A new start

After I've finished the stitching on a project, it takes me a day or so to figure out what to work on next. It doesn't make any difference how many projects are sitting by my chair or lurking in the stash room, I seem to need some time to decide on the next focus piece.

And sometimes, I take a day off completely.

Yesterday we went to a movie (Age of Ultron and yes, we are that kind of geek and yes, we were the oldest people in the audience), then we went for a late lunch, and then we had to come home and take a nap and then we had to decide on something for dinner and then it was fairly late in the evening.

However, I have today off, so I could play in the stash a little before bed and not worry about staying up too late.

I couldn't decide what I wanted to do next, so I thought I'd get something set up for my traveling project. I have two week-end trips in a row coming up, and one must have a stitching project if one is to travel.

So Briar Rose came out. It has my usual hotel room stitching requirements: not too many colors, fairly small, no complicated stitches. I decided I wanted to use stretcher bars rather than a scroll frame or a hoop.

And the most amazing thing happened!  I found two sets of 10" stretcher bars that match in construction and size!  Inevitably, I'll find two of each kind--like regular size and minis--or two of each kind that have rounded edges on one pair and squared off edges on the other--or four whose connecting ends are not cut to mesh with any other stretcher bar in the world. These cooperated on all fronts!

So I ironed the linen and tacked it to the bars and found the center and then I just had to put a thread in.

And that's when I realized this was not going to be a travel piece.

The linen is dark--you can't tell from the picture, but it is very dark--and the count is teeny--and I need full light and magnification to be able to see the stitches since they're over one thread.

So this is the current home project and I'll have to decide on something else as the travel one.

I will be stash diving again today.