LA County Fair, "Other crap"

Three of us went to the LA County Fair this weekend. While it's not a problem dragging the Dude through the craft competitions, it took the promise of air conditioning to lure both boys away from the track. We admired the over-the-top table decorating, the Christmas tree decorating (purchased and handmade divisions), and the various craft displays--everything from papier mache (some husband entered his wife's belly-cast; do you think they're divorced yet?) to cross-stitch. I'm always agog at what some people will enter. Disney kits. Plastic canvas. Horrible, total travesty. In fact, when we were looking aghast at the hen and rooster decorated with beans and dried corn, we invented a new category, not "other crafts" but "other crap." The Best in Show cross-stitch was quite well-done, but the picture, eh, not so much. The stitching was unbelievably even. I showed the Dude the reason one of the Teresa Wentzler dragons got a first and the other a second. I found a terrific sampler that features a Cyrillic alphabet with a Russian church; took a first in its division. Convinced once again that I should enter. I'm thinking about entering both the Christmas tree competition, handmade division for the over-the-topedness as well as a stitching project. Only problem is I still have the damned afghan to work on. And whatever gets entered has to be big--they don't like the small stuff. Even well-executed complicated small stuff.

Gallica has fallen by the wayside. I still have backstitching on the square, but I'm sick of backstitching. I've got about half of the big rose to do. That's all! But I'm tired of working on it. I've been knitting in-law Christmas scarves for the October 15 deadline. I've got two child-sized hats and two man-sized scarves. Took the gray and black wool scarf on the hour-long trip to the Fairplex yesterday. And for the 30 minute commute this morning.

I think I might just start the next square so I can get back on track. My next deadline is to finish the [somekindofweddingflower] by October 17, and I have yet to begin. That's too much to do in such a short period of time. Maybe I can hire a blow-up doll to do my job a few days a week. You know, the one in the office that I am trying to leave. The one where I write to you, dear reader.

Keepsake NeedleArts

Got a new catalog today from NH, Keepsake NeedleArts. Like most catalogs, it has a lot of kits. I try to avoid them because of the inflated costs but understand the necessity for this kind of markup in the industry. Otherwise the shops would never make a cent. Anyway, there's stuff I've never seen before in it: cross-stitch (stamped and counted), needlepoint, crewel, stumpwork, rug-hooking, fibers and tools. They've got Hinz-it charts, Sandy Cozzolino perforated paper santas that I don't own yet (not the Mill Hills in The Stitchery), and the cutest "sampler scissors box." It's a shaker box with a stitched lining that has a pocket to tuck your scissors in. I must get it and finish it before I go to Tulsa (registration was today and the 5 southern girls and I are in). I will be the envy of my fellow stitchers. The catalog doesn't seem to have a web presence, but the # is 800-852-7338. Despite the proximity of my parents' address to the mail order address, I've got no connections to this business. I just get a lot of catalogs.

Finished backstitch on all the leaves; have half the rose to complete.

nearing completion

While watching Monday Night Football (or not watching as the case may be), I finished the main flower on Rose Gallica. Last night, I completed all of the crosses (a bud and a few leaves). I am working now on backstitching, and it looks like I may meet a Friday deadline after all. I'll see what I get done tonight and tomorrow night. I am going to the Hollywood Bowl with some crazy people Friday night, so I won't be able to finish while I'm there.

The Three Wisemen

A/Irreligious as I may be, I own a copy of the Bible (KJV). I checked that Bible, and not in Daniel, Matthew, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Proverbs, 1st Corinthians, The Book of Job, Deuteronomy, Esther, Exodus, Ezekiel, Ecclesiastes, Genesis, Obadiah, Psalms or the Apocrypha does anyone refer to the "wisemen." But Wise Men, as in came tramping through the desert to meet the baby Jesus, is two words in each reference. This was the first thing I noticed paging through the 2003 JCS Ornament Issue. The Shepherd's Bush ornament has a figure carrying a charm jug walking away from a star (followed by a boat for some reason) with the stitched caption "Wisemen came." It's unmistakably two words where, of course, there should be three. How could no one have noticed this--not the designers, not the magazine editor, or photographers, no one? What's more, everywhere you look in the magazine, it's "wisemen came." If this is what fundamentalist religiosity is doing to the country, well, it's no wonder everything's going to hell in a hand-basket.

My complaints about Dragon Dreams and the Stitcher's Habit (Merry Moosedroppings!) seem to have been heeded; neither designer is in this issue.

Overall, I was underwhelmed. There are about 14 designs I'd like to do out of 75; I think that's a record low. Both Bent Creek and Heart in Hand designed house ornaments. There's a neat circle of trees from The Workbasket. There's a page full of snowmen (I like the Twisted Threads one best, but SO asked, "didn't you do that one before?"). There's a set of "traditional" red and green ornaments with a particularly staid one from Mosey 'N Me that I like. There's a section of animal/bird ornaments, including a really funky flamingo with an Esatz wreath--my favorite on that page. There's a selection of Santas, but none are out of this world. There's a group with "dark palettes" including a Prairie Schooler that matches their new book "Starry Night." (That ought to give you a sense of those ornaments.) There's a collection of ornaments that have "Joy, Peace, or Love" in them. JBW's "Love" is pretty and Lizzie*Kate's "Peace" has a neat row of Christmas symbols underneath. This is where the wisemen appear. There's the page of "unusual color" ornaments. They're nothing to write home about, although I think there's something about Graphs by Barbara and Cheryl's plaid Christmas tree. The next page has several of the issue's ugliest ornaments, including a gingerbread man who could give children nightmares. And you know how I feel about Cherished Teddies. The last page of photos has the "white" ornaments. Lots of hardanger and cut-work, but my favorite is a bitty stocking by Brightneedle.

Am I jaded or have the designers lost something here?

I got K's scarf done and I'm very far along on Rose Gallica, even though I had to pick up the new magazine and flip through it again and again this weekend. I'm still not sure I can make the Friday deadline because there is a lot of backstitching left to do on this one. We'll see how far I get while watching Monday Night Football.

Rose Gallica

I'm not optimistic about finishing rose gallica by 9/26. I'm about 1/3 of the way through, but USC has a bye this Saturday. This means only one stitching day on the weekend. I also have to finish knitting three scarves and two small hats in addition to decorating two sweatshirts (George's reaction to his Santa sweatshirt last year means I just can't pass up being the Best Aunt Ever), for the European in-laws, all by mid-October. (Presents have to be shipped by then to arrive in time for Christmas.) So I'm debating whether I should knit K's zig-zag scarf while I'm home alone tonight--it requires too much attention. Or should I plug on and get the rose done by 9/26 so I can feel better about being on schedule? Which schedule?

It seems settled that MB and I are going to Tulsa in March. All the women that we met there last year are coming back. That should be fun. And cheaper since we can fly into OK City and stay with D instead of shelling out for Thursday night and the extra $$ to fly to Tulsa. I never thought I'd look forward to spending time with four religious, southern women before. This may be a sign of the apocalypse.

Have needle, will travel

So you're tired of sitting around at home, alone, stitching. Perhaps occasionally venturing out to your LNS to see what others are working on. Well, there are places to go, baby, go and work with others

Celebration of Needlework
April 28-May 2; Nashua, NH
MB and I did this some time ago when it was in Manchester, closer to the airport. They have good teachers and a respectable marketplace. Of course, I'm originally from NH so room and some board were free since we stayed with the 'rents, but you can do NH on the cheap, at least compared to the big cities. When we went, we took a needleroll class with Merry Cox (From Merry's Heart); an ornament Round Robin (three teachers: Sue Stokes, Betsy Stinner, and C.A.Wells). Well, that's all I remember but I have the feeling I took another class. This could be the one where I went brain dead learning coral knots. Here are the teacher bios.

Camp Wannasew
March 11, 12, 13, 14 2004; April 1, 2, 3, 4 2004; October 14, 15, 16, 17 2004; and November 11, 12, 13, 14 2004; outside Tulsa, OK.
The closest store to Camp Christian, where these stitching weekends are held, is a giant Walmart several miles away. But, you're here for the stitching! The camp is rustic, and was designed for kids. It's six to a room unless you've been attending forever. The food's hearty-country-plain with lots of butter, except the night you go to the Amish farm and then it's scrumptious, although the state of Oklahoma requires that you cook the shit out of green beans. The Silverneedle is a terrific store, so you'll relish your chance to shop there before and after the weekend--of course, they bring lots of stuff you can't live without, so you can shop while you are trapped in EBF. Bring your own lighting. Bathrooms are dorm style. In fact, it's a lot like you went to college for needlework. They have three projects, including one that is in the style of their "Secret Needle Night" projects--lots of interesting fluffy fibers. We also learned a finishing technique while we were there. Go with friends and bring earplugs. Leave your modesty at the door.


I haven't been to these, but that doesn't stop me from having an opinion.
Creative Sewing and Needlework Festival
April 16, 17, 18; Toronto
HUGE! All sorts of crafts, not so many needlework projects.

Island Embroidery Holidays
several weekends in March and April; Island of Arran, Scotland
"Specialising in crewel work covering also Hardanger, Blackwork, Pulled and Drawnthread, more recently Raised Embroidery and Stumpwork"
424 pounds for the weekend. It's in Scotland in the spring. You'll want to stay indoors and stitch.


Rockome Gardens National Counted Cross-stitch Show
June 4-13; Arcola, IL
Eileen Bennett, Meg Shinall, Linda Driskoll & Linn Skinner taught last year. Class fees seem reasonable; unfortunately it's in the middle of nowhere, so there's an hour-long drive from the "closest" airports. Two weeks! And lots of prize money to be won if you're a good stitcher.

A Stitchers Retreat
May 12-14; New Harmony, Indiana
$570
Bright Needle, Twisted Threads, Charland Designs
OR
Oct 1-3; West Chester, Ohio
same teachers
MB and I are thinking about going to Indiana next spring, so I'll let you know. But I am a huge fan of BrightNeedle. Twisted Threads has some good stuff, but Ruth Sparrow has a unique way of stitching that she likes everyone to try. Whether you like it or not.

Stitcher's Hideaway
"Bringing the Designers to You!"
They have several events each year, with teachers who I respect: Sue Stokes of Nutmeg Needle and Betsy Stinner of Earth Threads.

Drawn Thread Weekend
May; Elegant Stitch, Modesto, CA
There is only one project offered for the weekend, but you'll get a lot done on it! Modesto is a little, well, crappy, but Elegant Stitch is like a jewel. It's a fabulous store. Do you like Drawn Thread designs?

Mrs. Neate's Stitcher's Retreat
September weekends; Barkerville, BC
$250 Canadian
Held in an old mining town in, get this, the Caraboo Mountains. It's a drive from Vancouver, but not many people get to experience life as it was. The place seems a bit hokey--a living history experiment. There's not that much info online, so if you've been, tell us about it!

A Cabbagerose Needlework Weekend
First weekend in May; SAINT CROIX
Saint Croix is my favorite USVI and ranks up there on the Caribbean list (I've been to almost every Caribbean Island.) She's lined up some terrific teachers--how hard can it be when you invite them to Saint Croix? C.A. Wells, whose designs are incredibly unique and not available except through instruction; Lauren Sauer of Forget-Me-Nots in Stitches; and others. They're sending me a brochure in October, so I'll update you then.

A Stitchers' Gathering [no web presence at this time]
October; Hilton Head, SC; $595
Rae Iverson teaches 4 unpublished designs. Rae Iverson, of Moss Creek designs, is a fabulous teacher. She's smart too. How bad can Hilton Head be in October?

EGA National Seminar
October 19-25; Ryebrook, NY
Know a reason you should go? Write to me, and explain the EGA.

Anyone know of others?

Stitch 'n' bitch

So for fun, I googled "Stitch Bitch." And what do I come up with but a bajillion sites about the Stitch and Bitch knitting clubs. Apparently, I am old and out of the loop. These groups are for knitters under 40 to get together and "stitch" in public. I've never really thought of knitting as stitching. It doesn't even look like sewing.

I was on page 17 before I even had a reference to cross-stitching (more on the porn sites later, or not).

There's also a vaguely interesting article about a female Frankenstein called Stitch Bitch: The Patchwork Girl. But I couldn't read that much of it. When I put that life behind me, I put it behind me for good.

So, why don't stitchers stitch publicly and in groups? Ages and ages ago, well probably some time around 1995, I had met some Angeleno stitchers online and had them over to my house. There were about 7-10 people who came and went, and we'd either gather to stitch or would go on shopping excursions together. What happened to all that? Oh, the sacrifices we make while pursuing letters to string after our names. . .

Part of the problem I suppose, for me anyway, was that I had to stop reading rctn. Too many off-topic posts. Too damn many posts period. Oh, for the days before AOL, when people read and followed netiquette rules. There were about 50 messages a week, and they were all on-topic and interesting, too. Now there are too many stitchers out there who spend their time talking about everything but stitching. It's too difficult for me to have what I consider a normal conversation with a regular person let alone a fundamentalist woman who homeschools and has no sense of irony, even if we have cross-stitch in common. Maybe this stuff is going on out there; maybe I'm too "in here."

I'd go to an EGA meeting, if I didn't have to go it alone--maybe. But which of three vaguely-local ones to attend: Pasadena? Long Beach? El Segundo? Women stitch at the LNS, but they're all about a hundred and have bad taste as far as I can tell from the projects they've chosen. The other LNSes are too far to go to to stitch for a couple of hours so I can be with people.

So for now, I will sit at home and work on battlestargalactica (not going too well) while I watch professional sports on tv. Oh, and plan another trip to Tulsa, OK.

Next up: a collection of cross-stitching trips you can take, and some brief reviews of the ones I've taken.

When will I review 2003?

Sorry, dear reader. I went to the LNS bright and early on Saturday only to find that the JCS Ornament Issue is not for sale yet. It wasn't clear to me whether this resulted because they didn't have it yet or because the shop owner is away and the half-wits she lets run the shop in her absence can't be trusted to unpack them. So, I won't be able to report until next Saturday. Unless it should appear at one of the ubiquitous magazine stands around town.

I went to the knit-out in Santa Monica yesterday and I learned to crochet, got two free crochet hooks and a pair of knitting needles, and found out about a bunch of local knitting groups around the Southland. In case you ever thought the knit-out was too lame for you, my friend AK said that it was "way better than I thought it would be." But that's not what you came here for.

I bought a copy of BH&G's "Cross-stitch Christmas"--the one that comes in the plastic bag so you have to guess at what's inside and divine whether you want to purchase it or not. BH&G is pretty notorious for repackaging their old designs, so this one guarantees that they are 52 new projects. Initial scan suggests that none are repeats from their calendars, books, or other magazines. However, their count of 52 includes one pattern stitched and finished two ways=2. If the pattern's the same, I say, it doesn't matter if you give me two color ways, or suggest a different fabric count or way of finishing--it's only one new pattern. So 52 is their count.

Big Name Designers
The first two projects are Lorri Birmingham ornaments, a santa and a snowman, and they're cute if you like her stuff which I find a bit saccharine. They are finished by being attached to the ubiquitous Nantucket basket. There's a version of Mary Engelbreit's "Hark! Harold the Angel Sings."

SANTA
There's a section of Santas which includes a "Russian Santa"; this seems to be translated as a frowning Santa. I guess you'd frown too if you had to give coal to the good kids. He's got some real toys attached to him, to strange effect. It's okay. There's a Scandinavian Santa box and ornament on Aida. Eh. There's a Sinter Klaus pillow design which is stitched in a different color coat and offered as a "basket wrap"--so two sets of finishing instructions. The interest with these guys is that they have fluffy Rainbow Gallery threads for the beard and fur trim on the coat; I think this is the only thing in the magazine that I'd stitch. There's an "old-world" Santa designed by Lorrie Birmingham, although less Birmingham-esque than the first ornaments, finished both as an ornament and as a pillow. He doesn't seem happy, and he's wearing a purple dress. Coincidence? Any way, that makes him old-world. There's a Santa pin (ok) and an ugly wall hanging with a Santa head and a wreath that says "Jingle All the Way."

Get religion
There is a nativity set designed by Carol Emmer "translated with permission from the Fontanini Heirloom Nativity Collection." They're all there: Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, two sheep, and angel with a banner "Gloria", and an angel holding a sheep. No Wise Men. (If you visit the website, you can see the crazy people who keep the Fontaninis in business with their EPIC nativity scenes.)

Old-fashioned Elegance

A country-type scene with a house and "Peace on Earth" surrounded by poinsettias designed by Sandra Cozzolino, but looking nothing like her Santa ornaments that I collect and you might find in The Stitchery Catalog (now produced by Mill Hill).

A candle screen done in red work that has "Welcome" on it with cross-shaped poinsettias.

"Toile" stockings--red or green holly and poinsettias.

Victorian Beaded ornaments

Poinsettia tablecloth and napkins (white flowers on white damask fabric with cross-stitch fabric inserts) (sort of hideous)

Snowmen

snowman and santa place cards on perforated paper set in funky cubes with curled wire

two snowman ornaments, one on a sled.

the cover piece, designed by Ursula Michaels

a snowman surrounded by a mitten shape with the words "warm, woolen, winter" on the borders

two Mill Hill (beaded) snowman ornaments on perforated paper, both dressed in red, white and blue in case you forgot we won the war

Country Christmas

A mirror insert "All Hearts Come Home at Christmas" with reindeer and Nordic elements. Done in overdyed flosses with Smyrna Cross snowflakes

Happy Holiday tray and matching placemat and napkins. All have a pine cone motif. This is an unusual and attractive motif.

Sweet Angels
"Scandinavian" angels. I'm not sure what makes them Scandinavian. They're nothing special. There are just the two--and a whole page "Sweet Angels" announcing their arrival (ie. lots of dead air space).

Nine pages of "cross-stitch shop" mail order catalog.

Final recommendation: unless you collect Fontanini, there's no need to pay $6 for the privilege of taking off the plastic wrap.

2002

I have not stitched any of these either. Why I am so excited about getting more patterns? I haven't even done the ones I have.

After 5 years, many people have run out of good Christmas stories; unfortunately for the dear reader, they are foisting the bad ones on us. Just send in a damn recipe, people! That way we don't have to hear the pointless Christmas tales spun by people who work far better with needle and floss than pen and paper.

In this issue, I have marked 26 of the 76 for stitching. There's one that needs to be stitched for all your feminist friends. Sisters and Best Friends (I swear, I am not on their payroll) have created "Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward Women." And for all you feminists who have materialist relatives, you can stitch Meg Thompson Shinall's sampler: "Just send the five gold rings and cancel the rest of my true love's order." But please, Shinall must have a recipe she can send, instead of some pointless story about putting Christmas adornments on her cats. Really. Terry Nolan of Dimples Designs has contributed his first ornament; it's an antique Santa in browns. No Christmas story from Nolan, although he's not that bad of a writer. You’ll know it if you've stitched any of that Professor Fizzby series. Rae Iverson can write too; she's got a master's degree in English--medieval, I think. Her contribution of ski hats (the ornaments) this year was a bit, well, different, and the story just went on and on. At least I don't have to research it to make sure it's accurate. (I'm not dropping the Christmas Clown thing.)

Several cats this year, but you know I need those for my framer (Casual Cat in Amherst, NH). And another Moose: "Merry Mooseness." Do these people who make the moose ornaments not get how language works? It's a social contract, dammit! We have to all be in on the joke, or it's not a joke, see?

Perhaps you think I should be harder on the thistle ornament, but I won't do it. My MIL is Scottish, and anything I can do for her is good stuff. Lauren Sauer, who may be the craziest stitcher outside the asylums, keeps the "true meaning" of Christ-mas in all her designs. Even though she believes that Jesus spent his "lost years" in England, I can't make fun of her designs. The one in the 2002 edition is a sweet boy carrying a star on a pole. I'm sure she's done her research as she explains that in European villages of old a small boy lead the procession of the faithful to services on Christmas Eve, his star symbolizing the one that brought the wise men to Bethlehem. It's not for me, but it's very pretty.

2001

I went to three general magazine shops last night to see if I could find the new ornament issue, but to no avail. I might try B&N tonight, otherwise I'll have to wait until Saturday to get to my LNS.

So here's the review of 2001.

I haven't stitched any of these. But I've marked 25 that I'd like to stitch. My favorite is by Sisters and Best Friends. They thought that their snowman looks so much like their father that they included his picture instead of their own. They're right.

There are a number of ornaments in this issue that use different techniques. Quite a number of hardanger ornaments and an Assissi snowman by Twisted Threads.

The weird ones include a rooster pulling Santa in a sleigh that is strangely attractive. There are of course the Christmas cow, the Christmas racoon, and the Christmas panda bear. These I will not research further. If you have Christmas cows and racoons and panda bears, that's just your problem, isn't it? One does have to appreciate the panda on some level, perhaps a rather low-brow one; the designer made it for her daughter, newly adopted from China. Sweet, but I hope she learns more about Chinese culture for her daughter's sake. There are lots of teddies, including the frightening "Cherished Teddy" series. Who collects this
crap? Dragon Dreams, I hate to single her out, but this obsession with
dragons! You need a sleeping dragon ornament, don't you?

If I had just had the weekend, I would have finished before the new one came out!

I was away from my computer this weekend, down at Del Mar. Had I been able to post, I would have completed my review of the JCS Ornament Issues before the 2003 edition came out. But I will plug on...

Most disappointingly, in 2000, Theron Traditions snuck in a recycled ornament. She taught it at the Celebration of Needlework in NH in 1998, maybe [MB: you remember when?]. Not only had I already stitched it by 2000, but it had actually hung on the tree, which you know means I finished something. Everybody gets the finishing distinction, right? As in giving a finished appearance to something: gluing on a backing, sewing into a stuffed shape, putting a frame on it.

But we'll forgive Ms Theron because she didn't release the little bird widely.

In this issue I stitched Birds of a Feather "Christmas Heart" (the Dickens quote, done on jury duty); Kitty & Me's "Christmas Cardinal" (this was finished for my trainer who is from one of the seven states that has the cardinal as its state bird, finished); Mosey 'n Me's "Once a Year Visitor" (cute Frank-like Santa in a mint green coat); SamSarah's "Happy Winter" (with lots of cute buttons from their company); Twisted Threads' "Fa La La"; Lizzie * Kate's "Christmas Spider" (which is missing the spider); Bent Creek's "Angel of Joy" (which I did twice with different hair/eye color combinations for my nieces).

Again, there are 10 more I'd like to do. Especially, "No Peeking" by DKT Originals. I think she designed it just for me. I'm much too old for this type of behavior (much, much too old), but I just hate waiting for surprises. Over the years I have become very adept at unwrapping and rewrapping presents so I can find out what's in there. The wide-spread use of gift bags has really taken the fun out of my bad behavior.

The weirdo ornaments in this edition are the Christmoose tree, a combination Christmas tree and moose (see, it's not even a bad pun!), the golfing Santa (Santa may or may not enjoy golfing, but I'm pretty sure he ditches the red suit for this activity), and the good old Christmas butterfly. That last one will require more research--just like the Christmas clown.

Just Christmas Ornament Issue, 1999

Another seventy-five ornaments. None were recycled. I've only done two from this issue: Mosey 'n Me's "Santa's Little Goodie Bag" and Imaginating's "Snow Fun." Since I stitched the former upside down, it's not going to be a goodie bag. Santa can make his own damned goodie bag. I gave "Snow Fun," unfinished, to my framer because she had gone above and beyond the call of duty for me, framing a small piece in less than a week and not charging me for it at all. I should probably stitch her small ornaments with cats in them for the rest of our lives.

There are 28 more that I want to do. I don't know how I managed to stitch so many more in the 1998 edition than in this one. I guess most of the ornaments that I have stitched out of these magazines were done while I was on jury duty in 1999 and 2001. I must have never taken this issue. That was quality stitching time! I packed up little kits to take with me, and I complete about a dozen ornaments in those 20 days (two sessions of ten each). Finished just two--for my neices.

This is the only edition that has an ornament by Drawn Thread. It's a beauty--a sampler bell pull.

No weirdos in this issue, but there are "Cherished Teddies" and "Kidlinks" ornaments. Oh, the humanity!

Ornament Issue, 1998

Nineteen ninety eight was a better year for the Ornament Issue. Twenty four more ornaments for a total of 75 and none recycled. [NB: Told in a Garden hasn't appeared since.] I have completed eleven of these: Sisters and Best Friends' "No Humbugs Allowed" (I've even recently bought the buttons to finish it); Sweetheart Tree's "Hollyberry Heart"; Curtis Boehringer's "Scrooge" (for my dad); Moss Creek's "Hearts Entwined for Christmas" (another pesky box pillow); Graphs by Barbara and Cheryl's "Christmas Eve Ornament"; June Griggs's very Mary Englebreitish ornament "Joy"; Prairie Schooler's "Two by Two Deer"; Lilac Studio's "Christmas Orchid"; Ewe & Eye & Friends' "Frosty"; Mary Garry's "Swedish Christmas"; and Heart in Hand's "Woodland Noel" (needs charm).

They're all stitched but none are finished. So you can see why I need to hone my sewing skills. There are still about 14 that I would like to stitch. Great as this issue was, and I might argue it's the best one, there were two more completely crazy ornaments. The first was by Dragon Dreams and showed a knight giving a present to a dragon. You can see where it originates, but I wonder how many people stitched it. Her designs keep appearing so someone must like them. The other one was a "Christmas Clown." It is accompanied by a short paragraph explaining that early Christmas celebrations included clowns. I am checking into the historical accuracy of this, but I think someone was pulling her leg. This one was so weird, that she hasn't participated in the Ornament Issue since. The Christmas stories continue to be heartwarming though badly edited; and I love the Bent Creek sisters' childhood Christmas photo.

Where does the time go?

I can't believe so much time has passed since I last wrote. I hope I haven't let the side down. Last night, I worked on battlestargalactica while watching the rain delay... er ...tennis. I've finished the stems, one leaf, and part of a petal. As amy! explained Gallica is a hearty rose for the northern climes, and the picture I have is of a full-blown rose. The part-of-the-petal will be more defined once the backstitching is in.

As for the promised reviews of the JCS Christmas Ornaments issue as we wait for the new publication, here is the first installment.

I remember how excited I was by the first issue in 1997. The only real disappointment was the Told in a Garden ornament by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum. She reprinted the 1994 Christmas madonna. She even called it the "1994 Christmas Madonna," in 1997! If you don't know about her Christmas angels, click. There are 51 ornaments I have stitched 3: the Sweetheart Tree's "A-maze-ing Holiday Heart," the Heart's Content's "Hark," and Hollie Design's "Santa." The only one that is finished is the Santa because it was on perforated paper. The magazine shows "Hark" finished as a box pillow, and I really wish I had those kind of sewing skills. I can't even manage to sew regular stuffed shapes. There are about 16 other ornaments that I have on my to-be-stitched list. And now I'm 6 years behind! The Christmas stories were oddly touching, but also demonstrated that some people really need editors, and the editor of the mag let readers down on that score. Other disappointments for me were the Precious Moments ornament (oh, God, the schmaltz!) and this strange "Christmas helper" ornament that shows a fluffy white dog with a gift in his mouth. Little did I realize, even weirder Christmas ornaments were on the horizon . . .

Complete

I have solved the problem of taking the project with me when I visit my mother next weekend. I finished the magnolia today. I am 4 days ahead of schedule. Yay, me! Yay, me! I started Rose Gallica, which I am calling Battlestar Gallactica [is that how you spell that?]. What's a Gallica? I don't know flowers, I just stitch them.

Went back today for more of the coolest fleece at the Jo-ann's sale: chartruese with purple leopard skin. I will cut quite a figure with the hat/scarf/mittens combo. Too bad I will only get to wear them for a week when I visit my parents this winter.

Up next, reviews of the JCS Christmas Ornaments magazines while we wait for the new one to be released this month. . .