October 9, 2017

I am the winner again

Too many times I have been the winner of the title of "Spender of the Most" at checkout time!   Rats.....I was stocking up for retirement right?    Oh well, if I have to win something I guess this isn't so bad.     Ahhhhh....to be back from retreat.   Why after a long weekend of relaxing to the sound of  ocean waves and stitching the day away in the porch rockers,  watching the waves am I so tired?   And how can I come home and what to still stitch?   Mysteries of the universe I guess.   Wow, I am so blessed to be able to do this twice a year with all my stitching buddies!  We all agree this is the best time because we not only get each other and because we get to know each other which you really can't do at the monthly meeting.  Not to mention they are enablers to purchasing.

So enough gushing about the friendships and the stay.....but wait......gushing about our goody bag for sure.   OMGosh!  We were sitting in the car getting ready to leave for lunch when Pat brought our goody bags to us and we opened them  together.   Sara heard us oohing and ahhing all the way across the parking lot.   We shouted our Thank You's to her.  From soup to nuts,  from needles to finishing trim for  Brenda Gervais' Spirits & Spells pattern.   See Salty Yarns most recent post to see the stitched finish and finished project.  


I took a half dozen projects with me but had such a fumbling time with stitching.  I think I frogged more stitches than I kept in.   The lights in the lobby didn't seem to be as bright as they have been in the past and I forgot my Ott light.   Also, I was having trouble seeing clearly......I mean how many pairs of glasses/cheats can one person where at once?    I was beginning to think was I losing my ability to follow a pattern.   Diane and Pat agreed on the lighting and I brought myself a couple of higher strength clip on cheaters and WOW it was the answer!

I did manage to finish my pre-stitch for my November class in Cape May with Cathy Habermann of Hands On Designs.  I struggled with the stiff fabric and the openness of the linen.   We had no color photo included in the kit so at first I was not sure I would like this piece but as I stitched in the color it started to appeal to me more and more.   There are some words that have been stitched and an outline mirroring the house that has also been stitched.....just waiting for November!















Work on this Hands On Design piece is about to come to a stop.   I think I need to park this one for a while.  I thought it would be easy.....just repeat, repeat, repeat......but not the case.    I am not happy with how slow this one is progressing. Nor am I thrilled with the amount of frogging I have done with this.












I started my first needlepoint piece and this is another one that I was having difficulty seeing the black on black.  Diane pointed out that I needed to add more tacks and it will make it easier.   Drat, I can see those two little plastic containers with more tacks in my mind....but where have I put them?  Somewhere safe to be sure.


Before the girls got here Thursday morning, I was able to get in a little progress on Corsica River.    I am enjoying the blackwork.   Not everyone likes it but I like the challenge of plotting my route in and out.   I didn't take it with me this time but will when I go to Camp WannaStitch in January.

And then there is what I bought to win the title......
 I think Lila's Studio may be one of my new favorite designers.   I have had my eye on the Praise Worthy Stitches haunted mansions but could never decide which one I wanted to do.   Then I saw this on the Internet last week.  Don't you just enjoy stitching a Quaker design?   Each individual motif is quick and easy and you see progress.  Believe it or not, the fabric is the called for fabric, Murky by Picture That Plus.   I am looking forward to starting this but not sure when that will be......

 A great sales technique....show the buyer what they can do with it once done.   Sally had similar rounds completed and rather than just laying flat on the table, she had it displayed on an easel.   What a cute little display for a small corner, a shelf or a desktop.
 A Sue Hillis chart I did not need but.....having recently going through all my fabrics, I know I have several pieces of Halloween purple and green I can use.   (Once started) these should stitch up quickly.
 This Cricket Collection pattern I have looked at for several years.....so it jumped in my bag too.   I know right where to find the springtime pastel fabrics in my stash.  One year they will be stitched and hanging on my spring time tree.  I also got a slew of floss and trims to add to my stash.  Stimulating the economy one retreat at a time I am.


And I have to share William.   I have the best D-in-L who shares weekly pix of William in addition to our weekly FaceTime.   Is he a character or what?

I have forced myself to sign up for a retreat in the Harrisburg area and wow, I will be halfway to his house.....guess I will have to add a few days either before or after the retreat to have a little visit.
 And this one had G-Mom using his middle name... William Geoffrey!  He's a climber.  They had to take him out of his crib three or four months ago because he was climbing out....

 Thanks for stopping by and having staying power through my post.  Keep on stitching.

8 comments:

  1. It sounds like you had a fabulous time retreating with your friends. I like the house from your pre-stitch. William is a cutie.

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  2. Wow! So many cute projects! I think the Halloween Quaker is the one that would have fell into my shopping cart as well! Looking forward to seeing your progress on that! Thanks for sharing pics of your grand...such a sweet smile! :-)

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  3. What a great jam packed blog post!!! One of these days I will make it to this retreat since I'm officially a member. Wonderful purchases all around and WOW....what a great goodie bag!!! I'll be interested to see what the HOD class turns into. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. PS. That William Geoffrey is adorable!!!

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  5. Your Hands On Cape May piece looks so cool! Merry Berry is going to look so sweet like that. Oh William. He reminds me so much of our Emerson when he was that age. He was a little monkey.

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  6. Wonderful stitching and stash , now what do you stitch first !
    Little man looks like he is having such fun.

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  7. I just finished Spirits and Spells, such a lovely design and cool oval shape to it. I hadn't seen the little Sue Hills ornaments yet, I love the black against that purple linen. Halloween Quaker I have seen posted on FB, and am just not sure yet. I do love Quaker designs, it nice the sense of completion with each little motif.

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  8. It sounds and looks like you had an amazing time. So many lovelies to look at love your new stash!

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Thanks is much for stopping by. I so enjoy your comments even if I do not always reply. Have a great day that hopefully includes a bit of stitching.