Since I started blogging here on Needle ‘n Thread (almost three years ago!), I’ve come into contact with some great and generous online stitching friends! I’m pretty convinced that one of the special marks of the needleworker is generosity. From hundreds of needlework bloggers that generously share their tips online, to the needleworkers who swap magnificent hand-made treasures, to the needleworkers who share their interest by sending bits and pieces of stash hither and thither to friends – needleworkers tend to be generous.
This weekend, the Theory of Needleworker Generosity was once again made manifest in my life by a package I received in the post on Saturday.
You know what it’s like to receive a delightful and unexpected package in the mail that contains Just the Stuff you like? Well, that was me on Saturday – and it was such fun to open this package! In addition to the above items were two other yellow and white tea towels that match the yellow waffle-weave towel on the left – but they’re out in the studio awaiting ideas already!
There were three beautiful tea towels in sunny yellow and yellow and white, three very nice-sized pieces of linen, one of which is the dyed linen in the background of the photo above, and a good sized piece of Aida cloth… as well as coton a broder in size 20…
…a goodly selection of Kreinik’s silk mori, which I have never actually stitched with, but which I’ve wanted to try…
… some Gentle Art embroidery cotton, along with Anchor and DMC rayon…
… and a length of pearl purl!
Now, is that not all the stuff that I just love? Have you ever seen a package that hit the nail on the head so well?
There are a couple reasons I’m sharing this with you in such a public way, by the way! No… I’m not hinting for everyone reading to send me stuff! No… I’m not bragging… “Na na na – look what I got!” … First, to thank BJ for her kind package, and second, to tell you that one of the reasons she sent it was a kind of “pay it forward” notion, in relation to my stash give-aways. So… some of this will be coming to you, too! That way, we can all be recipients of BJ’s generosity!
I have to admit, though…. heh heh. I’ve been wanting to try out some hand embroidery on waffle-weave towels, so I have a feeling the sunny yellow towel will probably stay with me, at least for a bit. Once I stitch on it, I’ll pass it on as a gift. And the tiny yellow and white check towel is going to get used, too, I’m afraid – I’m going to test a drawn thread theory on it!
So keep your eyes out for upcoming stash give-aways that will feature some of the goodies from BJ!
I’m also going to add a couple fibers and a piece of linen to the May give-away, which I posted this past Saturday. If you haven’t signed up for it yet, please do by reading the original post and leaving a comment on the original post (answer the question posed in the give-away!).
A great big THANK YOU to BJ for the goodies and for the opportunity to pass them on to others!
It really is a wonderful feeling when one receives an unexpected package or letter from someone. It makes you feel as if you are appreciated and wanted.
Thank you for sharing your package. It made happy to know, I’m not the only person who does things like that just because.
Wow that is such a lovely RAK! and what you say is so true, at my creative embroidery class someone has always got something to share and it is just so lovely. Kim
Mary,
I am so happy you enjoyed it so much. I felt like the package was a little light on the threads, so since I had 4 boxes of the Purl Pearl I threw it in. I had not expected this post. As I said in a prior post, you do so much and ask so little from us devoted readers.
You and others like Sharon B. do so much to enhance our art. I truly just wanted to say thank you. So your right I am paying it forward in a sense and cleaning out some excess at the same time.
Although I am super excited to find out what you are going to do with the towels. I bought the super sized set from All About Blanks and I already monogrammed a full set of 6 for my sis-in-law for her new kitchen. I just gave her the waffle towels blank. So if you do sew on it, and you have the time (and this is no way a request that I am expecting to be filled)please show pictures of how you do it. I have been hesitant to sew on waffle material.
Again, I am so glad you enjoyed it so much. Thank you. Devoted fan here, :-).
BJ
Mary,
How cool is it to get such a gift in the mail! I have worked a waffle weave dish cloth in a unique way and would love to send it to you. Each year my sisters and I pick a pattern and we each use our specialty to produce it. Midge wool rug hooks it, Stevie quilts it and I embroider it. I used a waffle weave cloth to produce the “To Market” design picked for the second year.
It has become a tradition that our county fair looks forward to seeing. Keep having fun.
Janice Miller
How wonderful to get unexpected pressies in the mail…and such wonderful stash! Stitchers are amazingly generous…more than once I have been in need of specialty (and sometimes just DMC) threads that I could not get or afford at the time and a fellow stitcher has come through for me. I try to pay it forward whenever I can, as I know all too well what it`s like to need some thread you just can`t find.
Speaking of towels, there are some awfully pretty brand new gingham tea towels hanging on the range handle just staring at me. Hmmmmm
Yes, it’s so much fun to get goodies in the mail, especially when they are unexpected treats! I’ve actually wanted to send you something for a while but didn’t have your address. Care to send it?
michellemermaid19@yahoo.com
🙂
Dakotah
Hi-Mary,
No one thinks such things when you post items, whether given or bought. It’s all about the appreciation of your site to us fans.
Interesting idea about the drawn checkwork. And the waffle-weave: that is a real stumper for most of us. I mean what can a person really do with it?! Can’t wait to see what you come up with since you are creative and talented enough to tackle that.