Little flowers, lots of little flowers

I've started on the first step to create the flowers on the needle roll.

As I've been stitching, I've been trying to make a decision about what I want to do when I get the foundation stitches for this section completed.

I could do the filling stitches on top of the foundation stitches, then stitch the leaves and sprigs, and then sew on spangles and beads. And then this piece of the needle roll would be finished.

Or, while I have the stitch sequence for the foundation stitches in my pointy little head, I could go ahead and do them on the other piece.

I should probably go ahead and do the foundation stitches on the other piece. I may as well take advantage of knowing what I'm doing before it slips away.

At Last!!!

I have stitched the last broad chain filling on the Fair Maiden needle roll!

I'm not sure if it's because I've had so little time to stitch in the last week, or whether it was just desperation to get this part done so I can start the fun stuff, but I came home from work today, threaded up a needle and did not put it down again until all the little "fingers" were filled in.

Now I can stitch in all the pretty flowers and leaves--I am dancing a happy dance!

Now to the non-stitching part of the blog. We travelled to visit The Big Kid, his wife, and The Flash this past week-end. We did all the stuff we always do when we visit, we had a wonderful time with The Flash (although he announced he didn't like Grampa because Grampa tickled him but that he would love Grampa again when he stopped tickling), and we have plans for a family excursion at the end of the summer. I did not stitch while we were gone, although I packed several projects. I took a nap instead.

It was needed.

Four Years

I realized the other day that July 11 is the fourth anniversary of this blog.

I started it to basically keep track of projects I was working on and to make notes of things I learned while stitching.

I have learned the following:

• I bite off more than I can chew--or stitch--in a reasonable life span.
• Everything takes longer to stitch than I think it should.
• I don't have nearly enough time to stitch, and still maintain ties with family and friends, work, and do enough housekeeping to keep the health department at bay.
• Despite knowing all this, I'm going to continue to add things I want to do to the things I already have to do and just assume I'm going to live to be 385.
• Stitching keeps me sane.  Relatively.

We are visiting The Flash and his parental units this week-end so a needle may not make it into my hands until we're home again. But it was packed and brought with me, just like a security blanket. Which it is.

Twitchy

I haven't had a solid hour any evening this week to stitch--I've had twenty minutes one evening, half an hour another, and it appears that tonight I won't get to thread a needle at all.

I'm starting to twitch.

Tonight, though, I'm doing laundry and packing and deciding what to take with me, because tomorrow we head north to visit The Flash.

I suppose I can give up stitching for an evening for that!

slowly . . . slowly . . .slowly

I've worked late the last couple of days, so consequently there has been very little stitching accomplished.

If you peer very closely, you may be able to tell that the broad chain is filled in on the top piece and started on the second piece.

It's not very fascinating to watch, but as long as I can get a strand stitched in every evening, I feel like I'm making progress.

This working to support my habit is interfering with my habit.

Good Mail Day

It was a good mail day--a book I've been waiting for arrived.

This is a compilation of the books Kay and Michael Dennis have written about contemporary stumpwork.  I've been studying 17th century stumpwork through the Cabinet of Curiosities online class, and that style is the one I want to use when I embroider my first casket. My second casket, though, is going to have a more contemporary look, and I really like the way Kay Dennis stitches figures.

As if I really need a reason to add to my needlework library!

Decision Made--at least temporarily

Last night I pawed through the stack of sooner rather than later projects and the stack of next to sooner rather than later and another stack that just happened to be convenient. I was trying to decide what I wanted to work on.

And I realized I really want to get Fair Maiden and all her companion pieces worked.

I figure I have another week-end's worth of solid work to get the Etui completely finished. The needle roll in in progress. And then there are three additional smaller projects to do. And finish.

I also sat myself down and sternly told myself that from here on, as soon as I finish a small that needs finishing, I finish it. No ifs, ands, or buts. I finish it.  And I work on finishing consistently until I can begin to see the bottom of the finishing basket.

Wonder if mid-year resolutions have any more lasting power than New Year's do.