Have you heard about The Needle And I and the fun way they are spreading stitching love? This fabulous shop in Illinois wants to offer you a discount on supplies just for getting together with a group of your stitching buddies. How cool is that? It doesn’t have to be a formal group (although I have seen these ladies in action and their black rhinestones tops make me want to go out and bedazzle a bunch of tops for my stitching group) just a minimum of 6 stitchers. Interested? Great here’s how it works…..

Call The Needle and I at 800.316.1940 (at least 1 week prior to your arrival, so they can have enough staff to accommodate your group) and let them know you are coming and they will give the entire group a 10% discount. You can even pre-order items (give them at least 3 weeks to order items not in stock) and you can pick them up and the discount applies!

I love this idea, it’s a great excuse to get together with your stitching buddies and get a jump on the great new supplies that were released at Nashville! Better yet…..take a camera along and snap a few shots of your group at the shop. We’d love to hear about your trip, your group and why you love to stitch! Stitch on!

Needle and ThREAD: Stitching for Literacy Bookmark Challenge

October 1, 2007 marked the opening of the first Needle and Thread: Stitching for LiteracyBookmark Challenge . Participating independent needlework shops across the country hosted special events and collected hand-stitched bookmarks. Bookmarks were donated to local libraries and schools during Children’s Book Week, Nov. 12-18, to encourage and reward children for reading accomplishments.

2009 Bookmark Challenge Results

Thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of stitchers across the country and worldwide, we collected and donated to libraries, schools, and literacy programs ~ 1,023 hand-stitched bookmarks.

Techniques included cross stitch, Hardanger, paper embroidery, blackwork, canvas work, needlepoint, pulled and drawn thread, bobbin lace, tatting, crochet, knitting, machine embroidery, peyote beading, Bargello, Schwalm, and crewel, to name a few.

To download the free SYHO Bookmark chart click here . For each bookmark stitched, you will be entered to win over $500 in stash. How cool is that?

The 2010 Bookmark Challenge will be held March 18 – May 6. Many participants host events and collect bookmarks year-round, so call or stop in to join the fun. If you don’t have a participating shop or guild nearby, here are some other ways that you can participate.

Independent designers donate to literacy projects at least 10% of profits from specially-designed bookmark patterns bearing a Needle and Thread: Stitching for Literacy logo. When you purchase these patterns, you, too, are supporting literacy.

Funk and Weber Designs

My Mark Designs

Have you heard about this fun new contest on Designs by Lisa Facebook Page? No? You have got to check it out!

All you have to do is fan Designs By Lisa Facebook page and help Kathy write a caption for this great photo of her best Buddy Oscar and you could win a FREE Designs By Lisa chart of your choice!

Be sure to enter by Sunday, February 21st. The winner will be announced Monday the 22nd. Open to US and Cananda residents only.

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY IS HERE!

If your house is anything like mine, today is a national holiday. For my husband and son it is the last YYEEEHHAAAAA for football for the next few months, to them it is bitter sweet. For me and the girls, we are thrilled to get a short reprieve from the sport.

Don't get me wrong I love that the big guy and little guy do things together, it's just that I wish it was something that I found interesting. Sorry, no love for football here.

Well that's not totally true. I have come to love football (over the past 10 years) ever since I found that most LNS's and ONS's take Super Bowl Sunday as a way to give back to stitchers!

~ It's Super Bowl Sunday and that means lots of LNS's are having FABULOUS SALES today! Fiberworks in Iowa is giving SYHO members 15% off in store and 10% off online orders today. Be sure to say SYHO sent you for your discount!

This sale is a great way to pick up the the 1st design by Glendon Place in the SYHO Designer Encyclopedia (shown below).

It's official ~ Welcome to the SYHO Campaign! We're thrilled to introduce our first designer ~ Cheryl Granda of Glendon Place. Our first SYHO design is now available for your LNS/ONS to purchase from Hoffman Distributing!

Month ~ February

Design Company ~ Glendon Place

Design Title ~ Only a Life Lived for Others

Fabric ~ 32 count Autumn Blush Vintage Lugana by Zweigart

Threads ~ DMC 815, 814 & 225 / Caron Waterlilies 149 / Kreinik #4 very fine braid 713

Beads ~ Mill Hill beads 02051 and 03051

And to add even more excitement ~ Cheryl is allowing us to give our members a sneak peek at her designs releasing at Nashville later this month.

Dating back to colonial times, the pineapple has always been a symbol of warmth and hospitality. It was commonplace for a sea captain from New England to sail the Caribbean islands and return home with a cargo of fruits, spices and rum. To let his friends know that he had returned safely from the sea, the captain would spear a pineapple on the fence post outside of his home. The pineapple was an invitation to visit, enjoy the food and drink, and listen to tales of the sea captains’ voyage.

Fabric: Stitched on 28ct “Moonglow” Cashel Linen provided by Picture This Plus.

Chart Area: 135w X 263h

Stitch Count: 133w X 261h

Design Area: 9 ½”w X 18 5/8”h

Reindeer Games is a delightful and comical play on words! Let’s just say that we are taking the names of Santa’s reindeer beyond the literal sense and just having some good old fashion fun! Look at the design and it speaks for itself. You’ll find Comet holding on tight as he shoots across the sky aboard a shooting star, and you’ll have a hearty chuckle when you see Dancer stepping out under the silver ball, reminiscent of the 70’s disco dance craze. Does that stance remind you of anyone? Oh, and get a load of that hot tamale Vixen with her pink feather boa and frilly garter. So now you know the mischief that Rudolph and his pals are up to when they’re not hard at work pulling Santa’s sleigh!

Two stitching options provided:

· Picture/Mural - Stitched on 32ct Linen Natural-Brown (65B) provided by Wichelt Imports, Inc. Stitch count is 156w X 322h. Design area is 9 3/4”w X 20 1/8”h. Stitched 2 over 2.

· Bellpull/Banner - Stitched on 27ct Penny Natural 4.7”wide stitching band. Stitch count is 48w X 678h. Design area is 3 3/8”w X 48 3/8”h.

- The design requires 50 inches (1 yd. 14 inches) of stitching band. However, depending upon how you decide to finish your bellpull or banner, it is strongly suggested that you order at least 1 3/4” yds. of the stitching band and begin stitching precisely in the middle. This will ensure you have sufficient selvage on both ends for finishing your bellpull or banner.

- The bellpull hardware that was selected for this design is provided by Wichelt Imports, Inc., Item #39714 - Bellpull Brass-Satin 14cm.

There’s no better description for this colorful cast of feathery characters. This is a piece that could brighten up any room in your house. Not only is it fun to look at each owl’s facial expression, it’s simply easy and delightful to stitch.

Fabric: Stitched on 28ct “Blue Whisper” Vintage Cashel Linen (3281/5139/55) provided by Zweigart/ Needleworker’s Delight.

Stitch Area: 200w X 60h

Stitch Count: 195w X 57h

Design Area: 13 7/8”w X 4”h

Be sure to e-mail us if you are interested in participating in the SYHO Designer Encyclopedia SAL ~ StitchYourHeartOut@gmail.com