Inspired!

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the home of Darlene Andersen, who used to co-own a cross stitch shop called Treasured Stitches. When Breanna was still in her stroller, Mom and I would walk up to the shop and admire all the sampler models on the walls, and then I'd add to my ever-growing collection of Fanci That and Shepherd's Bush patterns.

The shop closed eventually, and Darlene began traveling and lecturing on the history of Adam and Eve samplers (are you hearing this, Siobhan?). She has stitched 55 of them (if I'm not mistaken), and invited me over to take a look. I brought my camera with me, but truly had not realized just how many samplers she had hanging on her walls, or I'd brought a wide-angle lens. Please forgive me for the tight photos - I literally had no more room to back up!

Here are some laying on a bed, waiting for a place to hang...

This one is Darlene's favorite...

And this one was mine...

Hi Darlene! (Darlene was looking upward into her hallway, answering all my questions about her stitching.)

Hey Kim, remember Frances Eden? She's on my list of things I WILL complete for 2011! (Kim let me adopt her half-finished Frances bc she changed her mind on the fabric and fibers. I was more than happy to take it off her hands!)

This is one that Darlene calls her "Bubblegum Adam and Eve" bc of their bright pink complexions! (LOVE this one.)

I was astounded at all the Mary Beale stockings Darlene had stitched! And she did them all in a year!

She also had a gorgeous tree in her sun room, full of all of the ornaments she has stitched over the years. I can't recall how many she said there were, but they are all wonderful...

She had even taken my Eliza Pennance chart and stitched it 4 times, in memory of 4 of her loved ones that had passed. You can see one of them in the bottom left of the photo below...

What a lovely tree!

Darlene, thank you so much for allowing me to take photos of your stunning handwork. Your samplers are beautiful, and I came away feeling completely inspired to stitch and design! Your home truly is filled with treasured stitches.

Comments

[Beth]

Holy cow! That's a lot of beautiful stitchery!

[Linda Klinedinst]

Oh my word...she is so talented and I love all of her Samplers that she stitched. You are so lucky Paulette to go and see her beautiful stitched Samplers.

I love her stockings too. They are really cute.

Take care & Happy Stitching
Hugs :) from Cold Snowy Northern Indiana
Linda K, Railorad

[Diana]

Thanks for sharing all your pictures of the beautiful samplers and ornaments!

[Wendy]

Absolutely amazing!!! Thanks for sharing Darlene's amazing work with us!

[connie]

That is just an amazing collection of samplers. What a lucky lady you are to have a visit. The stockings are just wonderful. I think someone would have had to pick me up off the floor. I would have fainted. Thanks for sharing your pictures.

I just received my issue of Just Cross Stich Magazine. And who was the featured designer? The wonderful Paulette. What a nice surprise.

[Sandra]

Thank you for posting such an amazing collecion of samplers. I am enjoying trying to work out the names of some of these beautiful things.

Darlene's collection is just awe inspiring

[Melody Bryan]

Simply amazing array of stitched beauties and not just samplers but stockings, ornaments and on and on - OH - I SWOON !!!!!!!!! Thanks Darlene for sharing and Paulette for posting - Hope you are your family are having a beautiful holiday season - Melody

[karen t]

OMG....those are stunning! I can't imagine having that many already framed much less stitched.

Thanks so much for sharing....

[Linen Stitcher]

Amazing. Astounding. Inspiring. Incredible. I'm afraid that were I the lucky one to get to visit Darlene, I would not have left. [sigh] Thanks to Darlene for sharing her talent and to you for sharing your visit with her and her talent through your lovely photography.

[LiBBiE in Oz]

What a lovely lady and just gorgeous and prolific stitcher, they are all stunning! Are my eyes deceiving me, but are none of the samplers framed under glass?

[Michelle]

Darlene came to speak at my guild a while back and her lecture was really wonderful. Of course we were all amazed with the photos of her stitched A&Es and even her ornaments. WOW!!!

[Carol S. Mocarski]

Thank you for sharing...Greedy me , now I want the names if all the samplers and the publisher, especially the one with the grapes being carried. Would love to see more of Darlenes Samplers. Sincerely Carolm

[Peggy Lee]

Absolutely breathtaking! Such an inspiration.

Paulette would you please forgive me for not commenting in SO VERY LONG?!?!?
It seems that one reader I use to browse blogs picks your lovely blog up but the other doesn't...and guess which one I've been using for the past few months? Oh gosh...I'm so sorry...I was just about to email you and ask if there was something terrible going on that you weren't blogging anymore.
Thank you for sharing these wonderful samplers with us. Her home is a masterpiece in itself.

~~Peggy Lee

[Lynn]

All that stitching is absolutely incredible!!
Really beautiful work! I never knew that so many Adam and Eve samplers existed.
Thanks so much for sharing your pics.

[Zlata]

Thank you so much for these amazing photos and storie! It's incredibly beautiful! So much work, so many beautiful embroidery! I'm in awe!

[nicole]

Oh wow Paulette!! Lucky you for seeing them all in person. I bet you didn't want to leave! What inspiration!

[Pilar]

Awesome! Many wonderful works. Thank you for showing us Paulette.
Happy weekend!

[Charlene ♥ SC]

Thank you so much for taking us along on your field trip. What a wonderful and warm collection of heirlooms. And by the way, your spotlight in Just Cross Stitch was great! It's always nice to learn more about the artist, you! Merry Days!

[Betty]

Wow! Darlene, you sure know how to stitch!!! It's all so beautiful...

[Judy]

Thank you for sharing the pictures of Paulette's stitching. She game to our sampler guild this year and gave a talk and slideshow on her Adam and Eve samplers and her Christmas ornaments. Truly a delightful and inspiring lady.

[rachel s]

What a lovely house! I am in awe of her stitching.

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnKA8McQWJ_upK4JzeA0PbPpRuqa7aV8zw]

What an incredible body of work! I can only aspire to such achievements!! Thanks for sharing.

[Teri]

What beautiful and inspiring work! Thank you to both of you for sharing. I'd love to see pictures of each single piece and read all about each one of them!

[Елена]

Какая красота!!!!
Супер!!!!

[Paula]

I love it! I'm astonished with all Darlene's work and I've some stitched Paterns/samplers ...are really Treasured Stitches!!!! It was a pleasure!