Its May Its May - the lusty month of May

In case you don't recognize the lyric, think Camelot.

Beltane was HOT - I don't do HOT (+85-90 degrees). Court was long but really neat things happened and friends had a pavilion nearby so I could watch, but be in the shade. My entries didn't win, but they were yummy - everyone that tried them said so. Eventually I'll post the recipes to my website. Didn't get a lot of stitching done, but did get to spend time with friends from afar.

Been planning out my next steps for the month- another column due, June Crown is coming up and I need to get a couple projects done to show in the display, plus get more work done for A&S, plus some mundane things -- the husband is finally graduating (party needs to happen), all the inlaws are arriving, Linn is coming and doing the Goldwork class (almost full) & a blackwork class, going to Stitching Festival to take a couple classes and maybe do a Make It/Take It, and I finally broke down and am moving to OSX on a new machine. So the month will be very full.

But wait there is more -- fun. There must be fun. I am so looking forward to having Linn and Libby - always fun. Lots of work on the house and garden -- finally getting some things done that have been weighing heavy. It feels good to do the things that make the house a home. The yard is full of wonderful roses and the sweetpeas are beginning to take off. The yard is full of its critters - frogs, dragon flies, monarch butterflies, birds of all sizes and types that I've never seen before, and an occassional visiting cat (drives our Pete "the cat" crazy). Life is good!



Tonight I'll reward myself with stitching on the Crazy Quilt before moving on to the surface embroidery project - more on that later. It is mystery night on TV - 2nd Sight, Campion and then a fun "B" vampire movie - Kiss of the Vampire. Good stitching time.

Running Fast Again

Last week was soooooooo fast - How fast was it? It was sooooooo fast that it blurred into this week that has been just as fast.

Did get all the html and pages done last week that I needed to, but no tambour homework. Went to the class anyway and the teacher was very forgiving. It seems that for most of us the stars were aligned on fast trak. Managed to get the tambour stitch to work well as embroidery, as a bead attachment and as applique before the class ended. Unfortunately I need to put it away for awhile.

This week has been running almost tooooo fast. Did managed to do something fun (see my Musings column) and went to the local EGA meeting. We had a lady in to talk about the Royal School of Needlework and her experiences during a very intensive 8 weeks of training. Don't think that is the route for me.

Next month is Linn's Blackwork Ornament class for our EGA group. It is right after CATS (www.stitchingfestival.com). My tambour class mates got hyped on my comments about Linn's goldwork class and so we are having a special Goldwork class just before CATS. Been getting a good response to my class announcements - everyone is excited that Linn is coming.

Meanwhile, I've received confirmation that my column is a go. I'll let you all know when it is to be published when they let me know. Guess I need to finish the 2nd column soon - next week's assignment.

This weekend is my SCA Beltane event - a coronation event. So drag out the good clothes, cook up a storm (just for fun I'm entering 2 dishes in the Wooden Spoon competition - theme is From the Pasture and we are camping at a sheep ranch - you can guess what my dishes are), prepare for guests, haul out the camp gear.... So back to cooking - 2 dishes down and 2 to go. Stitching -- I'll take it with me, but it looks like a full weekend.

Ready to Go on Strike

All this html is getting to me. It is sooooooo literal. Good thing I have my Crazy Quilt Bargello to keep me sane. I've been doing lots on it. Haven't had the energy after all the html to do the Tambour homework yet (sigh) - guilt.

A Tambour Report

Well - I'm told that once you learn the process it is very fast. You can't prove it by me - yet. Tambour is using a crochet hook to make a chain stitch. If you are "embroidering" it looks like chain stitch on top and can be used to outline, fill, applique, etc. If you are beading, you work the beads or sequins on the bottom which is the right side of the fabric, and the chain stitch shows on the back side of the fabric. Since you are working with a tiny crochet hook and it is a 2-handed process, you have lots of places for problems. Think I found them all (grin).

Much of class was set up - creating a muslin frame for the work fabric and then putting it into a scroll frame - with tacking all 4 sides. Then came the actual technique work.

We have homework. I'll try to get through it all. I'm not sure what project I'll develop for next weeks class. As usual I thinking about a rose.

Class was fun. A chance to learn something different with people I know. 3 of them are top level historic costumers - 2 I've known since the 70's and the 3rd is the lady who matched me with my husband. One is a costume and design phd student and historic costumer. One is a more fun and fantasy costumer. And other is also a historic costumer. The teacher is a couture dressmaker with about 20 years experience who also does some reproduction and conservation work.
Now back to the mundanity of html -- it never ends.

Something New

One of the ladies at the Reticella class mentioned that there was going to be a special class on Tambour embroidery on the 17th & 24th. My immediate reaction was that I had other things scheduled -- supporting my husband's war efforts. When I mentioned the class to him, he said I should go since the "war" events weren't really my thing and he knew I would enjoy the class. I called and they could fit another person in so on Saturday I am off to learn another form of embroidery.

18th C embroidery is not my thing, but collection 18th and 19th C embroidery tools is very much my joy. I have a tambour set and sewing box. While I won't use it in the class, I will take it for "show and tell".

Also received my Stitching Festival confirmation of classes. In May the Stitching Festival comes to a nearby town and I have signed up for 4 classes. I'm learning that while 7-10 classes may be fun, I'm too exhausted to really enjoy. So I will take shuttle tatting (took needle tatting last time), making overdyed threads (we get to be messy), an edging class, and a 2nd class on insertion stitches. When I'm not in classes I'll hang out at Linn's booth some and shop and and and...

Still having fun with the Crazy Quilt Bargello. Put in a couple Ogees. Linn gave me some of the Dinky Dye silks and they are wonderful. The cottons aren't bad either.

Now back to webbing the 100 classes for the Arts and Sciences event in July (blech - html).