21 days to go…but who’s counting? well to be honest I am! I absolutely love, love, love…did I say love? going to seminar. The first time I went was 1996 when it was held in Memphis at The Peabody Hotel. I have been forever hooked and have attended almost every year since. Only missed a few as work got in the way, you know the nerve of that job!

Stitching, sightseeing, shopping, stitching, being with stitching friends and even more stitching. It is a wonderful week and something that I really look forward to. I have never been to Philadelphia, and I plan to take it all in. Searching out the best Philly Cheese Steaks, the Liberty Bell, the stairs that Rocky ran up and down, Citizens Bank Ballpark; the home of the Philadelphia Phillies, a tour through the Amish Country and trips to Rittenhouse Needlepoint and Fireside Stitchery. Whew I think that I will be just a bit busy!

I have a 5 day class with the Fab Four which is like 5 days in heaven with Suzanne Howren, Tony Minieri, Beth Robertson and Meredith Willett and 51 other wonderful stitchers. This will be a 3peat for me in this class and I was thrilled that I got my first choice yet again. Rumor has it that there was quite a waiting list for this class. The camaraderie between the 4 teachers and the energy that they exude among the students is off the charts and they make it so enjoyable. Not to mention the stitch and technique ideas that you learn in those days.

A few months ago we were to send a picture of your canvas to the Fab Four for when they get together and discuss ideas and thread choices. It is just some ideas, not the whole canvas as things change as you are in class. Okay you are saying…we want to know what canvas are you doing? Be patient I am getting there!

I sent them a few choices with explainations for each one and thought that they could make that “I can’t make up my mind decision!” All the while deep down inside really wishing that they would pick this one and they did!

This is Bastet, the Egyptian Cat Goddess by Tapestry Fair. Such a beautiful canvas! Peggi gave me one of these canvases to stitch for her and then write a stitch guide, which I told them that in my letter. I am thrilled that they were able to read my mind! So many questions, so many ideas and I am so looking forward to working on this. You know if I were to have selected another canvas for class it would probably be put away when I got back from seminar as I work on the pieces that I need to. Now this one will be worked into the rotation.

I have a list of thread suggestions to bring along with, so guess what I will be doing tomorrow? yes! some thread shopping. I will buy threads there at seminar too. That is a fun part of class, making the trips to the shop during class looking for threads, sometimes with one of the teachers, sometimes by yourself. I understand that Rittenhouse Needlepoint is 6 blocks away, so there will be a few trips there too!

Okay the cat is a given that it will be stitched sleek and elegant, but how do I stitch those tassels in the corners? Do I bead the heiroglyphics or stitch them? There is so much background in different colors, how do I select stitches for all of them? So many questions, so little time!

Yes so little time before I leave for seminar and so much for me to do before I leave. Stitching, stitch guides, magazine work and then more stitching. Not to mention a baseball game or two and lots of Olympic watching. No time to goof off like Sylvester! This box definitely gets the paws of approval stamp and will stay on the floor for awhile for them.

and until next time…keep on stitching