February 26, 2009

Satellite

I've decided, on seeing lots of needleworkers' approaches to their project management, that I'm not very organized, and it would be good if I could stitch on one project at a time (monogamy) or at the very least stitch in rotation (serial monogamy). I think what I am is a satellite stitcher. I like doing one big project as a constant--call it a planet--and then have a lot of other projects circling to distract me when the planet becomes confining. I may have to abandon my planet for a while; I have now run through all the tan Au Ver a Soie, and I still have two wings of the building to do. So far, the two shops with which I've placed orders for the replacement silk have not been able to get it for me. I think I'll call a couple more shops, because the risk of winding up with five or six or eight skeins is far less than the risk of not being able to find it at all. Here's where Dorothy's Garden stands now. I may work around the house for a while though, since there are some big honking flower arrangements to do, and all that tiresome border.

I've restarted "Keep Me" by Moira Blackburn. I started it some time ago (2 years?) and unwisely chose to do it over one. Big mistake. I'm doing it over two this time. I've discovered that if I'm uncomfortable with a project--the texture of the fabric, for instance, or the size of the fabric count, I just won't work on it.

Here's how far I got last time. Pity. That tree was more work than it looks to count. I had to get out the highlighter for the chart to keep the frogs at bay.

If you haven't already, please drop by Margaret's new blog, called Days of a Sampler Lover. Be sure to look at her photobucket album. And--my friend Shallot Clayton is her banner photo! By the way, Margaret, I am indeed using NPI and not AVAS as I had said. Now that I have seen your very good photo of the sampler, I feel as if it's worthwhile to continue--I had been having some serious cold feet over it.
Oh, and Theresa at the lovely Giraffe Xing has very kindly given me an award. I'm a nit-brain tonight, so I'll pick it up and follow the directions this weekend, Theresa. Thanks so much for thinking of me!
The rabbits have the night off but would like to point out a bunny blog if you haven't seen it yet: Barringtonbunny. BB is a hoot--a two-color angora bunny spare on language but not at all spare on cute. There's something about his 2 colors that reminds me of the saddle shoes I wore when I was a kid. And also, we have learned that Fez and the Gang of Some Bunny are NOVA neighbors! For those of you not in Metro DC, NOVA is a separate state from the rest of Virginia practically--there is occasionally some talk of seceding, since Richmond takes all our taxes and distributes them to the rest of the state while we inch along on our underfunded insufficient highways.

This is Shy Tabby, who purchased two Arturo Fuente cigars today for BF and left them with the following note:
Dear Dad,
I am sorry about your lunch. Your friend, Shy Tabby.
Poor BF had been planning on having a nice lunch of my very excellent (if I do say so myself) leftover meatloaf. The phone rang and he set the meat down on a little side table while he answered it. While his back was turned, Shy Tabby managed to knock the entire plate of meatloaf onto the floor. And there was nothing else (he informed me) to eat in the house. (Nothing easy, anyway, except for my vast collection of Lean Cuisines.) So Shy Tabby had some serious apologizing to do, and there's nothing BF likes better than a nice cigar (yuck) on the deck, a sure-fire sign that spring is coming, so off I went to the cigar store today during lunch (which seriously cut into my stitching time).
Good night Mr. and Mrs. America, and all the ships at sea. Your friend, Shy Tabby.


17 comments:

quiltcat said...

Shy Tabby is a lovely kitty to have apologized with a gift of your time and a gift of something so stinky and so expensive.

Check out this item number in eBay for the Au Ver a Soie 260367245611...would one of those be the shade you need?

Brigitte said...

Lol. That's a funny thing to think of some satellite stitching circling around a planet. Goes perfectly with UFO stitcher, lol.
This Moira Blackburn project looks really great and I can easily understand that you want to restitch it over two. I'm not an over-1-stitcher either.

mainely stitching said...

Those willow trees are boggling, aren't they? And the darn things look so simple.

Shy Tabby is one beautiful kitty. But I am just thanking the heavens that my DH doesn't like cigars. My last boyfriend did - ugh.

Satellite stitching cracks me up - what a great way to describe it!

LivnLaf said...

Pretty witty on the NoVA commentary...and true. The stitching looks fabulous. Satellite is about right. Great entry (I'm supposed to be on the road for work-can you tell?)

Sherry said...

I had never thought about stitching in that way but it does make sense! lol. Love the chart but it does look a bit complex!

Fez and the Gang said...

Oh Shy Tabby, who could stay mad at you!

It's true everyone... it has actually been said that NOVA isn't part of the "real Virginia" by certain political figures...

Margaret said...

Thank you, Glenna, for your shout out. :D Glad my picture helped. I love all your stitching projects! I think every single one is a piece I want to stitch! Big trouble for me! I think your satellite stitching is actually a good idea. I'm sort of trying that for the first time now. I'm usually a one at a timer.

Love your bunnies!

MyLifesAStitch said...

Wow, Glenna! Looking great!!! I really love Dorothy's Garden... I think I might "have" to have it! It's funny b/c when I saw the pic for it online it wasn't an actual model pic, just a computer generated something and I kind of went "meh". Anyway, here's to a great stitchy weekend, and hoping you find your threads soon!

Melissa said...

I love the picture of Shy Tabby!

Glenna, I'm just catching up on your blog and you have lots of wonderful stitching there! The Moira Blackburn looks stunning.First time I've heard of Satellite Stitching - appears to be working for you!

YowlYY said...

I think that you and I have something similar in our approach towards our crafts - I too need to start every now and then something new (not to mention that working with different sizes of needles is much better for the hands, than working with the same number all the time). Right now I have only small things on the go, but I am looking for something bigger again. And yes - if I am uncomfortable with the yarn or the stitch, I just don't progress.
Still, the stitching is fabulous...I can only compare it with complicated lace - if you mix up the rows you're lost!
Loved the anecdote of Shy Tabby - and is now peace in the house again, after the cigar? *cough*

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Good thing Shy Tabby had enough saved up for a couple of stogies...such a sweet face alone ought to be enough, though lunch can be a hard thing to loose....I agree with you on the satellite approach, that's how I do most housework; in the end it gets done, until then it looks like I have a bad case of ADD.

RG said...

I guess my whole life is Satellite ... projects sort of ooze out from the edges until now and then we sort of do triage on them and start over!

The Bunns want to say that even though cats are weird, Shy Tabby does teach a good lesson!

Siobhán said...

Shy Tabby is a cutie!

Your Dorothy's Garden is fabulous! Oh my gosh, love that close up picture. My LNS had a model of Keep Me stitched on the walls for a few years & I drooled everytime I went in there. I love it. LOL about the satellite stitching--great way to describe it!

Jan said...

The Blackburn looks great.

Shy Tabby shouldn't worry. After all the house and everything in it belongs to the cats. (My DH says he's a cat butler)
You are so right about NOVA.

The Scarlett House said...

Hey Glenna, that particular Moira had been off my radar, even though I think it's a great one. Now that you HAD to go and show it, I may have to reconsider. Thanks to you, you enabler you!

Tammy said...

I like that analogy--the satellite one as well as the NOVA one! :) Dot's garden is just beautiful!

Sweet Sue said...

Hi Glenna, you've a lovely blog, thx so much for the giggles at bedtime, your prose is delightful:)

Sweet Stitching!