Stitchin' Rock Star in the House!

The other afternoon I was tidying up the bathroom after our open stitch Tuesday evening and I didn't hear the customer walk in the shop. I left the customer alone to finish browsing and after a few minutes we struck up a conversation. I understood that she had heard of my shop from a friend and was interested in learning about a retreat. We talked about that a bit, then the topic turned to Blackbird Designs and their stitching retreats. I told her how some of my friends went to several of the Blackbird retreats and how just last week there was a frenzy in the shop over the little wooden boxes that Karin picked up at Hobby Lobby and the Kelmscott thread keeps that they were choosing to put inside said boxes. Laura has written quite the post about that night.



These boxes were featured in the new "A Stitcher's Journey" book that was recently released at the Nashville Needlework Market. Anyway, I don't want to get off on a bunny trail here....so back to my story. This customer was talking about Alma and Barb and had been to several of their retreats last year and did she say she stitched for them? I had to ask, "Did I hear you say you stitched models for Blackbird?" "Yes", she replied. How awesome! We chatted about that and I went and grabbed the book and we flipped through the pages and she pointed out which pieces she received at which retreat (I told you she attended several!) and then she showed me the piece which she model stitched for Alma.....which was the exact design that Karin had just brought to me last night to be framed!! Holy cow!! Do things come full-circle or what??!!



Yes, Stitchin' Rock Star Joan Seidel was at my shop. I am so glad she told me about the model stitching otherwise I might never have known. She also mentioned that she blogs and I made sure I brought it up on the computer before she left.



Here is a picture of Joan and her husband David, who is the reason she is in the Chicagoland area. He is here on business and she decided to accompany him. He is a very supportive DH and even encourages her in her art! He regaled us with a story of his involvement in a bidding war on eBay just to get a pair of scissors for Joan! If you hop over to her blog you will find what a prolific stitcher she is....at least sixteen finishes (and counting) for 2011! Thank you, Joan, for taking the time to stop at Inspired Needle and thanks to your friend for telling you about my shop!