the connection and knowing so well the complexity of the work she is doing
My Stars piece was made as a special gift for a dear friend of mine - actually, made to be a heirloom piece for her daughter. Not someone I wished to make a typical baby sampler for, but rather the desire to give a gift of art. I began stitching two nights before the baby was born (although had been planning and collecting threads for a couple of months) and would have had it in their hands in time for a first birthday if I hadn't decided to send it to Woodlawn first, with my friend's blessing. After it was returned to me, it was then sent to my friend, who unfortunately live very far away from me. Her little girl just celebrated her second birthday last week.
I can't tell you how touched I am to reach out and connect with someone who was "looking" for me. Although I often spend a little time each evening looking around on the needlework blogs, this is the first time I have ever posted a comment. (not surprisingly, I don't have a blog myself.)
Thank you so much for making my day today - it really meant a lot to me.
arlene
Hello, Arlene! It's lovely to "meet" you. And to hear the story of your Stars piece. Was your version one of the colorways by Tony, or was it something you did yourself? I remember that the stitching was exquisite.
Have you entered something in this year's show? Do you ever come down and see the show?
Next year there may be several versions entered. I'm part of the group working from the Scarlet Thread that is working this piece. We're having our first stitching meeting this Sunday (the earlier meeting ran into a problem with a blizzard. Imagine that!)
I am thrilled that you happened on my blog at exactly the right time. You made my day right back!
2 comments:
I was so excited to read your comments that I missed the part where you said you didn't have anything entered this year. Silly me!
Hi, Donna -
I did my own thing when it came to colors of Stars. I started by looking for a variegated thread that just appealed to me - and found Waterlilies (Caron Collection) Hyacinth. I picked colors from that, but decided that I didn't want to use that actual thread in my piece. Actually, when I went to pull out my Stars ring of threads just now, I realized just how many of the original threads I never ended up using.
My two main colors were violet and soft brown, with ecru as a neutral, and alternating pink and blue for the accent color. I think I kept all the stitches as charted, but changed some colors, shades, and/or threads. (and maybe even rearranged a couple of the squares?) For each square, I used the accent color (either pink or blue) for something in the center of the square and then didn't use that accent elsewhere. Overall, I think I was trying to cut down on some of the "busy-ness" that my eyes saw in the pattern as charted. Along those lines, I did my own thing for the sashing and border.
Many pictures of this project were lost in a hard drive death last summer (yes, I learned my lesson and now do regular backups), but I am hoping my friend will email me a picture of the piece so that I can share it with you. She actually had a magnet made from a picture last spring and so I look at the picture every time I open the refrigerator.
Sad to not have anything at Woodlawn this year. Many of the 12 years that I have entered pieces I have made it down there at some point in March, but unfortunately not in the last couple of years and not this year. Ah, well. Just glad that the exhibit is still happening and hope to have a major multi-piece project to send down there next year. (and, of course, make it down myself to see the many versions of Stars that your stitch group will be creating during 2010!)
arlene
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