Catching Up

 I have had difficulty wresting the laptop from Dearly Beloved this week, plus I have been unusually busy, so today is catch-up day.

First of all, I've had my last class on needlelace this past Wednesday. I have two big problems--my tension, as mentioned earlier, and my spacing, because I cannot estimate what 3 millimeters actually looks like. So, after another series of drunken spiderwebs, I have set up another piece of fabric, stitched more little blocks, and drawn lines within each one that are exactly 3 millimeters apart. And I'm going to work the stitches on those to see if there is improvement.

With my failings admitted, I do want to say that Amy Burt is an excellent teacher, very patient and encouraging. I do wish the class had been longer--maybe three hours instead of two--since, as I have mentioned many times before, I don't stitch well in class, and have a hard time listening to instructions, watching the instructor's demonstrations, and stitching myself simultaneously.

But, in the evenings, I've been enjoying some downtime with Sarah Ann Purdy.

I am almost to the halfway point, and I am still enjoying her tremendously, to the point that I think I should keep a schoolgirl sampler going in the background all the time. Or, rather, a schoolgirl sampler when the girl has learned her alphabet and likes stitching pretty designs.

I'm thinking I may try to extend the borders to the bottom today--maybe even finish the whole border before I go back to motifs. Or I may get attracted to something else--All That Glitters is also calling my name as is This One's for Betty.

Now on to the mundane:

This week's Domestic Disaster: the heating element in the oven died last Sunday. I think I mentioned that we are renting the condo where we live, so we have to deal with a property management company to have repairs done. It's taken a week for them to assign the job to an outside contractor, but hopefully we'll have a functioning oven by Monday evening of next week. I did not realize how much I use the oven until I couldn't. Oh, I have peaches that are getting very ripe so I should bake a cobbler! NOPE! Oh, wouldn't some baked apples be lovely with those pork chops?  NOPE! I'd like to have a summer squash casserole with the baked chicken. NOPE to BOTH!!!

It's put a crimp in my style.

I have also had steroid shots in both knees this week, and I can walk comfortably for the first time in months. And the sports medicine guy I saw is referring me for physical therapy to help continue improving the mobility issues, which had gotten really bad. When I say I was tottering, I mean tottering.

BDE also mentioned that the steroids have made me talk faster than usual. This may be why Dearly Beloved has had the headphones on while watching something on the laptop.

It's all making sense now.

Tension!!!!

I finished the first three samples for my needlelace class, and AGHHHHHH!!! the TENSION!!!!

That is my downfall when it comes to needlelace.

The corded Brussels (which we call "detached buttonhole with return" on this side of the pond) is ok.

The double Brussels is mostly ok--this is the one where I switched from one thread to another and then another as I went.

The triple Brussels looks like a drunk spider on a bender did it.

I didn't even try to work on the next three samples.

I think I'm going to make another little box and try the triple Brussels again. If it's not any better, I'll say that third time's the charm and give my fingers one more chance to get it. If that one looks as bad if not worse, I will look for projects that do not involve triple Brussels and call it a day.

Already August

How did it get to be August already?

Suddenly I have a lot to talk about, so this may run long. You have been warned.

First of all, obligatory stitching photo:

 Here's the bottom? Base? Whatever, of the waxer carrier for Betsy Morgan's "This One's for Betty." Lots of specialty stitches (which I like), pretty colors, I am enjoying this.

However, this was done Friday and a needle was not threaded at all yesterday. Best Daughter Ever and I went on a road trip.

Williamsburg isn't all that far away, and America's Tapestry is on display at the Muscarelle Museum at William & Mary. I've wanted to see all the panels together since I had a feeling you couldn't see the details from the photographs online. I was right. It is an amazing body of work, the result of thousands of hours of stitching from talented fingers. We were both amazed and impressed at the variety of needlework skills embodied in each panel--everything from lacemaking to goldwork and in between.

The exhibit will be in Williamsburg until September 6, and if you're anywhere in the area--or want to make a road trip--I highly recommend the experience.

The additional allure of the trip was a chance for brunch at Le Yaca. Just check their website and take a look at the brunch menu, available on Saturdays and Sundays. The food is amazing, the service is impeccable, it's a lovely way to spend a relaxed hour or so. 

And, no, I didn't need supper when I got home.

Now, on to August and stitching plans.

I've been following the Snitch Stitcher on Instagram for awhile. She announced something she called "Annihilation August" a week or so ago. Basically, we all have projects that are very close to a finish, those things that will just require a little more work and they will be done. So, she suggests we "annihilate" them in August, just pull them out of their hiding places and finish them off.

I think I'm going to get my class samples for the needlelace class I'm taking finished, and then get the needlelace petals attached to Elizabethan Rose done.

There seems to be a needlelace thing going on.

And then, what would I like to see done?

I'd really love to significantly lower the level in one of the finishing baskets. I don't know how far I'll get, but I'd like to try to see some FFO's instead of UFO's in my life. 

Then maybe I wouldn't feel so guilty when I start yet another new project.

A Day Late

Happy World Embroidery Day!

Yes, I'm a day late.

I was trying to decide which project I wanted to do in celebration of my favorite pastime, and I couldn't make up my mind. I have a lot of coulda, woulda, shoulda projects but nothing really calling my name. Actually, it has nothing to do with the projects themselves, just that I've had a bad case of the blahs and don't feel like doing anything that requires thought or movement.

Basically, I've turned into a summer slug.

It ain't the heat, it's the humidity.

Which is dreadful.

Anyway, I finally decided I had to do something to celebrate, so I started something new.

New-ish.

I've had the kit for Betsy Morgan's This One's for Betty in the stash for maybe twenty years, and now is the time for it to come out of hibernation. I got this much done:

This will be the waxer pocket. I think I'm going to work on it for a little longer today. Or maybe I'll work on my classwork before the last minute before class.

BDE says waiting to the last minute before finishing my homework is one of the things I nagged her about when I was attempting to civilize her, and she finds this ironic. I think this comes under the heading of "do as I say, not as I do" and she should show some respect for her aged mother.

We'll see how that goes. 

A little at a time

You may have noticed that I'm blogging more lately than I have in quite awhile. 

Part of it has to do with keeping a record of when I started something and when I worked on it and when (or if) it was finished. But the major reason is simple. If I'm going to blog, I need to stitch. Even if I only put in a thread or two, I'm stitching. And I want to winnow down the size of the stash, so I need to stitch daily.

The last few days, I've barely threaded a needle, but a needle has been threaded. I don't have much to show, but I do have a little, and here it is.

Last night was our local EGA chapter's meeting. I took All that Glitters because it is the ultimate fill-in project, and easy to do and still talk to people and ooh and aah over what they're doing. I got a little of the glitter done:

  I believe that's going to be my evening stitching for a few days.

And then, today I had my RSN class on needlelace:

Really not much to see here at all!

As usual, I don't stitch much or well in class. And the three stitches we did today require a lot of care in terms of tension. And tension is my downfall when I'm doing needlelace. I am not a relaxed stitcher. There are those who would say I am not a relaxing stitcher to be around. (Dearly Beloved has been listening to my ranting and raving when I pull out the stitches on Carmen, which were quite firmly stitched to the linen.) In class, I'm so busy listening and trying to take notes and remembering what the teacher is talking about that I generally can't stitch at the same time.

So I have a lot to do before next week's last class. I'm going to take everything slowly and try to relax so I don't strangle the stitches.

Christmas in July

Nope, not stitching for Christmas in July--but I got something that should count as a Christmas present!

And it didn't arrive all wrapped up in pretty paper. Actually, the box was so beaten and battered and torn on one side that I am amazed that it made it from the UK to the US.

The kit for my next class with Sara Rickards arrived.

This was (thankfully) wrapped in bubble wrap inside the box, tied with pretty pink grosgrain ribbon:

And then you open it, and WOW--raspberry colored tissue!

Honestly, I almost hated to tear the sticker that held it closed. But I did, and here are the goodies inside:

I must be patient--the class doesn't start for several weeks, and I have my online class on needlelace to finish and that beautiful design from Kate Barlow to stitch--but then I can jump into this one.

So today I will work on my needlelace homework and add this to the pile of goodies I want to work on.

One Thing

I only needed to order one thing, one little spool of Soie Surfine.

 Well, it couldn't travel alone, so I filled in some Weeks Dye Works threads for a couple of other projects.

It most definitely didn't travel alone.

Although why I think I need threads is the question. The last couple of days I've been in a bit of a slump and this is all I managed to get done.

I think I'm going to make myself finish this motif today and then switch to something else entirely.

Like, maybe I'll get my homework done for my online class?