Yippee- Ki-Yay

 I spent some time yesterday looking for a set of scroll bars to fit the linen for Stinkin' Cute. While I was rummaging around, I ran across the kit for the Queen's Miniature Portrait, designed by Amy Mitten. I had started it,  then it went into time-out when I got off track couching the ruff stitches.

I got back on track this morning, and now it's done.

And, it is with great relief that I wish to announce that the stitching for the Chinese Imperial Yellow Queen Stitch Needlecase is now complete.

This has been my travel project for years now. Once the pattern was in my head, I didn't need to refer to the chart or do much counting, so it was perfect for trips with little time for stitching or for stitching with a group. However, it's been in process for way too long, and it's past time to finish it.  Speaking of finishing, I believe I will go ahead and read over the construction directions rather than add this to the pile of things that need to be completed.

And, you ask, did I find scroll bars for Stinkin' Cute? 

I did.

They're attached to the linen on which I'm stitching the appliqué pieces for the Tudor class.

I suppose this means that I need to get those bits finished. And I will. In the next few weeks. Hopefully.

Stinkin Cute

 What a surprise! The Post Office delivered a package today! On a holiday!

And it was a new project from Jackie du Plessis. It's called "Stinkin' Cute" and it is. A teeny, tiny wooden basket:

And it will become this:

I am soooooooo excited--I may be upstairs before the afternoon is over, looking for the correct scroll frames.

After all, it's Labor Day, and that still means a beginning for me. When I was in elementary school, the first day of school was the Tuesday after Labor Day (and the last day was the Friday before Memorial Day). I still have a strong urge to buy a new binder, and notebook paper, and a box of pencils when this time of year rolls around, even though decades have passed since then.

I am trying to be disciplined and finish a few more Phd's (projects half done), but oh, I am being so tempted!

I have a feeling temptation will win.

Vines and leaves

On this Sampler Sunday, I feel like I've been hacking into a jungle. There are a LOT of vines and leaves on this side of Rebecah French's sampler.

 I wish I could say I'm going to get the buds and flowers and bird stitched by bedtime tonight, but I don't think it's possible. Unless, of course, bedtime is close to sunrise tomorrow.

And that is entirely possible. After all, not only is tomorrow a holiday, but I'm retired. I don't have a schedule!

Is that all there is?

 Yep, this is all there is today:

I have good reason. Baby Girl made a flying trip to bring me plastic bins she isn't using and to get a footstool I'm not using. She also raided my stretcher bar stash.

And then we went to lunch. And then she left. And I spent some time organizing stuff in the bins.

Organization is tiring work--good thing we have leftovers to warm up for supper tonight!

Oooh, Shiny!

 I finished adding the metal thread to the goldwork motif on the Tudor project today.

There are a couple of things I need to do. 

The first is to restitch the center. One thing I've learned from this class is that things on this silk blend velvet slip and slide, and the center sequin definitely slipped from where it was when I started.

The second is that I need to "groom" the gold purl on the petals. Many moons ago, I took classes from Michele Roberts at EGA and ANG National seminars, and that is where I learned about a tool called a mellore which helps you push real metal threads into submission. In looking at the photo, I can see several places that need to be tamed.

Meanwhile, after hunching over the slate frame most of the day, I definitely need to straighten out my back. Right now, I'm shaped like a C, and C does not stand for comfortable in this instance.

And then I may pick up a different project.

Another facet of retirement just occurred to me. Labor Day is Monday. In my working days, it would have been a day off. Because that gave me a three-day week-end, I used to plan to stitch on a special project since I'd have more time. Now that I'm retired, I can play with special projects any time.

Every day is a holiday!

Still more to go

Because of my incredible inability to accurately determine how long any project will take, I still have the two rows of small diamonds on my needle case left to complete.

With my usual optimism, I thought I would be to the point of putting this thing together by now.

I was incorrect in my assumption.

And I wish I could let go of the habit of setting deadlines for myself. Even in retirement, I can't stop. I wonder how long it will take . . . 

Sampler September

 We were supposed to have our first sampler guild meeting since February, 2020, tonight.

Unfortunately,  the key to our meeting place didn't work and we couldn't get in--so the meeting was cancelled.

I suppose I should work on a sampler tonight, since this is Sampler September, but I am stitching on the yellow needle book again. When you get this close to getting something accomplished, it's hard to stop, and I am very, very close.

Since the big diamonds take so much more time to work than the little ones. I decided to knock them out first. I will be very, very happy to get them out of the way--this bright yellow is tiring on the eyes.

I'd much rather be at the guild meeting, though. It's been so, so long, and I'll be happy to see everyone again, masked or not.