Our wall in the back sale room at Nordic is playing host to the winning designs and honorable mentions from the new 2010 Award Winning Designs in Hardanger book, and let me tell you, seeing them in person is unbelievable! The display will be up until the 17th… know what else is happening until the 17th? We are running a deal for you! When you purchase the new 2010 Award book, you have the option to receive the 2005 Award book FREE! Niiice.

One of my favorite designs from the new book is a totally awesome Norwegian theme table center that actually includes satin stitch Viking ships (amazing!), Stave churches and an excerpt from Norway’s national anthem: “Ya vi elsker dette landet” (“Yes, we love this land”)! The other designs are fantastic as well, but that one just took the cake for me. Get your copy today and check out these unique Hardanger creations for yourself!

Written by: Ryan

	Glazed Pork Chops on the Grill One-half cup ketchup One-fourth cup packed brown sugar One-fourth cup white vinegar One-fourth cup orange juice One-fourth cup Worcestershire sauce 2 garlic cloves, minced One-half tsp. dried rosemary, crushed 8 bone-in pork loin chops about one-half inch thick and half a pound each In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Pour three-fourths cup into a large re-sealable plastic bag or marinating pan and add the pork chops. Seal the bag and turn the bag to coat the chops. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Place the remaining marinade in a closed container in the refrigerator. Spray the grill rack to prevent sticking. Drain and discard the marinade in the bag. Grill the pork over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Written by: Ryan

We’re putting on our How Far will you Go? campaign again this summer! Yay!

If you’re planning a visit up to the north, detour on over to Fargo; we would love to be one of the stops you make! Spend a few minutes or stay all day. You will be glad you stopped by!

When you stop by, ask for a personal tour. Meet the folks who take and fill your phone order. You can go behind the scenes to see where kits are created and orders are packed for shipping. Be sure to sign our guest book and put a pin in our map to tell us where you are from. We love seeing how far everyone has come, and hearing stories about their hometowns and their trip. It is so exciting to know that stitchers from around the world are just as excited about meeting us and seeing the store as we are about meeting and showing them (or you!) around.

Have you been to our store already? Share your experience!

Written by: Ryan

I recently became a homeowner, and have since begun to discover the many joys (sarcastic and actual) of owning my own house. Cutting the lawn, battling weeds in the driveway, creaky floorboards, retrofit installations, closet engineering, picture hanging… the list goes on! One actual joy is that I now have an extra room for use as a study and stitching location, with high horizontal windows letting in lots of natural lighting and enough space and closet room for projects.

New Stitching Room!

The problem is: I don’t know what kind of chair to get! I know it may sound silly, but I’ve never actually had that perfect, wonderful chair that most people seem to have. My grandmother had one: a wooden sliding rocker with a distinct ‘clack’ and removable tie-on cushions. My mother has been through a few club chairs, recliners, and wing-backs, and now has a wonderful buttery soft set of recliners with high-backs and big, cushy armrests. But not me! I’ve browsed and perused and just can’t seem to put my finger on the one that is just right. I’ve also troubled myself over wanting it to be too comfortable, since I tend to go into stitching comas where I won’t move or get up for hours and I know that can’t be too healthy for me. Does that mean the chair should be moderately comfortable, but not so much that I don’t get the urge to get up every once in a while? I seem to remember an episode of Better Off Ted where they designed a horribly uncomfortable office chair that ended up increasing productivity because workers wouldn’t go into day-time lulls due to the discomfort. Yikes. I don’t want to be aching my back though either. Well, hopefully you can detect my confuzzlement with such a seemingly simple acquisition. So, I turn to you, my fellow stitchers! Recliner? Club chair? Armrests? High back? Fabric? Leather? Microfiber? Cushy? Hard? Aack, too many options! Please help!

What’s your favorite stitching chair like? What do you like most about it? Recommendations?

Written by: Ryan

	Wilton’s Buttercream Icing (stiffer consistency for piping) 1 cup solid white vegetable shortening 1 teaspoon Wilton Flavor (Vanilla, Almond or Butter) 2 tablespoons milk or water 1 pound pure cane confectioners’ sugar (approximately 4 cups) 1 tablespoon Wilton Meringue Powder A pinch of salt (optional) Cream shortening, flavoring, and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy. Yields 3 cups. Chocolate Buttercream icing can be made by adding ¾ cup cocoa or three 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate quarters (melted) and an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons water to recipe.

Written by: Ryan