Showing posts with label Celebration of Needlework 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celebration of Needlework 2011. Show all posts

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Celebration of Needlework 2011

Yesterday I attended Celebration of Needlework 2011 in Nashua, NH. I always love this annual trek 30 minutes (or less) from my home, (how blessed am I??), to meet up with stitching friends, take fun classes and shop... and eat... :-) The economy surely seems to affected Celebration this year. It was a much smaller crowd. There were only 4 students in the class I took, and I was told there was only 1 student in a class the day before :-( None of the designers I usually take classes from were there this year - no Betsy Stinner, no Catherine Strickler, no Jeannette Douglas, no Cynthia Zittel (aka Covol)... sigh... but, I still had great fun. There were still plenty of vendors there, and great friends too!

I thoroughly enjoyed taking this small class with Theresa Venette of Shakepeare's Peddler. The project is a small, basic spring pattern with the emphasis on learning a fun, easy and inexpensive way to convert this to a pincushion on a square pedestal... you will have to wait until I finish mine to see what I mean ;-) Theresa is lovely - a very open, candid and humorous lady. Totally fun!



I hit the shopping area with some gusto.... with my health issues this year, stitching has not been in the forefront for me. I loved being re-exposed to my favorite hobby while I was there. I picked up some Blackbird Designs charts, a La D Da chart and Shakespeare's Peddler's Jennie Bean... however, my biggest splurge of the event was this full kit for Quaker Diamonds. Karen Kluba was there (as a vendor, not as a teacher, unfortunately), and her booth was amazing. I could have furnished all of my house, my mother's house and your house with her many stunning models! This was the last of the full kits she had, so I feel like I won the lottery. I am so addicted to this piece already - so unusual for me to stitch on 28 ct using three strands of floss. Those who know me, know I am very much a one strand on 40 ct please, thank you so much... This is a treat and no strain on my eyes, thus no triggering of migraines. Whew! The colors are stunning, and I already know this is going in my dining area. The colors complement by newly installed Brazilian Cherry wood floors just perfectly. I am in stitching heaven again!

Plus, as well as spending time with dear, beloved Margaret as I do every year, I got to meet up with any dear stitching friend, Marie, for the first time ever! She is in transition, moving from Texas to Connecticut/New York/Vermont - some crazy combination of all three, actually :-) She is living in a hotel in Connecticut at the moment - what a treat for her to come and visit at Celebration... we had a fun dinner along with Margaret, and I got to give her my HoE Quaker Christmas Ornament in person!! Here is what I stitched for her...

Quaker Christmas Smalls
Milady's Needle
40 ct Flax Linen, Crescent Colours Floss - English Ivy, Auntie Dee, Sassy Brass, Bandana


On the health front, I am thoroughly enjoying "needle naps" (aka acupuncture) now... along with the magnesium supplement advice from Joanne, and Theresa Venette's recommendation for me to try Progesterone Cream, I think I may actually start to feel better soon - imagine that! My tinnitus volume is much lower as long as I keep this up, and I have only had a glimmer of a migraine since I first started acupuncture on Wednesday afternoon! Thank you to all for your help and support!!

Currently Stitching: Joy Christmas Ornament (thank you Margaret for giving me your used chart - I love this one!), and Quaker Diamonds