My sincere wishes go out to each of you for a very happy and peaceful 2011, full of many blessings – among them, of course, plenty of time to stitch!
Thank you, dear readers, for your inspiration, ideas, encouragement, interaction, and support during 2010! You are such a terrific group of readers – none better, I trow – and I think we have loads of fun here, don’t we? Well, I do, anyway! I have enjoyed the year blogging very much, and I look forward to charging forward into 2011 with Needle ‘n Thread.
Looking back on 2010 and forward to 2012, I have some good-bad news: Earlier this past fall, I announced (over-hastily) that I would be attending Beating Around the Bush, 2012, in Australia. Alas, that has not worked out, and I will not be attending. I made this decision after realizing that I was not capable of meeting the required deadlines for preparing teaching projects. I do appreciate the initial invitation from the kind folks at Country Bumpkin, but I am very happy with my decision. This has freed me up for other endeavors that involve Needle ‘n Thread – things I would have had to put on hold for another year. Since I will not be preparing for Beating Around the Bush this year, I will be able to prepare other things for Needle ‘n Thread, and for you, so that’s good!
In 2011, there are some fun changes coming to Needle ‘n Thread. I don’t want to say too much about them yet, because they are still under construction, but as the time draws closer, I’ll let you in on the details!
I’m looking forward to 2011, and I hope that you are, too! May it be a good year for all of us, and may God bless you and yours with joy and peace the year through!
Happy New Year Mary. Sad to hear you won’t be coming down under next year, but we can always keep up with you on the net. Thank heaven for technology.
Take care and don’t spread yourself toooo thin on the ground.
Happy New Year Mary! I can’t wait to see what the fun changes are and I definitely want to make more time for stitching this year.
regards
Lynda
Dear Mary.
I wish you and your family a very healthy and fine New Year.
I wanted to thank you for all the inspiration you given to my.All the nice things you showed us.
And I’m loking forwards to the new thing you are going to share with us.
Anna from the Netherlands
G’day Mary,
Thank you for your kind and heartfelt wishes. You are Precious, as in treasure.
I’m sorry you’re not coming to Australia but I’m happy too that you are happy with your decision. I wouldn’t have been attending Beating Around the Bush but thought it would be a nice feeling to know you were here.
Love the photo tiles. We did some awesome projects in 2010 didn’t we! Looking forward too, to 2011 as we follow you along. Well, follow isn’t really the appropiate word. I think that’s why your blog is so appealing to me, and no doubt to others also. We are not made to feel we are just following along, or even watching over your shoulder, but that we are walking or sitting beside you. And, not because we are the pushy or clingy types but because you place us there. Thank you.
Cheers, Kath
Thanks for the new year’s wishes, everyone! I really hope it is a good one for all!
Kath, thanks for your kind words! Yes – I think the projects in 2010 were pretty fun!! But golly, when I look back, it doesn’t seem as if I accomplished much with ye olde needle and thread. I have great plans for this year… I figure I might as well aim as high as I possibly can. That way, if I fall short, it’ll still be up there somewhere! Hope you have a terrific New Year, and that you aren’t sweltering too much down there right now!
All the best to all!
Mary
Happy new year Mary.
viji
Happy New Year to you too Mary! Looking forward to all the wonderful things you have in store for us this coming year. This has become a favorite site for me this past year since I found it. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into it. God Bless! 🙂
Mary,
A happy and prosperous New Year to you and yours too! I love your site, and do so appreciate all the video tutorials and other things that I have learned from it.
Thanks!
Vivian
Much happiness to you and all of your family this year, Mary, as well as to all readers of Needle’n’Thread!
Thank you for all of the learning experiences, and your generous giving of yourself and your knowledge.
Changes you say???? How do you improve on perfection?
Debbie
Hello Mary,
Happy New Year! First, I found Needle N Thread, Second, I’ve learned sooo much. Third, I won Trish Burr’s kit (super duper). Now that is a good year last year. More importantly I’ve met a lovely, kind teacher with a marvelous sense of humor in her presentations which left me with a late night chuckle reading my e-mail. Thank you and looking forward to 2011 filled with my favorite website and your new revelations.
Mary, I have enjoyed the past year reading your blog everyday. You have inspired me to stitch and create. I look forward to sharing this new year with you through your blog. Happy New Year!
Mary,
Happy New Year!
Looking forward to reading Needle ‘n Thread in 2011. Don’t know what I’d do without all your insight, help and inspiration.
Thanks You!
Happy New Year to you Mary! Your blog is a great inspiration and teaching tool! Thanks for all that you do for us!
Big Hugs!
Kathy
Happy New Year Mary and hope that the year ahead is filled with loads of stitching for you and your readers.
Thanks for inspiring me to try new things in the past year.
Hi Mary,
Happy New Years! You ARE a treasure. Sorry to hear about Australia, but commend you for catching yourself before you spread yourself too thin. Right person, right opportunity, wrong time. Maybe next year? Or doing the National Seminar instead? I’ve been thinking about mastery lately, as in mastering a skill, instead of knowing just a lot of different things. You’re an extraordinary teacher, especially because you imbue your teaching with your enjoyment and pass along your shared curiosity. “Just how will these particular threads work out? Let’s see!” Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. Have a wonderful new year!
Happy New Year Mary! Please keep us updated with pictures on how your organizing is progressing. Not sure how you are going to improve this site, it’s the best, most informative I have come across. One of my resolutions this year is to follow and stitch a project with you. Thank you for introducing us this past year to new stitches, techniques and other sites. Happy New Year to you and all of my fellow followerers!
Meant to say that if the teaching opportunity doesn’t roll around to get to Australia, maybe you could teach at one of the National Seminars. Oh heck! It just didn’t come out right. No offense to the Australians here. Mary, feel free to delete my comments. I haven’t had any coffee yet, and it was a late night. Can you tell? 🙂
Happy New Year, Mary! All the best to you and yours in 2011.
Mary,
Country Bumpkin’s loss is our gain, but I know you would have enjoyed the trip, stess and all. You can only do so much and its good you are comfortable with you decision.
I have enjoyed your website so much this past year, and its the first place I look when I need a new stitch for something, or need to ‘see’ how to do an old stitch. (something I’ve done before but can’t remember how).
Your classes with your students were a joy to follow. I hope you will continue to keep us up to date with how they are doing. I can only wish students in some of our schools here could have such an opportunity.
I loved your fish… kept me going with some of the zentangle designs. Your rooster and the number of stitches you auditioned amazed me. Pulling out ‘finished’ work would never have occurred to me. heeheee
Hope you have a wonderful year this year and you just have to outlive me. (I need the resourse you provide).
Ricky in Winnipeg
Mary
I agree with Mosaic Magpie…How do you improve what’s already the best???? Thank you, for sharing your knowledge and love of embroidery. I enjoy your website and have learned so much. Wishing you the best for 2011.
Fredi
Hi Mary, Happy New Year to you too. I’m so disappointed that I won’t get to finally meet you! But I am glad that you are happy with your decision. I am working on my projects for BATB right now (literally put down the needle to type this!) and having so much fun.
Thanks for the great needleworking year, and here’s to another one!
Hi Mary
I wish you all the best for a wonderful New Year. Thank you for all your terrific tips and ideas throughout last year.
Bonne et heureuse année à vous et merci pour tout le plaisir que vous nous donnez. Continuez à nous faire rêver…….
Violette de France
que hermoso saludo’nuestra maestra es una hermosa persona’Feliz año 2011′
te deseo lo mejor
una bordadora
del sur del mundo
Happy New Year! Have loved your blog every day since I started subscribing.
Is that cute rooster pictured today in an old column? He is a dear.
I have just started perusing a couple of books for purchase on Pennsylvania dutch hex signs. They have such a lovely old world look, I think they will lend themselves to some unique surface embroidery.
Happy New Year, everyone! (Well, it’s the first Monday of the New Year, anyway…) Thanks for all your kind New Year’s wishes and your nice comments!
Lidia РMuchas gracias! Feliz A̱o Nuevo!
Merci, Violette!
Oida – Yes, the rooster – you can read all about him here: https://needlenthread.wpengine.com/2010/04/crewel-embroidery-project-step-by-step.html The Pennsylvania Dutch designs would make great “folk” art embroidery designs, I agree! I have a book of them myself, but I’ve never done anything with it. Maybe this year?
Yvette – thank you! Yes, that is the greatest disappointment of not going to BATB, that I won’t be able to meet you, Trish, and others! Well, one never knows what the future may bring. I just know that teaching in three schools doesn’t leave a whole lot of extra time for preparing for something so big!
Thanks again, all, for your kind words and wishes! I’m looking forward to 2011!
~MC