Needles are flying

And I have progress to show.   In part because I spent a day and a half stitching my heart out at retreat style stitch-in at the home of a friend.   OMGosh!  Forget about the stitching!  We ate like you wouldn't believe and it will take me two weeks to drop the pounds I put on and that we with me being very moderate with my portions and staying away from things.....but those jelly beans and desserts did me in.   Time to increase the time on the treadmill I guess.

Anyway, apart from that, I was able to get my two pieces of linen joined for the Pamela Darney sampler I will be working on.   No start date set yet for this one.  Pamela was a guest speaker at recent guild meeting.   Neat lady.  Very talented and I love her designs.   After the regular meeting I  participated in afternoon class where we learned how to join two pieces of linen for a sampler.   Not difficult, just a running stitch over and back but all the same tedious on 35 count and......when talking one sometimes drop down a thread unintentionallly  and there was the need to frog back several inches multiple times.    Glad that part is done!

I also finished this prim tulip.   It is a pre-stitch for Prim Stitchers Retreat in early May.     We are mounting it on a box lid.     I have the second pre-stitch started but not finished.   They are small so it won't be a big deal.

I  threw out the window my whole plan of attack to stitch one letter/stitch one row for finishing the Elizabeth Pusey Sampler.   I have six letters and a bottom border to finish.   While I am really thrilled to be able to see the finishing line on this one I really want to push and get it finished by our Thursday EGA meeting.  However, the temperature is in the upper 60's and the yard is calling me.  

Maybe I can eek out a letter each morning before work.   Lord knows it won't get done in the evenings...... I hit that easy chair and must activate a 'to go sleep' button in my back-side because I am never long before falling asleep once I sit down.

Met with the contractor and plans have taken a different turn.   I got sticker shock for sure.  The estimate I was looking at - although is was as much as the entire existing 16 by 22 foot deck cost 5 years ago - was only for ONE thing....the 9 by 11 addition.  It did not include the pergola.  Time to regroup and re-evaluate and launch a different plan of attack.  Contractor has all my thoughts and questions and went off to give me a new quote.    Here's hoping.

OK, that's all I've got.  So excited to finally be getting outside and get my hands in the dirt.    We'll see how excited I am when I am bone tired this evening from all the stretching and lugging and pulling.......it will be glorious while I am at it at least!  

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!