
Thanks for all the compliments on my Mele K. finish. I’m glad to have it finished. Since finishing it, I also quickly stitched up my guild nametag, which made its debut appearance at the Amy Mitten workshop this past weekend.
2010 marks the tenth anniversary of the guild and in honor of that, Amy Mitten designed a mystery sampler for us. And of course, with the sampler mystery, you also get a bit of intrigue with a murder mystery too. I’ve been looking forward to this workshop for months!
Look at the gorgeous silk threads that came in our kit – hand-dyed by Amy (her threads are called Fibers to Dye For) in ten colors. I love the names, they make me want to break out a game of Clue (my photo doesn’t show the names Col. Mustard, Sgt. Grey, and Red Herring – if you’re a fan of the movie). Stunningly gorgeous threads.
After I finished drooling over my silks, we got started on the first chapter of our story and our sampler. Chapter one is titled “Tudor Rose”. Of course, being the Tudor Rose Sampler Guild, this is a good place to start. There are ten chapters in all, of course.

You can see my measly start on stitching my rose on 40ct linen. In the instructions, Amy suggests tea dying your linen. So, after some of my classmates came back on Sunday with their linen tea-dyed, I think I may do mine too. I didn’t want to get too far on my stitching because of that.
So, instead of working on the cross-stitching on my piece, I decided on Sunday to work on the petals for the rose. These are worked on a scrap piece of linen with detached buttonhole stitch. So when you’re done, you clip the couching threads and you have a three-dimensional piece that you can tack down to your actual piece. When finished, my rose with have a cross-stitched base, a row of red three-dimensional petals, a row of white three-dimensional petals and then a spiral stitched yellow center. Beautiful!!

So, there’s my first little petal. I finished a second one too and started on a third. And of course, I loved stitching with the Blood Red silk. That long tail you see there is what you use to tack down your petal to your piece.
I won’t reveal any more than that…you’ll just have to follow along as I work on this piece. I think the first order of business is to tea-dye my linen. Amy’s model had some pretty yellowy splotches to it, that she said were the result of Orange Pekoe. I may have to experiment. Although, I’m thinking some Lapsong Souchong might be apropos for the piece a la Sherlock Holmes.
Until next time, dear readers. Just remember – Miss Scarlett in the Drawing Room with the Candlestick. But, you didn’t hear it from me…
Happy stitching!
I am grateful for an excellent workshop and an amazing and fun teacher! And anyone who names their thread “Venom” is alright by me.
What a gorgeous bunch of threads. I can’t wait to watch your sampler come to life!
What a gorgeous bunch of threads. I can’t wait to watch your sampler come to life!
I completey agree with Siobhan!
I completey agree with Siobhan!
AMAZING!
I can’t wait to see how this progresses
AMAZING!
I can’t wait to see how this progresses
Your rose petal is absolutely GORGEOUS! Can’t wait to see this piece as you progress.
And such a lovely deep red!
Your rose petal is absolutely GORGEOUS! Can’t wait to see this piece as you progress.
And such a lovely deep red!
What fun and I love the color names. I always thought it would be fun to have the job of the person who names colors for crayons or a paper company.
What a great workshop and I can’t wait to see and hear more.
What fun and I love the color names. I always thought it would be fun to have the job of the person who names colors for crayons or a paper company.
What a great workshop and I can’t wait to see and hear more.
WOW! This is going to be an incredible piece! I look forward to watching it come together on your blog.
WOW! This is going to be an incredible piece! I look forward to watching it come together on your blog.
That looks like a fun class! Love the threads and am looking forward to your progress 🙂
That looks like a fun class! Love the threads and am looking forward to your progress 🙂
Oh, what gorgeous threads and what fun you are having. Intriguing!
Oh, what gorgeous threads and what fun you are having. Intriguing!
Don’t you just love her threads, they are so soft!!! I’m still working on Not For Us Alone, which is amazing! Can’t wait to see more of Tudor Rose!
Don’t you just love her threads, they are so soft!!! I’m still working on Not For Us Alone, which is amazing! Can’t wait to see more of Tudor Rose!
Alright – those colors are quite pretty. Love that rose petal of yours, Cannot wait to get it into my hot little hands. I am sure I will have to put you on my speed dail as I try to work through this. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated all your e-mails over thw weekend – that was so sweet. I am so glad that everything went so well – I did not have a doubt in my mind that it would.
Alright – those colors are quite pretty. Love that rose petal of yours, Cannot wait to get it into my hot little hands. I am sure I will have to put you on my speed dail as I try to work through this. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated all your e-mails over thw weekend – that was so sweet. I am so glad that everything went so well – I did not have a doubt in my mind that it would.
Yum to those threads! I can’t wait to see more of your mystery sampler take life!
Yum to those threads! I can’t wait to see more of your mystery sampler take life!
Oh those colors!! So gorgeous! I’m so looking forward to watching your progress on this sampler!
Oh those colors!! So gorgeous! I’m so looking forward to watching your progress on this sampler!
Gorgeous, sounds like you had such a fun weekend! Can’t wait to watch your sampler progress.
Gorgeous, sounds like you had such a fun weekend! Can’t wait to watch your sampler progress.
Oooooh, pretty threads! The 3D flower sounds like it is going to be amazing. Enjoy!
Oooooh, pretty threads! The 3D flower sounds like it is going to be amazing. Enjoy!
I agree the threads are just beautiful! It will be fun to watch you stitch this sampler. I think the three dimensional flowers will be gorgeous!
I agree the threads are just beautiful! It will be fun to watch you stitch this sampler. I think the three dimensional flowers will be gorgeous!
Gorgeous colours which are going to make a gorgeous sampler! I can’t wait to follow your progress!
Gorgeous colours which are going to make a gorgeous sampler! I can’t wait to follow your progress!
How exciting! I’ll be watching this eagerly. Great stitching so far!
How exciting! I’ll be watching this eagerly. Great stitching so far!
Beautiful palette. I can’t wait to see how the detached petals look.
Beautiful palette. I can’t wait to see how the detached petals look.
Oh how exciting to be doing an Amy Mitten Mystery piece, looking forward to seeing your progress, the thread colors are just wonderful.
Oh how exciting to be doing an Amy Mitten Mystery piece, looking forward to seeing your progress, the thread colors are just wonderful.
What a great idea!! Can’t wait to see it! And… I love your sign off. 🙂
What a great idea!! Can’t wait to see it! And… I love your sign off. 🙂
Michelle, I’m so excited to see how this mystery design progresses!
Michelle, I’m so excited to see how this mystery design progresses!
Oh you lucky girl getting to work with Amy Mitten. I love her work. Good luck your rose looks like it’s off to a good start.
Oh you lucky girl getting to work with Amy Mitten. I love her work. Good luck your rose looks like it’s off to a good start.
Ohhh, those colours are perfect. Looking forward to seeing more of your sampler.
Ohhh, those colours are perfect. Looking forward to seeing more of your sampler.
What a intriguing idea! I love the story behind your guild project.
The thread? To Die For gorgeous!
What a intriguing idea! I love the story behind your guild project.
The thread? To Die For gorgeous!