Words to Live By

So this was my contribution to market this year.  I think this is the biggest sampler I have ever designed and stitched.  The finished design measures 15" x 20".  It is called, "Words to Live By" and I stitched it with Belle Soie Silks on 36 count Fossil linen from Picture this Plus.  It is basically the Ten Commandments in rhyme.  I chose my sampler's title, but the rhyme came from the McGuffey Reader from years ago.  The phrase reads:

Thou no God shall have but Me.
Before no idol bend thy knee.

Take not the name of God in vain,
Nor the Sabbath day profane.

Give thy parents honor due.
Take heed that thou no murder do.

Abstain from words and deeds unclean.
Steal not, for thou by God art seen.

Tell not a willful lie, nor love it.
What is thy neighbor's do not covet.

If you aren't familiar with the McGuffey Reader, it was one of the first school books created to teach children to read. In 1833, a small publishing company called Truman and Smith based in Cincinnati, Ohio, became interested in the idea of school texts. Truman and Smith began scouting for an educator who could create a series of readers. They happened upon Rev. William Holmes McGuffey.

McGuffey had already planned a series of readers and had published his first reader in 1836. The child modeled in his book is prompt, good, kind, honest and truthful. This first book contained fifty-five lessons. I guess you could call it a pioneer child's version of Dr. Suess.

My favorite thing about this sampler (other than the rhyme) is that there is nothing traditional about it.  Just a collection of modern random motifs.  If you think about it- isn't that just what samplers really are?  But instead of butter churns, acorns and peacocks, my sampler sports light bulbs, umbrellas, and robots.  It even has buttons!  In fact, at Market, Cecile from Just Another Button Company tracked me down and said, "OK, I've got to see this new design.  I'm sure it's adorable, but I have to tell you-- it is one of the ugliest button packs I've ever seen!"    She did end up loving the design, but said that she just couldn't imagine how all those buttons could ever come together on one cohesive sampler.   It was a great seller for us at market!

Welcome to my Blog!

I am starting this blog as a way to keep my stitching friends up to date with projects I'm working on. I just got back from Needlework Market in St. Charles, Missouri on Monday night. Lots of people there are blogging and/or following blogs, so I have decided to jump into the 21st century and give it a try myself. Theresa and I had a terrific time at Market, as usual. It is always so nice to connect with friends in the industry and see the new things that everyone has been working on.

I was so happy for Theresa. She and I both operate Raise the Roof Designs together, but she also designs and graphs reproduction samplers under her Shakespeare's Peddler name (which is also the name of her online shop). Anyway, one of the big hits of the show was her "Jenny Bean Halloween Sampler" which is pictured here. I wish I had a dollar for every shop owner that came into our booth and asked for her Jenny Bean Sampler by name. It really is a sweet little sampler. The phrase reads: "When I am dead and in my grave and all my bones are rottin'; If this you see- pray think of me or I will be forgotten." Her biggest seller under the Shakespeare's Peddler name thus far. I have heard from a reliable source (Theresa) that Jenny Bean will be designing a Christmas Sampler soon!

I'll update what's new with Raise the Roof Designs in a couple of days (once I get a chance to download the photos from my camera). Thanks for reading!