There and back again

Last week, Baby Girl and I outraced Dorian (actually, we out-plodded Dorian, one of the slowest and most devastating hurricanes because it was so slow) to go to my Happy Place.

I took classes at Salty Yarns with Jackie du Plessis.

Here is the beautiful box that will hold the exquisite smalls for a project named Gardenesque:

We didn't get much stitching done, but we worked through the steps to make the pincushions that will fit on the top (most people got theirs done, mine looked like lopsided pimples so I decided to wait until I got home where I wouldn't embarrass myself too much) and to make the fittings for the drawer.

You can't see the drawer in this picture, but it will contain a marvel of engineering that will hold scissors, a thread winder, and a waxer, and also has a built-in button container. I was working on carving out the openings in mat board and foamcore that form the basis for the drawer fittings but stopped when I broke the blade of the knife I was using.

Yes, I broke the blade. It flew through the air. Luckily it didn't hit anyone and I found it almost immediately, so there were no injuries in the making of this etui--but it ended my interest in carving for the day.

But that was not all.

We also had the opportunity to make a fan/needlebook and its holder, designed especially for Salty Yarns.

The scrims will be the blades for the fan, and we were also given a mermaid thread winder by our hostess with the mostest, Sara Rutka-Karst.

I should add that the shell holder really looks just like a clam shell. It is amazing.

And there was the usual fabulous goody bag:

In keeping with our mermaid theme--when I get all the goodies stashed away in my sewing corner (aka kitchen table)--this will be the project bag for the fan and its holder.

But it's going to take some time to get all the goodies stashed away--it was a wonderful, bountiful collection of sewing aids and appurtenances:

As usual, Sara, Sally, Mary, and their families took extremely good care of us. I'm always so happy to have the chance to take classes there and hope I can continue to totter to Salty Yarns for years to come.

Baby Girl did not take classes this time. She drove us there and back and relaxed in between. I took classes and caught up on my sleep. It was the perfect vacation.

Now, have I jumped right into these projects since I've been home?

Nope.

As expected, my email inbox and desk blew up while I was gone and I'm still catching up. I may catch up by November 2020. I am breathing deeply and making every effort to avoid stressing out.

So instead of setting up the linen and jumping right in (for one thing, I've got to get a new knife--Dearly Beloved has decided I can't be trusted with any of his), I decided to continue working on Swan Bower. I'm getting very close to a finish for the stitching.

And I have Cherry Berry still in the finishing stages, and the Winter Casket Toys to the finishing stage, and I'm working away at Tsubaki . . . .

And I've added another lovely Barbara Jackson design to the list:

The beautiful handmade basket and the materials for a class through Shining Needle Society arrived a couple of days ago.

I am so lucky to have the opportunities I've had for stitching projects and classes--but I really need to plug in the electric needle and get to stitching.

So I am.

Never make plans

I was going to go off track this week-end and finally, FINALLY get the Winter Casket Toys assembled. I always like to have a special project to stitch when I have a long week-end or holiday, and this project has been in the works for far longer than I would like.

Well, this is what got put together yesterday:

This is one side of a thread winder holder. I did get the pocket that will go in the middle ready to go while I was working on this toy yesterday--and then there was another component that I spent most of the afternoon stitching and unstitching.

And stitching and unstitching.

And--well, you get the idea.

I finally admitted that my problem was that I really couldn't see as well as I wanted and my little clip-on magnifiers were not strong enough. This means the Dazor has to come out. Any by the time I decided on that, it was getting late in the evening and I couldn't focus my eyes anyway.

So I was going to do that today.

Except I was unwell in the middle of the night, complete with chills and headache, and I still feel a little quivery today. 24 hour virus? Maybe . . . anyway, this is not the day to do anything that involves focus and concentration.

I was making really good progress on Swan Bower before I decided to do something else this week-end:

And maybe I should stick with that.

Or maybe I should sip some chicken broth and go back to bed. What a waste of a week-end!