Learning with the Schoolhouse Sampler

About time for a mid-month update on my Schoolhouse Sampler, right?  I've been stitching with a double thread, like I mentioned before, and have really been liking that look. I've also learned a new way to do chain stitch(!) which I can't stop doing, now that I've learned it; and to use a miliner's needle to do French knots. Lightbulb!

I've also been noticing that lots of participants are covering every bit of white fabric in those boxes on the left.  I had no idea, as I'd been strictly following the lines, so to speak. So I may revisit some of them at least. (Confession: I'm already working on filling in my rainbow!) Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the handwork very much. As a daily practice, this sampler with Rebecca Ringquist's daily videos, can't be beat.

Schoolhouse Sampler: A Daily Embroidery Practice

Before we get too far along in January, I wanted to mark the beginning of my latest embroidery project, the Schoolhouse Sampler from Dropcloth Samplers. For the first time, I've joined a stitch-along with creator Rebecca Ringquist. With a new video on creativebug every day this month, I'm bound to learn a thing or two.

Since I'm also stitching on my final chickenscratch embroidery block, I'm trying to do a little of each new stitch on the Schoolhouse Sampler each night before I dive back into the chickenscratch. Once I'm done with that block, I'll be able to concentrate fully on the new sampler. 

Already I've learned that Rebecca often stitches with a double-thickness of perle cotten! On all the samplers I've done so far, I've stitched with a single-thickness, so I'm trying the double, and so far I like it! Can you see the difference between the running stitch (single) and the back stitch (double) above? Anyway, I'm enjoying hand-stitching by night, while machine-quilting by day.... well at least for an hour or so after work. Feels like a good start to my year!