I'm doing Punch Needle!

Lucky, lucky me, when I got to the Pattern Hutch in Pigeon Forge Monday morning, Linda Brown was doing demos for punch needle! If you know the shops in the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community of Gatlinburg, you probably visited her shop Primitive Thymes. I met Linda many years ago when I first starting visiting TN on vacation. She closed her shop a few years ago and now she does some demos for Cindy at The Pattern Hutch. She also has her quilt/stitchery pillows in another shop I visited Monday morning, Primitive Treasures.

Here's a photo of Linda. It looks like she's sleeping while standing, but she was just looking down. She jokingly said she'd look up if I bought another pattern. ;) Thanks Linda for being such a great teacher!

Primitive Treasures is a great prim shop and has only been in Pigeon Forge for about a month. She moved over from the Craft Loop in Gatlinburg and is getting the much deserved foot traffic now at her new location right across the street from The Old Mill Restaurant.

The third shop I visited that morning was Dixie Darlins. Huge needlework shop with patterns and gadgets and supplies for all kinds of needlework.

I must add that EVERY employee at each of the stores was very helpful and oozing the southern hospitality that the south is famous for.

Linda taught me so well, that I've already completed my practice project AND designed and punched a project that I'm going to make a pattern for! Should have the pattern done within the next week, maybe even in a few days! It will be a primitive Christmas decoration with a crow, Christmas tree and star, then mounted in a rusty tin dish. The first of many patterns to come! For now, it's soaking in the coffee. Just can't deal with that white weaver's cloth. ;)

As soon as I get the pattern finished, it will be posted on my new blog. www.SimplyPrimPatterns.blogspot.com

Here's some photos I took of The Old Mill and the river. What gorgeous petunias! Notice that they're all along the railing by the river.

We also went to the Knoxville Zoo. I'll post a slide show soon of the animals. The gorillas were the most entertaining!