Thread a Needle and Stitch Some Hope

Good Morning!
The squirrels are running around the big ficus tree in the backyard, looking for sunflower seeds and staying out of the ducks way and the sun is shining and it's a beautiful day!
Is it more lovely because I have a new washer and dryer that I can't wait to fill with laundry and listen- oh, can't hear a thing, as it enhances our life with clean clothes? Probably.
Just the sun shining is enough to make me happy most days!
The Mr is in the living room playing his computer game and I don't have to do anything except write and sew and get things quilted!
I have a couple of wonderful embroidery patterns to share with you and it seems like there was something else...hopefully I will remember before I finish this post!
The old memory ain't what it used to be, that's for sure!
First of all Andrea Zuill of Badbird has her November pattern up-

This is just a small sample- please go to her Blog  (click here) and then click on the design for a larger version- you can right click and save it to your desktop and then print and use. Be sure to say thanks to Andrea for her generosity in sharing her talent and if you use the pattern you can always email her with the photo and she will share that on her Blog.
That's part of the circle of Blog love that happens here in Blogville- at least with the crafty Blogs- there is always a  nice thing happening!

Next up is Vicki from Turkeyfeathers- she has a free embroidery pattern available to print from the link to the PDF on this post (click here) or you can get it as a freebie in iron on form when you purchase
any patterns from her Pattern Bee website (click here).
She explains how to trim the bottom of the towel with fabric and I noticed something quite ingenious on her fridge- she used a magnetic curtain rod to hang the towel- at least that's what it looked like and I have lamented the fact that our kitchen drawers are all knobs and not handles- so I never have a place to hang a towel- except the stove! I went and grabbed one from the back door and tried it out and it fit!!!
 Vicki is full of great ideas like that and I am so proud to tell you about her newest project- A BOOK! It's 102 pages filled with 40+ Projects to do with wool, scissors and a needle & thread!!! I immediately clicked the link in this post and bought my own copy. She wrote and illustrated it herself using CreateSpace, an Amazon affiliate and I am so proud!
Last but not least I want to share the talent of Sonja aka Artisania. She drafted a paper piece pattern and asked me to test it out and I did with this as the results:

Here is her Blog and here is her Etsy site where she has a brilliant traveling gnome pattern. I really enjoyed making the mouse but my plan is to make a gnome lovers quilt next year and combine Andrea's Gnome embroidery patterns with Sonja's paper pieced gnomes and some red capped mushrooms and make a quilt for me to snuggle under next winter!
There are so many things to make & do and it gives me great Joy to look ahead and imagine creating until I am empty- which I can't imagine with all the wonderful craftiness out there to not only inspire me but to give me a reason. Sometimes when I go shopping I think for a fraction of a second, why bother making stuff when there is so much out there available? Then I look at the quality and immediately think- not only could I make that but I could do a better job with better materials and care.
If a wave of Hope is spreading over this Nation then let it also be one of getting back to appreciating MADE IN AMERICA. With the Holiday season fast approaching why don't we all reaffirm our HANDMADE PLEDGE and get busy making some gifts to share the message of Love.
Make your own Thanksgiving cards and Christmas cards- if you send them.
Did you notice how the gas prices have dropped- it was $2.29 when I filled up the other day- I almost danced a jig right there at the pumps! It's supply and demand- if we don't buy it then they won't make as much of it and the landfills are overflowing with crap made in Foreign countries and broken and thrown away here.
I try not to preach too much here, but I do believe that giving a gift made with your own two hands or the hands of another is worth more than the monetary price that's paid.
 Every time someone makes something a little bit of their heart and soul goes into it and that makes a difference.
Love makes the world go round.
At least it should.
It can.
Be Artful today and shine.
Love & Stitches,
Calamity Kim