April Showers

Yes California that wet stuff falling from the sky is rain. We are still getting rain in the state and it is wonderful. After so many years of drought we need all of it. I know there are those out there complaining but not me. I understand you take it when you can get it. Things are still green!!!!!!

After being back from my retreat having to be home and go to work and clean and cook it is just so unfair. Just kidding. It is nice to be home with hubby and the dogs but it was so much fun being waited on with nothing to do but stitch and enjoy the company of other stitchers.

I made a goo bit of progress on my Death by Cross Stitch  Sampler. I did find that some where back on page 3 I am off by 1 square. I am not sure how it happened but it did and the effects were not felt until the middle of page 4. Well there was no way in hell I was going to pull out 1.5 pages so I have made a bit of a creative fudge to the motif there. It is coming along so well and I still am in love with this pattern.

Then on April 5th I received an invitation to a good friends husbands 60th Birthday party. I was not expecting this so I was caught out. I know he fancies himself a bit of a card shark so I went into my stash and found a Zweigert Booklet with a cards motif and I am working them on red 25 count evenweave. Can't recall which evenweave it is but I think it is a Cashel. I am working over 1 the bottom leg is 2 over 1 and the top leg is 1 over 1. I have done it this way as the 2 over 1 on both legs was just so hard to stitch and 1 over 1 was not enough. And FYI for anyone who cwres I hate this over one business. Even with my mag-light I can barely see the holes and it is killing my eyes. I need this to be ready Saturday for the party. I had to do this smaller size as the finish I want o make for him needs it to be smaller. The only other red I had on hand was 14 count. I would have loved that but just to large. My LNS only had this 25 count. As I said I was not expecting to make this. There have been a few nights with blue words flowing from my area of the room. Hubby says very litle the one time he did I about bit his head off so .......I am very close to done on the cards then a small crown and the wording and we are done.

I have also been doing a bit of pattern making on my PC Stitch Program. Our stitching group wants to make a stitched piece for the lady at our LNS. We are going to do a Round Robin with any member that would like to work on it putting in some stitches. It will be her Logo with a small saying over the top.
The other pattern is also going to be a Round Robin and it is for the lady that organizes our yearly retreat. We want her to know how much we appreciate all the time she puts into organizing. This one we are making into a Sampler with as many motifs as we can find of things she likes. It is fun to do this but also very time consuming and frustrating when it does not work out.

That is what I have been up to this month so far. I enjoy your feedback and will see you again soon. Maybe another before the month ends.

Home from my retreat

Well it was 5 glorious days of stitching, laughing, learning and sharing. Once a year I put all my cares in a basket and indulge in the joy of being with like mined stitchers and crafters. These ladies are the best they bring projects to share and all of them love stitching as much as I do. Our organizer is a fantastic gal that works very hard to make our time at the Retreat Center the best time. This year we had 35 ladies that came together to share and enjoy.

The room is so open and bright just off to the right of this room is the dining room. The staff go out of their way to make the best dinners everyday. They make meals for all members even if that means a one off plate for those with allergies or other specialty request....ie vegetarian. Again large open space with a beautiful view and the patio is lovely.

Our rooms are just the basics, it is meant as retreat so no TV or other amenities. But this is not a problem as we all spend our days in the big room stitching or out walking the grounds or out shopping at the local fabric and stitching shops. There is also a Jo-ann's, Michael's and Hobby Lobby. These are all within 30 minutes of our location.  

 

This year one of the attendees gave a class on making what we all dubbed pinch pockets. They are small 3-sided pockets that when you pinch the corners open up so you can place a small item inside. 

 And of course we all brought finished items to share. Some bring a few of our yearly finishes and set them out for all to admire. 

And I was able to find time to put some work in on a few of my WIP's

I was not able to get any work done on my HAED but after I got home I did finish another page, that is 24 done and 25th started.