what a very special gift. I look forward to seeing Pepper come to life xxx

How awesome! What a great gift

What an awesome project, Gary! I know it will turn out as beautiful as the full coverage fox face you created; can't wait to see the progress and then the finished product. Stay warm!!

I made an apron with chicken scratch embroidery.

🪡🧵

It is great to see you more settled in your new shop. It really is coming together beautifully. What an interesting segment; very thought provoking regarding our current knowledge about the environmental damage done by dying threads/yarns/fabrics. I appreciated your suggestion regarding balancing the vintage with the new in our shopping/stitching. I am very happy with the 2 little, new kits that I found in your shop the other day for my 2025 projects and just as happy to have donated a couple of larger vintage kits that I will never attempt now. That yoyo quilt is amazing in the variety of fabrics and the time it must have taken to make it. I envision it as a set of placemats with solid-colored napkins...

Do you know if any Machine еmbroidery font that does the chicken scratch ?

Looks wonderful…will be there soon to walk the shop!

Dave and I are watching this transformation with amazement!! You have done a wonderful job in arranging the mess we left you with two week ago as we helped you close the old shop and move as much as we could to your new shop! I cannot wait to get into that back cross stitch room and find my new little Christmas project for 2025! We hope to visit real soon!

Fun tour Thank you❤

Great Video.

Great tip to roll your work. Thanks for sharing, I will try that.

Hi Gary! I was glad to hear that your back is feeling better and that you are able to continue organizing your new shop; can't wait to visit and find my new project for 2025. I particularly enjoyed this video with the Buddhist focus but somehow don't think I will be venturing into the making of a thangkas; have to stick with the really small projects right now! I, too, find needlework both mindful and meditative and enjoy the momentary relief from worldly issues. I appreciated your focus on our loss of Jimmy Carter and what a wonderful, caring human being he was; this world is a better place for his being part of it and he will be greatly missed. Happy New Year to you and I look forward to seeing your first video of the new year next Monday.

👍👍

So glad to see you again in the new location and to hear about your plans for next year. I am really looking forward to seeing the Pepper piece finished before you give it to your brother; it is going to be gorgeous. With all you have going on, I hope you still will have your soft opening on the 26th. I would like to see how you are progressing as well as find my new project for 2025 - a small, Christmas themed, counted cross stitch (14 count Aida) kit. Merry Christmas to you!

Merry Christmas Gary Sligh! Congratulations on the new store! - Barbara in VA

🎅🏻

This is a great room with a view.

Can’t wait to see your 50 state quilt quilted. Merry Christmas

You are so right, Gary! I am an avid listener to your videos and look forward to them every Monday. I always learn so much even though I cannot spend much time doing my own counted cross stitching any more. I am very appreciative of the needlepoint flamingo pieces you finished and framed for me - especially after I discovered that I do NOT like doing needlepoint! They have a special place on my wall and I enjoy seeing them every day. The breadth of the different needlework that you do is amazing and every piece is beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Dave and I are looking forward to helping you pack up and get moved into your new shop and home - our little bit of help in making your dream come true!

So happy your dream is coming true! I am so excited for you and look forward to visiting your shop next time I come to FL! Best Holiday Wishes!

So enjoyed this video. I am excited for you and for those of us who are regulars with you now.

Your new shop looks great. I look forward in seeing your progress.

Priceless video, Gary! What an enormous undertaking! I really appreciate your taking the time to give us a tour of progress at your new location. It is coming together beautifully and you have such wonderful plans for the final arrangements. What a treasure you are creating for Leesburg!

🎅 Hey, Gary! Do you do mail-in framing services?

Fascinating indeed. Max Pigeon has a book called In the Forest, released this past summer, where there is much use of voiding. The pieces are so beautiful and not particularly difficult to stitch. 🦉🪡🧵

Once again, Gary, a fascinating stitching history which I thoroughly enjoy learning about even if it is far beyond my abilities to learn at this point. I cannot agree more regarding your comment about the awesomeness of your new location! Dave and I can hardly wait to help you pack up and be moved in and open on the 26th. I, too, am extremely cold sensitive so am not looking forward to the next few REALLY cold days here. Bundle up and stay warm!

beautiful work

Have a blessed Thanksgiving And may your move go smoothly.

As busy as you must be with the moving adventure, I am grateful that you are still taking time to share a new video with us every week. I particularly like this one since I used to decorate the live family tree with handmade ornaments from my grandmother, mother, myself and both of my children. I am sure your tree must be very interesting with all of the different handmade ornaments from all over the world. I am glad you are taking time to enjoy Thanksgiving before jumping back into the packing and moving adventure. There was an interesting article in the Daily Sun regarding handmade kitchen aprons being passed down from generation to generation along with family recipes. That might make for an interesting video segment sometime. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, Gary!

This was such a wonderful interview. I lost touch with Sally about 20 years ago. Thanks to Facebook I found her and so glad I did... this interview made my day. I was manager of JoAnn Fabrics at Millhopper when she had her shop at Thornbrook. She is the most inspiring person I have ever known.

Christmas and counted cross stitched gifts - can't get better than that, Gary! I used to make a lot of the small round ornaments (where the kit had the 2-3" round plastic frame, thread and idea to stitch) and preserve/jam lid covers for gifts as well. They too can be personalized for family/friends. Can't wait until the new shop gets christened!!

🎄🎄🎅🎅

That is a gorgeous piece, Gary. I have never seen anything like it and very much appreciate your sharing it with us. It was interesting to see the beginning pics of the piece unfolding as you worked on it. I hope the finished work finds a place on a wall at the new shop!

😃😃

Hi Gary, you are incredibly busy making the transition from your current shop to the new shop, so we thank you even more for taking the time Tuesday to give us a tour of the new location. The house is beyond beautiful, well-loved through the years, and so perfect for both you and your business. I hope anyone who can will make it a point to visit you in the new location. Dave and I look forward to helping you pack on the 21st and if there is any way we can help between now and then, just let us know.

Your quilt is amazing...a labor of love...over thirty years..thats what I call a true wip:) Hope you show it one day when completed.

Your quilt is spectacular 🤩 perfect choice in fabrics

What a beautiful quilt, Gary and how wonderful that your new shop provided the perfect place for you to lay it out to continue your long-term work on it. I can't wait to see the finished quilt; it is going to be gorgeous. You are the very reason I was able to return to my 25+ year old Christmas tree project. You laboriously removed all of my messed-up stitches from over the years, started me working on it again and then beautifully framed it for me. It has become my legacy piece, and I enjoy looking at every day while it hangs on my wall. Dave and I look forward to getting to tour your new shop tomorrow before it opens and thank you for taking the time to facilitate the visit.

What is the name of your shop and where is it located

Hey, Gary! 👋

Isn’t Autumn 🍂 just about every cross stitcher’s favourite season! I have the Alicia Paulson seasonal charts. I’ve stitched winter but would like to start again & stitch them all perforated paper, cut out each individual motif and make it into a an ornament. I have a tiny fake evergreen 🌲 that I’d display them on. Change them for each season. Someday!

What a nice selection of patterns you shared, Gary. I wish I had the time to reengage with seasonal counted cross stitching as I did so much of it in my younger years. Your ideas/suggestions for ways to promote the continuation of counted cross stitching were also appreciated; it is such a mindful, meditative activity. Happy baking and I hope to get to your new shop for a tour next week.

Hey, Gary!

Thanks Gary. 🦉

What an interesting and idea provoking episode, Gary. I especially enjoyed seeing it shared from your new location, which I still can't wait to visit. I know you will have fun (along with the hard work!) getting it ready for opening next year.