Birdwatching

 I finally crawled out of my stitching slump and finished my Hummingbird in Silk and Gold.

I wish the camera showed how shiny this is--I mean, majorly shiny! And I'm also pleased with the way the pearl purl cooperated--I mean, I got the points exactly the way I wanted.  The silk shading could still use some work, but that will get better with practice.

Meanwhile, I'm getting ready to leave town for my annual escape to Williamsburg and a week of stitching with some of my favorite people. I am packing more than I will ever touch, mainly because the last couple of years I've taken only one or two projects for focused stitching.

Which meant I got bored quickly, so this year, I'm taking a ridiculous number of projects, and planning a trip to Liberty Hill Needlework on top of those, so I won't be able to get bored. 

I just hope I remember to pack my magnifiers and needles and scissors.

Look familiar?

 

Yep, Jackie's Flame Stitch Pouch, which is about all my brain has been capable of handling lately.

Maybe it's the aftermath of the Cold from Hell, maybe it's the winter that's been dragging on forever, maybe my mojo has gone on vacation to a sunny tropical isle--whatever is going on, I haven't been stitching much. The best thing that I've found to do when my mojo goes walkabout is to avoid forcing it.

So I've been watching the Olympics and old movies and reading a lot instead.

But, as I was looking at this the other night, I decided to glance over the finishing directions, and, hallelujah and praise the Lord! I found that I only need three complete repeats of the color pattern, not four! So I'm almost through with this part!!!

Also, I'm taking a couple of classes through the Crewel Work Company's Lady Anne festival this weekend, so maybe that will jump start the stitching fever again.

Which is the only kind of fever I want to have.

Long Time, No See

I have finally clawed my way back from the cold of the century. The last time I had a cold this bad, it morphed into pneumonia, so I was extra careful this time. Once it was determined I didn't have Covid, I was told to rest and get plenty of fluids.

So I took naps and drank lots of OJ and slurped up chicken noodle soup and did almost nothing else. I finally did get dressed, mainly because I was out of clean nighties. That was exhausting. Actually, the worst of it was getting a bra on: the girls had become accustomed to roaming free and didn't appreciate being corralled again.

Anyway, enough of that nonsense. I didn't pick up a needle until a day or so ago, and the Hummingbird in Silk and Gold appeared on the stand. I have started adding the tiniest of gold pearl purls around the wings. It is taking a lot longer than I hoped, but I am being very, very careful.

I have a couple of other goldwork projects I want to work on, but I'd like to get this one finished first. Or maybe not. Maybe I'll spend a little time with all three, or go off on a completely different tangent. I am setting no goals and meeting no challenges this year.

Other than avoiding another cold.