The October Blog will Publish the evening of October 12th 2015.  See you then.                    




                     September Blog 2015


     (Don't forget to look for the discount code in this blog that entitles you to a 20% discount for any book you order.) 

                                    

     

We are now moving quickly towards the fall. As I write this I've got 60 Minutes on the television with Anderson Cooper reporting on "Mindfulness". Anderson did a three day weekend on how to meditate and become aware of what we are doing at this moment instead of jumping ahead to tomorrow or go back to yesterday. It was pointed out that people are so distracted by technology (like smart phones)that we are alone together and actual conversations are becoming passé. Google uses mindfulness to start each day. Maybe we need to start and end each day with mindfulness. Anderson Cooper said Mindfulness changed his life.

I really believe doing needlework is a practice of mindfulness. While we are concentrating on the design and each stitch stitched we are in the moment - no where else. Perhaps that's why so many stitchers tell me that needlework is their sanity. Needlework IS our Mindfulness.



Kabat-Zinn, Jon - Mindfulness for the Beginner: Reclaiming the Present Moment - And Your Life - This author is known for his work as a scientist, writer, and meditation teacher engaged in bringing mindfulness into the mainstream of medicine and society. This is the gentleman that worked with Anderson Cooper.  In this book Jon Kabat-Zinn provides access to the essence of meditation and its applications for both the beginner and those who wish to deepen and expand their practice.  $21.95

Siegel, Ronald D. - The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems - From a trusted therapist and mindfulness expert, this book blends psychological savvy with powerful tools for attaining a more balanced life. A wealth of exercises help readers understand and master time-tested techniques for fostering insight, awareness, and acceptance.  $16.95

STUMPWORK HEAVEN

Good news for all devoted stumpwork embroiderers. Two new books are due out by two of the best stumpwork designers and teachers: Alison Cole and Jane Nicholas. They say brilliant minds think alike and I think it must be true in this case. Let me tell you about each book.

Alison Cole's book, Stumpwork Masterclass, is to be released on October 15th. She writes, "This is a 208 page soft cover publication that started out as a two year face to face Masterclass for the Embroiderer's Guild of Victoria (Australia). This book is as much for beginners to Stumpwork embroidery as it is for experienced stitches as it contains information on all aspects of this beautiful form of embroidery - combining techniques that I teach in my beginners and intermediate classes as well as the masterclass. While the main focus of the book are techniques found on historical pieces of Stumpwork, it also encompasses modern techniques. This book takes Stumpwork apart and looks at its history and each element that makes it up - from motifs such as flowers and

animals to stitches and needle-lace.
Note: This book will not be sold through Amazon."

I am taking pre-orders for her new book now. They will be signed by her and are of course 20% off with the discount code found somewhere in this blog.   $46.95


By the way, Alison has two other wonderful classic books on goldwork available I distribute in the USA. 

All that Glitters - This book covers both stumpwork and features stitches, techniques, and projects ranging from dimensional framed pieces to functional items all with clear, easy-to-read instructions, illustrations, and color photos. $39.95



The Midas Touch - This book is 142 pages of 11 goldwork projects with clear instructions and color photos, techniques and supplies that will be needed. Her work is EXQUISITE!!! $39.95

When Alison comes to the states her classes are packed and plenty of needleworkers on lists hoping to get in.  Here's a chance to have Alison teach you when you can't attend a class.


The second book on stumpwork, Shakespeare's Flowers in Stumpwork, is by Jane Nicholas, another master artisan of this technique.  This book is due out in September.  In 1598, Lady Anne Clifford wrote a letter to her father that featured a beautifully painted border. Inspired by that Shakespearian-era design, Jane has created her own embroidery, stitched on ivory silk satin in stumpwork. It showcases 14 assorted flowers and fruits popular at the time, from the Apothecary rose, borage, heartsease, and periwinkles to red currants, barberries, plums and strawberries. Use the border to surround a mirror or enclose a special photograph, monogram, or treasured memento.  $29.95  272 pages.

Jane is a favorite of students too and I've enjoyed many a conversation with her at seminars.   

I'm listing a few other more recent books on Stumpwork for you to peruse:

 

Nicholas, Jane - Stumpwork Butterflies and Moths - Another gorgeous book by Jane that teaches you everything you need to know about creating moths and butterflies in stumpwork.  $32.95


Morimoto, Sachiko - Stumpwork Flowers - This book is a modern perspective on the floral motifs have been a stumpwork mainstay for centuries. It features 19 floral motifs and eight projects, the simplistic design of which showcase the artistry involved in the craft. The well-developed introductory section provides readers with step-by-step photos and illustrations of all the techniques used in the book, making the book suitable for embroiderers of all abilities. This book will encourage readers to take up stumpwork and the fresh, contemporary designs will draw the readers in. The book is composed of three clear sections: an introductory section; a project gallery, featuring beautiful photos of each project motif; and project instructions.  $24.95  

Dennis, Kay and Michael - Stumpwork Embroidery - This book is a three book in one: their Beginner's Guide to Stumpwork, Stumpwork Seasons, and Stumpwork Figures. This book is full of inspiration projects, clear step-by-step photos and expert instructions.  $25.95


I found this short article on threads by Michele Hufford, owner of Come to the Point 10 California Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901, very interesting and thought you might too.

                                 Why Threads are Discontinued 
"There are multiple reasons why threads are no longer on the market. The primary cause is financial. If a sale is going to cost the manufacturer money, it's not worth the investment. This is why JL Walsh Silk/Wool is no longer available.

The dyer started the line as a hobby, and it blossomed into a successful sideline. When her supplier told her she had to double her order of the base thread she wasn't able to maintain the product. I once carried it, and am now sold out. Silk & Ivory by Brown Paper Packages is a wonderful substitute.

Threads may also be discontinued due to government regulations. Organizations such as our Environmental Protection Agency and the 33-member European Environmental Agency based in Copenhagen, have strict rules about the kinds of dyes that can be used. Certain threads will disappear from the marketplace, if the manufacturer is unable to meet those standards.

Mary K. Campbell discusses this in her excellent article, The Conundrum of Colorfastness in the September 2014 issue of Needlepointers, the bi-monthly publication of the American Needlepointers Guild. Oiska, one of my favorite fibers, has long been unavailable. Mary explained that it, as well as Chory and Ostara, have disappeared due to government regulations.

This article was prompted by the following announcement contained in the July 15 edition of Jane Wood's Chilly Hollow Blog: DMC colors are changing again, spurred by the new European Union rules that means certain dyes are banned, so some colors are being discovered and some will have distinct dye lot changes.

I can assure you that this is something that will NOT be happening with Presencia Spain. Their spinning and especially dyeing practices are held to extremely high standards, all that comply with the highest level of environmental rules. I went to Spain three years ago shortly after we started importing their threads and I was very impressed with their laboratories and production areas. Extremely high tech.

I am sometimes asked why I do not stock DMC fibers. As a shop owner, I want to provide the best materials for my customers. This means I must take into account not only the quality of the merchandise, but also whether or not it will remain on the market. Anyone remember Marlitt and Medici?

Thanks Michele.  If anyone has any questions about threads I'm sure Michele can answer them for you.  Her shop phone is: 415-485-4942. Or if you like to e-mail: Pointme1@gmail.com. 


BEST SELLING NEEDLEWORK BOOKS

When needlework books sell by word of mouth or on-site at a needlework seminars I listen. Over 25 years of carrying needlework books I have found needleworkers know their books and are extremely knowledgeable. I pay close attention to what you say, not what the publisher claims. Some of the books I included are books that have been around for a number of years but STILL requested constantly.

The books I've listed are in alphabetical order according to author for easy reference.

Baird, Carolyn Hedge - Teeny Tiny Needlepoint Stitches - This book was requested before I even knew it existed. I ordered it in and have been reordering ever since. It is in a 5x7 spiral-bound format with large, clear graphs and good instructions and how to use it. $30.00


Blomkamp, Hazel - Crewel Twists: Fresh ideas for Jacobean Embroidery - This author brought new life to crewel embroidery. Her projects including beads and metal thread to add sparkle and texture to your work. Monochrome embroidery makes use of a variety of threads and beads, all within the same colour range and techniques employed in needle-made laces with designs defined by means of texture too. She includes more traditional embroidery including shading and satin stitch and many variations of trellis couching to provide texture and interest.  $29.95

 
Bosbach, Silke - Modern Sashiko -This book combines the simple elegance of traditional Japanese sashiko with modern surface designs and materials. There are 15 modern sashiko designs on a range of fabric surfaces. The easy-to-follow techniques are perfect for the absolute beginner as well as providing wonderful inspiration for more advanced stitcher. Lots of color photos and sashiko templates.  $14.95

 
Burr, Trish - Miniature Needle Painting Embroidery - Trish Burr is an embroidery designer and author to reckon with. Whatever she publishes turns into a bestseller. Her latest book highlights miniature projects with a vintage postcards, floral and birds theme. 18 projects are included with very detailed step-by-step instructions and photos. In addition each project has a detailed thread diagram shows exactly where each color should be used. DMC and Anchor threads are both shown.  Soft cover book of 200 pages. $19.95



Donegan, Mary Clark - Patchwork of Peace: 247+ Stitches To Make Any Canvas Proud - She works these stitches in five shades of blue, five shades of red, and three of white into the most gorgeous American flag you've ever seen. Each stitch pattern used is not only shown in a graph but has a color pattern showing how it should look when finished.  Carolyn Hedge Baird counts this large spiral-bound book as a favorite.  $64.95

Gone Stitching - Got Stitches? Multilayered Stitches for Needlepoint - This 5x7 portable spiral-bound book is full of multi-layered stitches categorized by the number of threads per each stitch. Whether you have two, three, or four different threads, this book has the perfect stitch for your project.  This includes double layer stitches, triple layer stitches, quadruple+ layer stitches, trame stitches, trellis stitches and stitched examples that are in color in the back of the book.  $29.95


Kershner, Lois - Threadscapes: Design, Stitching Techniques and Stitches has been around for three years now but still is a top requested book.  Lois shares her amazing talent and techniques for transforming any landscape photo into embroidery that is so realistic its hard to tell the embroidery from the photo. Learn to be an artist in thread. She includes color photos of landscapes and how to create design maps and stitch guides. I've seen her original works and all I can say is WOW!  $54.00


Kurella, Elizabeth M. - Youghal Irish Needle Lace for Connoisseurs and Lacemakers - This lace expert and author of a number of lace books shares her knowledge in this great presentation of this art. Learn how to identify this lace with a section of how to do the stitches.  $30.00


 
Lake, Carole H. and Michael E. Boren - These amazing needlework designers and teachers have put their heads together to bring us two best-sellers and I hear another book is in the works.  Their first: Painted Canvas Embellishment: An Idea Book was a best-seller almost before the ink was dry on the pages. 





Their second book: Desert Island Stitches: Take-Along Idea Books for Painted Canvas Embellishment - Volume One: Ideas for Small Spaces.  This is a first in a series of small spiral-bound books that covers small stitches with lots of hints and graphed diagrams.  $25.00  I've been told this great stitching team is working on Volume II.



Lippert, Sabine - Sabine Lippert's Beadwork Evolution: New Techniques Using Peyote Stitch and Right Angle Weave - This internationally renown beadwork artist demonstrates how experimenting with beads leads to innovative and uniquely beautiful jewelry pieces. She includes 25 elegant projects and a great gallery section of other artists work at the end of the book.  $27.95

Oliverio, Elaine - Stitch Landscape - This has been a continuous best-seller since it was first printed. This 5x7 spiralbound book is full of great stitches for clouds, flowers, grass, mountains, sand, shrubbery, sky, snow, soil, stones, trees, water. and more. $39.95  





Her second book, Ins and Outs is full of great stitches for architecture inside and out and where to use them.  $39.95  Now I understand there will be a third book in this series - stitches for winter - to be released in January.  I will let you know. (discount code: sep915)

 

Paine, Josephine Ruth - Bargello Stars, Shells, and Borders - This book is not only a classic but a continuous best seller through the years. Over 50 needlepoint projects are presented in this book. Chapter 1-4 showcase bargello patterns as a straight line, two-way, four-way, open borders, closed borders, shimmering backgrounds, and four-way and eight-way star configurations. New uses of color and a unique concept of embedding bargello borders perpendicularly into the background pattern are presented.  Chapters 5-12 presents exciting, three-dimensional techniques used to create the scallop shell, snail shell, conch shell, starfish, and seahorse. Chapter 11 and 12 presents examples to encourage clever and useful applications of the needlepoint stitch patterns.  Have fun!  $45.00
 
Pearce, Carolyn - Home Sweet Home: An Embroidered Workbox - I love this project and so have many, many needleworkers. This
exquisite embroidered workbox is complete with a perfectly crafted liftout tray and nine superb matching accessories all shown in full color photos.  $34.95


 

Richardson, Lynda - Stitches a la Carte - Lynda is a full of creativity and inspiration that she shares in this 5x7 spiral-bound book. She includes lots of graphed stitch patterns for backgrounds. She writes, "The 'Aha' moment was when I didn't want to leave the background blank but I didn't want to fill it
up, either. I found a lovely little twisty turny sort of image and that became my first background stitch. As my collection of stitches has grown, it just seemed time to put them in a book. This book has become more than just backgrounds, though; it's changed the way I look at needlepoint."  $29.95

SharonG - It is About Darn Time: Over 125 beautiful darning stitches & hints - I am so glad she finally came out with this book she says has been in her head for a long time. She includes large graphs of each stitch that have arrows for the direction the stitch needs to next.  Her chapters include, Darning 101, Horizontal Darning, Open Lacy Patterns, Mixed Darning, Daring Patterns, Darning with a Bead, Diagonal Darning, and Zigzags.  This is a 8 1/2 x 11 book spiral-bound for easy use. $49.95



Snyder, Julia - Just Stitches I Use - Julia is a great designer and author of many needlework books. This is her latest in her series that is going through the alphabet - she is up to the letter "J" with this book that became a run-away best-seller. She fill her spiral-bound book with nearly 150 of her favorite stitches both old and new and what she considers the best uses for each stitch.  The graphs are easy-to-follow since the stitch directions are numbered.  $39.95


Tarrant, Naomi - Remember Now Thy Creator: Scottish Girls' Sampler, 1700-1872 - This large hardcover book is simply gorgeous and full of color examples of sampler after sampler with wonderful detailed text on the history of samplers in girl's education during this time period. This is a great reference book that will be referred to again and again.  $39.95 

Valley Quail Chapter, EGA - The Needle Index - This clever little spiral-bound book for your needles has become a classic. It went out-of-print for a while but came back by popular request. One side of page shows types of needles and their uses and the other side has a place to store them. I never knew there were so many kinds of needles. Underneath the felt storage piece is information on threads for those types of needles.  $9.95



Wakefield, Rosalie - My Book of Stitches: Dimensional Embroidery Stitch Designs and Techniques for the Creative Needle Artist - Rosalie, owner of Millefiori, shares her collection of collection of Brazilian dimensional embroidery stitch designs with dimensional embroidery ideas is meant to inspire other stitchers to design their own projects.  $30.00





Xiaocheng, Shao - Chinese Embroidery: An Illustrated Guide - This lovely hardback book by a noted Chinese embroidery artisan is chock full of color photos of the stitches and designs to get you on your way to becoming proficient in this gorgeous, traditional embroidery.  And the price is right!  $27.95


Something Fishy!

It's amazing where needlework can take us. This time its taken me to write about fish and many memories about fish. No, I'm not a fisherman, in fact, I have a long memory of my distaste for catching fish. But I do love a tasty fish dinner as long as I don't see the fish being caught. This fishy story will take us to fish scales and an unusual use for them.

When I was a young girl, each summer I got to spend weeks at my great aunt Jessie's summer place in Somers, N.Y.  Her and her husband owned many acres of land in this beautiful remote area of rolling hills, blueberry bushes, creeks and fir and birch trees.  My uncle, owner of a large construction company on Long Island, had his men and equipment dig out a section of a creek into a huge swimming area and another large section we called "the pond" because it was full of lily pads, frogs, and stocked with trout. We'd go down the hill from the house to the pond early evenings to throw pieces of bread to the trout which they loved. As a little girl I didn't realize this was actually a training exercise to get the fish to take the bread from a hook and be yanked into the shore.

One late afternoon I watched my great uncle and grandpa bait the hook with bread and within a few minutes had about four trout flopping on the shore. I was horrified as I watched them gasping for air and dying. When my great uncle and grandpa left for a minute, I went over to the fish to pour water over them thinking that would help them and noted the rainbow colors of their scales in the sunlight. How beautiful these fish were and unable to stand their suffering, I pushed them all back in the water even though I figured I'd be punished. As you can imagine I was very unpopular when the two returned. Between tears I explained how beautiful the fish were, how pretty their scales were in the sun and how I couldn't let them die. They never said another word to me, just marched me up to the house and told my great aunt and my grandma that they better think of something else for dinner. That was the end of eating trout while I was there. 

This story came back to me when I read an article on fish-scale embroidery in the July/August 2011 issue of Piecework Magazine.  I remembered the shiny, colored scales of those fish I rescued and had to know what this strange (to me) embroidery was about. I invite you to join me in this quest.

Yes, real fish scales were used by the Victorian women that were carefully scraped from carp, perch or the common shad.  Who cast an eye on fish scales and had an aha moment that led to
experimenting with fish scales has been lost to that large abyss filled with anonymous needleworkers who went to their graves without recognition. We do know this embroidery was very popular in the Victorian Era and then kind of went by the wayside. I could not find out if anyone is doing this work today.
If anyone knows the answer to this question I'd love to hear from you. 

As you must have imagined these iridescent fish scales had to be carefully prepared. Each scale had to be steeped in cold water until they were soft then laid out on a cushion, separated from the all the others, any excess membrane removed and each scale punctured with two-close together holes near the base of the scales with a needle. Tip: If the scales weren't colorful enough the ladies made a mixture of Damar varnish with various powdered colors. By the way, the preparation process eliminated all fishy smells.

The lovely designs of flowers, birds, butterflies were worked on silk, satin, or velvet. Tip: It is better this work is not subjected to friction and used mostly for ornament.  The surviving pieces of fish scale embroidery include lampshades, cushions, scarves, needlebooks, purses, and framed pictures are beautiful to behold.

This sounds pretty time consuming process so I can see why this lost its popularity. But maybe somebody is doing this beautiful embroidery.

A Potpourri of New Needlework Books

Dolan, Wendy - Layer, Paint Stitch - This beautiful book guides the reader through Wendy's inventive style of work: from piecing and layering fabrics and creating textiles to painting and embellishing with hand and machine stitching. This book contains a wealth of inspiration for any textile artist, showing how to create gorgeous, textured pieces of art and then, in the final chapter, offering inspiration for any textile artist, showing how to transform these pieces into 3-D items such as cushion covers, notebooks, 3-D vessels, and even a wedding dress, which Wendy made for her daughter. This book contains six beautiful step-by-step projects, broken down into three chapters: Architecture, Landscapes and Flowers, and at the end of each section there is an inspiring gallery of Wendy's other work.  $35.00

 
Edmonds, Janet - From Art to Stitch - Our author creates amazing textile pieces inspired by the artists Chuck Close, Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Matisse, Hunderwasser, John Piper and Giorgio Morandi. She outlines each artist's work. sharing what inspires her, then creates a series of artistic projects using various media and techniques exploring this inspiration. These works lead in each case to a stitching project, with a stitch sampler to introduce each one. Janet's finished textile pieces include stitched squares, a portrait, a purse, a landscape, a box-framed 3D piece, embroidered boxes, stitched panels with castings and more. The flexibound format makes this a practical workbook for artists as well as a rich source of inspiration and ideas. 144 pages.  Due out in September by Search Press. Should be in USA by November 2015.  $35.00

 
Fox, Alice - Natural  Processes in Textile Art: From Rust-Dyeing to Found Objects - Bring the rhythms of nature into your craft! Increasingly, textile artists are using natural processes in their work, from dyeing with rust to incorporating scavenged items. This is the first book dedicated to the topic, with advice on how to work creatively with what's close at hand. Bury your embroidery to give it a patina, make sun prints, do "beachcombing weaving," and more.  $29.95


Holmes, Cas - Stitch Stories: Personal Places, Spaces and Traces in Textile Art - Everything from a walk in the part to an exotic trip, can provide inspiration for textile art. See how recording your experiences in sketchbooks, journals, and photos to create personal narratives that become beautiful stitches textiles pieces. Acclaimed textile artist Cas Holmes discussed such techniques as creating layered collages, "sketching" in stitches, and working with composition and color. The result will be unique!  $29.95

 
Kho, Annie - Mini Makes: Fabric Jewelry - Eleven delightful jewelry projects to make from fabric that include brooches, bracelets, necklaces, and hair accessories. Chose then fabric you'd like to use then use all the techniques explained with
simple step-by-step instructions at the front of the book.  $6.95


Hughes, Valerie - Textile Artist: Felt and Fibre Art - This book showcases stunning panels, wearable art, wall hangings, bags, jewelry. and accessories. Val Hughes explains how to use your senses and emotions as inspiration for your own beautiful textile artwork and how to use wool and water to bring them into reality as felt. Each of Val's collections is explored through themed galleries of her wearable art along step-by-step projects for you to try.  $35.00


 
Lebrun, Sandra - Mini Makes: Shamballa Bracelets - Here you will find fourteen Tibetan inspired designs to make, all accompanied by illustrations and step-by-step instructions. There is also advice on which yarns, fabrics and beads you should use as well as knotting and tying techniques.  $6.95

Quinn, Sue - How to Sew Little Felt Animals - A step-by-step guide to making your own animal friend from felt. For over thirty years Sue has designed wonderful little felt animals and now she is sharing her master secrets. Follow the clear step-by-step instructions to create a group of endearing little creatures from her new and original designs for both hand and machine sewing techniques.  $19.95

Abbott, Victoria - The Marsh Madness - A Book Collector Mystery - The national bestselling author of The Wolfe Widow presents the fourth spine-tingling mystery featuring rare-book collector Jordan Bingham and some Ngaio Marsh first editions worth killing for.  $7.99

 

Adams, Ellery - Murder in the Paperback Parlor - A Book Retreat Mystery - With Valentine's Day approaching, Jane Steward is organizing a week of activities for fans of love stories at her book-themed resort. But after the murder of a celebrated author at the event, it's up to Jane, with the help of her book club, the Cover Girls, to catalog the list of suspects and find a heartless killer.  $7.99


Bowen, Rhys - Queen of Hearts - A Royal Spyness Mystery - Lady Georgiana Rannoch, 35th in line for the British throne, knows how to play the part of an almost royal - but now she's off to Hollywood, where she must reprise her role as sleuth or risk starring in an all-too-convincing death scene.  $7.99

Chance, Maia - Cinderella Six Feet Under - A Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery - Variety hall actress Ophelia Flax's plan to reunite her friend Prue with her estranged mother, Henrietta, is met with a grim surprise. Not only has Henrietta, inexplicably vanished, but she's left behind an evasive husband, two sinister stepsisters, and a bullet-riddled corpse in the pumpkin patch decked out in a ball gown and one glass slipper.  $7.99

Chase, Erika - Law and Author - An Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery - When the granddaughter of retired police chief Bob Miller arrives, the Ashton Corners book club questions the motives for the reunion. But after a man is found dead, the ladies must reconvene to solve a murder in their own backyard. $7.99

Coyle, Cleo - Once Upon a Grind - A Coffeehouse Mystery - When coffeehouse manager turned amateur sleuth Clare Cosi roasts "magic" beans for Fairy Tale Week, she brews up a vision that leads to a sleeping beauty in Central Park; a big, bad wolf of Wall Street; and an East Side enclave with storybook secrets.  $7.99

 
Finch, Kay - Black Cat Crossing - A Bad Luck Cat Mystery - In the first in this cat-filled cozy series, aspiring mystery author Sabrina Tate is about to discover that when it comes to solving murders, her new feline friend Hitchcock has a way of clawing at crime.  $7.99

 


Gates, Eva - Booked for Trouble - A Lighthouse Library Mystery - This is the second installment of this series set in North Carolina's Outer Banks. When her socialite mother comes to town, Lighthouse librarian Lucy Richardson must shed light on a shocking murder to clear her mom's name.  $7.99

 
Haddock, Nancy - Basket Case - A Silver Six Crafting Mystery - This is a first in a crafty new cozy mystery series. There's not much crime in Lilyvale, Arkansas, but local authorities have their hands full with Ms. Sherry Mae Stanton Cutter and her housemates - a crafty group of retirees who've dubbed themselves the Silver Six. When Sherry Mae's niece Nixy arrives to keep them in line. Lilyvale also plays host to a killer.  $7.99

 
Marks, Mary - Gone But Knot Forgotten - A Quilting Mystery - Sorting through the estate of a wealthy recluse may sound like a fascinating task, but when the skeletons in the closets turn out to be real. Martha Rose and her quilting pals wish they'd stuck to basting and batting.  $7.99


 
Martin, Carol Ann - Loom and Doom - A Weaving Mystery - Della Wright and her friend Jenny have remodeled Dream Weaver into two separate shops. But the building inspector refuses to grant Jenny the permit to reopen her coffee shop. Determined to get to the bottom of the holdup, Della heads to his office and finds the inspector dead - and the police spinning a yarn about Della being responsible. Includes weaving tips.  $7.99


Shelton, Paige - If Onions Could Spring Leeks - A Country Cooking School Mystery - The New York Times bestselling author of If Catfish had Nine Lives returns to Broken Rope, Missouri, where a ghost of the Old West seek assistance from country cooks and amateur sleuths, Betts Winston and her grandmother. Includes recipes.  $7.99

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS BLOG

If you haven't heard of Ruth Kern Books before this visit, I'd like to introduce you to our business. We've been in the Needlework Book Business for 24 years. For over 21 years we set up bookshops for the ANG and EGA seminars and other needlework organizations.

Can't find a certain book? Give us a call whether the title is in or out of print.

We also have a website that is being updated but is still plenty usable:  ruthkernbooks.com

Questions? Give us a call Monday through Saturday: 602-943-0738 between 9 am and 6 pm Arizona time. (Yes, we are the people who never change our clocks forwards or backwards.) If you prefer you can e-mail me at: rkern3@mindspring.com or rkbooks3@gmail.com. To reach us by mail: Ruth Kern Books  7235 N. 9th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85021.

Important!!  Don't forget to find the discount code in this blog that gives you a 20% discount on any book you order.

Have a great life! Remember to keep plenty of time available for stitching and reading. 

See you next month.