Back to School

Although we celebrate the new year on January 1, somehow September always seems to be the real beginning of the year.  Part of it, of course, is that my life still is scheduled around the school year. DD is a high school junior this year and we are starting the college tour circuit.  But, I think, part of it is that the cool weather seems to re-energize me.  I am, by no means, a cold weather person.  In fact, I have a very limited temperature range in which I am comfortable.  And even that is off-kilter these days - I am hot when everyone else is cool and vice versa.  But it seems that many activities take a hiatus during the summer and then resume in the fall.

My needlework classes are no exception.  I have managed to sign myself up for four different classes of varying length/complexity starting in September/October.  On Saturday I blogged about my Ukrainian Embroidery class at the Ukrainian Museum in New York City.  That class will meet for eight weeks.  I learned that there are three eight-week sessions with the second one beginning after the New Year.

So today I will bring you up-to-date on the other classes.  Of course, I still have in-progress projects that I started months and even years ago!

Slava Russki
I  started the Slava Russki class at The Edwardian Needle's new location.  This is one of Tony Minieri's designs which are always fun but a bit of a challenge.  This class will meet once a month for a year, which means I have a chance to actually finish the piece since I will have some time in between classes to work on it.

Slava Russki
Designed by Tony Minieri
Design Size 8"  by 11"
(on Light Blue Congress Cloth)

We worked on one area last week:  the triangle in the upper left corner.  This is a five-step composite stitch; I completed three of the steps in a small area; you can see the stitches as they are built up.  I am determined to finish this area before the next class in early October, and to keep up with the stitching from each class.

Progress after Class 1

Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood
I am also ghosting Carole Lake's Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood.  Carole is teaching the class in October at the ANG Georgia Chapter.  It will make a nice companion piece to Carole's St. Basil's Cathedral which I stitched a few years ago.

Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood
Designed by Carole Lake
Design Size 12" x 14"
(on 18-count Blue Mono Canvas)

Stitcher's Hideaway Retreat
And, finally, I will be attending the Stitcher's Hideaway Retreat in Mystic, CT again this year.  The incredible Thea Dueck of The Victoria Sampler has designed a very special piece for this Retreat and I have been busy with my pre-work.  We will be concentrating on the Hardanger embroidery at the bottom of the piece and the hemstitching in the middle, as well as some of the specialty stitches.  I am hoping to have all of the cross-stitching completed before the Retreat.  Some of that cross-stitching (such as the lettering) is over one!

Mystic Christmas Sampler
Designed by Thea Dueck
of The Victoria Sampler
Design Size 14"  x 5"
(on 28-count Misty Blue Cashel)

I just love this Retreat - what could be better than spending a few days away from work/home with other stitchers doing what we enjoy so much?  This is my fourth retreat and I look forward to it every year.  There will be an ornament exchange during the Retreat so I have to add that as part of my stitching obligations.

That brings me up-to-date on my classes.  I hope to be a little more conscientious about blogging on my progress with these projects.

Until next time, happy stitching.