Incoherent Scribblings

Even though my blog has been quiet lately, I have managed to sneak in a little bit of stitching here and there in between reading for class. So here’s the skinny on what I have been doing lately:

I have made progress on “Too Cute to Spook,” but have been too lazy to take a picture for a couple of weeks. Dawn and I moved our SAL day to Monday, so I will try and take a picture after I work on her tomorrow.

Last weekend (I think) I started a new project called “Lady Rose” by Joan Elliott. I bought this from a stitching catalog that I get and it came as a kit with 14 count Aida and floss “similar to DMC.” Normally I wouldn’t buy a kit, but I really liked the pattern and couldn’t find it any other way. Needless to say, I have switched the fabric from the Aida to a piece of 28 count pinkish Cashel from Silkweaver that I had in my stash (I’m not at home and can’t remember the name right now) and am using proper DMC.

This past week I pulled “Castle Sampler” back out of the WIP pile and worked on my over one alphabet. I chose to stitch “Castle Sampler” on 32 count, so you might think that the over one stitching would be a bitch, but it really isn’t. Of course, using evenweave as opposed to linen might have something to do with that… I do love my linen, but those uneven threads sure can be a pain over one!

Look at what I got back from the framer today!

Didn’t she turn out beautifully?! Thanks to Penny at Stitches from the Heart for doing such a wonderful framing job!

First up, my progress on my “Too Cute to Spook” SAL with Dawn.

Next up, a review of my May goals and what I hope to accomplish in June.

For May, I wanted to:

• Participate in the May SAT. – Yep! I even remembered to post over there too!
• Work on “Too Cute to Spook” with Dawn. – Yep! We are getting dangerously close to a Happy Dance too…
• Finish “Choo Choo Train.” – Yep! It’s hanging on my wall waiting to be framed.
• Work on “Castle Sampler” or “Spring Queen” or both. – Yep! Worked on “Castle Sampler.”

I am going to keep my June goals simple, but I may end up stitching more than I had planned in June. I found out today that my Summer I class might get canceled due to low enrollment. I won’t know for sure for a few days though. Anyway, for June, I hope to:

• Participate in the June SAT.
• Work on (and maybe finish) “Too Cute to Spook” with Dawn.
• Work on “Castle Sampler” or “Spring Queen” or both.
• Work on “Navajo Style.”

Hmm… “What is this ‘Navajo Style’ piece she is talking about?” you ask.

Well, you ask, I answer.

“Navajo Style” is a piece by Joan Elliott and is in The World of Cross Stitching March 2006 issue. I started it a while back for a non-stitching, non-blogging, but beading and over all quite crafty friend of mine and have put a few stitches in it here and there over the last couple of months, but tonight I decided to pull it out and start working on it seriously so that maybe I can get it finished by the end of the summer.

It’s a good thing my friend doesn’t know I am stitching it for her though… that way the only pressure I am under to finish it comes from within.

I decided it was time for a new scissor fob. Here is “Schoolgirl Lessons” by Little House Needleworks modified into a scissor fob.

Schoolgirl Lessons
by Little House Needleworks
May 26, 2009-May 30, 2009
28 ct Antique White Cashel Linen
Stitch Time: 11 hours
Gloriana “Bell Flower” Silk, Stitched over One

So Friday was my birthday and this year I decided to celebrate by going to San Antonio. While I stayed in an awesome hotel downtown near the Riverwalk called the Fairmount Hotel and I ate, drank, and drank some more, the main reason I decided to go to San Antonio for my birthday this year was to visit two LNSs there that I had seen advertised in Cross-Stitch and Needlework.

The first shop is called Stitches from the Heart and I dropped by late Thursday afternoon as soon as I got into town. It had been a long time since I had been in an LNS of such caliber and I was in heaven! As soon as I walked in I noticed a long table with four or five ladies stitching and I practically drooled as I looked at all the charts, beads, buttons, threads, frames, fabric, etc., etc.

Part of the reason I stopped at this shop first was because it is open until 7:30 on Thursday nights. Well, it didn’t take long for me to realize that the reason that they are open late on Thursdays is because it is their stitch-in. I started chatting with the ladies and before you can say cross stitch I had gone out to my car and retrieved “Fairy Flora,” “Celtic Spring,” “Passing Admirers,” and “Catch the Wind” and was showing them off! (I had brought those pieces with me to inquire about framing.) The ladies “oohed and ahhed” over all my pieces and made funny little comments like “Oh, I see we have a novice stitcher on our hands.”

I also just so happened to have “Castle Sampler” with me and they invited me to sit and stitch a while. As much as I wanted to, I ended up not stitching because I started talking with their framer and spent most of the time I was there deciding on a frame for Flo. I wanted to frame all four, but the lady encouraged me to just do one piece and if I am happy with her work to bring the rest back later. The shop is even going to ship Flo to me (insured of course) when she is ready.

I also bought some stash (of course!) and the ladies invited me to their fall retreat (the summer one is full). I had such a nice time visiting that shop that I definitely foresee more trips to San Antonio in the future to shop, stitch, and bitch. If you are ever in San Antonio, I definitely recommend a visit to Stitches from the Heart! (By the way, Stitches from the Heart’s website is still under construction, but they told me they will ship things. All I need to do is contact them with what I want.)

But wait, there’s more!

On Friday around noon, I visited the second shop, Cross Stitch Plus. It was a very nice shop as well. In fact, I think they had a better selection of fabric… which would be great if I didn’t already have Silkweaver FOM coming out the wazoo! The ladies there were very nice too, but they weren’t having a stitch-in (theirs is on Friday night) so it was a much quieter experience. I bought plenty of stash there and will go back next time I am San Antonio.

However, in all honesty, the best thing about Cross Stitch Plus was that it is in a shopping center that just so happens to have an Indian restaurant next door. So, I went there and had my birthday lunch. I didn’t have super high hopes for the restaurant because I didn’t remember coming across it when I was scoping out Indian restaurants in San Antonio online, but I was pleasantly surprised with a nice meal and dining experience.

On Saturday, I went to the San Antonio Zoo and got rained on, but was there long enough that it made me tired. After I ate dinner on the Riverwalk, I went back to my hotel room and tried to stitch, but the light in my room was terrible so I cursed the fact that I didn’t buy the portable Ott light that I looked at on Friday at Cross Stitch Plus and just watched a movie.

* Stash Report – Back Row: The Best of Teresa Wentzler Fantasy Collection Volume 2, Witchy-Washy (Raise the Roof), Halloween Eve (The Cricket Collection); Middle Row: Sew Many Memories (Sue Hillis Designs), Jack in the Patch (Cherry Wood Design Studios), Yesteryear (LHN), Summer Retreats (CCN); Front Row: Ladybug, Ladybug (LHN), French Country III – Apple (JBW Designs), Curiosity and Washing Up (Serendipity Designs); Not Pictured: Piecemakers, size 26; 4 packs Mill Hill Magnifica beads. *