My Family Sampler

Happy day dear stitching friends and loyal readers!
I hope this day finds you all well and happy, doing the things you love best - like, um, STITCHING! :)

I have something fantastic to show you today, that I know you'll want to learn more about! I've been working diligently on this piece for about a month now. Sitting on it, waiting, knowing I couldn't say anything or hint at anything *yet*, but today I got the green light from my friend, Diane that it was OK to talk about today! So here I go!

For about the last year....
knowing that my family wasn't going to change, I've been scouring Family Samplers, trying to find the one that I liked that fit my "style". I have looked high and I've looked low....in fact I dug out all my Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazines (I own them all from first to last publication) and all my For the Love of Cross Stitch Magazines (ditto about the whole collection bit) and some other stitching magazines that I've been hoarding I mean collecting for years - not to mention clicking all over the Internet for that perfect sampler. I had a couple on my short list, until Diane sent me a picture of *the perfect sampler*. Whoa, who designed this pretty? Lo and behold, it was she! Diane had been working on a Family Sampler for some time, tweaking it to make it perfect for us fantatic I mean loyal stitchers.... and boy o' boy was I thrilled to bits when I clicked on the picture and opened up what is the Williams' Family Sampler. It was magic! I had to have me some of that good stuff! But Diane said it wasn't due out for awhile yet, no worries, I was going to get my hands on it! Pronto! as soon as it hit the stores!

Imagine my surprise....
when one day about a month ago, a huge surprise landed in my mailbox! With Diane's compliments, she had gifted me with the Family Sampler, so that I could begin stitching and make sure that the directions were complete. I could tell that Diane was very nervous about the directions, but let me tell you, all I had to do was read through them once and off to the races I was! I started stitching the very day I received the pattern and here is where I am today, please let me introduce the Pfeiffer Family Sampler designed by: Little House Needleworks and will be in Local and Online Needlework Shops any day now!!!

"The Pfeiffer Family Sampler"

designed by: Little House Needleworks ~ Diane Williams

Stitched on 32 ct. Vintage Buttermilk Lakeside Linens

I started off...

smack dab in the middle designing my family. Diane makes it very easy to chart your own family and the tree changes depending on the amount of family members you have and there is a limit of the amount of family members you can have on this sampler, based on the design. (but between you me and the fence post, I think you could "add another band" right below this family band and fill in more family members if you wanted too. Of course that would mess up the count on the vine around the outside of the sampler, but it could be left off - Now Diane DOES NOT suggest this in anyway and in fact tells people with members more than allowable on the sampler not to purchase the sampler - but I think it could be worked in as another band and leaving off the vine.) Anyway....here's my Family. Notice I didn't give my husband a hair transplant (even though the "Daddy" had a full head of hair charted) I made my Daddy look like the one that lives with us ;)

This sampler is....
rather large for a Little House pattern, but I'm finding breaking it down into "Bands" makes the stitching go faster (or so it seems to me)! The placement of your surname goes under your family band and it is super easy to figure out placement - just grab a pencil and sketch it in on right on the graph - easy peasy!

This strawberry band....
had me dreaming of strawberry shortcakes for the two days I stitched on it. I love how Diane charted these using two different Crescent Colours cotton floss, no two strawberries are alike - just like in real life and don't these look juicy enough to eat?!

I'm in love....
with my family sampler! I truly and honestly cannot wait until I have this puppy all stitched up. I recently redid my entryway at my house and I have *the most perfect* spot for this sampler when I have it stitched and framed. It's going to be a true family heirloom!

I'm about at....
the halfway mark as of today! I just have the top portion and the outside ivy/flower garland left.

Soon....
stitching victory will be mine!!! And I know it will be so SWEET! Don't you think so too?! Why don't you tell me....are you gonna reserve your Family Sampler copy today? I think you better because this one is going to be a "Greatest Hit" for Little House, I can feel it!

Until next time.....
I'll be keeping my "hands to work and heart to God"! While I finish up my Family Sampler and fly in here to show you the finale :)

Hugs and love,