Valentine's Day and Day One at Jeannine's

I hope everyone had the Valentine's Day desired.

I did--we came to Williamsburg so I could attend Jeannine's Gathering of Embroiderers.

Dearly Beloved scored big points.  He had flowers delivered to the hotel room so that they were there when we arrived.

I think I'll keep him.

And then today I took my first class, Catherine Theron's "No Place Like Home" Stitchery Book.  Eventually, the cover will look like this:

At the moment, mine looks like this:

Please note that I managed to stitch in class.

Catherine teaches a very low-key, relaxing class.  She covers everything thoroughly (and makes trellis stitch seem not only do-able, but easy)--yet she allows people to stitch on the parts they want to do. There is no "hurry up, park your needle, get to the next part" in her classes. For a plodding, methodical stitcher like me, this is heaven.  No spaghetti all over the linen, no little bits of something started but not finished, each part completed before the next is started--I love it.  And I like getting the framework finished so I can enjoy the more entertaining parts at my leisure.

The boutique opened this afternoon. While smaller than in some years past, there was a lot to see. This one is usually dangerous for me, since quite frequently, people who are downsizing their stashes use the opportunity to make unfinished class pieces or limited edition designs they will never stitch themselves available for others to enjoy.  In the past, I have enjoyed.  Oh, how I have enjoyed.

This year I realized that all the pieces that were available that I might want, I . . . er . . . already have.

It appears that saturation has been reached.

Dearly Beloved is thrilled.

(Probably I shouldn't mention to him that there is a new Shining Needle class on Dresden Lace open for enrollment.)