tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57490502024-03-07T02:23:33.338-04:00The EmbroideressWhite haired portly-petite embroideress goes blogging through life.Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.comBlogger627125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-72050131190475261392010-12-13T14:37:00.002-04:002010-12-13T14:42:22.195-04:00Oh no, books, books, books. I have visions of books dancing through my head - The heck with sugarplums. They of course want to sell books to you but their little newsletters are a good little read."Our last Medieval Herald for this year – Issue V/December 2010 is online. As December is Holiday time this newsletter holds a very special treat for all our readers: A Special Holiday Offer of 35% Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-91676889645305407192010-12-05T07:39:00.002-04:002010-12-05T07:54:34.824-04:00What happened to ChristmasCan we still find it amidst all the shopping, the electric displays and the bettering the Jones folks?I used to like going to my grandmother's at Christmas time because she had lights on her tree whereas my Dad was dead set "agin" them. We strung a lot of cranberries and popcorn and made more than one paper chain at our house. I'm lucky in having a collection of ornaments gifted me by friends Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-2716403551295300602010-11-24T08:47:00.002-04:002010-11-24T08:56:53.989-04:00Book SaleRun don't walk to http://boydellandbrewer.com/ to take advantage of their upcoming 48 hour sale.Boydell and Brewer are publishers of scholarly works including the catalogs of university presses, societies, etc. They are not "cheap" but have titles not seen elsewhere. Their current catalog of medieval studies includes some 89 pages of titles. You can sometimes find that they have printed not Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-90631760832533622702010-10-28T09:08:00.002-04:002010-10-28T09:22:06.728-04:00Hidden TreasuresIt is amazing what you find when you tidy up your stash, isn't it? I've had a go at threads lately and found stuff I forgot I had.Now, the question is - what to do with some of it. Several batches of thread left from my teaching days will go to local schools and hopefully I'll get rid of some inventory of books by having a sale.So - until November 2 you will get a 10% discount on anything you Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-14611637769773732952010-10-21T09:48:00.002-04:002010-10-21T09:53:08.110-04:00Changing Seasons - Changing ColorsI'm fortunate in having a large grove of very tall trees outside my balcony. There is a variety of various sorts of trees and with each changing season the colors of the leaves change as well. We are getting into fall here in Tennessee now and the trees offer all sorts of colors - from green to yellow to russet to flame. It is amazing that this sometimes happens overnight. I never know what Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-51598376492082648192010-08-30T06:00:00.000-04:002010-08-30T06:00:09.641-04:00Plain Sewing On The Big ScreenJane Campion's film Bright Star based on the short but intense Regency romance of John Keats and Fanny Brawne has my vote for good watching on several fronts. I must admit I'm a pushover for lush costuming, nearly airbrushed cinetography and unabashed romance. When you put all these in the hands of Jane Campion (a producer/director of all things wonderful from Down Under) you have a winner in myLinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-29960631930047030432010-07-20T20:19:00.002-04:002010-07-20T20:45:42.587-04:00Did You Ever?I think we all have had the experience of stitching a wonderful design and then searching for the ideal frame, box, etc. to showcase our stitching.But did you ever have a frame that simply calls for some beautiful stitching and then find ourselves hunting for a design to fit the frame?I can't resist old frames and have quite a stack of what is now known as "shabby chic" frames. In days past I Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-23823462227441355422010-06-23T11:29:00.003-04:002010-06-23T11:32:33.185-04:00More Graceful Lily DesignsIn a recent rummage for items to help flood victims I found more inventory of Nancy Sue Havener's designs. I put up another entire page of them. I think this is close to being a complete set of her published work but I only have 1 or 2 of each of the charts - so first come, first served.Take a look at all of her designs at http://www.skinnersisters.com/ns/page3.htmlLinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-29191931186690563442010-06-22T15:40:00.002-04:002010-06-22T15:50:47.974-04:00Things More Under ControlSome of you may have heard about our recent flood here in the Nashville area. Thankfully my home was not inundated except for rain overflow into our lowest level BUT many of our essential services went wacky as their mail yards, warehouses, sorting stations etc were soon under water and are still not rebuilt and restored.Internet service has been sporadic but seems to be stable now. Telephones Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-74279074895125589812010-06-19T18:27:00.002-04:002010-06-19T18:34:40.751-04:00Don't forget the menHere in the US we celebrate Father's Day tomorrow. I've taken a little time to think about the men in my life and am rather amazed at the number of skills I learned from them. I was fortunate in growing up in a small town and spent a lot of time with a father, grandfather, step-grandfather, an uncle, and two great uncles.I came up with a quick list of things they taught me including:How to rideLinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-9164998135606829462010-04-14T21:27:00.002-04:002010-04-14T21:44:24.814-04:00Walking on a RainbowI was reminded today about a visit to Murano, Italy in October some years ago.Tourist season was over and only intrepid independent travelers were wandering the markets, the bridges, the canals and the other attractions of Venice.I was traveling with two friends and we sent to Murano for the day by ferry. We were met at the ferry by several "guides" to various glass factories. The island has Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-18321312433276395542010-04-13T15:26:00.003-04:002010-04-13T15:32:21.392-04:00Gone but not forgottenWhen my friend Nancy Sue Havener died she bequeathed to me her needlework library without any restrictions on its dispersal by me.After thinking about our many conversations about "what happens to our books" when we get run over by a big red double-decker bus in the heart of London, I believe I've figured out what she would have wished to have happen to her beloved books.You have a chance to Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-70518154735148798272010-04-01T01:17:00.002-04:002010-04-01T01:27:23.530-04:00Another Color ThoughtWhen I was a young child in the post-WWII years one of my favorite fun activities was coloring margarine.The dairy industry in the US had a very powerful influence on regulatory agencies at that time and they fought the sale of margarine (as opposed to butter) with all their might. What eventually evolved were regulations forbidding the sale of solored margarine products.So margarine was sold inLinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-16493823645756280082010-03-29T14:24:00.003-04:002010-03-29T14:35:15.636-04:00Run, Don't WalkHurry off to your local library or favorite book purchasing resource to get a copy of World Textiles, A Concise History by Mary Schoeser.ISBN 0-500-20369-5This volume is by an author with sound academic credentials AND a very readable writing style. It contains what amount to a series of essays on textile history. Each of the 10 essays can well stand alone for a comfortable study of the subjectLinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-21877384198780420802010-03-27T13:40:00.002-04:002010-03-27T13:53:27.713-04:00Oh for those Carefree Early DaysI've been hibernating a good deal lately and watching some Old Old Old television. There were times during the 60's and 70's when I had no TV so I'm catching up on old series. Been going through several years worth of Quincy and Kojak.Of course immediately one notices our current progress in technology. Those poor cops/scientists who had to stop and use public telephones to communicate with Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-65768056503594308752010-03-23T13:44:00.002-04:002010-03-23T14:34:20.812-04:00The Times They Are ChangingSeen in a catalog as a description for a shoe color: Hot WasabiNot too many years ago we wouldn't have immediately known that the color was green and the hue was "spicey"Now most of us are familiarLinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-65347836415730960362010-01-02T20:55:00.002-04:002010-01-02T21:04:53.896-04:00Bugs and WhatzitsWell the ladybug population has much decreased but they left me thinking!!!As I scrambled to keep them out of drink cups and food I was reminded of the very useful little thingies I saw on a visit to Australia. Those folks are blessed (?) with an abundant supply of critters who want their food and drinks. They developed a handy answer by using a crocheted doily sort of lace weighted at the Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-70591810525600583912009-11-13T06:00:00.001-04:002009-11-13T06:00:04.185-04:00Paying it Forward Big TimeAfter a recent hospitalization (hopefully the last for awhile) I was released to return home on Veterans Day even though I'd explained to physicians that transportation would be difficult on a holiday. I use Access Ride to toddle around Nashville and they are great but you have to book van rides 24 hours or so in advance and suddenly needing transportation on a holiday when all their scheduling Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-24242870275962419552009-11-07T23:13:00.002-04:002009-11-07T23:17:34.743-04:00I WonderI've been reading a bit lately on the various insects used as dyes in the ancient world and wonder if I could dye anything with a mash of our local ladybugs.We are in the ladybug invasion season and I detest the miserable little beasts. I vacuum them up daily, swat them, blow them out of my keyboard and off my lamps and generally curse them soundly. I think I could easily gather enough to make Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-31230446665926253742009-11-03T23:58:00.002-04:002009-11-04T00:11:49.031-04:00Back Again - With a Beautiful CatalogBack at the keyboard my friends and readers. During the past few days I've been luxuriating in a beautiful catalog from the Wien Museum that accompanied their exhibit titled "Grosser Auftritt - Mode der Ringstrassenzeit" ISBN: 978-3-85033-354-2The Ringstrasse Era was Vienna's Belle Epoque - that unreal, royalty ridden, mauvey twilight sort of period from the 1860's to 1910 or thereabouts. Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-22833103551723536142009-10-15T06:00:00.000-04:002009-10-15T06:00:06.047-04:00Interesting ImagesOne of the few newsletters to which I subscribe is the British Library Images Library . This issue notes images from a wide selection of their collections taking a look at myths and monsters.Of course I drifted over to the shop and saw several books assembled for an exhibit on Henry VIII. Rats!!! I don't own any of them and I covet all of them!!! The British Library, both in person and onlineLinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-81397661482162742732009-10-14T16:55:00.004-04:002009-10-15T15:25:19.197-04:00Textile Images - Oh MyGet ready to be lost in eye candy. I check in every once in a while on ArtFund, a site dedicated to documenting art purchased with the purpose of keeping it in UK collections. A search of the term "textile" yields 239 images. The images are undoubtedly provided by the holding museums and vary in quality but are generally good and enlarged views are provided. Unfortunately sometimes no image isLinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-40578387131711009382009-10-13T17:42:00.002-04:002009-10-13T17:46:12.107-04:00Game TimeNow I gave up games when I mastered Tetris and Leather Goddesses of Phobos (showing my age again) but the announcement of Medieval Games set for wii playstation seems enticing. Don't worry folks, I won't be spending time on it - I don't have the requisite toys to play with.Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-18387136778679385152009-10-12T16:03:00.003-04:002009-10-12T16:16:44.759-04:00MemoriesMy friend Andrea (Giggles to some of us) posted a comment that took me right down memory lane. The past few years have caused me to curb my travel and a good deal of physical activity but oh boy the memories of my golden years are nothing short of glorious.Not only do I remember blackwork stitching with Steve in their Starbeck living room, but I remember the many arrivals on the local train at Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5749050.post-50673804178887243202009-09-14T03:02:00.003-04:002009-09-14T03:26:56.749-04:00The Story of a BookI have been assembling some copies of my booklet 100 Blackwork Charts to be shipped to Nordic Needle today. I always say "every book has a story" and this one certainly has a tale to tell.It was the first book I assembled and sold. When I took a chance and took a table at Merchandise Night at EGA National Seminar in San Francisco in 1996 I panicked when I realized I had nothing to sell. I did Linnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10207701302518493390noreply@blogger.com4