Feed Bag Buddies

Feed Bag Buddies is finished!!! I put the finishing stitches and initialed it late last night. I really enjoyed working on this. It is the first large piece I've finished since the fire. Today I will pick up the foam board so I can stretch and mount it myself. I took a class a couple of years ago on finishing techniques and I like to do my own. I can make sure it's done properly and it saves money when I take it to the framer. I used to have a mat cutter but I haven't replaced it yet. So I can now mark this off my stitching project to do list and work on my other WIPs. I have a greenwork country cottage that I just started and my promise piece is a Mirabilia design for Winter. I began it so I could find the center and get started. I'm taking it to Nashville to work on during Studio Time. If I can keep up the pace I may have three items to put up in the October show. Wish me luck!

Retreat Power Stitching

I was a mega-stitching, power-stitching, needle moving mama this weekend! I learned how to create a very pretty fabric-folded project. I'm not sure what I will use them for yet but I have several ideas in mind. With a bead added to the center I could make a dressy pin to wear on my blouse. One lady placed hers on a totebag and did embellishments to make it look like the bloom on a flower. A small one could be the end of a bookmark with a tassel on the other end. The possibilities are endless.

While I didn't get any project "finished" I made a lot of progress towards my goals. I worked on the Feed Bag Buddies and used the weekend to fill in all the spaces where there were only two or three stitches in one area, end and cut the thread and off to the next area where there is only one or two stitches, end and cut, etc. Each area that was filled in made me so anxious to get to the next that it is nearly finished. There is a small section of the seeds that need to be finished and then I'll add his whiskers, finish his head, finish the bird and do the background. The end is in sight!

When I took a break from the big room and headed off to the quiet of my own room, I worked on some small items. This is the front of a 3 inch ruler that I will finish into a thread bobbin or scissor fob. I had started a blackwork design for the back the night before but on the second night, after drinking a wine cooler, I found that I had made a mistake. I had also worked on two squares I had hoped to make into a biscornou only to find out that instead of squares I had rectangles. Maybe I should drink the wine cooler BEFORE I stitch? Who knows?

Well, I did get some new patterns at the retreat so I have more items to add to my TO DO list. Blackwork is my favorite type of patterns to stitch so after I finish a few of the current items on my list I will start on a blackwork three-story victorian house. I don't know what color I want to do it in, though. The design is in green but I may change that to match something in my house. I guess I should decide which room it will go into first.

The guys were happy to see me. I made spaghetti for dinner so they were actually VERY happy to have me home. Should I tell them that I've already made reservations for the fall retreat? No. Let's keep that between us. For now anyway.

Stitching Retreat

I'm leaving this afternoon for the retreat. I've been counting down the days to this for months. We have two of them every year. One is in the spring and the other in the fall. I usually take several things to work on and spend a bit of time on each one. This year I'm doing it a bit different. This piece is called "Feed Bag Buddies". I'm making it for Nick. TANA is having an exhibit in October and I need to finish it before then so I can put it in the show. So, this is it. I'm really close and I'm hoping that the weekend will be enough to put the finishing stitches in it. That's why I'm putting it on here, to help motivate me to have the finished piece to photograph and post on Monday. Wish me luck!

I'm rooming with Marnie this time. We've roomed together before and she's a great lady to spend time with. She's one of those people that I can share things with and know she isn't going to be judgemental or pity me. Tonight is the season finale of Grey's Anatomy and since that is the only show she really likes I know what I'll be doing from 9-11! I did bring a few hand held stitching pieces to work on in the room so I can do those then. Last night was the Lost season finale so I got my TV fix then.

So, I'm out of the shower, packing the last of my things, then heading off to fill up the tank and run through the car wash and on my way to stitch! I'm looking forward to all the great food, spending time with my wonderful friends, eating, stitching, eating and having a fun weekend. Did I mention there would be food?