On to the new-s. I'll report on some of my favorites (and those which are sure to be favorites of many). But watch my Basket at http://www.shakespearespeddler.com/basket.html -- there's more there than I can list here. I've also de-automated myself a bit, and am trying to just pick the cream of the crop from each designer now to include in my basket, which makes deciding easier for you (and me):

Bent Creek: The new Snapper series has started with January (which snows), February (which glows) and March (which blows...does it ever!) You can stitch these all as one large piece (a placement and border chart is available for 50 cents), or as individual pieces...buy one frame and pop them in and out of it each month. I think, though, that eduCATed will be their big chart this spring. A cat on top of books with librarian glasses. Too cute. I might stitch this in perle cottons (including Weeks Dye Works Perle Cottons) on 18 ct. Natural linen, and finish it as a pillow for my bookshelf. There are also some fun new kits, including the timely Peace Be With You (with stoneware buttons).

Birds of a Feather: L'Ete...is here (well, the chart is. We'll have to wait for the real summer to arrive.) This companion to Le Printemps, one of the biggest charts of 2002, will eventually be joined by autumn and winter charts. Lakeside Linens is recommending Bittersweet as a substitute for the 36 ct. Barn Owl this chart calls for. The Bitter Flower Sampler isn't bitter at all...love it.

Blackbird Designs: The nice thing about these designs is they're relatively inexpensive projects (not many colors/fancy supplies needed). The color and design choices, too, are classically, primitively, lovely. I love Glad Tidings and A Merry Heart, and I will also be participating in the Loose Feathers Club (details about this in the next newsletter...).

Brightneedle: Where in the World is Mary Kirby? She's here at the shop. This $12 kit is a nice little package for your favorite little girl -- complete with a design, passport, and sterling silver charm for a charm bracelet. This design is the start of a series. Bless the Cooks is my favorite of the bunch, but I also can't resist Under the Sea (I'd love to stitch and embellish the treasure that sits far below the surface.)

Carriage House Samplings: My Home Town is one of the best designs out of market this year. This sampler is full of motifs of olden days, and includes an alphabet, so you can include the name of your small town (if you didn't happen to grow up in Manchester.) Meeting House Hill and For Garden Best are also a lot of fun. I always love seeing charts of seaside towns and gardens.

Chessie & Me: OK, now Chessie the cat has made her own house -- out of twigs. Chessie's House VI is a hoot. Shepherd's Garden, though, is my favorite of this bunch -- sheep, bees, a garden...ah. A really nice batch of five charts overall, though, by Linda.

Ewe & Eye & Friends: This box probably represented the last of the new market stuff I'll be getting before the March newsletter goes out (just got it a couple of hours ago). The Sweet Exemplary is cute cute (only one color of thread to boot.) But I love the Live Dream Love piece. It really has a new-retro flare to it that might make it a great piece for an upcoming graduate (frame it to stand on an easel for a desk top).

The Gentle Art: Fun -- new Sampler Threads to play with. Permanent colors are Sea Spray, Butternut Squash, Pomegranate, Woodrose, and the Limited Edition colors are Grape Punch, Cedar, Eggplant and Morning Sunrise. Collect 'em all.

Heart in Hand: Tall Trees is a nice chart...I really like the way that tall pine tree feels. Spring Alphabet is a fun kit for a springy (or slushy) weekend, with pastel colors. Everything's included.

The Heart's Content: The Periwinkle Pincushion and Heliotrope Vintage Pincushion are my favorites this batch 'round, but my customers have been drawn to the Irish O'Tally Sweetbag and Splendor VI (a smaller undertaking than many of the others in this series.) Once again, Maureen is the girliest girl in the bunch with her delicate flowers and even more delicate stitching techniques. :)

Hillside Samplings: If you've collected the 2001 and 2002 hand-painted boxes, you must get Folk Art Thread Keep to go with them. This complete kits features a classic scene with a stag embellishes a wooden card to hold your flosses. (I'm finding that when I flip that package over to show the thread keep to my customers in the shop, they almost always groan out loud -- guess it must be cute.) Leslie also has a new Topiary Ornament (III), the beautiful Legacy Sampler, some fun mottos to stitch (A Little Motto Basket), and the wonderful book Sampler Motifs and Symbolism. There are lots of motifs to stitch in this hard cover, full-color book, as well as several full-sized samplers. She's done a lot of research, and the motifs are listed alphabetically with their meanings. This is definitely one I'll keep in my library, and is put together perfectly.

JBW Designs: Four new little charts are in. JBW Designs are always really neat all done up (some of my customers here at the shop have been doing them.) They always look so small and pale, because they're small card patterns, but they make great little projects. A new Marriage Sampler and Baby Announcement are just in time for spring.

Just Nan: Silkwood Manor is in, and is a timeless sampler design. The chart comes with over-dyed silks, and embellishments (including a lion's head water spout!) You can stitch this in DMC floss or silks (I am not carrying the silk packs this year.) And I also have their limited edition Crystal Heart chart, which comes with a jeweled charm.

La D Da: Angel Cat, yeah right. This sweetie sports a halo, but I bet he's been up to no good. And the newest designs are coming printed full-color and very nicely. I really like all of the newest four designs: Rooster, Watchful Eye, By Her Hand, and 123 Tree...By Her Hand is probably my favorite-est, though.

Lizzie Kate: Linda has given us some more fun designs to stitch. The big news is that My Secret Garden is now available as a chart (with embellishments). If you missed out on this limited edition kit five years ago, you're in luck now. Also, Garden Sampler is hard to resist with veggies and garden motifs. And Bless Our Home is a pleasing design, perfect for new home owners, newlyweds, or for your own wall.

Mirabilia: Winter in my Garden is a lovely piece -- tranquil, thoughtful, a woman plans her garden while waiting for spring. Stylistically a very nice design.

Prairie Schooler: While I love seeing everyone's new designs, I think I do the most hopping around (really!) when I see that flat plain white box from Kansas. The Prairie Schooler alphabet series continues with JKL (Jack-o-Lantern, Kitten, Leaves) and MNO (Mermaid, Nest, Owl). The fun egg-shaped spring designs in Just Hatched and Farm Fresh could be finished as a series (two-by-two, or in a row), rather than finished as ornaments.

SamSarah: There's No Place at Home is actually slated to become a shop model (there are two graphs in this chart -- I want to do the one of the bees.) Just when I thought I was "bee-d" out, this one comes along...very cute. Also, Teeny Tiny Packages is a nice sentiment, and would make a nice gift for a new mommy and daddy team. (The chart comes with instructions for color schemes for boy babies and girl babies.)

Shepherd's Bush: These guys are listening to what stitchers want now: inexpensive, small and cute projects. Four heart kits which each come with silks, embellishment, and hand-dyed linen are selling for only $12 each. Who can beat it? The mats for these are only $29...or frame each entire project for somewhere around $60 (mats and frame). Plus, I can't say enough about the new monthly series, which has now been graced with a Leprechaun and pot-o-gold. You can join in the auto for this series any time. I receive charts, buttons and frames when they're available, automatically, and will be getting in all of the frames (some shops are only carrying one, or aren't carrying the frames at all!)

Sweetheart Tree: One of the first market designs I ordered was the kit Vintner's Sampler. This kit is a delicious little design, featuring the names of popular wines and a sterling silver grapes charm. Very nicely packaged, great colors, nice to get everything in one package.

Thread Gatherer: New Silk N Colors are Turquoise Fields, Hawaiian Sunrise, Bronze Age Green, Wintered Grass and Spanish Moss. Cecelia is a talented fiber dyer, and I'm continually amazed by the colors she comes up with.

Threads Through Time: Nancy has got to be one of the most prolific market-designers out there; twice a year, I get this huge batch of charts from Naperville. Her charts are available as "just charts" or as silk gauze kits. And I was pleased to see the Quaker 2003 Sampler, which is lovely, and Candy Hearts, which as a design is just long overdue.

The Trilogy: Oops -- this package just made it in under the wire. Trilogy Square is a really cute piece all done together (I'm glad to see them doing charts with some over-two and some over-one again). Of course you can stitch the sections separately. Bee Treats ... more bees. Still love 'em. And Happy Bunny Bunny Day is a nice spring/Easter piece.

Twisted Threads: To Laugh Often, I predict, will be one of the big charts of the year. What is real success? This famous quote is stitched beautifully in a simple alphabet with stars and squares. I'm recommending 32 ct. Barn Owl for this one. Will someone stitch it for me? Ha! Spring Gingham is cute, and I'm trying to decide how to stitch these gingham designs (maybe finish them as pillows, and put them on a grapevine wreath?)

Waxing Moon: Lately I've been seeing some really nice designs by this company, that until now, I haven't carried much. Simply Summer nicely completes the simply series (which have all been featured in my basket) -- and I think it's the cutest of the bunch. I'm interested to see what might come next from this up-and-comer.

Weeks Dye Works: I squeezed all of my colors over one more notch to make room for the TEN new colors that came in this week from Weeks. Of course they're great. Of course you'll be needing them soon. They are: Spring Bouquet, Cherub, Independence, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Pelican Grey, Cantaloupe, Peacock, Havana, and Lucky. $2 each or $20 for the group. Get 'em while they're hot.

I can't possibly still be waiting for anything, can I? Yes...I'm still waiting on my Sisters & Best Friends automatic, my Homespun Elegance automatic, and the new Victoria Sampler Heirloom Christmas chart (ooooh, aaaah...). I know the new Drawn Thread pieces won't be available for several months, since Cynthia wants to time her automatic shipments BETWEEN markets now (which is something we can all look forward to.)

In personal news...I bought a piano! It's big, and chocolate-walnut, with ivory keys (well, some of them), and 70-years-old, and has such a warm rich sound. I took lessons until I was 16, and last year received an electric touch-sensitive keyboard for my anniversary from my husband. I played for a year, and decided to start taking lessons again. My teacher has TWO Steinways (wow!) and said I really needed a "proper piano" for practicing. When I called to tell her I found one two weeks ago, she said she was "rejoicing." I play every day, and it's such a joy. Come on by, and I'll play you a Sonatina or Tarantella...

I'll be celebrating my 33rd birthday on the 12th in my very own needlework SHOP (it will be the first time I get to do that). A dream come true! How lucky am I? Thanks to all of you who helped me make it through my first year, especially my family, in a shop, a big investment year, which I finished in the black (miracle of miracles.) Here's to many more stitches together. Clink!

© 2007 Theresa Venette. Articles on this site may be reproduced in needlework group newsletters or other handouts with permission of author and proper attribution. Send questions, comments and suggestions to: xspeddler@yahoo.com