This Thursday is the start of Needle Bling Design's Get Your Stitch On retreat, and I am both excited and nervous. The other night I had a dream that I forgot to take stitching with me, and even my sleeping brain must have known that that was ridiculous as it morphed into having my stitching but someone had purposely taken just the clamps from my Qsnaps, so I couldn't frame my fabric and stitch--too funny!
I haven't been to very many retreats over the years since I am a pretty extreme introvert, but I've always enjoyed them when I've gone. I never participate in any exchanges because that's just too much pressure, but now it seems to be a thing to have gifts for your tablemates, so I made my first foray into that custom. I got some cards with small designs that would be suitable for stitching on perforated paper, small easels and canvases that could be painted and then used to display the finishes and the floss and paper needed to stitch the designs, and I made some counting pins; this is the result:
Credit for the counting pins goes to Honeybee over on her blog, where she explained her process for making them; I just bought a couple of strings of beads and went for it:
Now I just need to pick up a few groceries to take with me, gas up my car and pack. I'm happy that I can drive to this one, as it's just about 4.5 hours away, which is part of the reason I decided to go. I am also hoping to go to Stitchville while I'm there--the store is closing and I'm not sure how much will be left, but I'd like to see it one time before it's gone. The retreat starts Thursday at 10am, so I'm driving over on Wednesday and will try to get to Stitchville then. I also need to look into the location of Welcome Stitchery relative to the hotel; I used to shop there when it was located in Illinois, so I'd kind of like to stop in just for old times' sake.
I decided that I would take Mirabilia's Silver Moon Tea with me to work on; I had taken it to Charlotte last October, but then didn't work on it very much since I started the retreat design there. I pulled it out last Friday to put it on the Qsnaps and stitch on it for long enough to figure out where I was in the chart and get a feel for the symbols; this is where I started:
When I started this back in 2012 I used to do all the back stitching and beading at the end, but now I do them as I go so this weekend I had fun bringing her face to life:
I feel the same way about retreats. But after I'm always thankful I went. Hope to hear all great things about it. Wow what a table mate gift. I think you went overboard and I personally would love to sit at your table! Good luck making progress. I don't blame you for wanting to finish her face. She is beautiful indeed. The Miss Pink Mushroom is just perfect on her fabric. Just looks meant to be. Like it was told to be on that exact fabric.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reassurance on the gifts--I'm horrible at knowing what is too little or too much, but I'd rather err on the side of too much! :D
DeleteI also had a strange dream the other night....I dreamt that I was at Country Sampler!
ReplyDeleteYour table gifts are so very generous.
SMT is looking so pretty, & the pets are too cute.
Have fun at the retreat!
Mairlyn
Thanks Marilyn, it's nice to get positive feedback on the gifts. I've never been to Country Sampler, but I'd like to visit sometime.
DeleteGreat progress on the Mirabilia, it's gorgeous! What a great idea for table gifts! I had a strange dream about cross stitch some years ago. Dream: I received a phone call from a woman who said I had ordered cross stitch ornaments! I remember thinking why would I order from someone when I can make them myself! And then her son gets on to ask me where he could find truck stops! I woke up at that point!🤣
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious! I have two kind of standard cross stitch dreams--in one, I can stitch a large Mirabilia in a day, and in the other I take a Mirabilia to be framed and the framer cuts off a bunch of the fabric and it's crooked and can't be fixed; I prefer the first kind!
DeleteYeah the first dream is better but hilarious! I've never done a Mirabiia but I know enough that no one can do one in a day. Your 2nd dream is more nightmare! Yikes!
DeleteOh, great stitching! I'm going to my secondond retreat this year and at my first also was surprised how many people brought goodies for their table mates or even everyone (it was a small-ish retreat with just 50 people). Now I'm thinking about what I can do this time!
ReplyDeleteOh man, Melanie, the stitchers at the other tables are gonna be jealous! ;O)
ReplyDeleteLove that lavender fabric for Silver Moon Tea and Miss Mushroom turned out so beautiful. Perfect fabric! I hope you have a lovely time at the retreat. I've never been to one; not my thing, I guess. I'm definitely more of a sewing room hermit!
Thanks for the positive feedback. :) Sometimes I try to get myself outside of my comfort zone, because my zone is really tiny!
DeleteMelanie: My first retreat way back in the early 2000s I was not sure I could do now I am hooked, which retreat are you going too, just curious.
ReplyDeleteSo sad that Stitchville is closing, Deb is such an amazing lady and so sweet.
Love all your stitching, the puppy designs are so sweet, congratulations on your stitching progress and the finish, I hope you share a photo of it framed.
Catherine🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
The retreat was called Get Your Stitch On, and it was in Bloomington, MN. It was put on by Needle Bling Designs; it was the first one, but they've already planned another one for next May.
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