Another Stitchville retreat come and gone. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to spend the weekend with friends and to meet and learn from such talented designers!
Hope you all have a great weekend! Keep on stitching!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
One More Retreat Post
One last post with pictures from the weekend. One of the best parts of every retreat is the opportunity to view projects that have been completed by the retreat participants. This year certainly did not disappoint, there were samplers and needlework smalls all from The Victoria Sampler. I think I'll just let the pictures do the talking!
Another Stitchville retreat come and gone. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to spend the weekend with friends and to meet and learn from such talented designers!
Hope you all have a great weekend! Keep on stitching!
Another Stitchville retreat come and gone. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to spend the weekend with friends and to meet and learn from such talented designers!
Hope you all have a great weekend! Keep on stitching!
Spring Fling Part II
Finally, I am getting around to posting part two of the retreat weekend report!
The retreat starts on Friday afternoon, we all get settled in our stitching spots. Some of the stitchers go "all out" in setting up their space; gotta make sure you have all of your tools and supplies handy! Here are a couple of spaces that I thought you might enjoy seeing.
I couldn't believe all the doo-dads and gadgets they had brought along - fan, ort bag, pincushion, water bottle, camera - doesn't matter, they were having fun!
On Friday night, we had a small project that we worked on. Thea had designed a nametag for us and brought the materials for us to stitch and finish them. Here is Thea's nametag:
And here are some of the other finished/almost finished nametags:
On Saturday morning we were all up bright and early for breakfast (you don't miss a meal at this place because the food is fabulous!) and then some stitching before our day officially began at 9am.
Thea shared with us portions of the DVD instructions for this project - nice "how-to" instructions on basting before starting the project, completing the ribbon embroidery and finishing the project.
Some of us had completed our stitching and pre-work and so we went into another room set up for finishing. We started with the pincushion:
After completing the pincushion, we worked on the strawberry. Some even completed their needlebook! I still need to finish my needlebook and will be working on it this weekend.
As you can see, quite a few stitchers finished their project (or came very close!)
Saturday night is always reserved for shopping at Stitchville. Many of these stitchers were from out of town and had never been there - what a treat for them! It was great fun looking at all the stash enhancement that happened that night!
Our retreat is coming to a close..I have a few more pictures for you but will save them for another post! Thanks for stopping by!
The retreat starts on Friday afternoon, we all get settled in our stitching spots. Some of the stitchers go "all out" in setting up their space; gotta make sure you have all of your tools and supplies handy! Here are a couple of spaces that I thought you might enjoy seeing.
I couldn't believe all the doo-dads and gadgets they had brought along - fan, ort bag, pincushion, water bottle, camera - doesn't matter, they were having fun!
On Friday night, we had a small project that we worked on. Thea had designed a nametag for us and brought the materials for us to stitch and finish them. Here is Thea's nametag:
And here are some of the other finished/almost finished nametags:
On Saturday morning we were all up bright and early for breakfast (you don't miss a meal at this place because the food is fabulous!) and then some stitching before our day officially began at 9am.
Thea shared with us portions of the DVD instructions for this project - nice "how-to" instructions on basting before starting the project, completing the ribbon embroidery and finishing the project.
Some of us had completed our stitching and pre-work and so we went into another room set up for finishing. We started with the pincushion:
After completing the pincushion, we worked on the strawberry. Some even completed their needlebook! I still need to finish my needlebook and will be working on it this weekend.
As you can see, quite a few stitchers finished their project (or came very close!)
Saturday night is always reserved for shopping at Stitchville. Many of these stitchers were from out of town and had never been there - what a treat for them! It was great fun looking at all the stash enhancement that happened that night!
Our retreat is coming to a close..I have a few more pictures for you but will save them for another post! Thanks for stopping by!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Gone in a Flash...
{{Sigh}} Another Stitchville Retreat has come and gone. We wait and wonder in anticipation of the weekend, and in a flash it is over and done. We had a wonderful time; it was a great weekend.
Our weekend started with a trip to Stitchville on Friday morning; and lunch at nearby Old Chicago. Around 2pm we headed over to our retreat center. The Oak Ridge Hotel and Conference Center in Chaska, MN is the perfect location for the weekend - comfortable rooms, great food, and our classroom space is spacious and well lit.
Our hostesses were waiting to sign us in for this year's retreat. Deb S and Deb C do such a nice job of coordinating every detail for the weekend.
As you can see, the retreat attendees are gathering in anticipation of the start of the weekend! It was great to see old friends and meet new friends - this year's retreat attracted stitchers from far away places like British Columbia, Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia as well as others from the Midwest.
The tables were ready and set the tone for our weekend with spring colors and stitching goodies!
My table buddies included Joan and Chris,
and Joyce and Vicki...
This year's Spring Fling retreat's guest of honor was Thea Dueck, from The Victoria Sampler.
And this was our project for the weekend:
More to come...
Our weekend started with a trip to Stitchville on Friday morning; and lunch at nearby Old Chicago. Around 2pm we headed over to our retreat center. The Oak Ridge Hotel and Conference Center in Chaska, MN is the perfect location for the weekend - comfortable rooms, great food, and our classroom space is spacious and well lit.
Our hostesses were waiting to sign us in for this year's retreat. Deb S and Deb C do such a nice job of coordinating every detail for the weekend.
As you can see, the retreat attendees are gathering in anticipation of the start of the weekend! It was great to see old friends and meet new friends - this year's retreat attracted stitchers from far away places like British Columbia, Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia as well as others from the Midwest.
The tables were ready and set the tone for our weekend with spring colors and stitching goodies!
My table buddies included Joan and Chris,
and Joyce and Vicki...
This year's Spring Fling retreat's guest of honor was Thea Dueck, from The Victoria Sampler.
And this was our project for the weekend:
More to come...
Friday, April 13, 2012
Unlucky Friday the 13th?
I think today is a "lucky" Friday the 13th...why you ask? Because today is the start of the Stitchville Spring Fling retreat! As you can see from my countdown clock on my blog, we're no longer counting down - the day has arrived! This year's guest at our retreat is Thea Dueck and we are going to be working on a Victorian Pincushion with her. Of course the best part of the retreat is meeting new friends and reconnecting with old friends. Looks like our weather this weekend is going to be less than stellar (rain) so no guilt for being inside on this spring weekend either! Watch for a full retreat update sometime next week.
Before I go, here's an updated progress photo of I Sigh Not for Beauty. I've made good progress this week. (Please excuse the wrinkles.)
Have a great weekend!
Before I go, here's an updated progress photo of I Sigh Not for Beauty. I've made good progress this week. (Please excuse the wrinkles.)
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Another Week Gone By...
...and more stitching to share. I've made great progress on "I Sigh Not for Beauty." This is such a fun stitch. Of course, the Belle Soie silks and the Lakeside Linen are wonderful to work with - they make such a difference!
I skipped the over one section for now. I also have some additional stitching to do on the inside border and just under where the over one goes - I'm saving these parts for when I don't need to pay such close attention to what I'm doing! :)
Last weekend I was itching to stitch something new. I had been cleaning through my stash and came across this piece which I probably purchased six or seven years ago. Do you recognize it?
It's Hillside Samplings "Hillside School of Handworke" - I have the handpainted Liberty Hill box to match.
While we're on the subject of samplers, have you seen the new release from Heartstring Samplery? It's called "Never Let You Go." Go to Beth's blog to see a photo and get more details on the design. Please walk, don't run...don't want you getting hurt now!
Hope you are having a delightful Saturday afternoon. It's cool and rainy here; can't complain though, we desperately need the rain! Wishing you all a Happy Easter!
I skipped the over one section for now. I also have some additional stitching to do on the inside border and just under where the over one goes - I'm saving these parts for when I don't need to pay such close attention to what I'm doing! :)
Last weekend I was itching to stitch something new. I had been cleaning through my stash and came across this piece which I probably purchased six or seven years ago. Do you recognize it?
It's Hillside Samplings "Hillside School of Handworke" - I have the handpainted Liberty Hill box to match.
While we're on the subject of samplers, have you seen the new release from Heartstring Samplery? It's called "Never Let You Go." Go to Beth's blog to see a photo and get more details on the design. Please walk, don't run...don't want you getting hurt now!
Hope you are having a delightful Saturday afternoon. It's cool and rainy here; can't complain though, we desperately need the rain! Wishing you all a Happy Easter!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
I Sigh Not For Beauty
Hard to believe that it is the last day of March! Time is just fleeting by. Decided I better get one last post in before the end of the month.
First of all, thanks to Lelia and Amy for selecting me as one of their "Liebster Blogs." For me, blogging is just a vehicle that I use to record my stitching progress on the various projects that I enjoy working on. It's fun to go back and look at all that I have accomplished. I really enjoy viewing your blogs too. I may not always comment, but I'm reading them! It's really fun when I have the opportunity to connect with online friends; I'm looking forward to meeting Amy at Stitchville's Spring Fling Retreat in two weeks!
This past week I have spent my stitching time working on I Sigh Not For Beauty. This beautiful sampler was designed by Ruth Ann Russell of C Street Samplerworks. I am using the linen/silk conversion that Attic Needlework put together. It is such a beauty and I have enjoyed every minute that I have spent stitching on it. I have quite a bit more to go, but have made good progress in the 2+ months that I have been working on it. This also happens to be my guild challenge piece this year and so I am committed to finishing it by the end of the year!
In between housework and grocery shopping today, I hope to play in my stash a little bit...we'll see.
Have a great day - happy stitching!
First of all, thanks to Lelia and Amy for selecting me as one of their "Liebster Blogs." For me, blogging is just a vehicle that I use to record my stitching progress on the various projects that I enjoy working on. It's fun to go back and look at all that I have accomplished. I really enjoy viewing your blogs too. I may not always comment, but I'm reading them! It's really fun when I have the opportunity to connect with online friends; I'm looking forward to meeting Amy at Stitchville's Spring Fling Retreat in two weeks!
This past week I have spent my stitching time working on I Sigh Not For Beauty. This beautiful sampler was designed by Ruth Ann Russell of C Street Samplerworks. I am using the linen/silk conversion that Attic Needlework put together. It is such a beauty and I have enjoyed every minute that I have spent stitching on it. I have quite a bit more to go, but have made good progress in the 2+ months that I have been working on it. This also happens to be my guild challenge piece this year and so I am committed to finishing it by the end of the year!
In between housework and grocery shopping today, I hope to play in my stash a little bit...we'll see.
Have a great day - happy stitching!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Almost Finished...
I made good progress on my retreat piece today. The stitching for the strawberry fob and the pinkeep are done; I have a little more ribbon embroidery and beadwork to do on the pincushion. I may leave this final little bit for next weekend; I'm antsy to do some plain old cross stitch!
The strawberry...
The pincushion...the remaining beadwork and ribbon embroidery will go along the outside edge...
And the pinkeep...
Very tired - did some spring cleaning today - washed windows and vacuumed under furniture that hadn't been moved in awhile. I'm pooped!
Thanks for stopping by!
The strawberry...
The pincushion...the remaining beadwork and ribbon embroidery will go along the outside edge...
And the pinkeep...
Very tired - did some spring cleaning today - washed windows and vacuumed under furniture that hadn't been moved in awhile. I'm pooped!
Thanks for stopping by!
Pinkeep Side Two
Tonight I planted myself in my stitching chair and stitched all night so that I could complete the stitching on the other side of the pinkeep. (See yesterday's post for the front side.)
This project is from The Victoria Sampler; Thea Dueck is coming to Stitchville for our annual Spring Fling; just 19 days away now!
Tomorrow night I will tackle the stitching on the pincushion or the strawberry.
This project is from The Victoria Sampler; Thea Dueck is coming to Stitchville for our annual Spring Fling; just 19 days away now!
Tomorrow night I will tackle the stitching on the pincushion or the strawberry.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Making Progress
I've finally started working on my retreat piece for Stitchville's Spring Fling. Spent one night basting and then started stitching one side of the Pinkeep on Tuesday night. Tonight I was able to finish by doing the bargello stitch. Of course there are beads and ribbon embroidery yet to be done, but I'll save those for another night!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Crazy Weather!
It's hard to believe that it is still March and we have no snow and record high temperatures. Yesterday, it hit 80 degrees and that's just unheard of for our part of the world. Crazy weather everywhere I think. Maybe there is something to the global warming theory...
Many green wigs...
And tutus...and shamrock headbands...
It was a beautiful day; over 8000 runners participated in the 7K...
My daughter wanted to run the 7K in under 45 minutes; her final time was 40:51 minutes. She said it was a lot of fun and she's looking forward to her next race! Here she is with her two friends (DD in the middle):
I know you are interested in stitching too, so here are a couple more little finishes from that bottomless basket of smalls that I am determined to conquer! Have no idea how long I have had these three kits, but they were quick and easy to stitch; I will save the finishing for another day in the not so distant future!
Despite how strange it is, I was glad that it was a beautiful day yesterday. My daughter ran in her first 7K in downtown Minneapolis; the Get Lucky 7K. The participants were all dressed in crazy attire - I wish I had pictures of some of the really crazy ones! There were serious runners too! Can you pick out "The Hulk" in the photo below?
Many green wigs...
And tutus...and shamrock headbands...
It was a beautiful day; over 8000 runners participated in the 7K...
My daughter wanted to run the 7K in under 45 minutes; her final time was 40:51 minutes. She said it was a lot of fun and she's looking forward to her next race! Here she is with her two friends (DD in the middle):
I know you are interested in stitching too, so here are a couple more little finishes from that bottomless basket of smalls that I am determined to conquer! Have no idea how long I have had these three kits, but they were quick and easy to stitch; I will save the finishing for another day in the not so distant future!
Hearts of America (Minnestota X2, Indiana)
The Victoria Sampler
Kits -White 25 ct Lugana and DMC
That's all I've got for you today! Thanks for stopping by.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
A Star Pouch
I know, I know! I should be working on my pre-work for the upcoming Stitchville retreat...but another project was calling my name today and I just couldn't help it!
Do you remember this La D Da kit from a couple of years ago? It's been neglected for so long, so when I pulled out my basket of smalls it kind of jumped out and said "Stitch me, stitch me!" And so I did.
The stitching was easy; the finishing not too bad. Lori's finishing instructions are very good. Since I had purchased the kit, I had all the supplies I needed to finish up this little pouch. I think it will come in handy for storing scissors or a small 6 inch ruler when I go to stitching get-to-gethers.
Here's the front:
Here's the back:
Do you remember this La D Da kit from a couple of years ago? It's been neglected for so long, so when I pulled out my basket of smalls it kind of jumped out and said "Stitch me, stitch me!" And so I did.
The stitching was easy; the finishing not too bad. Lori's finishing instructions are very good. Since I had purchased the kit, I had all the supplies I needed to finish up this little pouch. I think it will come in handy for storing scissors or a small 6 inch ruler when I go to stitching get-to-gethers.
Here's the front:
Here's the back:
A Star Pouch
La D Da
35 ct Weeks linen
Needlepoint Silk
All in all, a productive day wouldn't you say?
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Sampler Update
Happy Saturday! Happy Weekend! It's positively beautiful here in MN this weekend. Gorgeous spring weather with warm temperatures. I opened up several windows to let the fresh air in!
Thought it was time to give you an update on the sampler I am working on. I haven't had a lot of time to stitch in the last week or so, but I think I've made pretty good progress. Just a few more flowers (four to be exact) on the right side, and the outside border will be done. I am loving this piece - great design, wonderful Belle Soie silks, and a scrumptious linen color.
Please excuse the wrinkles - I didn't take time to press. The colors in the photo of the entire piece are most accurate; the close up of the top left corner is a little bit washed out.
The design is "I Sigh Not for Beauty" from C Street Samplerworks...
I'm going to have to put this down soon. I have some stitching to do for the upcoming Stitchville retreat, plus I want to finish a couple more smalls out of that smalls basket. Wish me luck!
Thought it was time to give you an update on the sampler I am working on. I haven't had a lot of time to stitch in the last week or so, but I think I've made pretty good progress. Just a few more flowers (four to be exact) on the right side, and the outside border will be done. I am loving this piece - great design, wonderful Belle Soie silks, and a scrumptious linen color.
Please excuse the wrinkles - I didn't take time to press. The colors in the photo of the entire piece are most accurate; the close up of the top left corner is a little bit washed out.
The design is "I Sigh Not for Beauty" from C Street Samplerworks...
I'm going to have to put this down soon. I have some stitching to do for the upcoming Stitchville retreat, plus I want to finish a couple more smalls out of that smalls basket. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Just a Couple of Buddies
Okay, I was only going to buy the sheep - it was too cute! But then I had to have the penguin too. And you know how much I love dogs. The chick, well that one just stole my heart!
I just couldn't resist these button buddy kits from Just Another Button Company. Tonight, in just a couple of hours, I assembled all four of them. May I introduce you to (from left to right): Charley Chick, Sherry Sheep, Penny Penguin, and Harriet Hound!
Thanks for stopping by!
I just couldn't resist these button buddy kits from Just Another Button Company. Tonight, in just a couple of hours, I assembled all four of them. May I introduce you to (from left to right): Charley Chick, Sherry Sheep, Penny Penguin, and Harriet Hound!
Thanks for stopping by!
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