I finished my first piece using the klosterstitch technique (I am planning on doing another piece using different ct linen). As those of you who know me, I keep trying a technique until I get it correct. This piece did work up quickly, but my yarn is a tad too wide for the material used. All in all, I do not think it is "that bad" for my first attempt at learning a new technique. Hopefully my next piece will be better.

I am learning klosterstitch from a friend in Drachenwald. I should have worked on something larger, to get the technique down better, but as usual, I started something small. I am making a guild badge (Drachenwalds Dragon's Needle Embroidery Guild), 3 inches in diameter on 32 ct. linen and Paternayan yarn. I have it about 2/3 completed and am please with how it looks thus far. Although, I will not know how "well" I did the technique until it is examined properly. (I have noticed a couple minor errors, but this is my first attempt)

I am almost finished with the promissory haversack; washing it and then last bit of embroidery around the strap. I have been practicing a new stitch technique (at least for me), Kloisterstitch. I have ripped it out a couple times already and started over. Of course, I did not start with a simple, easy design for my first try; I am doing a dragon with tiny curves and details. I am doing this piece on 32 ct linen and on a 3 inch roundel. I think I will do another simpler design, about 6 inches, for practice on 28 ct linen, just to see the difference. Then will send both pieces off to Austria for critiquing and pointers.

Still need to finish my tunic and two scrolls before 12th Night. And constantly grooming Nikki every other day for her next show at end of December. Four days and three nights in lovely San Mateo.

I have been working, off and on, on a project that will take me a while to complete. The original is in the Victoria & Albert Museum in England. I have enlarged it, almost double, so that I can applique it onto a pillow cover for my own use.

I finished the black outlines and am now starting to work on filling in the leaves (the bows will be outlined in a darker color of each bow). I am using Soie d'Alger silk, 32 ct. linen, and jap gold (for the applique) as I cannot afford real gold.

In the remaining two weeks of this month, we only have 2 1/2 days of actually going anywhere; I have a 2 hr meeting to attend, then a full day to & from a dog show and then the Golden Rivers Banquet. This will leave me 10 1/2 days to embroider on projects. I am hoping to get six projects completed by 12th Night and then the remaining six completed by the end of January. Of course, if I really push myself, I could get them all completed by 12th Night, but I will need to relax a bit in between projects.

Last night at the embroidery class, I delivered the completed haversack to E'tai'n. I needed to take the lining off the flap to embroider her device onto it. This was a very simple process. She was please with how it turned out. One project down and 12 more to go -- all by 12th Night.

Today Josephus day tripped to Cynagua/Mists War (as he is RMIC) and I stayed home. Since I was up at 6AM I figured that I would work on my web site. I posted the two paternosters I made to my Projects page on my web site. Now I will relax on the couch and start back to work on the two haversacks that I need to finish. I can always work on the other Or Nue sample piece in between; not to mention two scrolls that I need to finish painting.

Of the 15 projects needed by January, I am now down to 13...LOL. Yes, they will all be completed and ready for delivery at that time. Have I ever mentioned that I love to keep busy??

• Haversack-Ducal promissory


• paternoster-Colorado


• paternoster-Sir Gemini


• finish Byzantine tunic trim


• commission – pillow cover


• commission – smocked apron


• haversack – finish device


• service project 1


• service project 2


• goldwork butterfly


• aprons – smocked & blackwork


• Or Nué – leaf & chalice


• 2 scrolls – AOA & LOM

Okay, I finally finished my Or Nue class project (taught by Mistress Teleri at IKINS). I took out all of the first attemp I made due to a bad wave in my gold threads. Thistime I was able to complete it without any majot errors. IMHO, it is still not perfect, but this is my first Or Nue project.

I now have E'tai'n's haversack completed and ready for delivery this weekend (I used blanket stitch for the strap and flap, herringbone stitch for the seams and hand stitches the lining). She is just expecting it to be plain sewn and usable; she does not know that I have completed all the seam emblishments. I hope that she will be pleased with it (if she decides she wants a Celtic/Norse design on the flap, I can add this upon her return from GWW).

My mind always runs amuck and, lately, it is hard for me to keep one thought long enough to complete anything in a timely manner; but I do seem to get things done (to my surprise). You know how a bee goes from one flower to another, never staying too long at one? Well, that is how I feel, at present, with all my projects. I have countless projects (some with due dates), started but not finished. I end up going from one to the other and working on them here and there. No wonder I get over-whelmed and feel that I cannot accomplish things. Is this due to boredom of doing one continuous stitch technique, due to my getting an idea and wanting to start something new, or a mental problem (short attention span)? Hubby thinks it is due to my getting bored of doing the same thing over and over, that I just like to try my hand at doing something new all the time; that I am always coming up with new ideas to try.

In medieval times, there were usually many women working on the same (large) project; I am doing things by myself. If the project was small, one woman would work on it from dawn till dusk (or as long as she had sufficient lighting). There was, usually, someone else to do the cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. (especially in a castle or large household); so if one was an embroideress that is mostly what all she would do. I need to balance everything from house chores, to working on computer, to embroidery; there is never enough hours in a day it seems.

Since I started doing embroidery, TV has gone to the way-side, usually on just for the noise factor (no, a radio will not cut it); guess I need the occasional visual distraction as well. I have noticed that 99.9% of my embroidery designs are medieval in motif; the modern designs do not interest me. Maybe I should take a break and work on something more modern; but then, what would I do with it when finished? I cannot see myself as the elderly, grandmother type who has her walls covered in her embroidery pieces, and I do not know of anyone else who would appreciate an embroidered sampler, wedding/birth sampler, etc..

Second time in ten years I am feeling burned out with my embroidery. I have five main embroidery projects that I am working on…..
1) 10 black swans for Princess guards favors (four completed- due by Crown)
2) Kingdom project (due by 12th Night – ¾ completed)
3) Viking apron dress (adding spacer to make it larger)
4) Trim on tunic dress (3/4 complete w/embroidery – then need to add pearls)
5) Silk wreath project (was asked to get as much as I could completed by Crown)

And a couple projects that are not embroidery….
6) Casting 35 Cynagua awards (by end of October)
7) Making 300 site tokens (due by January)
8) Finishing up my new silk parasol (still need to order the beaded trim) (am making my own glass beads to add as decoration on top)

I know my limits (yeah, right) and my sewing abilities, so I do know that I will get the two main projects (#1 & #2) complete by due dates. (I do well under pressure…*S*) The Viking apron dress can be put on hold for a while longer, but the tunic dress I would like to wear at Crown. As for the last three projects (#6, #7 & #8), are “fillers” (can be done as a break in between embroidering) but will be completed by their perspective due dates; they can also be completed over one weekend - when I can get a free weekend).

What I really need to start doing is “prioritize” my embroidery projects (for me, that is easier said than done). Kingdom & Principality projects are always put first, my personal projects I end up putting on hold (a lot), and I do like to make items for gifts to other people (hence putting things on hold more often). And I do try to have non-embroidery projects so as to have a break from sewing…. *S*.

(I know a few people (and Laurels) who have the same feeling on this issue as I do; I am just more vocal about it. I do multiple projects because “I want to and enjoy it” not because I “have to”. I even have a barter in progress; he knows what I want but has not told me what he wants as yet; which means more sewing for me (I think).)

As if I do not have enough projects to keep me busy (if there were 10 of me, I still wonder if I could get everything completed), I have added a couple more projects on my over-flowing plate....

1) am going to make an apron with smocking at the top (thanks to Eowyna)
2) am going to make an apron with blackwork across the front
3) have now started planning Embroidery classes to be held at my home the 2nd Monday of each moth.

Took a break from regular embroidery and made a couple more unique (at least I think they are) pin cushions.

Some of the pin cushions are made for a "special" reason, or person, and I might not make duplicates of them. This one is for Princess Aeschine, since her reign theme was "BEES"

Just finished 3 leaf pin cushions. I tried to get them to resemble laurel leaves. Might give these to a couple Laurels I know. Think the next ones I will use a brighter green thread so that the veins will stand out more.

My pattern for my inkle belt is giving me some problems today, so I decided to put it aside for a while and started to work on a new project -- a pin cushion made from pop bottle caps.

Instead of trying a simple pattern I choose to make a more complex one -- a crown. I already have plans for this one, so I am glad that it turned out better than I expected. It measures 1 1/2" tall by 1 1/4" wide.

Got up late today, 9:30am. It is already 95 degrees and suppose to hit 103 (too hot to do anything outside). Think I will close off the living room, turn on AC and embroider more on napkin project. Am almost dome with them; about a quarter of each left; should complete them by tonight. (Sometimes I feel that I have a needle permanently attached to my fingers...LOL) Then I can start on my yellow inkle belt. Busy, busy, busy!! First, I am going to jump in a cool shower to cool down a bit.

I have changed my project plans and have decided to concentrate on just three (yes, three) projects for the next 15 days...
1) finish Royal napkin project
2) work feverishly on A&S banner
3) work on my protege belt -- have design all drawn out, need to warp inkle loom and get working on it.
(So as I do not "burn out" again, I am splitting my time between these three projects, instead of working constantly on just one technique.)

Now am off to drop items to Jaida that she displayed at our Needle Guild A&S at Crown. Then back home to start finishing my projects.

I was catching up on my blogs and was reading a post from attack-laurel found a link to instructions on Gold Plait Braiding. I have been wanting to learn this technique for quite some time now, but have been unable to understand the steps. Now, with these new instructions, I hope it will be easier to learn.

Last night I made country style ribs in BBQ sauce (they still are so tender that they fall apart) and a fresh strawberry pie...YUMMMMMM