Mute But Not Silent by Amy Mitten – photo from her class offerings.
My final project for January’s WIPGO numbers is Mute But Not Silent by Amy Mitten. I was introduced to the Tudor Rose Sampler Guild via this class Workshop in September 2021. It is not a reproduction sampler, but is designed in the style of Dutch Hindeloopen samplers from the 17th century. The threads are tudor silks that Amy dyes herself under the brand name “Fibers to Dye For,” and they’re all fabulously named with murder mystery names. She also has some threadpacks for Hands Across the Sea, Blackbird Designs, and Scarlett House samplers if you’re looking for excuses If I had a lot more money, I’d be buying ALL of the floss just for the names!
The motifs in the sampler represent clues in a murder mystery story that was included with the chart and read in the class. Amy also showed slides and some photos of images that inspired the motifs, giving context to what objects were, what they represented, or how they were used in everyday life at that time.
It was a very interesting class – fun to learn some history behind a sampler region I knew nothing about. It also was my first time learning how to do hemstitching and cutting threads (eek!! heart attack!!!). I have survived the panic about taking scissors to the fabric, but with a little more practice, I think I will be okay.
Mute But Not Silent by Amy Mitten as of January 21, 2023 – stitched 1 over 2 on 32 ct Lambswool Linen with charted/kitted silks.
I’ve worked on this a bit here and there, but it’s a piece I really need to sit and focus on due to the heavy counting – so it hasn’t been a priority of mine in recent months. This is a longer-term project. I don’t have it planned for completion in 2023. Maybe 2024, but likely this one is going to be a couple more years out because the detail work is pretty intense. It’s gorgeous though. I will be happy to one day finish it and get it up on the wall.
For this month, I think I have a miscount in that green ring I’m starting at the bottom. I’m not going to work on picking that out just now. Instead, I’m going to continue to work on those two large H’s at the top, since they have a bunch of embellishment left to go. I really should finish each motif individually before moving onto another one!
Last year I joined the Tudor Rose Sampler Guild(abbreviated TRSG going forward) to participate in an online class for Amy Mitten’s Mute But Not Silent project. The class was great – a blend of new-to-me stitches (cut work!!!) and some history about Dutch samplers. I’d also been curious about joining a formal stitching guild, but have felt the EGA to be a bit too intimidating and not quite cross-stitch friendly, so it was nice to discover a group that is supportive of cross stitch and a variety of different styles. I’ve enjoyed putting names to faces with some stitchers who I’ve seen in Facebook groups over the years, too! The group is local to the Dallas, TX area, but for now they are meeting virtually. Until it goes back to in-person meetings and isn’t accessible, it’s a great opportunity for me to learn, branch out, and get a sense of how a guild membership can work (and as they’ve been doing this for over 20 years – it’s going quite well!)
One of the things that TRSG does every year is a project called M.A.G.I.C. – My Annual Good Intentions Contract. MAGIC goals are ones stitchers choose themselves for projects that they’ve already started that they intend to finish – either in stitching or to be fully finished (FFO’ed) if stitching is already complete. There’s a form on the membership website to enter in your pieces (due by February 1st), and a couple progress check-ins will be done during meetings through the year. Totally fun, just to keep folks motivated. 🙂
So I’ve entered my M.A.G.I.C. list for the year onto the website. Now I just need to get these suckers done this year! My list is as follows:
Witches Wheel (Glendon Place) – The stitching on this is done, but I have all of the beading to do. Ideally I’d also like to get this framed so I can enter it into this year’s Big E fair.
Jade Band Sampler (iStitch Designs) – I am currently on week 11 of 30 on this sampler. If I just stick with this, I should be able to complete this easily in 2022.
The Castle (Teresa Wentzler) – I completed the stitching on this way back in 2005. It’s never been framed, and that needs to be rectified. So this is a FFO goal.
You Were Hatched (Teresa Wentzler) – I have the Celtic braid corners to complete on this ornament before FFOing this in time to hang on my tree next Christmas. I’d had this stalled for a while because there was a time that I was going to create this into Max’s birth sampler… but then I went another direction. So ornament it will be!
Mirabilia Round Robin (Mirabilia – customized) – Completed back in 2011!!! Not framed!!! What’s wrong with me?!? So yes – big FFO goal for the year. This needs to go on my wall. Soon.
A Stitch for Sweet Freedom (Lindy Stitches) – This cute little piece is one I started last January for Inauguration Day. I’d like to have it completed by the end of this year.
Apache Wedding Blessing (Kooler Designs) – Crosses are done, but I completely burned on the backstitching on this. The friend it was intended for will celebrate her 20th anniversary in a couple years, and I’d like to have this done for then.
Bird & Berry Box (Barbara Jackson) – This project was via a class I took through Celebrations in 2020. The class was short and I didn’t really get to work on it much, but I’d like to get all of the smalls stitched and assembled this year.
Winter Welcome (Park Hopper Bart) – I received this pattern in the recent Nice Box from Black Needle Society, and it’s so stinkin’ cute!! Not large at all, and it’s a design that should also be easy to frame. So my goal is to get this both stitched and FFO’d.
Christmas Pin Pillow (Kathy Barrick) – This is another project I received fully kitted in the Nice Box. I started this on New Year’s Eve, and would like to complete it this year. My goal is to only finish the stitching for now – if I can FFO it, great. I’m not sure yet how I will finish it (kinda need to get a sense of the finished size first).
Flying Lesson (Silver Creek Samplers) – Silver Creek is quickly becoming one of my “whimsy pattern” favorites. I received this project in the Black Needle Society’s Trick or Treat Box in October. My goal is to stitch it. Unsure for finishing quite yet.
I Love USA (Mani di Donna) – In 2020, Celebration of Needlework was held remotely, like so many other things. I supported the retreat by paying for my membership and my normal classes, even though I’d be sitting at home in front of my computer. Mani di Donna’s project was one of the eight via the Round Robin class on Friday evening – an event I enjoy participating in every year. It’s a small fob and flosswinder set. My goal is to do both the stitching and finishing for this.
Temperature Tree 2022 (Stitchin’ Mommy) – My intention had been to complete this tree in 2021, but I wasn’t able to get things done… so it’s becoming a 2022 temperature tracker instead! Fully stitched. I’ll FFO it in 2023.
It’s a lot of things to try to finish, but I’m optimistic. Many of these projects are either small, or just need final framing. In true “me” fashion, I made it official by creating a planner checklist page for myself. Now that it’s in writing, it’s an official goal! 🙂
