I am soooooooooo excited!  next Sunday at this time next week I will be winging my way to San Antonio for the American Needlepoint Guild’s annual seminar. I know, I know I can hear you saying “you have been such a gadabout this summer from Columbus to New York to Portland to Baltimore…and now this?” Yes I know and soon my feline children will disown me and then there’s the fact that I have enough commissioned stitching right now to keep me going non stop for months! and soon Elizabeth will be sending lots of files for the November/December issue of Needlepoint Now. Can you please make the days longer for me?

Oooh but the seminar is so special! I have been attending since 1996 when it was at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, with those ducks. Those special ducks that parade through the hotel lobby at precise times following the Duck Master either up to their penthouse or back downstairs. Seminar is an amazing week and such special friendships have been grown through this annual get together about the United States. Fair warning, once you go…you always want to come back!

This is my canvas, Hall of the Sacred Bells by Leigh Designs that I will be stitching in my class The Long & Short of Canvas Embellishment, taught by Suzanne Howren, Tony Minieri, Beth Robertson and Merdith Willett. A few months ago, a color copy of the canvas was sent in for them to come up with some suggested threads and stitches. A shopping list of threads was sent, which you see here. I will probably look for a few more colors from the threads that I have in the house such as red and whatever else looks good. Then there is the shop that is set up for us in the hotel, where frequent shopping trips during class are the norm and ooh so fun!

I took this class last year and loved every second of it! To have 4 teachers in the room at one time, each teacher working with a set group of anxious students each day and then rotating through the room over the week. We are to bring doodle canvases, extra stretcher bars as we are taught a new technique every day. I have a feeling that we are going to have a lesson on stitching on silk gauze! My hope is that some of the other stitchers will allow me to photograph their canvases with that special magic that has been created to share with you.

There is so much to do and see when you go to seminar. The hotel is located on the River Walk in San Antonio and close to The Alamo which will allow for some great sightseeing and shopping! Lets not forget the Mexican food and Margaritas! There are numerous events such as the opening banquet, the auction, life patron luncheon, teachers showcase, silent auction and the ever popular merchandise night…which I will explain more about that as the week goes on. Then there are must see shopping trips to The Needle Works in Austin and the Yarn Barn. Oh did I mention sleep? well there is no time for that!

I should be home stitching today but I have a very important date at a baseball game…a game in which one of the most beloved players of our San Diego Padres, Trevor Hoffman, will have his jersey retired.

Sylvester thought he would sleep on the bag too! these silly kids of mine. and until next time…keep on stitching