Let's Visit the Garden District, Shall We?

But first, a tour through what's happening Chez Me?

I am back to stitching on my Gay Ann Rogers class piece - Echoes of Elizabeth. I've got a ways to go in order to be ready for finishing at the beginning of December. It is very peaceful and soothing and as soon as I make some progress that looks like progress I'll post a photo. Right now it's just ecru and black and gold. Though it does look like it could be a cameo. 

Yesterday was November's Loudoun Sampler Guild meeting where I dropped out of a silent auction at $135. It's nice to know I know my limits. But still - that was an $80 dollar basket all that stitching stuff was in and ...

We had a presentation from Barbara Hutson of the Queenstown Sampler about her new sampler, which by the way is one of the stitch alongs for the Ellen Chester sampler group next year. Elizabeth Mears  is gorgeous and I may be destined to buy her. Barbara bought the sampler on E-bay and it was fascinating to hear how she's spent her time documenting her find. If you're looking for a big sampler to stitch next year, this is a good one!

Now let's go check out the Garden District...

On Saturday, our last full day in New Orleans, my husband and I decided to take the St. Charles streetcar through the Garden District. Who knew we both had ulterior motives? 

We picked up the streetcar just east of the Lee Circle and boy was it crowded. Standing room only. Now we're thinking we are not going to be able to see much of the houses, etc. And we decide to get off between a cigar store for my DH and a needlework store for me. 


We walk from St. Charles down to Magazine Street along more bumpy uneven sidewalks. And when we get to Magazine, he goes west and I go east and he's going to meet me at the needlework store. 

I've been walking and walking for nine blocks. We were way closer to the cigar store than the needlework store. I've gone through mostly residential areas and then suddenly it turns into a commercial area and here I am.

The store is arranged with mostly knitting on the left and needlepoint on the right. Crystal chandeliers and everything.

Here's where I had fun. This stand is filled with ornament kits. The tree is off to the left. I had to practice some restraint because I wanted them all. 

 

Here's what I bought - the cathedral at night:  the threads with this one are metallic and shiny. The streetcar named Desire. The Acadian flag. And the cathedral in daylight. There's one more, but I can't show it as it is a gift. I thought I was buying it for myself, but realized it much more fitting for someone else. The flag is now halfway finished. Pretty easy stitching on 13ct. canvas on an airplane. 

I'm extremely thankful to my husband for inviting me along on this trip to New Orleans. We had a tremendous time!

A Day Late

For Veteran's Day, I give you a few photos I took at the WWII Museum in New Orleans. 

I see where someone got the inspiration from for the Darth Vader costume.

A flag off a boat that participated in landing at Omaha Beach on D-Day.

This quote slays me.
"You can't buy valor and you can't pull heroes off an assembly line."

After touring the museum, we had tickets to see the 4-D movie, "Beyond All Boundaries" at the theater next door. I really wasn't expecting much. But I should have known better. They should have tissues in this theater. Watching this was a very emotional experience.

Well, I know a good thing when I see it. A John Best restaurant? Count me in.

For lunch, I had a Sazerac cocktail. The spicy garlic chili glazed chicken appetizers with watermelon pickles. A side of southern greens. And a side of cheese grits with jalapenos. The chicken was excellent. The pickled green beans, watermelon, and apples were terrific. The greens didn't need anything - usually I go for some vinegar or hot sauce. And the grits were the best I've ever had. Oh, and the cocktail, while not better than the Sazeracs we had at Arnaud's, was marvelous. 

In fact, the cocktail was so marvelous, that when we were walking back by here at 5 p.m. we went back in for happy hour - 1/2 price drinks and 75 cent sloppy joe sliders. 

But the true reason we went back, was because at lunchtime I talked the ladies sitting next to us into having desert. We were too full to have desert ourselves. And the desert I talked them into was:

Sugarcane iced cupcake with candied bacon which came with bowl of terrific vanilla ice cream and a German chocolate cupcake. (No irony there...) Thus sliders, Sazeracs, and cupcakes with ice cream was our last great meal in New Orleans.

P.S. If anyone thinks candied bacon does not sound like a good idea, I can assure you, it's a fantastic idea.

Wednesday is EGA Day

What happens when you belong to more than one guild, is that sometimes you find yourself with multiple EGA things to do in one day. 

This morning I was at the D.C. EGA chapter where the program, very nicely done by a friend of mine, was about Italian needlework. And more specifically she showed us how to make an Italian knotted tassel. It's actually very simple, but can lead to some complex creations. 

Jeanine, of the Italian Needlework blog, demonstrates a version here:  Knotted Tassel II.

Mine needs a little more refinement before I take a photo. I guess I haven't truly paid attention to tassels. But now I will. 

Tonight is the last board meeting of the year for my other EGA chapter, Oatlands. Next year, I'll be moving into the VP slot for membership. I love working with this group of ladies. For the most part, we all know how to be professional. And we know how to have a good time. 

In between these two events, I managed a quick dash to a LNS, In Stitches (see link below.) This was strictly a pearl cotton and needles run. Though a few extra skeins of overdyed cotton may have jumped into my bag. I even resisted the canvases that were 45% off. 

On my way back, I was thrilled to finally have my chance to drive on a road that has had an incomplete part that has finally been finished. Here's to being able to drive the entire length of the Fairfax County Parkway! It was a long time getting here.

Mom Apple Pie MaryJane

This was the cover of the Washington Post Sunday Magazine on October 31st. The artwork is by Jenny Hart. She says it's her first attempt at cross stitch. You can find out more about her here on her blog - Embroidery as Art.

The Quarter Stitch

I'm not sure how much of my New Orleans trip I will post here. Let's start with the stuff you might be interested in.

On Monday I escaped the clutches of the conference and wandered back into the French Quarter to explore the aptly named The Quarter Stitch. 















From the outside looking in the windows.










Even the post gets decorated.

Inside the shop:  lots of hand painted canvases attached to the walls. Lots of yarns. Not a lot of fibers for needlepoint. Just your basic DMC and Paternyan.

There is a front room. A middle room. And a wee tiny backroom that holds cross stitch charts and models of local things. You can cross stitch a gumbo recipe. Or a streetcar.

But, oh don't we do a pretty job of wrapping the treasures.

What I bought:  A cross stitch chart of a St. Charles line streetcar. A chart of mini-motifs of New Orleans. A Joan Thomasson kit of the Merry Widow. I couldn't decide between her and the Fallen Angel. And a mini-stocking of a cajun santa. 

Did I get to stitch in the Big Easy? Yup. Just a bit. I think I finally mastered the counting on a hardanger border but by the time I mastered it I was frustrated and put it down. I started Matter's Choice, Carriage House Samplings,  on the airplane and continued with that in our hotel room. 

Speaking of Carriage House, Kathy has announced that her younger sister, Mary, is going to take over the company. That means that Carriage House isn't going away after all. Can't wait to see what direction this all takes. Read the news here in Kathy's blog.

Easy

I am certain you will be proud of me when I say that it took less than 36 hours in New Orleans fo find me up on stage performing baack up to Proud Mary. And I hadn't had nearly enough bourbon to the song justice.

My 'net access here is limited. More later.

Contest

For my readers in my local area, the Washington Post is having a contest.

Here's what it said in the Local Living section of Thursday's paper:

Local living wants to celebrate the spirit of the winter season with beautiful handmade crafts, such as ornaments, garlands, cards and gifts. With our Holiday Crafts Contest, we invite you, crafty person, to share an original creation with us. 

Your  homemade craft can be sewn, woven, knitted, molded with plain paper or papier-mache or created with any materials you like. It can decorate a tree, hang on a wall, sit on a table or be wearable. it should be themed for any of the winter holidays or simply be winter-appropriate.

What are we not looking for? Anything made from a kit, copied from a book or Web site, or otherwise unoriginal. Your kids' school craft, however adorable, probably won't make the cut either.

The best crater will win a prize and be featured int a Local Living article in December. Enter by submitting high-resolution photos online along with your contact information and where you live; the deadline is November 30.

You can find all the contest rules at washingtonpost.com/holidaycrafts. Questions? E-mail Localliving@washpost.com. We hope you'll participate and inspire us.

I'm Not Arguing, But...

I won't say I wasn't expecting someone to rebut me when I posted my feelings about the shop I stopped at in Littleton last week. Here's my replies in large type to the comments in small type. 



Apparently you know very little about the World in Stitches.

I do know about The World in Stitches. I shopped there way back when my husband was stationed at Fort Devens. 
 
 It is not dusty and in disarray.

It was too dusty and in disarray. Things all over every flat surface. In nearly every room. Dusty enough to set off my allergies. 

It has been in business for almost 3 decades. You probably walked in on a day when they were unpacking after going to a needlework trade show and had not completed putting everything away. Yes, needlework shops do go to trade shows esdpecially The World in Stitches. Also they go to estate sales and buy needlework merchandise to sell on eBay.

If the lack of organization I noticed is simply the result of a trade show, they really should set up a room to contain it and keep it away from the public. They've got plenty of rooms. I don't believe this is from trade shows. I know. I've worked in needlework stores before.

If you had signed up for their newsletter by email, you would find out about the trunk shows they have where the "new stuff" is on display from floor to ceiling on the walls and not in disarray. You would also find out about the classes in knitting, cross stitch and needlepoint.

Okay. Fair enough. I don't receive their newsletter as I live in Virginia.

Also every last Friday of the month, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. there is a group of women to meet to stitch and talk and have coffee and dessert and generally have a fun. All are welcome to attend. It is not limited to just a few.



I'm positive there is a lovely group of people associated with this store. I'm simply stating the opinion of one person who walked in there at random.

If you are looking for something in particular, The World in Stitches is very helpful. They can order it for you. They are friendly and the shop is a comfortable place to shop. Not at all like the place you describe.

I'm sure they are helpful. The lady who helped me was nothing less than friendly. 

 
Next time you are looking for a particular place, try MapQuest. It is much more accurate than a GPS system.

Okay. This statement is ridiculous. Anyone out there really think that MapQuest is more accurate than your GPS system? 



I agree with Susan. I have been going to The World in Stitches for over 20 years & I have never found it to be dirty or disorganized. This shop is full of wonderful cross stitch, needlepoint & knitting.
If you can't find what you are looking for Randi will contact other stores in area to see if they have it & if that fails she will order it for you. She has even found stuff for us on ebay.There are always new classes & if someone sees something that they would like to learn Randi will organize a class. We also do a 12 hour Stitchin every other month. 

Again. I'm not saying anyone was less than helpful. Or that there wasn't a lot of stuff. I am saying that I regularly visit four needlework stores - three here in northern Virginia and one in Maryland. None of them look like this place did on the day I was there. Even my friend's shop when she was going out of business last year didn't look like this. Maybe I did hit this shop on a bad day.
Will I ever visit again? In all fairness to the two of you who responded to my opinion, I might. 

What I'm Stitching Now

Somehow I managed to get myself volunteered to help teach this mystery sampler from Needlearts, the EGA magazine for our guild next year. We've got three class dates set up - January, April, and July. And there are three of us stitching this in advance to in order to teach it. 

Of course, I absolutely changed my colors. I'm calling these colors summer brights. And I've made a lot of progress since I took this photo. The project is a smattering of many counted techniques. You may think you are just looking at cross stitch and a bit of blackwork, but those dividing bands are marking stitches. I've also stitched some bargello on this and right now I'm in the midst of more alphabet done with the four-sided stitch. 

It's pretty and fun with lots of variety. 

I also started a hardanger freebie from The Victoria Sampler because it was a guild class this week. I should be able to make perfect Greek crosses by the time I'm finished. If I can ever get the count right on my buttonhole edges.

Mystery Revealed

Plenty of times in the past year I have not been able to show my stitching progress because a few friends and I decided to do a Friendship sampler round robin. 

We picked our own themes, set size limits, and ideally stitched our own band at the top. 

After many false starts, I chose a theme I called "Sea Me." Anything in the water, real or imagined. I picked a piece of lovely Glenshee linen from my stash and a number of Splendor silks along with two overdyed silk threads. (Warning: Glorianna is definitely not colorfast.)

We decided on six weeks as a time limit. And I spent my first five weeks with own piece just trying to decided what to do. 

Here is how I started:  with a wave, some herons who look like they are wearing berets, a lighthouse, a ship and two whales. The two dark lines are my dividing bands.  I was trying for the sampler look. 


I passed this along to a friend and received another sampler to work on. The hardest part of this was keeping secrets from each other. I can't say how badly we wanted to talk about these samplers as we see each other nearly every Friday for stitching time. Sometimes we sort of broke this rule and talked about things in a round about way. 


After five other people have had their hands on my piece of linen, this is what I got back:

How amazing is that? 


I'm overwhelmed by this project.


Now I need to stitch my dividing bands, then a wave motif at the bottom, and then I will include names of my friends who worked on this. 


We all agreed that our size limitations nearly killed us. Essentially we went with 2" tall by 6" wide. The two inches was horribly difficult and forced many people into stitching over 1.

Our plan is to finish these and show them in public in January which will be when I can post photos of what I stitched for others.