(such a) Fickle Stitcher

It’s a joyful day: my husband returned home last night from a three-week visit with his daughters/neice, grandchildren/neices, mother and sister! (And nothing super serious failed/died/broke/happened while the Man of The House was away!) I saw him for about 10 minutes then fell asleep. I look forward to a nice supper with him tonight.

I want to show off the Inchies which I put in the mail yesterday to a friend in France. (We had a swap at CyberStitchers EGA, and she sent more than everyone else, so I made up the difference — only it took me ages to get them finished and in the mail to her!) I basted wool felt to some muslin and stitched the crewel motifs with Heathway wool and Pearsal’s silk threads (from Tristan Brooks Designs).

The motifs are from a variety of in-progress projects by Barbara Jackson. My original intent was to complete all nine squares, but then I thought I would leave four for Virginie to stitch and have as a completed design by both of us… we’ll see what she decides to do with it.

. . . didn’t quite work out like I’d hoped, but at least I didn’t walk there. My little Kia, I’ve named here “Gobi,” averaged about 43 MPG over the whole trip, thanks to driving only 60 MPH.

The hotel (Hilton Memphis on the east side of town) was lovely, a circular glass tower with wedge-shaped rooms. Since DH was with me, we reserved a king-size bed — uh, that sounded odd… a room with one bed which happened to be a king — the rooms were well appointed, with single brew coffee pot, furniture that looked “real” not “hotel” and even a large flat-screen TV. To say it was comfortable is an understatement. Next time, I’d rather not be on the pool side, however.

The event (Tennesse Valley Region of EGA Share-a-Stitch XXVIII — my first), was delightful, even though I knew only a handful of the 100-plus people in attendance: my fellow chapter members, Rissa and Lisa, our teacher, Barbara Jackson, a few TVR board members, and an old friend from Mid-Atlantic Region who was also teaching at the event, Debbie Stiehler.

What didn’t work out was doing any sight-seeing while in Memphis, on my first trip of any time more than just passing through on my way somewhere else! No Beale Street, no blues, no Elvis look-alikes, no Graceland, no BBQ! (That last is my fault, however, for I chose to go to Carrabba’s Grill our one night with dinner on our own – we had BBQ at the banquet,  but that’s just not the same as going to a BBQ “joint” IN Memphis!)

Unfortunately, on Friday night I could take away only long enough to go get dinner from working on the bibliometric proposal submission for my summer class, which was due by midnight! (Got my grade today, and though it isn’t bad, the professor wasn’t much happier with one section than I was!) I tried to work Saturday night after the banquet to finishi another assignment — due midnight on Sunday — but it just didn’t come together, so we needed to drive straight home after the seminar ended at noon so I could work.

I posted in-progress photos of my class piece, Cherry Tree Cottage over on Crewel Intentions. Please go have a look. And I’ll just plan to return to Memphis some weekend in the future for BBQ, Elvis and Blues.

Oh, yes . . . I volunteered to chair the seminar committee for the Share-A-Stitch in 2010.  Probably a crazy thing to do, but I miss being involved in seminar planning, and the acquaintances throughout the region it brings.

With regard to the Ani hats, last night I wove in the last end and packed all thirteen (13!!) hats in a bag ready to go to Lhasa (image click-able). Now I just have to talk someone in to toting them 6K miles, and then delivering them . . .

In other stitching, there are posts from each of us three contributors to the Crewel Intentions blog about last Saturday’s delightful workshop with Barbara Jackson of Tristan Brooks Designs.

See, I said it would be quick! I even have enough lunch break time left to eat.

  How many blogs does one have to have to be addicted?

  I don’t know how long I’ll even keep up the old one, Dancing My Life Away, now that I’ve started this on my own domain… but before I had decided to do this, while I was at seminar, I created a new one, Crewel Intentions.

  Rissa, Lisa and I are sort of on a crewel kick — actually, I’m just finally joining in. LOL!  Perhaps we can co-author the crewel blog and document our “Year of Barbara Jackson” projects.