Getting Back

Loretta got back and found she had some work to do. Dishes in the sink. Counters needed disinfecting. House still needs vacuuming. Etc. 

So consequently Loretta hasn't got back to stitching yet.

But packages mailed from Florida arrived yesterday, so today there are photos!


Let's start with the tote I forgot to show you before I left. My fears about the stiffness of the canvas were realized. I tacked the upper two corners and used heavyweight Thermobond on the rest. Took a good bit of ironing from the inside of the bag to get it attached. In fact, it got rather hot inside the bag and the whole process took longer than I thought. But it stayed attached on both flights as this was my carry-on and I took it to class every day! Now I have my own personal reminder of this experience. 

Part of the seminar experience is Ruth Kern's traveling bookstore. Funny how everyone wants to volunteer for this job! I visited this every day as it was in the back of the exhibition hall. The first day the exhibit opened I worked bag check. A number of people either looked in the hall, or went in and came out and asked me where the bookstore was. Go back in and all the way to the back. A very popular venue at Seminar. 

 First day I bought the Casalguidi book. I had borrowed my friend Anne's copy so I knew I wanted this one and didn't have to think twice. Also that day I bought the Freeform Embroidery book and Autopsy of the Montenegrin Stitch and saw that Gary Clarke's Embroidery Illusions was already sold out. Now that I'm home I'll find Gary's book online. 


The Freeform book is brand new. The concept is good. The photos are great. But I felt there was a bit of padding to get to the number 200. 


Amy Mitten's Autopsy book is fantastic if you're a counted thread freak. This is her new edition published this year. She explains two ways to work the stitch and gives every possible variation for turning corners and going on diagonals. I will never have to suffer again working out how to work certain charts. Made me want to sit right down and start designing a piece based on the stitch. If you want to see inside the book, go to her website and look here. 

 On Thursday I picked up Audrey Francini's book on Soft Shading as recommended by Marsha Papay Gomola and also the Royal School of Needlework's Stumpwork book. As I continue my explorations in surface embroidery, I am going to be referring to this book often!


On Friday morning during break, I ran back to the bookstore one last time before it closed. Because I had that $50 gift certificate that I had won the night before. And picked up Ruth Chamberlin's Beginner's Guide to Goldwork and the Maryland sampler book. 


Goldwork is my next challenge and I signed up for a class already. And the Maryland sampler book was not yet available when we visited the exhibit at the Maryland Historical Society a few years ago. This copy of the book cost me significantly less than what I would have paid back then. That exhibit was fantastic and I had great time visiting it with friends from the online world. 


This is all I have time for this a.m. Loretta has to hit the kitchen and put some food in the slow cooker. 


And it's back to Thursday morning stitching group! I've missed two weeks and it feels like forever.