Wednesday was Day 3 of the Long & Short of Canvas Embellishment; Chapter 4… as this is the 4th year that Suzanne, Tony, Beth & Meredith have taught this class at seminar. These amazing teachers have such great chemistry, think allot alike and work so well together that it is an absolute joy being in class with them! Isn’t that what needlepoint is supposed to be about? having fun? well in this class that is a given while learning so much. Will I ever remember it all?

Even the teachers were teaching each other! With the ever growing world of needlepoint, stitches, threads and techniques are changing at a whirl wind speed. Tony, Meredith and Suzanne were working out a picot stitch.

It is very easy to snap a picture of Tony as he sits across from me in his pensive thoughts. Tony would spend the morning with our group.

More thread shopping! This time it was for the stylized lotus blossoms. Some great ideas, now I just need to execute them to the best of my ability.

Beth was finishing up with her tables and after lunch the teachers would switch. Beth will be with our group for the afternoon with a different perspective and more brilliant ideas.

Beth was working with Sandy on a beautiful fan by Lee. I was counting my sections out as we were going to redo the “beetle” stitch that they selected. Now how perfect is that?

I am stitching on the cat’s tail in between mastering the stitch in the section to the right of the tail. It is a stacked wheat stitch with Belle Soie Carrot Cake and Kreinik 154V. Tomorrow we are going to figure out what to do with the sections of the heiroglyphics.

Do you remember that beading thread that Meredith was coloring yesterday? Do you see the Noel banner? that is what is being purr~fectly beaded by Vicki as she works on her Brenda Stofft canvas.

All too soon it was lunch time which found Pat & I wandering off to Reading Terminal again and to Dinic’s again for America’s best sandwich! I almost felt like a local standing in line and helping a few people with their choices of peppers or broccoli rabe and how to say it. We walked around for a bit and spotted some home fudge by the Amish vendors that work in the back of the market. Of course we needed to try a few flavors! The Amish markets are sectioned off in the back since they are closed 2-3 days a week while the rest of the market is opened. This gives them their time to worship and to be with family. I love this place so much, that I  am sure that I will make one more visit before I leave Saturday morning. Stay tuned in the next few days as I show you the wonderful canvas that Pat has been working on!

We left class a little early today to catch the bus to Fireside Stitchery. I am this close, of course I can’t miss out! With Starbucks in hand and several shopping lists for my classmates, we boarded the bus for the hour plus ride there.

Maria and the rest of the gang from Fireside rolled out the red carpet for us, showing us all around the shop and helping pull threads, cutting canvas and taping the canvases that were being bought. I had lots of thread shopping lists and they were so accommodating to ring up everything separately. Thank you so much Fireside!

The best thing was getting to meet Palma! She is an inspiration and ever so charming. Palma was busy pulling threads for more of the Melissa Shirley Crackers, showing her new needle felting techniques and so much more. She said she is coming to see us at the seminar hotel tomorrow. I hope she stops by our class.

and until next time…keep on stitching