Back in town

Well, we are back in town, adjusted back to Alaska time zone and back to work with a vengance. I must say Monday was one of the worst days at work I have had for a long time. Whew, Too tired to stitch until tonight and can't wait to put needle to thread. While we were in Chicago we had fun with the boy and then moved him into his dorm, met the roommate and his family and tried really hard not to cry. I did really good (honest) until we got to the airport and it hit that only 2 of us were going home. But I must admit that the hardest part was Sunday when he wasn't at church with us. Then I cried. Goodness, gotta get over that. He keeps in touch and he is having fun pursing his dream so it is all good.
On our trip to Chicago I didn't get as much time to stitch as I thought I would. The first day the guys decided they wanted to go play disc golf so I sat in the park near a garden and stitched, I restitched actualy on the first vine on Sail away because I used the wrong color. It went back in easily and I have finished the words of the second line and am moving on with it easily. Loving it. The next time I put needle to thread was when I got on the plane to leave. We spent so much time being tourists that we were exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel and I couldn't keep my eyes open to get the stitching done. I did however stitch all the way home on the plane and got a few more blocks done on CHS alphabet sampler as well as a bit more on the Sail away SAL piece. I am off the next two days and hope to get some progress made on both those pieces. Will work this weekend so now is my stitching chance.
I did manage to hit three Needlwork shops while in Chicago and managed to pick up some things in 2 of the three, The first one we found was City Stitcher. It is mostly needlepoint so I looked at it all and touched some threads but didn't buy anything there. On our last day we headed out to two shops recommended by folks on the Legacy Embroiderer's Guild and loved both of them. First stop was Tomorrow's Heirlooms. Lots of older designs as well as the latest stuff. Was a little miffed when the lady working in the shop asked me what I liked to stitch and then snorted when I said samplers. Why ask if you don't want to know? She said she likes to stitch different things not the "same thing over and over". I refrained from saying she didn't see the same samplers I did and just shrugged it off to bad manners and proceeded to hunt happily through the racks. They do not carry Lakeside linens so I was unable to get the linen I was looking for but I did manage to get some older Sheepish designs/antiques I had been looking for( Be Unto You, Mary Norwood and Lydia Foster ) and the newest Prairie Schooler chart Fall Fields. I also found a Goode Huswife chart I had not seen before called Gracie that I just loved for the coverlet design. That may move itself closer to the top of the pile. I also got a small BBD wild rose journal cover there as well. Could have spent a lot more time there but didn't because my husband was waiting in the car. Dratted man.
The second shop was Inspired Needle and I was really taken with it. The owner was very pleasant and the shop was having a class for beginners that was fun to listen to. She had tons of things to look at. She was highlighting a trunk show of JBW designs and I bought some of the pumpkin ones,,, pumpkins are a weakness of mine and after all they are small. I ended up with three designs Alphabet Pumpkin, French country IV pumpkin and Autumn Harvest. Cute designs. I got ABC pinkeep by With thy Needle and Thread and the fabric to do it on. I got two older patterns by LHN Necessities Sampler and Gingerbread Trio plus the fabric and threads I needed to work them. She had Bohin needles in the crewel embroidery size which Nan Euler likes you to use embroidery needles for the 17th Century Band Sampler class I am taking and those type of needles don't seem to exist in Alaska (neither do the specialty threads or fabrics) That is why when I go 'outside', usually once a year, I always try to hit the shops with my list of needs. I shop online as that is all that is available to me but I do love to see and touch it all when I can. My husband just shakes his head. He doesn't object and he found the directions to all of them so no complaints.
She had quite a nice selection of linens and threads so I was able to kit all the charts I bought with the threads I thought I needed and the fabric I knew I needed for the designs I got. I found a cute Pink Peony project bag at a great price so since pink peonies are my favorite flower that little bag just had to come home with me. I love it. She had some darling mice with thread spools over their tails that were pincushions that I would love to own but I was really on a mission to get some fabric.
It became quite the sttch stash time for me as when I got home I had several stash envelopes in the mail. The first one is from Needle in a Haystack where I got some buttons to finish the bellpull for my BF birthday. Just in time for her late August birthday. I got a mailer from Elegant stitch with the latest BBD Loose Feathers and fabric which I love. I also got two cuts of fabric for samplers to be named later. I got an envelope from Homespun sampler with a stitching journal and 2 new charts that I had been looking at for a while. I stiil have my birthday order from Needlwork Corner to come and then no more stash for a while. Of course I am on automatic for BBD Loose Feathers and the monthly stockings.
I will try for pictures of my stash. Especially the linen I got from Elegant Stitch, Elegant bean vintage, Vintage Buttercream Lake side linens and Vanilla Gold by Legacy Linens. Oh for some sunshine so you could see the loveliness of the linen colors.
Have great day stitching, pictures soon I hope.
Marjo