While billet-doux is French for "love letter", the literal translation is "sweet note". We thought that struck just the right note for this sweet piece perfect for a Secret Sister gift or that special stitcher.

A Sweet Note for Thee

Because we used motifs from a Quaker sampler, "A Sweet Note for Thee" seemed the perfect name for our little note. Decorated with coordinating ribbon, this little beauty is a practical gift, too - it holds a lovely Kelmscott mother-of-pearl ruler in it's own pocket, and Swarovski crystal beaded pins nestled in 100% wool felt alongside some tapestry needles.

1817. Sarah Almy’s Sampler Wrought in the 11th year of her age, 10th month. American. Private collection.

A Sweet Note for Thee $17.50*

Petit Bijou

Petit bijou is French for small jewel, and that's just what we thought this tiny packet reminded us of.

King's Baubles

King's Baubles (because the motifs come from Mary King's 1807 sampler, and because we chose some lovely crowns for our jewel) is a wee packet of bejeweled pins and tapestry needles nestled in 100% wool felt and wrapped up in a pretty card with silk ribbon. Ribbon, Swarovski crystals and felt coordinate with the colors of the sampler. This tiny gem is perfect for slipping into a card to mail off to your stitching friends, or to include with an exchange package!

Mary King 1807. English. Private collection.

King's Baubles $6.00*

Elizabeth Elliott May 30, 1811. Probably American. Private collection.

Our take on the pyramid etui – choose our version and you’re done when you take it out of the package! We had a lot of fun figuring out how to make these little beauties. Our set comes complete with an attached pin keep in the center, adorned with lovely Swarovski Crystal beaded pins; a thread counter with twin heads and a pretty crystal flower; a pair of needles resting in a coordinating wool felt; a mother of pearl thread ring with coordinating silk thread; and another ring with silk ribbon. The whole set is beribboned and beautifully tied up with a bow!

Elizabeth Elliott's Garden Etui $30.00*

Tag the Bag!

Now I Know My ABC’s

Royal Blush

South of the Border

“Many suitcases look alike – please be sure you have the right bag!” – Haven’t we all stood at the baggage carousel wondering which non-descript black bag is ours? Worry no more! With our sampler luggage tags, you will identify your own in no time. And if your suitcase should somehow be lost, never fear – your name, address, phone numbers, email (whatever you want, really) are all on the back so the airline can reach you when they find it! Three designs: Now I Know My ABC’s, Royal Blush, and South of the Border. Specify which and fill out the form so we know what information you want on your tags – they will be custom-made for you, and sent out with the rest of your order. Tag’s actual size is 4 1/2” x 2 3/4”. Design size is 3 3/4”x 2 1/2”.

Tag the Bag! Two tags - mix and match designs $10.00 *

Please fill in the form - your luggage tags will be custom made for you, using the information you provide. You will receive a confirmation email shortly after you submit your form by email to: inthecompanyoffriends@gmail.com

Once you've filled in the form, please save it to your computer for your records and send us an email with the form as an attachment, or cut and paste the information into the body of your email. inthecompanyoffriends@gmail.com

Let Us Do You a Favor!

Is your shop sponsoring a class, special event or retreat? Is your guild holding a special meeting or event? Let us do you the Favors! We will custom-make as many favors as needed, featuring high quality photographs of needlework. We can use your photos (as long as you have the copyright to the images provided) or our own. Items may be based on some of our products, or we can dream up something new and unique! Tell us about the event, any theme involved, and we will put our heads together to come up with the perfect favors for your class or event. We’d love to work with you. Prices will depend on the piece – contact us to talk about what you want and when – we’ll get back to you quickly with a cost and turnaround time. You are under no obligation until you agree to a firm price and date. Contact us:

Becky deVries-Wong and Julie Buck

In the Company of Friends

1026 258th Ave. NE

Redmond, WA 98074

425-868-6312 (Becky)

296-524-0066 (Julie)

inthecompanyoffriends@gmail.com

Cherry Hill Farm Tea

We made too much! This tea really is a special blend, made up for the Lady's Companion box - but we overestimated how much we'd need for the boxes, so we have a limited number of tins for sale. The tea is a flavored black tea sold in loose tea form - a blend of Cherry Almond tea from Market Spice and Diablo Cherry Cinnamon tea from Teas of the World, and features a luscious cherry scent. (What else?)

Each special tin holds approximately one ounce of tea - enough for several pots.

Cherry Hill Farm Tea $6.00*

Remembering Sue:

set of Bookplates and Magnetic Bookmark

Amey Cougill ca 1820. Ohio. Private collection.

This pretty set based on an Ohio Sampler remembers our friend and mentor, Sue Studebaker. Profits are being donated to the Sue Studebaker memorial fund at Colonial Williamsburg for the purchase of a sampler in Sue's memory. A brief history of the stitcher is included in the package.

Remembering Sue Bookplates (Package of 10) and matching Bookmark $10.00*

Cherry Hill Farm Lady's Companion

Sold Out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are so excited about our new, limited edition boxed set! Our vision for this set came from the sampler we have been calling "Cherry Hill". This piece goes with all our other Cherry Hill designs, but also stands alone. It is the culmination of about two years' effort - each box is individually hand-painted and lovingly appointed with sewing notions and other things you'd expect to find in a lady's sewing box in days gone by. We imagined the little girl who stitched this sampler, Sara Jones, who was 9, sitting in her yard and stitching this lovely sampler, feeling very grown up with her sewing companion by her side. We peeked inside, and here's what we saw: a thread palette with silk threads; a needle book; a pin keep; her favorite red scissors; a design pad with charting paper; a small ruler and matching thread winder; a mother of pearl waxer; pin cushion; a book mark; a story book with it's own wee bookmark; a quick start set; a needle minder; a tiny button box with pretty buttons; a hand mirror (it looked like a hornbook to us, so we made yours that way); a tiny scent bottle; a red glass ink well with powdered ink and quill pen; a tin of tea; and a tin of chocolates.

When we saw these items, we set about finding, making and embellishing them:

What you’ll find in your Lady’s Companion

Athena Dark Chocolate Cherry Truffle Cremes Crafted by Dilettante Chocolates master chocolatier, using highest quality ingredients. ALL Dilettante profits for this item donated year-round to breast cancer research and education.

Cherry Hill Farm Tea is a flavored black tea in loose tea form - a special blend of Cherry Almond tea from Market Spice and Diablo Cherry Cinnamon tea from Teas of the World.

Japanese Cherry Blossom Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Gel from Bath and Body Works—a modern and practical version of the scent bottle.

Powdered Ink from Fort Clatsup Historical Society, Astoria, OR. The Quill pen was also carved for them from a pretty white feather.

Red Embroidery Scissors from Dinky-Dyes.

Silk Threads on thread palette by Hand Dyed Fibers.

Pin Cushion is hand made by Becky and filled with 100% wool roving to protect your pins.

Bejewelled Pins in your pin keep are wearing Swarovski Crystal beads.

Ivory Ruler and Thread Winder are made of genuine ivory (antique piano keys) and hand painted by Julie.

Buttons are genuine mother of pearl.

Waxer is made with mother of pearl beads and bees wax.

All other items are hand-crafted by Becky and Julie, including the hornbook, button box, needle minder, design pad, story book (complete with Sara Jones' story), magnetic bookmarks, thread palette, needle book, scissors fob and quick start set.

All boxes are grain-painted with a lift-out tray featuring compartments for all your "goodies" and each is different. Let us choose one for you. Dimensions of the box are generous: 8 3/4" x 6 3/4" x 6 1/8"

Retail sales only and within the United States, since it is against the law to export ivory. Limited edition - once these are gone, they're gone! SOLD OUT!!!!!!!!

Watch for more boxes in the future. If you would like to be on the list of people we email when a new box comes out, please let us know: inthecompanyoffriends@gmail.com

Cherry Hill Farm Lady's Companion $125.00*

We add new items as fast as we can think them up! Always featuring antique needlework and especially samplers, our products are made with loving care and an eye to detail. Watch for new brainstorms!

To place an order from outside the United States, please contact us!

All images are the property of In the Company of Friends™

*A small handling charge will be added to actual shipping costs at checkout.