I've overextended myself once again and am undergoing a forced period of repose.
In lieu of words, I present you with some needlepoint:
It amazes me how a photograph will show flaws that my eyes cannot discern in normal light. So be it.
Category: Needlework
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Update
The pillow made from my needlework class sampler arrived yesterday. It turned out lovely, although smaller than I imagined it would be; I obviously had trouble in my mind translating the flat two-dimensional fabric to a three-dimensional pillow. It could also be that the other pillows in my house are less tightly stuffed. Nonetheless I love the way the shape of the pillow itself brings depth to the stitches and I am surprised to learn that I like the pillow far more than I liked the completed canvas in its flat form. I am also happy that I sent it out rather than planning to do it myself as it would still be languishing in a pile somewhere, just one among many ufos.
I am working upstairs, organizing my studio. I am starting with the 9 x 17 foot space that is destined to be storage/cutting/pressing room and from there I will move to the second room, which will be the primary sewing room. All that has been accomplished so far is to move everything out, including the rolling metal shelves that were being used as fabric storage (seen here, only imagine them about 3/4 full of fabric) The two shelves pictured will remain in the attic for storage, although the fabric will move to the new storage wall once it is assembled. I am expecting big deliveries of components for my new huge cutting table today and the components of the storage wall on Thursday. Then the real work will begin.
I unpacked about 20 boxes yesterday, as well as moved furniture, and there is more unpacking, organizing, building, and putting away to come, so expect posts to be spotty.
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More Needlepoint
I am in Texas visiting my mom this week, so it seemed like a good time to share a few photos of the needlepoint sampler.
Class ended last month, and I am almost finished. All that remains are a few decortive details which will be finished up next week. When I am doing needlework I loose all worry, all sense of time, and am just content. This tells me that I have not been giving myself enough time to explore my own gifts. In fact I have probably not been giving myself time at all. A situation that needs correcting.
The good part of my recent period of forced inactivity is that it has forced me to stop overthinking, overdoing, and just overachieving for a bit and think about what was actually imporant and just be. I've been trying too hard and as a result seemed to have misplaced something essential. I see the path; I'm not quite sure where it is taking me yet.
To begin I give myself persmission to keep a list of books I've read, but to not feel I need to share any thoughts. The results of forcing myself to write book revews were not pretty. If I feel inspired I shall write. Otherwise I like having a list. It is enough.
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Mundanities
Here I am. Better late than never I suppose.
(we were supposed to do an initial, but I had to get all fancy and try somethng special with my initals)
I meant to write yesterday, I woke up all focused and raring to go and then got worn down by all the simple and totally mundane stuff that needed to be done:
1. Gym
2. Have breakfast with my sweetie.
3. Recycleville (you know the place one takes the cardboard, plastic etc.(It seems by the time I move to Knoxville, the curbside recycling slots had all been taken). Actually it is a fun trip. G likes putting the aluminum cans and the cardboard in their respective bins, while I run around with the other stuff.
4. Audiologists to get a malfunctioning hearing aide repaired.
5. Lunch with my sweetie: vegetable soup and bacon-wrapped chicken.
6. Combined Costo and Sam's Club runs.
7. Early dinner with my sweetie (Shepherd's Pie and Mustard Greens)
8. Needlepoint class.
Actually I am behind in the needlepoint class. Not behind on lessons per se, but I am the only one in my section at least who hasn't completed the borders, and that did put me a little behind last week, in that they all learned a stitch that I didn't. Well I listened and did it anyway. Now I am back in step. But I'm going to finish those borders.
Once I catch up, we will have Christmas break and I can either start on another project while I wait for the next lesson. Or I can turn my attentions back to knitting, which I have had to give up in order to keep up with the needlepoint. Obviously my classmates don't knit while they watch TV, or they have more time on their hands than I manage, or they just watch more TV. Or they just manage their time better than I manage mine. The latter is the most likely.
In the short term, I am looking forward to stretching my legs out on the sofa and working on this some more tonight. I overdid something at the gym today and my knees are complaining rather vociferously. I knew it, and I did it anyway so I have no one to blame but myself. I just wanted to master a particular move. Perhaps finding the right balance of mental focus is an issue, as in fitting in time to do the things I want to do, but at the same time not focusing on one thing so intently that I ignore everything else, including warnings that I am over-doing.
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Things I love this week
My threads arrived for the beginning needlepoint class I am taking. I was a bit apprehensive. I had an idea of what I wanted but ordering colors from an online color chart involves a certain amount of faith and guesswork, and I can be surprisingly picky about colors.
Today is the second class. My thread arrived yesterday. I love the colors, they are just what I wanted. I feared the two light purples (seen together to the right of the photo, next to the rust swatch) are too close in value, and they may be. I have ordered another shade, darker than these but lighter than the deeper colors, but it is backordered for two weeks. I ony need three to 4 colors, so I am fine even without it.
The bit of rust is my initial foray into basketweave stitch. There are a few glitches in my tension, and it would have looked nicer if I had pulled that stray thread out of sight before I snapped a picture, but otherwise I am in love with needlepoint and my colors. I can't wait for more.
After class this afternoon, I may settle down with some needlepoint, but I am also planning on starting to read the new issue of The Gentlewoman. It arrived yesterday, and I adore this photo of Angela Lansbury on the cover. There is just so much character, intelligence, wit and grace captured in this photo. She looks like more than just a star, she looks like someone with whom I'd like to sit and chat for a while. So often photos of actors and stars look shallow, as if one was looking at a persona or a mask rather than the actual person. Not this photo.
Well, at least I have the magazine and a few hours.