Stitching update

The wonderful group of ladies I stitch with on a weekly basis just had our fall stitching retreat. Two of our number moved away this last year so we were a smaller group than in years past. It was a little sad but we managed to have a lot of fun none the less. We met at one of the ladies' house and she made wonderful soups for us to enjoy after an awesome breakfast. We each brought something to share food wise and as always food was not an issue. We started early in the morning and stitched all day long.

I worked all day on the Hummingbird Kit. I made surprising little progress. I took a ton of other things to stitch and did not do more than bring it out of my stitching bag and look at it. I really want to get this design finished and off to the framers to be ready for gift giving. It will be for the next year not this one. But I will get it done. 

My friend with the only Ta-Da from our gathering.

In getting ready for the retreat, I went through my stash. Yes, well. I am trying to get ready for next year. It is already November  and I have so many stitching goals I get overwhelmed just thinking about it. I am going to continue with the hummingbird kit until I get it done. At the first of the year I am going to try to join the With My Needle SAL and see if this is the year I can keep up with it. Other than that I will stick to stitching from the WIP list. It is a long list. So I was thinking of what I wanted to get done this next year. Several things on the list are past class pieces, some are gifts and others are designs I still love but put down for one reason or another. I still want to stitch them all. So I thought I should deside what other designs I was going to pull from the list to get a little stitching time this year. I am going to do one other new one that is a gift for a friend and will start it as soon as the hummers are done.  The other 2 spots have yet to be decided. I try to do something small  for one of them so I can say I finished something. I am way behind on the BBD stockings and I have more ornaments that I want to stitch that any tree could hold. So much to choose from.  I want to have something small to carry with me for those times I end up with time on my hands and could use it to ply needle and thread. I think it will be the Moose magnet from Mill Hill for my travel piece. Not sure what will round out my rotation but since it will be December by the end of this week I better get it figured out.
Well, off to stitch. It is cold and clear here. Hope you find a warm place to get a little stitchy time in this week.
Marjo

Stitching disappointment

As I cannot seem to manage to get anything finished I really should never buy anything new. When I was in Salt Lake City for training for my new job I had to visit Shepherd's Bush. I absolutely loved it. I spent all morning there on Saturday. It was right before their birthday celebration and the retreat they hosted this year so the shop was full to the bring with lovely stuff. I think I handled everything in there. I did buy a few things there. Who could resist? I sat for quite a while looking at designs that I love as well as some I had never seen before. The result was a modest haul of new stuff to add to my embarrassingly large stash. Sigh. I always think I will not buy anything at least until I get my stash under control but something shiny catches my eye and there I go again. But my vacation is a totally different story.....

I just got back from vacation to see my husband's family. I was so excited to be going to the lower 48. I spent quite a bit of time looking at designs that I wanted, hoping to do some local shopping while we were there. I knew there is a local active EGA group there so I was in hopes of stitching to be seen. Well, nothing to be had. There was one lovely Needlepoint store but no cross stitch. I was so disappointed. This was unexpected to me as there were several stores listed within driving distance but they were all closed or not cross stitch stores. Sigh.
I then turned my mind to Hobby Lobby as there is a Christmas Ornament design coming out that uses a paper mache box from there. Since I have no such animal here I thought I would try finding a Hobby Lobby. Nope, not a one within 50 miles of where we were. Due to family obligations I could not venture farther than that but sadness, no Hobby Lobby either. I settled for getting some DMC at Joann's and that was an epic fail. So, a week of vacation = no stitchy shopping for me.
But we did visit a couple of Amish stores to look a the quilts. Only a few handmade quilts but it was a fun store. I don't think it is run by the Amish anymore but the new owners have kept the old name. It was fun to go through all the same.

Not much stitching got done either....not sure where that week went but I didn't get much done. I am a little farther along but still a good ways left to go plus all the backstitching. I will get this done and framed for her birthday next year I suppose. Well off to stitch.
Hope you have some stitchy time in your week.
Marjo