Friday 25 May 2018

Amy from Green Chair Handworks

This week's Blogger of the Week is one of  our quieter bloggers, but as you will see from the photos she is also a most prolific stitcher with some gorgeous designs.  Once again we share the same tastes (especially the Hallowe'en!) and, of course, she is a cat-lover.  And dogs!  I am sure you will enjoy this interview, learning more about our Blogger, the reason behind the blog name and the gorgeous seasonal stitching.  Please welcome Amy from



1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

My name is Amy; I'm originally from Iowa in the USA, currently living in Missouri, and I deeply miss the Iowa winters.  I have a 19-year-old son, a piano performance major in college.

I have an elderly cat, an old cat, and a young mostly blind cat, all of whom were stray or stray-adjacent (the elderly cat's mother was a stray we brought in, turned out she was pregnant.  He was born under my bedroom dresser).  I have two 6-year-old dogs, both rescues, one of whom actually belongs to a friend.  He's staying with us for the forseeable future while the friend cares for an ill relative.




2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

I've been stitching since early 1996.  My college roommate did cross stitch, and let me try stitching one of her projects.  It was a Lavender & Lace angel, on linen, and I loved it, even though I did it wrong to start with.  What hooked me was the meditative quality of the activity, as well as the delicate prettiness of the stitches.

I didn't stitch much after my son was born, until picking it back up in 2015.  During most of his 19 years, I slooooooowly worked on two Lavender & Lace designs – first "Angel of Autumn" and then "Nantucket Rose" (for my mom).

Angel of Autumn

Nantucket Rose


3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start?  Is there a story behind your blog title?

I started blogging in general sometime in the early or mid-2000's.  I was in various media fandoms, and went from email message groups, to message boards, and finally to blogging on Livejournal.

I left fandom-related blogging a couple of years ago, but then discovered craft blogs in 2015, and when I picked up cross stitch again decided that a blog would be a great way to follow other crafters, keep track of my projects, and maybe keep me motivated.

The title of my blog - about the time I started stitching again, I found a fabulous lime green faux leather rocking club chair (it has a lot going on!) at Goodwill for $40, and decided I had to have it for a stitching chair. I set it up among my bookshelves, with a footstool and a TV, and had my stitchy spot!  I was so pleased with that chair that I decided to name my blog after it.




4. How would you describe your stitching style? Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

Well, I am any one of those things, depending on my mood.

For example, in May 2017 I did Stitch Maynia and started ALL THE THINGS, and then continued to start more things through most of the rest of the year, and it was the most fun ever.  I stitched on whatever I felt like at any given moment, finishing mostly smalls.

But now, having so many WIPs is driving me crazy so I'm methodically working my way through them, and not starting anything new outside of the occasional small.  I’m really enjoying watching my WIPs become finishes.




5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

I’m always bad at “what is your favorite...“ questions. Favorites change by the week sometimes!

But let's see. I've stitched a lot of Halloween and autumn.  I like mandalas, nature themes, quaker motifs, and pretty ladies.  I didn't used to like samplers, but they've grown on me.  I've also been finding myself wanting to stitch more Spring themes/colors lately.

Halloween Stitching



Spring themed stitching




There are also styles that I like but have decided not to stitch, for the most part – for example: mid-century-modern style designs, because they wouldn't really go with my decor, and HAEDs, because I don't have the patience.  However, I love seeing others' work on those types of projects.  That's something I like about online stitching communties, being able to enjoy all kinds of stitching vicariously.


6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

Right now there are two finishes that I'm excessively proud of.

"Angel of Autumn" by Lavender and Lace – this took me forEVER to stitch.  I started it before I got pregnant, and then had such a hard time finding time to work on it after my son was born that I started to resent it.  How dare it sit in the corner making me feel guilty for not working on it!  About 7 years later, it was finally done, and I was so proud of myself.

"Lizzie Stitching Wallet" by Faby Reilly – I recently finished this.  Stitching the pieces of the wallet was occasionally a struggle, and then constructing it was a struggle, and I kind of still can't believe I did it.




I'm also very proud of my progress on Snowflower Diaries free 2016 SAL "Joyful World" – it's my first project on anything higher than 32 count; I gave up on it in 2016 after finishing June but picked it back up this year and am making steady progress; and I've made a few tweaks to the designs that I really like the look of.




7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

Nothing major so far. I've had to frog (haven't we all), and I made an error on "Angel of Autumn" that I didn't fix and now it's framed so I can't fix it.

But really, I'm still waiting for a true disaster to happen.  I have cats and dogs, and I drink coffee, tea, and wine, so one of these days I know I'm going to end up with a shredded, chewed up, or stained project.  It hasn't happened yet, but I know it's only a matter of time...


8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

I'd like to be able to sew a stitched piece into a little tote bag or project bag.  Or sew a straight line, for that matter.  My sewing skills are firmly in the "beginner" category at the moment.  I sewed "There's One in Every Nest" earlier this year, and I love it but it's super wonky.



I also think I'd like to learn crochet, and glass art (especially how to created leaded stained glass designs), and wood-working.  I would also like to relearn how to paint (acrylic, watercolor, oil paint) – I used to do a lot of that back in high school, and I'd love to pick it back up again.


9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces? Or is everything FFO'd? What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

So many un-fully-finished pieces!  Ouf.  I love framed pieces, and even though I'm not super-fantastic at hand-sewing, I am increasingly attached to things like biscornus and fobs and things I can turn into dimensional finishes without a sewing machine.  Although, if I'm honest with myself, the only thing keeping me from FFO'ing is not making the time to do it.



10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?

I'm not sure how to define "me" in terms of stiching.  I guess, maybe Village Square by Ink Circles because of the colors and meditative quality of the design; 



the little over-one bluebirds thing I did last year and put in a pocket watch thingie, because of the birds; 



and the Durene Jones free biscornu design from last fall, because I love Halloween.




11. Tell us a secret about yourself. Or a joke. About anything!

I don't have any interesting secrets.  Hmm. I like to binge-watch light mystery tv shows while I stitch, such as Midsomer Murders, Agatha Christie series, Murdoch Mysteries, Miss Fisher Mysteries. Alternatively I binge-watch light sci-fi, which given current trends generally means superhero shows. Emphasis on "light" – there's enough emotionally distressing stuff going on in the real world, so I like my fictional world to be essentially a cozy and happy place.

When I'm not stitching I read – also mysteries and SF/F. And poetry and non-fiction (history, science, and philosophy) (I'm somewhat nerdy...).





12. Anything you would like to add?

I am a serial lurker, and have social anxiety, and Blogger is a pain in the rear; and between those things I struggle to comment on other blogs and often to reply to comments (and, you know, return phone calls to friends and family or talk to co-workers – hurrah social anxiety).  But it's always such a pleasure, and a lot of times also a kind of 'soul food,' to see the creativity and craftsmanship, both in stitching and in other areas of peoples' lives, via blogging. I love it.






Friday 18 May 2018

Stasi from Bee-mused and Bee-stitching

As you all know, I am always on the look-out for new bloggers to feature here.  Some are new to the world of blogging such as RJ and Mary.  Others have been blogging for much longer and I have just never discovered them before.  The aforementioned RJ and Mary recently celebrated their First Blogaversary with a wonderful party.  I loved the stitching, the stories and the chance to meet some new-to-me bloggers!  I hope to feature a few over the next few weeks.  Our first is the lovely Stasi.  Her blog is such a treat to find, full of stitching (obviously!) and stories of family and retired life.  Clearly something to look forward to!  Please welcome Stasi from



1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

Greetings, my name is Stasi Buhrman and I was named after my grandmother, Anastasia....hence the unusual spelling.  I have been married to my soul mate for almost 44 years and have two beautiful, kind hearted daughters.  I made sure they knew how to stitch, and they are both very creative, but have chosen different paths to highlight their talents.    I recently became eligible for Medicare so you can guess how old I am. :)  

I grew up in Baltimore , MD living on the same street for 26 years, then lived in Bethlehem, PA, Cincinnati, OH and Hedgesville, WV.   I currently live in Midlothian, VA, where we moved to be closer to our four grandchildren, two of which arrived in early December from Sierra Leone, Africa after a long four year wait.

When I was in Cincinnati I was fortunate to stumble across a job at a needlework shop, Twisted Threads, where I worked as the manager for 9+ years.  This was a dream come true where I worked for Ruth Sparrow, owner and designer of Twisted Threads and a part of the Trilogy.  The shop closed in 2004 but I miss it and my fellow Twisted Sisters every day!!!


2.     How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

I've been stitching for 55 years.  My first recollection was of a card table cloth my grandmother gave me around the age of 10.  My mother had started it as a child and finished two corners.  I undertook the task of finishing the other two corners and was hooked.  I sewed mainly in my teens making a lot of my own clothes and took up crewel embroidery and needlepoint after I was married.  I tried counted cross stitch when my oldest daughter was born and that is what I've stayed with over the years.

Dutch Girl card table cloth


3.     How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start?  Is there a story behind your blog title?

I started my blog in January 2012 as a way to connect with other stitchers.  When my husband and I moved to WV we started our own business and I worked out of the home and was alone all day.  We had no local needlework shop and I never found another stitcher  closer than 50 minutes away.  This was a great opportunity to reach out and share with other needlewomen.  The name of my blog came about because I like bee related things and I thought I'd be musing about my first grandchild.


4.     How would you describe your stitching style?  Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

I am an eclectic, random, organized serial starter.  Basically I work on what suits me at the time unless I have a gift or class pre-work looming.  I love taking classes and always feel I learn something new, albeit a new stitch, joining technique, finishing idea etc.  I like a lot of different styles and designers....whatever "calls" to me.  I LOVE putting that first stitch in on a virgin piece of linen!!!


5.     Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

Smalls are my favorite thing to stitch so my favorite designers are Betsy Morgan, Merry Cox, Sherri Jones and Jackie du Plessis.  I am fortunate that I have a venue, Salty Yarns in Ocean City, MD, within a 5 hour drive that hosts a number of these teachers yearly.


6.     Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

I am most proud of The Regal Bee.  This is a piece designed by Theresa Baird of Heartsease Examplar Workes.  I entered it in the Woodlawn Needlework show in 2013 and won a first place blue ribbon in the Blackwork category.  The challenge to this piece was the chart came with no finishing instructions, so I had to pull on what I had learned in my classes with various teachers.

The Regal Bee by Heartsease Examplar Workes

The second one would be And They Sinned by Examplar Dames.  I started this in October 2002, put it aside and finished it in March 2015.


And They Sinned by Examplar Dames


7.     What has been your worst stitching disaster?

I stitched a wedding sampler for my husband and I when we were first married.  I bought the fibers from an on-line store and when I washed the piece, the red ran all over the place.  Lesson learned--I have never washed another needlework piece in the 44 years since.  I was able to salvage it after many tries of rinsing out the red dye--I tea stained the whole piece and that pretty much took care of it! :)



8.     Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

I have always wanted to try quilting but know I'd be sucked down the "rabbit hole"!!!  I love fabric and have a "collection" of fat quarters I use for finishing but really don't want another craft to distract me from the HUGE stash I have now for cross stitch.  I will just enjoy others work in this area.


9.     Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces?  Or is everything FFO'd?  What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

Yes, I hate to admit but I have stitched pieces that haven't been finished ( I jut recently learned about the FFO acronym).  As I said earlier, I love to make smalls... boxes, needlebooks, pincushions, scissor fobs etc.  They all reside in a display cabinet which I am rapidly outgrowing.  Some framed pieces are hung throughout my house permanently and then I have some seasonal pieces I rotate depending on the time of year.



10.  Which of your projects most represents "you"?

I would say the piece that most represents me is Needlewoman Busy as a Bee by The Primitive Hare....pretty self explanatory! :)

Needlewoman Busy as a Bee by The Primitive Hare


11.  Tell us a secret about yourself.  Or a joke.  About anything!

Most people would be surprised to learn I have a tattoo! It's a small shamrock on my right shoulder.


12.  Anything you would like to add?

I want to thank you for this opportunity and appreciate the request to be a Blogger of the Week.  I have never really "plugged" my blog and feel most people find out about it by accident.  I had hoped to attract a bigger audience last year when I started the new year out by posting a different completed project every day--I called it Stasi's Stitch Stroll.  It was quite time consuming but I really enjoyed the daily 'share" and got to make some new friends along the way. I ended the year with 440 projects shared!!!  I couldn't believe I had actually stitched that much--it was a real eye opener!  But it's what I love to do and I am blessed to be able to stitch to my hearts content in my retirement.  So, if any of your readers are interested, feel free to visit my posts from last year and see my stitching legacy.  I am adding to the Stroll as I complete new projects; I just don't post every day anymore.  Please stop by and visit!

Thanks again for this opportunity and for your "twisted threads" of friendship!
Stasi







Friday 11 May 2018

Michele from Michele's Made Ups

We have another serial starter for this week's Blogger of the Week slot!  A big fan of the smalls and some gorgeous cards too.  Her blog is definitely the place to go for inspiration there.  We also have a finished project in common, let's just say we both love cats.  Please welcome Michele from:



1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc. 

My name is Michele Stravato and I am from Aurora, CO (a suburb of Denver).  I am married with two sons in college, my oldest, Joe, studying Civil Engineering and my youngest, Matt, studying Aerospace Engineering.  I love cats, although we do not have any pets at this time.  I was laid off from my job in November and am thankful to say I just received an offer letter and started my new job April 30!


2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

I have been stitching for over 35 years.  I started cross stitching in high school and have taken a few breaks in my life but always return.  I prefer 14 count as it is easiest on my eyes, but will stitch on 28 and 32 ct.  I also stitch on plastic canvas.


3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start?  Is there a story behind your blog title?

In 2013 I began making cards out of some of my smalls and at the urging of several co-workers started my blog and opened an Etsy shop ( now closed).  I posted my first entry in October 2013.  The blog is not as fancy as I’d like it to be, but I hoard my free time for stitching and don’t like to spend too much of my free time on the computer.  I don’t post on my blog very often but you can find me on Instagram. (Instagram id is @crazyredheadedcrossstitcherr).  I do post at least once a month as I belong to a monthly smalls SAL.


4. How would you describe your stitching style? Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

I’m definitely a rotator, and thanks to the Facebook Group, Debbie's Ultimate Crazy Jan/Feb Challenge 2016/2017/2018, I’m now a serial starter.   I made a start a day for all of 2016 and 2017, and have continued this in 2018.  I’m not sure how long I will make a start a day for this year, but at least through April.


5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to? 

I don’t have an absolute favorite designer, although I’ve been stitching a lot of Hooties from Pinoy Stitch lately.   I love Halloween and Christmas and most of my stitching is for those two holidays.  I also love smalls as I make cards.

Steam Engine from Cross Stitch Crazy


6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

I have six pieces that I am most proud of.   My husband and I received needlepoint stockings for our wedding and my name was misspelled so we never used them.  Several years ago, I decided to make cross stitch stockings for my boys and I.  This took a while as I started the stocking for my oldest and then took a year or two break from stitching due to busy life with kids.  I made myself dig Joe‘s stocking out in 2013 and finished not only his, but the one for Matt and I.  Of course, when I hung them up that first Christmas, my husband wanted to know why his was different.  You guessed it, I made one for him the next year.


  I also have an Artecy waterfall and Dimensions tiger that are among my favorites.




7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

I don’t remember the name of the pattern but it was by Riolis and it was a cat with a purple flower with lots of partial stitches.  I got about 1/3 of the way through and realized I’d miscounted.   I was already frustrated with the piece and so I threw it away.  I saved the pattern, and every time I see it, I just pack it away...



8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

I’d like to learn to tat.  I’ve got an instruction book and the shuttle and thread, just need to take the time away from cross stitching to do it.


9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces? Or is everything FFO'd? What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

I have a couple of drawers of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces.  It seems that if it isn’t small enough to fit on a card, I don’t turn the stitching into something useful.   And making cards is my favorite finish for a stitched piece.  I love experimenting with colored paper to add detail to a card.  I recently purchased a die-cutting and embossing machine and am experimenting with ways to further enhance cards without taking away from the beauty of the stitching.


10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?

This is a tough one, because I really love cats and Halloween.   I have a piece called "Max in the Moonlight“ that is beautiful.  The first cat I owned as an adult was named Max and looked similar to this one.   I also stitched and framed an Artecy Halloween piece that is very brightly colored.




11. Tell us a secret about yourself. Or a joke. About anything!

I am a closet paranormal freak and have been since the 7th grade!   I love reading books about the paranormal and watching “Ghost Adventures“ and other similar shows.  I know the shows are hokey and probably fake, but I still enjoy them.


12. Anything you would like to add?

I am a blood donor and recently received my five gallon pin. I even got my boys to donate, although only Joe donates regularly.









Friday 4 May 2018

Pamela from Hokkaido Kudasai

This week's Blogger of the Week has a fascinating blog full of information about her adopted country - Japan.  There is always something to learn and some beautiful photos to admire.  Both of her craft and the local crafts too.   Please welcome Pamela from:



1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

My name is Pamela.  I’m from the US, but now I live in Japan.



2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

I’ve been stitching since I was about five.  My grandmother taught me to embroider stamped pillowcases - stem stitch, lazy daisy, cross stitch, French knots, back stitch. I started doing counted cross stitch in high school with a dress I designed for an art class.  I still have the dress, but now it is smaller than me!





3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start?  Is there a story behind your blog title?

I began my blog in December 2011, about a week after I moved to Hokkaido, Japan, which is where the name comes from. I’ve posted every day since then, sometimes about stitching, sometimes about my life in Japan.



4. How would you describe your stitching style?  Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

I think I am a random and eclectic serial starter.  When I lived in the US, I attended classes and seminars, but now that I live in Japan, I don’t have those opportunities. I stitch whatever I think of.



5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

No, I don’t think so. I do many different types of stitching.



6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

There are three birdhouses I made. The first one in beads, the second one crazy quilt, and the third to look like a tent made from girl scout uniform parts.






7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

I don’t think I have any real disasters.  Somehow I manage to change and fix things. Sometimes the finish isn’t what it was started to be.



8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

I’d like to try tattting.  I bought a shuttle.



9.  Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces?  Or is everything FFO'd? What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them?

I have a few “waiting to be framed” pieces.



10. Which of your projects most represents "you"?

The dark part is behind me - click for more photos






Japan has four seasons finish - click here for more photos






Mystery solved - click here for more photos





11. Tell us a secret about yourself.  Or a joke. About anything!

Secrets? If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret!



12. Anything you would like to add?

Thank you for giving me this interview opportunity on your blog.