Closeups of details

Stitchers have requested close-up pictures of the details of Greg's work and here they are!


- Tiny embedded magnets hold the box closed in your workbasket or you can pick various metal clasps:





- Metal hinge:




Or handmade wooden hinge - matching or contrasting wood. Box below is a "frame and panel" lid with a base.

- Beautiful box joints. The box is built as a complete carcass and the lid sliced later so the grain matches.

Ready to go to Needlework Guild of MN Retreat

Here is the display of goods we will be taking to Needlework Guild of Minnesota's retreat. Footstools, thread boards and hornbooks, a new workstation, WIP floss boxes, needlecases, treasure boxes, a large tray, small trays, pincushions and business card holders.

Will be a fun week of classes, stitching, laughing, show & tell and Sale Night.

Coffin Buzz

This is called Coffin Buzz and sums up my sister Claudia perfectly. It's a 2008 freebie by Plum Street Samplers. We presented it to Claudia for her birthday yesterday and she loved it.

Fabric is R&R Cafe Latte (of course) and thread is Crescent Colors' Black Coffee (of course). Lynn's of Madison lace mounted for me and Greg made the frame. (The glass makes it look lumpy but it really isn't).

Thanks for looking, Leslie

10 little footstools

Top row: "Mystery wood", spalted maple, cherry
Middle row: Cherry, cherry, Ambrosia maple
Bottom row: Walnut, spalted maple, maple
#10 (not shown): Maple

Footstools waiting to go to retreat

At last year's Needlework Guild of Minnesota retreat I saw the most clever footstool. The stitcher whose Father had developed them gave us permission to reproduce them since her Father was no longer building them.

The legs fold in and are held to the bottom by a rod. Okay, I'm not explaining it well but when folded up it's like a carrying a book, with no legs to poke things. Of course Greg had to use all different kinds of wood. They're almost too pretty to put your feet on. There are 11 going to retreat with me this year.

Button Box

Every year my LNS, Stitcher's Crossing in Madison, WI, holds two 4 - 5 month sessions of Cross Stitch Club. Last session we stitched on a Drawn Thread pattern - Button Box. Shown here is my friend Barb P's finished piece, mounted on a box Greg created. As usual, Barb's stitching is wonderful and the buttons she chose complement the little squares beautifully.

Cool wood!

We heat primarily with wood. It is Greg's goal to not have the furnace come on till 3 a.m. (Makes reading in bed a chilly event!) Making firewood on the neighbor's fenceline last week he found a really cool piece of Slippery Elm. Even though it's about 9" across I think it will still make pretty thread holders. He says it will darken as it oxidizes -- starts greenish-gold but will end up a nice reddish brown.

Quilt ladders

Greg just finished three beautiful quilt ladders. They are 5' tall with four 24" rungs. The ladders are 18" front to back as the base, so you only need a little space to show off 4 or 5 of your favorite quilts. Available in black walnut, maple or cherry (left to right below) - $145