And the winners are....

Our very scientific drawing was held at 9:00 pm.

From a green bowl came these names:

Congratulations to:

 Judy M. winning the wool

 Julie H. winning the velvet

"J" must have been the lucky letter this time!

Many thanks to all of you for your kind words.  I just love the wonderful

people I meet in the world of wool.  (And Judy and Julie, please email

me your addresses and I will get your prizes off to you in the mail!)

I am working on choosing a few open studio days each month.  I have had many people request a designated time they could stop in without an appointment.  I have also had requests to teach classes and I am happy to teach.  I just need a little direction as to what you would like to learn or do.  Don't hesitate to call or email me about an idea or project, class, technique, etc that you would like to learn.  On open studio days you are welcome to stop by and bring a project to work on, pack a lunch, do a little shopping....whatever makes you happy.  I love it when the studio is humming with happy noise and full of creative people!  I am in the process of setting up the calender in the tab above.  I will let you know when things are a little more finalized with info about class size, class fee, etc.  Any input is appreciated and thank you for your patience while I get this all sorted out.

Hope you are finding a little time to stitch!

Thank You!

Karen was the lucky winner of my jar contest! Her prize is this sweet little birdie. I made her from a soft creamy piece of wool and cotton script fabric and I embellished her with buttons and trim from the jar.  The spool she is perched on was also from the jar.

Hope you enjoy her, Karen!

Our Spring Open House was a success!  Thanks to everyone who came by for a visit.  It was so fun to chat and hear about your latest projects. What a beautiful time of year! I just love stitching in the backyard listening to the birds chirp.

 New threads and ribbons...

 Everyone who came got to take home a little kit to make their own

bird on a spool.  Here is a photo for reference.  They are quick and super fun to create!

(OOPS! Please note that the body piece should be cut on the fold

I forgot to notate that on the pattern piece - sorry about that!)

 My cute friend Lisa shared a few projects she has done and is currently working on. 

Her stitching and embellished work are beautiful!

 Enjoy your Spring, feathering your nest, and creating!

Photo Shoot Special!

I believe the highlight of my business is meeting all the wonderful, creative, fun and inspiring people I get to meet!  A few weeks ago Stephanie came over to get some wool for some props she was making for her business, Stephanie Hyde Photography.  She asked if we ever let people use the studio for photo shoots and I told her no one had ever asked, but that she was welcome to come and shoot away!

She is having a special until the end of the month ~ $50.00 for a photo shoot! check out her blog HERE! She does a beautiful job and is such a delightful person!

Here are a few of the pictures she took on Monday:

Beautiful photos and a beautiful mama-to-be!

So Many Projects...

...So little time! I guess I better get myself more organized!  I really can't believe this month is half way over.  We even get an extra bonus day - but I am the lucky one who has an appointment to have a root canal done that day. Yippee.  The studio has been well used this month.  Lots of wool dying and project days with friends, sleep overs with cute little grand kiddos, and hours of pondering and sketching going on.

 

 

Lisa taught us some fun new embroidery stitches to embellish our wool projects with. 

We are enjoying them so much!

 We sure know how to make a creative mess!

   
***

I'm excited to present the latest pillow slips for Needles and Friends! I have enjoyed creating these each month and I am thinking

about putting a little book together with the patterns.
Two more projects to go! 

***

"Nesting"

A new woolie project designed for a retreat I am 
teaching for Peace By Piece next month. 

And...if all goes well, we will be having an Spring Open House 

in the studio next month...more info to come.

Happy Birthday Black Sheep Woolens!

It's hard to believe that I have been plugging along with this little business for 8 years now! It's an adventure for sure but a very enjoyable ride. I have begun to do a little design work and develop some patterns...very s l o w l y. I have grown out of the second room (first a bedroom, then the room over the garage) in our home and we are currently underway with a very exciting remodel of our studio! I used the word "our" because it is very much a family venture. We have creative souls among us and it has become evident that we all need some elbow room! The wool is taking over. I will keep you posted on the updates.

Dying wool is very satisfying. It's a study of color every time I start stirring things up in the kitchen. In the past I have sold my wool wholesale to quilt shops but have recently done a little retail out of my home. With the new studio, there should be plenty of room for teaching classes and creating! I love sharing the art of stitching and creating the most!

I felt like it was finally time to step out into the world. I'm hoping time will allow to keep this blog up. I certainly enjoy my time visiting others'!

Welcome!