Tuesday, April 24, 2018

We miss you already!

Whew!  Sherri's class is officially history today, Monday, April 23, 2018 and I'm officially pooped.  But I would be officially dead without the help of so many people.  Sara, Mary and the two patient  and handy men they married, Vernon and Brian who just do as they are told and don't ask questions.  Stasi Buhrman who arrived last Tuesday to help and was invaluable during the event, finding linen stitchers wanted and cutting fabric and she learned to ball yarn so even more better for us; Ginny who became our Uber driver back and forth to the airport picking up and delivering stitchers and then returning them to the airport on Sunday and Sherri on Monday, and if that wasn't enough took over duties in the shop balling yarn and any other thing we asked of her.  And then Sherri who did a fabulous job of leading the stitchers through their journey as they stitched her latest project, which was just beautiful.  Then there were the ladies who work here, Victoria and Michelle, who worked deligently helping stitchers find what they were looking for and last but certainly not least all the stitchers who attended the event and helped support the business.  It was just a wonderful weekend.  Sherri Jones and Catherine Theron so far this year and just two great retreats, with fabulous projects.  But, I'm exhausted!  And we have the Delaware Valley Sampler Guild retreat this weekend and the following weekend we have the Spring Retreat...oh my, don't know how I'm going to make it.  But if you have never done a retreat, here at Salty Yarns or The Attic or anywhere, put it on your "must do" list.  There is no better friend than a fellow stitcher and the information you glean from attending one is invaluable.  Tip and tricks you would never think of.  Friendships that last a lifetime and such a lovely group of people.  I've personally made wonderful friendships through stitching and retreats, I feel like we've been friends forever.  So if you are thinking about it, call your local shop and see what they have coming up and sign up.  Don't be afraid to go if you are alone, because stitchers welcome everyone and before you know you will have a companion or two to hang out with in the stitching rooms, to eat with etc.  As for what I've been doing other than the retreats, well I can admit one thing, I haven't stitched in days....I can also admit it's thrown off my schedule terribly but after Michael's tutoring session last night,  I sat in my favorite stitchy spot and pulled out my stitching.  Of course this didn't go smoothly because before I left the shop Sara made a comment about 3 things we picked up in Nashville which she felt we might need models of, so I started one of those, then switched over to the Hands on Design piece I was working on and then I'm going to start the other two and work on all four at once.  I think I'll be napping alot and skipping real sleep to get them done ASAP.  I'm tired just thinking about it, but I'm game to do anything at this point.   I did have a finish last week and let me tell you, while the stitching was  easy enough, the finishing was horrible...and it had nothing to do with the design or Victoria Sampler who designed it.   It was as if I had never finished anything.  But on the plus side Sara helped me do the cording and the Betsy Morgan way of doing a tassel and I was thrilled with that,  but in my head this finishing was suppose to be a lot easier and I should have done a better job.  (In my head all my projects when finished are perfect, so I constantly set my expectations way too high.)  But it's done, and now I'll move forward, but I was disappointed in myself and expect a lot better next time.  Anyway, here it is...The smalls from "Count Your Blessings" designed by Thea Dueck of The Victoria Sampler. 

I've stitched a few designs from Thea Dueck and I have truly loved the stitch each time.  Her directions are excellent and you get stitch diagrams as you do have a few different stitches to do, but it is so enjoyable and the finished product is fabulous, in the end.  So I do encourage you to take a look at her designs.  Not yet finished is my Guernsey Wrap knitting project.  If we don't count the sock incident (a group of Ladies retreating at the hotel sat in the lobby and at one point most of them were  knitting socks which fascinated me so of course, I made a comment how I was intimidated by sock knitting.)  The next year they had put together a sock knitting bag with all the supplies and then they showed me how to knit socks.  While they were here I got quite a bit done, and did finish one sock...notice I said one.  I still intend to finish another but for me I should learn to do 2 socks at once I think.  But the point here is that I did indeed learn...whoopee!!!  But I'm so busy stitching models that it wasn't until I saw the Guernsey Wrap that I picked up the needles again.  It has been a joy.  I did make a mistake on the border early on and didn't realize what I did until much later...so I left it and while it bothers me, it's not going to be noticed so much when it's completed.  Anyway, I love the wrap I thought the pattern would be more complicated with cables, etc., but the patterns are nice but the best part for me is it's really wide,  so proportionally it's more my size, but mercy I've been working on it since a week before Nashville.  It's called "Guernsey Wrap and its 16 1/2" wide by 77 1/2" long...or I should state that those are the measurements when using DK yarn on the pattern, however, since I never do a swatch I'm going to say those are the measurements of my wrap but I really have no blooming idea.  Let's just say it will be around that.  Three different pattern charts are used, I'm already on the last chart which has to be repeated 3 and 1/2 times and I'm on the second repeat so I really am on the downhill side of this.  And because of that I've already decided my next knitting project will include Scandinavian knitting.  I haven't done any before but think it will challenge me so it's going to be next, however it will definitely be smaller than this wrap.  This does not mean counted work is over for me...oh, no you know it is my first love so that goes on.  I actually only knit when I can't really focus on the stitching because I'm tired (perhaps not the best time to knit patterns but it's worked for the most part for me, although I have had to unknit a few times).  Anyway, we are alive and well in Ocean City, Sara's busy cooking for the stitchers this weekend as we welcome approx 30 stitchers  from the Delaware Valley Sampler Guild.  I always love to see what they are working on and they usually bring show and tell so that's fun and exciting.  The finishes that stitchers brought in after Catherine and Sherri classes was unbelievable.  It's always inspirational for me.  Love to see what everyone's doing.  I do see fabulous and fun finishes on Facebook so keep it up stitchers.  Got to run, I'm suppose to be cleaning and making cookies for the next retreat.  Keep those needles moving.  Talk to you soon.  And Thanks again for all the support!