Saturday, January 6, 2024

People's Choice SAL - My Designer of the Year - Jonalene T. Gutwein

 

 



Every month for the last several years, on the first  Saturday, Jo at Serendipidous Stitching has hosted a Stitch A Long, with the topics chosen by her readers. This is the last month of the Stitch a Long, and I want to say a big THANK YOU to Jo for giving me this space to show some of my stitching, as well as enjoy the stitching of the other participants. 


This last month's topic is "my designer of the year". While there are some designers that I like, I'm not a big follower of any one designer, so I've decided to try to finish one big project that I began in 1997.  The designer is Jonalene T. Gutwein and the project is an Embroiderers' Guild of America, Inc. Group Correspondence Course called Drawn Thread Sampler #1. 


At the time I started this project, I was a member of the Indianapolis EGA chapter. I was able to complete the first section, which was the cross stitch design.  My plan was to complete the sampler with the rest of the group in 1997, so I went ahead and stitched the year on my sampler.  Shortly after that, I moved to Carbondale, Illinois, where there was no EGA chapter. The fabric, thread, and thick instructions binder was packed away and carried with me on every move after that. 


I've decided that 2024 is the year to get back to work on it, which is why I am choosing Jonalene T. Gutwein as my designer of the year. The course consisted of a drawn thread notebook for practicing the stitches, as well as the sampler itself. I basted the large piece of linen for the practice and even started on the first part, but that is as far as I stitched on the practice piece. I have now tacked the sampler to stretcher bars and I'm ready to read the directions again. I really want to finish this sampler in 2024!





Practice piece for notebook below.



8 comments:

diamondc said...

Pamela: this looks like a beautiful design, I hope you finish it I really want to see what it looks like finished.

catherine

Linda Schiffer said...

I was an EGA member for years. This looks like a lovely piece ... and a great learning op.

:) Linda

Toki said...

I get jealous when I hear stories like this and about retreats. Because it doesn't exist in Japan. I will support the challenge you choose.

Jeanie said...

This will be fun to see, Pamela!

jocondine said...

Such fun with this You choose SAL, see how stitchers posted about the theme. Glad to see this work back on your blog, will follow your WIP. xxx

Leonore Winterer said...

Oh, great plan! This has been in your WIP parade posts for so long, I'm excited to see some actual progress on it!

Lelia said...

Actually, now that I think on it -- I did the drawn work sections and I cannot recall finishing the cross stitching! I will need to pull it out and look. It is a wonderful design & yours will be fine once completed

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Thanks for taking part in The People's Choice over the past few years. It's been so much fun to see what you have to show us and this piece is no exception. It's going to look great when you've stitched it and have so many memories too.